Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Have you had enough of the nattering nay-bobs of negativity, who prey on their nervous victims? Have those who profit from depression, and are trying to talk this nation into recession; got you angry, sad or mad? Does the price of gas ruin your day, everyday? Are you worried, anxious or afraid about your future? Do you suffer from the fear of financial insecurity? Does the thought of a certain political party gaining the White House fill you with fear and sadness?
Snap out of it! Stop watching the gloom and doom peddlers who are making huge amounts of money depressing you! Avoid negative people like the plague!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make a conscious effort to be an optimistic person who walks by faith and not by sight! Do the best you can and trust God for the results! Pray constantly in Faith. Make a decision to believe God!!!!!!! Speak Positive Confessions. You can have what you say, as long as you say it without doubt in your heart, (Mark 11:23). If you can’t think of anything positive to say, don’t say anything. Better still, search the scriptures and quote the promises of Jesus!!!!! Don’t throw gas on the fire with your own thoughts and words.
If you are having problems maintaining your optimistic self, read Matthew 25-34 three times per day out loud:
“Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment (clothing)? “
“Behold (pay attention) the fowls (birds) of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?”
“Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit (a unit of measurement, the length of a man’s arm from his elbow to his third finger) to his stature?”
“And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil (work) not neither do they spin: And yet I say to you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which one day is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
“Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? {For all these things do the Gentiles (those who do not know God) seek:} for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things, But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day are the troubles thereof.”
(Matthew 6:25-34)
If you are struggling with negative thought, please print this teaching out and tape it to your desk, and read it out loud at least three times per day for 30 days.
God does not want us to be depressed, afraid, worried and concerned. Read this teaching from Jesus:
“Hither to (until now) have you asked nothing in my name: ask that you may receive, that your joy may be full.”
(John 16:24)
Jesus knew that we would face challenges and problems in this world. Here is His direct counsel on how to deal with them:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace, in the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33)
Jesus commanded us to make a decision to be of good cheer: (optimistic, happy) knowing that He has overcome the world and its troubles, and that we are in Him, and He is in us. In other words we have the victory!!!
Faith and sadness, and fear, and depression and anxiety do not mix.
Faith is living in the present moment, with joyful expectation, of the things that we cannot see. It is a choice that we make. And as Paul our teacher wrote:
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for in it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
(Romans1: 16&17)
And: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards those that diligently seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6)
Some of you are struggling with downturns in business. These were caused largely by the apocalyptic doom-sayers that started spooking lenders and buyers last year. Never the less, the pain is real as a dear friend reminded me just days ago.
Nobody is denying the reality of a slowed economy. But we can make it better or worse with our attitudes, beliefs and our words.
No matter the circumstances in our lives. We can choose to be hopeful and find joy and peace as a result of a decision to believe.
As Paul wrote: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
(Romans 15:13)
Believing produces joy and peace, all three of which are decisions.
I just read an account of the hellish torture that John McCain went through at the hands of his captors the North Vietnamese. Through the brutal pain of it all he not only stood in faith, he preached the Gospel of Hope to his fellow prisoners. He did not enjoy his circumstances but he trusted his God. What a great example for us in a time when America and the world need leadership. (This is by no means a political comment, for which I could lose my 501c3 status, even though this law apparently is not going to be enforced against the Reverend Wright.)
“Rejoice (make a decision to be joyful) in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace that passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus. “
“Finally brothers, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
When things get heavy remember how Peter said that God sees us: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
(1Peter2:9)
Finally dear reader, when the lords of pessimism weigh you down with their negative blather and gloomy prophecies, remember these words from Peter who saw Jesus in His glory:
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; that you would do well to heed (pay attention to) as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star rises in your hearts.”
(2Peter 1:19)
I pray that this teaching has blessed you. If you have been blessed, please pass it to others whom you believe will also be blessed.
Pastor Allen,
www.throneofgraceministries.com
