Recipe for inner peace!

Joy ... gentle ... kind ... prayerful ... giving thanks ... then peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ. Philippians 4:4-7

A leader of people (Apostle Paul) after telling a group of men and women that he was leading that he loved them, he told them to be full of joy. Joy is a choice, we must seek it. Never doubt that it is always there. He advises them to be gentle and kind, that is a requirement for attaining peace. Next he says to not worry about ANYTHING. He doesn't put a condition on the don't worry statement. He doesn't say don't worry about anything but ... the kids, finances, your job etc. He says don't worry, but pray. Replace worry with prayer!!! That is a powerful and peaceful discipline and habit to acquire. ALWAYS giving thanks, an appreciative person is never depressed, discouraged or defeated. And then ... after the joy, gentleness, kindness, not worrying, praying and gratefulness you will achieve the peace "that passeth all understanding".

Then Paul, a great leader, realized that these people that he was leading and loved needed to know what they should be filling their minds with. He says concentrate and think about things that are good and worthy of praise, things that are honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. What a great test for what we are concentrating on and thinking about!

Read Philippians 4:4-9 today and enjoy the road to peace!!!

The first ...

Have you every been told ... It's all in your head? I know I've said that to my daughters and even worse to my wife. As she says that was a SM (Stupid Moment). It is a very frustrating moment to be feeling something and then someone tell you it is all in your head! However, if our head is figuratively where our thoughts are composed, I guess that statement could be true. The passage from Proverbs ... "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he"... has taken on a profound meaning to me over the last 2 years. The statement from Zig Ziglar that "you can change who you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind", is so very true.
Our thinking rules our attitude and actions. If we aren't careful our thoughts become habitual, either positive or negative. They control our moods, our relationships and our passions. If we allow our thinking to become undisciplined we become a person that we don't recognize. Grudges, habitual worry, blame .... we can all name many destructive mindsets. The problem with our thoughts is that when they become habitually destructive we may not consciously realize it. It is so important that we examine our thoughts, but not only our thoughts but what we allow into our minds. The great thing is that we can change!!!! We can change what goes into our mind and change who influences our minds and our thinking and absolutely change who and where we are.
What are you reading ... watching ... and who are you listening to? The answer is very important!