All of us will face difficulties and problems. Eventually, tough times will come; no one is immune to them. The important thing, however, is the way in which we react to problems when they do come. For some people, problems are temporary setbacks or difficulties which have an expiration date. As these types of people work through their problems and learn from them, their setbacks seem to make them stronger. As a result, they learn to persevere and overcome because they see each problem as an opportunity to seek a solution — they don’t become a victim of the problem.

On the other hand, some people see problems as devastating circumstances which have no solution. Consequently, they develop the habit of giving up. Regardless of the progress they have made, they revert to their old ways. For instance, they do well, something happens, and they revert. Eventually, they get over it, start to do well again, then some difficulty comes along and they give up — professing, “Oh, woe is me.” — just to repeat the cycle all over again. Looking back on their life, they realize they’ve gone nowhere and gained nothing.

Quitting is a bad habit, and the cycle of giving up in one’s life must be broken. If you’ve developed a habit of quitting, here are a few things you can do to break this cycle in your life:

1. Recognize this pattern in your life and what triggers giving up.
2. The next time a problem happens, force yourself to keep going forward. Don’t get angry and quit your job or begin to hang out with old friends who will drag you down.
3. Quit thinking and confessing, “Every time I start to do better this always happens.” This is a pit of destruction. Start believing in yourself and don’t give yourself an excuse to give up.

Start to change the way in which you see setbacks. As you overcome them, it will cause you to move forward in life — one step at a time, one moment at a time.

Just a Thought,

PSS

Why is it so difficult for people to change? The problem is that people try to behave differently without first changing their thinking. Whenever you act differently than your usual manner, it produces stress in your life. It doesn’t matter whether the new behavior is good for you or bad for you – change for most of us creates pain and anxiety. Lasting change, however, starts with the way in which you think, so you have to change the mental image that you have of yourself.

The Bible says to meditate in the Word of God day and night, and then you will make your way prosperous (Joshua 1:8). You must see yourself doing the thing that you want to change by rehearsing it over and over until it becomes a part of you. You can surely begin to change by making the choice to do so, but it won’t last if you don’t truly see yourself as changed. When you come under pressure, you will revert to what you know or what is most comfortable for you.

While making changes in your life, begin to meditate on God’s Word and confess it over yourself (Mark 11:23). As you begin to see yourself behaving differently, it will become permanent. Changing the way you think will alleviate the stress and make it easier for you to adjust for change that lasts.

Just a Thought,

PSS

We will all, at times, face challenges that can be very difficult. Sometimes those situations can be so difficult that we feel as if the breath has been knocked out of us. So what are we to do in those circumstances? We can keep moving forward, trusting that God has an answer, or we can get so discouraged that it paralyzes us to the point that we shut down and quit altogether.

Although we can’t always prevent life’s bad circumstances, we can choose the manner in which we respond. We can either respond as a victim and say, “Why me?” or we can respond as a victor and stand in faith on God’s Word. Our response is determined by our thinking. The Bible says, “…[W]hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

As you purpose to confess God’s Word until it becomes a part of you, you will learn that you can overcome, with the Word of God, any situation you may face. For example, when dealing with fear, confess and believe 2 Timothy 1:7, which says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV).

By confessing the Word of God, we don’t have to allow fear, or any other stronghold, to control us because God gave us His Word to disprove that which exalts itself against the Truth (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). You can allow the negative circumstances of life to overcome you, or you can begin to believe and confess God’s Word and overcome those circumstances — the choice is yours.

Just a Thought,

PSS

As a whole, our society is very selfish and self-absorbed. We see it on billboards and in advertisements, commercials, Hollywood and, sadly, our political leaders. It’s everywhere and the philosophy is continuing to grow to the point that if you disagree with someone, especially concerning their lifestyle, you are a hater, a bigot, and you don’t understand; basically, you are an awful person for merely disagreeing. This culture speaks of respect, but does not respect any view that is not in line with its beliefs.

Ironically, the world wants to quote the Bible (though completely out of context) and say things like: “Who are you to judge?” “Only God can judge.” or “God tells us not to judge.” Isn’t it amazing that so many try to quote the Bible, even though they don’t believe it? Regardless of what the world says, however, we must be willing to stand up for our beliefs and be bold about it -- not apologetic. There was once a time when two people could disagree and still tolerate each other, but not today.

We must know what we believe and we should get our beliefs from the Word of God (the Bible). If not, we will be blown about by every wind of doctrine -- every philosophy that the world conjures up to lead people away from the truth. We need to pray for discernment and ask God to help us stand for truth -- no matter what the world says. We need to be honest -- not only with others but also with ourselves. Selfishness leads us away from God, not toward Him.

In this very selfish world, let’s practice being givers and loving people enough to tell them the truth.

#WeGiveWeDontTake  

Just a Thought,

PSS

Today in our country, for the first time, we have seen someone actually put in jail because of their faith. Kim Davis, who is a county clerk in Kentucky, has been put in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to homosexuals. This begs the question: Whose law are we supposed to obey -- God’s Law or man’s law? God’s Law comes first -- always. We obey man’s law as long as it doesn’t go against God’s Law. America is a republic founded on Judeo-Christian principles and beliefs, which basically means that God’s Law supersedes man’s law.

Because of the Christian, foundational truths of our nation, within the Declaration of Independence are written these powerful words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” “Unalienable” means impossible to take away or give up. A few months ago, none of us said this kind of thing could happen. People said, “Not in America!” Well it has happened in America. And because it has happened by legalizing homosexual marriage, it proves that the homosexual movement is one of the most destructive movements of our day. Religious freedom is slipping away in the United States.

We will all have to decide whether to obey God or man. My hope and prayer is that you choose to obey God and His Word -- even if it costs you your freedom. As Christians, we must be willing to put God first in our lives. Either He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.

Just a Thought,

PSS