#40.  Who Controls Your Mind?

This puts the ball right back in your court...who controls your mind?  What determines the state of your mind?  How much has your thinking changed since you became a Christian?  Do you apply what you study and learn?  Do you flood your eye gates and ear gates with the Word of God and good teaching?  Do you continue to raise the bar higher, the standard for righteousness...do you raise it higher regularly?  Do you continue to stretch, reach, grow...?  Are you easily influenced by others?  Do you choose your friends carefully?  Do you influence them?  Are they teachable?  Are you teachable?  Do they honor you, and visa versa?  Do you recognize favor you have received?  Do you run a little checkpoint regularly in this area....same as if you have a car that needs to be checked.  If not...you set yourself up for ongoing increasing problems.  The old saying...a stitch in time saves nine...applies in our lives spiritually also.  To not deal with issues is only detrimental to self. 

It results in smothering life and productivity, not to mention hope.  Procrastination prolongs progress.  God is a mover.  Move forward with His help.  (See next blog....)   


Written By:  Linda Lou Jones

                       Glory To God

                       PS. 45:1 My tongue is the pen

                       of a ready writer.  

#38 Depression VS NOT!  

The longer I know the Lord Jesus Christ, the more I want to know him better.  That is what happens when you are dealing with perfection.  He never sinned, never spoke a wrong word, was always accountable to His Father yet was hated by many.  So even though my sins are forgiven; I am accountable to the Lord; plus I am disliked...(I'll be nice and not say hated.) by many, I'm in good company. To not look at truth this way, I could become depressed but I do not take that route.  It is not an option.  Depression is a red flag and as soon as I see even discouragement try to raise its' ugly head in my direction, I take authority spiritually over it. To not do so is to become a powerless ineffective Christian.  Doing so results in rising above circumstances and walking in faith as God called me to.

Okay, that was about me and how I look at things and handle them.  What about you?  In your journey of life are you getting to know the Lord better?  Do you see self with sins forgiven, forgotten by the Lord, and you are washed in the water of the Word of God?  Are you accountable to the Lord for every word, action, thought, etc?  Do you nip it in the bud when depression comes your way?  Are you a powerful effective Christian?  Do you use the authority you have been given in Christ?  Do you rise above adverse circumstances?  Do you walk and live by faith?  

Written By:  Linda Lou Jones

                       Glory To God
                       PS.46:1 My tongue is the pen
                       of a ready writer.   

#37. A Few Possible Scenarios:

One household awakens to the sound of an alarm clock. One household awakens to the sound of a baby crying. One household awakens to the sound of the garbage truck collecting trash. One household awakens to the sound of a siren. One household awakens to the sound of praise and worship music. One household awakens to the sound of the dog barking. One household awakens to the sound of someone being slapped.... One household awakens to the sound of staggering feet...stumbling over things... 

One household awakens to the sound of someone being sick to their stomach... One household awakens to the sound of crying, grieving.... One household awakens to the sound of a bird singing. One household awakens to the sound of a guard unlocking the prison door. One household awakens to the sound of absolute silence! One household awakens to the sound of waterfalls flowing. One household awakens to the sound of a nurse by your bedside with medication. The possibilities are endless......

Meditate for a few minutes over these possibilities and your heart will be thankful that you do not awaken to the sound of abuse, grief, etc. If you do awaken to that, there is something you can do about it. Silence allows it to continue and it always increases, so open your mouth...speak up. The decision is yours, come out of denial and move forward with your life. The hand of the Lord is reaching out to you, encouraging you to do so.....he will help you. The Holy Spirit will lead you. He never pushes, he leads lovingly, gently, but with a purpose so trust Him though you may not understand His ways, know that God's ways are higher, right, best.

For those who awaken to a peaceful situation, be thankful. Also, it would be an opportune time to say a prayer for others less fortunate. What better way to start your day than in prayer for someone else? Hopefully this seed is sown in good soil of a receptive heart that has a passion for the hurting and less fortunate. Perhaps your perception has broadened after reading these words and compassion is triggered. 

Let's do whatever the Holy Spirit leads us to do from the moment we awaken to the end of the day. Make each day count for Christ as you walk step by step in tune with Him. The most important thing is that your heart is a home for his presence and that he is welcome at all times. Then 'Home” becomes “Home Sweet Home” for Him, and when it is sweet for Him, it will be for you too. 

Regardless of circumstances you will have an ability to shine for Jesus and be an extension of his hand to others. I pray your heart is a “HOME” for Jesus Christ and that you are consciously aware of being “In His Presence” 24/7. 

Then you will have the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Not to mention the fact that your heart as a home where Jesus is not grieved, means your home will be full of righteousness as you raise a standard for Him. Is it?

Written By:  Linda Lou Jones

                      Glory To God

                      PS.45:1 "My tongue is the pen 

                                      of a ready writer."

#41 COLLAPSED WORLD

When is the last time you collapsed your world, so to speak, and said...I give it all to you Father...I only want your will for my life.  It does not matter if things seem to be gong well or not so well...I still want to know that I know I am in the center of your plan for my life.  If not, help me achieve that goal.  Doing this periodically will be much easier to make an adjustment if you get off track.  

Otherwise, to continue in err, is like driving for hours aimlessly and getting lost more and more....deeper and deeper away from destination point.  It is a good thing to 'think' about these things and seek the Holy Spirit for help.  He can give one quick direction in seconds and you have the answer you need.  I pray you do so today, right now in fact...have a little talk with the Lord and find out where you are at in the road map of your life...  on track...missed a direction...need to ask more questions to get clear direction...???

The Holy Spirit wants to help you.  Go pray now, I'll be here when you return.

                                       ................................

(Sigh.)  Guess what: I did the same thing.  I prayed accordingly.

Then the Holy Spirit told me to type what he is saying.  I said..."It is none of their business...!"  He said, "Type it."  So .......  here...::

"Yes your are growing...in leaps and bounds."  Then I saw my finger reach out and touch a pure heart...it was His heart and he said...."Your obedience touches MY heart."   That was a "WOW Moment"!!  One of those 'Spiritual Treasures" tucked inside my heart....to meditate on in days to come.  Even though I know God honors obedience, it meant a lot to hear these words from His heart of Love!  I found myself saying....He really DOES notice all the little things.... (It was so endearing.).

Written By:  Linda Lou Jones
                       Glory To God
                       PS. 45:1 My tongue is the pen
                       of a ready writer.

#36.  HOME

You have likely heard the saying, "Home Is Where The Heart Is".  Not to mention the words:  "Home Sweet Home".   That sounds all well and good, yet it is not necessarily truth with everyone.  Many homes are not "Nests Without A Thorn".  Many homes are not without great difficulties, whether known by others or not.  Consequently, the word "Sweet" is not an accurate adjective for many homes because the sweet is not there.  Not because it is not desired, but because "It is what it is." 

Christians are in the world, but not of it.  Speaking for the perspective of a Christian my home has proven to be many different addresses over the years.  Some homes were housing more happiness and peace than others.  In retrospect there was a pattern that inevitably managed to come full circle, again and again.   The pattern began with the excitement of 'new' as well as a new perspective upon entering a new beginning.  Sometimes alone, other times with a family or with friends, and always with a purpose.  As well as with challenges, opportunities to adapt, and challenges that required spiritual muscles to be developed in order to get promoted out of there to 'Next!'.  

A constant prayer was to successfully pass every test that day so I could get promoted to the next home God had for me.  In answering God's call on my life I said, "Here I am..Send me."  and He did.  Thus, many moves have been necessary as the Holy Spirit positioned me where He wanted me, and with whom.  Laying down my life, my desires to have my own home, was a sacrifice, yet obedience is not without rewards.  God always rewards obedience.  So with my confidence in Him...I have moved almost 50 times over the years, and am now facing another move.  Not my favorite word.... but "His grace is sufficient".  

Moving so much means there is a possibility that if you wake up in the middle of the night you might want to take time to turn the light on or you just may run into a wall.  Not to mention find the right room if you are headed for the restroom...  So you can see this is only one result that requires adaptation.  There are many more that I won't go into, yet you can imagine there are many different standards that people raise, or do not raise, in their homes.  Yet they call themselves Christians...and live so differently.  

Jesus through His Word is my standard to raise.  The better I get to know him the more clear my perception of what a "Home" should be.  Not be like, "Be!"  To achieve having a nest without thorns first hinges on if one or more people live there.  If only one, less likely to have thorns, though it is possible.  Such as if the a/c is faulty, or the water heater leaks, or the neighbors are loud late at night, etc.   

More than one person in the home requires individuals to be of like mind as believers and raise a standard for righteousness.  To not do so, is already defeating the purpose of a home.  A home should be a safe haven where you can live, rest your head at night, and do so  in total security and safety.  
Written By:  Linda Lou Jones
                     Glory To God
                     PS. 45:1 My tongue is the         
                     pen of a ready writer.