The Lord has reminded me many times this month of two things:
#1 I need to be filling my mind with His Word and
#2 He is enough.
I'll try to sum up somewhat briefly what He has been teaching me.
Concerning filling my mind with God's Word: Gary Smalley, in his book Guarding Your Child's Heart, said "Our beliefs determine our attitudes and actions, but our thoughts can shape what we believe. So it's important that the Scriptures are in our hearts to shape what it is we think about."
James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh (based on Proverbs 23:7) says "Our thoughts are the most important thing about us. All that we achieve or fail to achieve is the direct result of our thinking. We are what we think and our lives run in the direction of our thoughts."
And from the book 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know By Heart, "It's so important to be meditating on God's Word. The more we meditate the more we will remember. Scripture has power that is supernatural, soothing, convicting, transforming, life-changing, timely, timeless and eternal. Nothing beats having the Word of God stored away in the chambers of our mind. As Isaiah put it, "Precept upon precept...line upon line; here a little and there a little (Isaiah 28:13 kjv) it's like painting the inside of your mind with God's colors one brushstroke at a time."
In order to paint your mind with God's colors you have to read His beautiful words to you from His living Word, the Bible. So many people have asked me how I can have such peace and joy. Well, it has come from many hours of saturating my mind with His loving, personal, life-giving, life-changing words of truth and encouragement from the Bible. Just as Jesus is my best friend so is His Word because that is how He speaks to me. Nothing and no one can bring comfort like His Word so I usually have my Bible with me. As I read His promises over and over they stay in my mind and give me hope and keep my focus on my eternal home. Then I can CHOOSE to believe His promises and to TRUST Him regardless of how I feel and take one day at a time, taking captive every thought and resting in His Words of reassurance, love and hope.
Jesus also keeps asking me, "Am I enough?" I will challenge you with the same question. Is Jesus enough for you or are you relying on your spouse, kids, grandkids, friends, job, sports, church, money or other things to give you what only a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus can give? Don't just fit Him into your life when it's convenient, He asks us to surrender all and follow Him-- to make Him our first priority. No, He hasn't always been my first priority and I regret those years where I just "fit Him in". I can promise you now that Jesus is enough, and only He can give you lasting joy, peace, fulfillment, and contentment through the Holy Spirit who lives in every follower of Jesus Christ. Life is hard, sometimes unbearably so, but God is good--actually He's amazing!!! I only have to read back through my many journals to be reminded of His faithfulness. He is faithful to every one of His promises, and there are so many of them. As I spoke of earlier, the key is to know those promises and spend time with Jesus who loves you and delights in you so that He and His Word can be your anchor in the storms of your life.
Psalm 73:23-26 is a passage that Yance (my son) e-mailed to Ty and I when Ty had cancer. It's a great passage of promises and encouragement. It was interesting to read it again this month and be reminded that God did guide Ty and I with His counsel and took Ty into glory as verse 24 says. Also, Ty's flesh and heart did fail, but God was and is His strength and He's now with Him forever!! My Savior continues to guide me step by step, and I look forward to glory with Him someday too!!
"Yet, I am always with you;
You hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And Earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever!"
The following song I heard on the radio last week. It really sums up very well what I've shared with you. Jesus is everything I need and is my refuge and my strength. He wants to be that for everyone, but He can't if we push Him away instead of reaching out to Him and seeking Him. My prayer is that He will bless you with more and more of Himself as you seek Him, and I know He will because that's one of His promises!
