I enjoy watching football. I played football. I throw football. You’ll sometimes see me holding a football. I like football. And today, I'll be enjoying watching a football game or two. Am I worrying about whether or not my favorite team will win or lose? No. Not at all. Actually, I don't really care about the outcome of a football game that I'm watching. It actually doesn't matter if they win or lose, so I'm not worrying too much about it. Why? My answer is: I don’t worry about the future. I don't worry about tomorrow. I live one day at a time. I’d like to tell you more about living one day at a time without worrying about tomorrow. I’m guessing you might agree that worrying about the future is not a pleasant way to spend our time.
So, the question that I have for you is: when anxious thoughts arise, how can we stop them? One wonderful principle we can operate is to live one day at a time. What Me Worry? Realistically, we do need to think about our future. For sure. We need to make plans. That’s for certain. We have calendars filled with important dates and events. We have things to do to enjoy life. I have plans for the future. For example, I plan to visit Europe to find a place to live with my wife when we are older and desire to live in a small European town on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. I have no idea how that’s going to happen today, but I’m going to plan that into my future. Am I worried or anxious about my future plans? No. Do I continually fret over the details of my life’s schedule? No. Why not? Why am I not worrying about the future? I’d like to share with you what I do, so that you can investigate for yourself if what I do can work for you. I Do Two Things I do two productive things to make things happen:
32-Inch Waist Here’s an example. I have a goal that by January 1, 2021, I’ll have much less fat stuck on my stomach (and it’s seems stuck!) and I’ll be able to fit into a pair of jeans with a 32-inch waist (currently I’m a 34W, and it used to be 38W). Am I worrying about this goal? No. Why? I’ve (i) prayed about it (or, said in another way, I focused my thoughts with specific details and assured confidence in my success), and (ii) I have made positive plans - in which I realize where I am, and list the future steps to reach my identified future goals. What is Praying? What's praying? Praying can be when I make specific requests to God for my needs to be met. Praying also allows me to express my thankfulness for receiving those things for which I believed. Philippians 4:6 says, "Be careful [Be anxious or worrisome] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." John 14:13,14 says, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." I John 5:14,15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him [God], that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." Prayer helps us get specific and honest with God about what is needed in any situation. And prayer with believing and thankfulness brings results to our planning. Planning is Time Travel I think of planning as a bit like time travel. We travel into the future by planning, because planning is like bringing the future into the present so that we can do something about it today. I recommend thinking about that again. Planning is like bringing the future into the present so that we can do something about it today. Once we (i) pray and (ii) plan, we can stop our anxious thoughts about the future by putting the majority of our energy and actions into living one day at a time. Jesus Lived from Day to Day A couple thousand years ago, there was a man named Jesus, who was a great example of how to live one day at a time. He lived and taught his friends to live one day at a time. We read in Matthew 6:25, 28, 31, 34: Verse 25: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat [in the future], or what ye shall drink [in the future]; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on [in the future]…. Amplified version translates, “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Verse 28: And why take ye thought for raiment [clothing]? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Verse 31: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? Verse 34: Take therefore no thought for the morrow [the future]: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. What does that “sufficent unto the day is the evil thereof” mean? It means that each day has enough trouble of its own. There is no need to add to the problems and challenges that each day brings. The suffering, pain, challenges, problems of the present hour is enough without you adding onto it more worries about the future. That’s what Jesus was saying. His phrase “take… thought” are translated from a Greek word meaning “be anxious about” or, as we might say, “worry.” Jesus told them to NOT to worry about what they were going to eat, to drink, to wear—not to worry about “the morrow” (the future). He assured them that “sufficient enough unto the day is the evil thereof.” Thayer’s lexicon helps clarify the King James Version of verse 34 as “Let the present day’s trouble suffice for a person, and let them not rashly increase it by anticipating the cares of days to come.” There’s enough to take care of in every twenty-four-hour period. If we try to anticipate the worries of the future, we may actually increase the challenges we’ll need to deal with. We can put our focus into living in the day, right now, the day at hand, the present moment, and one day at a time. E. W. Bullinger translates Matthew 6:34 as follows: “Have, then, no anxiety for any future day….” That includes tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and the day after that. Every care or concern we may have about the future can be handled one day at a time. To live one day at a time, you have to live in the present moment, one day at a time. Enjoy what’s going on right now. We are not our best, if anxieties about the future dominate our thinking. I have no doubts or worries that I’ll make it to Europe and enjoy the entire day with my wife (and kids if they’d like to join us) eating great food and swimming in the sea, maybe in a small Italian coastal town. I live in the present moment, and I have (i) prayed about it, and (ii) I have made positive plans. The Benefits of Worrying Can you remember the last time you really, practically benefited from worrying a lot? Explain the details of when worrying about something actually helped the situation you were in. See what I mean? Focus on the Present Moment So what are some practical things we can do to help us focus our energy into experiencing, living, and enjoying the present moment? I suggest we should daily “perform our vows.” Psalms 61:8 reads, “So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.” What's a vow? A vow is a solemn promise you make committing yourself to an act, service, or condition. For example, I commit myself to exercising (or at least moving) every day. Commitments This is one of the best things about believing in God and applying the practical spiritual truths that we know. We can “perform our vows” or do what we’ve committed ourselves to do, and do it one day at a time. What have we committed to do? Our commitments may include: our spouse, our children, our parent, our friend, our jobs, our school, our fellowships, our volunteer work, taking care of the things we own, taking care of our health (like losing some fat off the stomach), etc. We’re committed to doing certain things. We do our commitments and responsibilities daily. For example, we love the people we love daily. Love ‘em up. Right? And when each day is over, we thank God for our commitments, and we go to sleep. By staying committed to the things we have at hand, we live and do God’s Word. And by doing those things well, we can help ourselves to stop worrying about “the morrow.” Doing God’s Word "Doing God's Word"... what does that mean? Spending time in every twenty-four-hour period, each day, with our thoughts focused on "doing God’s Word" can help us live day-by-day, and not worry about the future. Here are a few examples of what "Doing God's Word" means to us:
Those are practical things we do to enjoy life and bless others, and those things we learned from reading God’s Word and going to fellowship. And while we are focusing our energy and actions into living every day inspired (or in spirit) from what we’ve learned, we are daily loaded up with blessings. Psalms 68:19 reads, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” In Conclusion I encourage you to pray and plan, which can help us stop anxious thoughts about the future and live our lives to the fullest one day at a time. If you enjoyed reading that article, you may want to check out "Why Men Watch Football." One of the best things in life is to be thankful. It’s simple to remain thankful when we keep in mind what God has done for us. Take a moment right now to think about some of the things you’re thankful for. My advice is to learn that when we have an attitude of thankfulness, that puts us in a frame of mind to believe the best, and we then can see how we can be successful and triumphant in every situation. By being thankful, we can help and serve others so that they can be victorious as well. You Have Been Invited
Colossians 3:15 says, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful." That spiritual truth means that we can let peace (that inner calm) be the controlling factor in your hearts and minds, which can help us decide and settle questions and concerns that may arise in our thoughts. To this spiritual peace, you have been invited as a believer. You have been invited to believe in and experience this spiritual peace in life. And be thankful for it. There's So Much to Be Thankful For We have so much to be thankful for. The house we live in. The food we eat. The clothes we wear. The school that we go to. The work that we do. And each other. I’m thankful for the family that I have. And all of our needs be being met. In Philippians 4:19, there’s a promise that all of our needs will be supplied. Choose to Be Thankful 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that in every situation, we can choose to be thankful and to give thanks. Why? Why is thankfulness so important in our lives? When we are thankful, we are continually aware of the good things God has done for us and given us and invited us to experience. By being thankful, we practice the continual presence of God in our lives. Colossians 1:12 says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (made us sufficient) to be partakers (to share fully) of the inheritance of the saints (believers) in light. We give thanks that we can partake, live, and share fully everything this world has to offer. Triumph 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.” What’s that verse mean? When we give thanks to God, it causes us to be successful, victorious, prevail, achieve, and be triumphant in spirit. And through us and our success in life, that knowledge of God (what we know about God) is like a savor (a sweet fragrance) that is spread out and made evident (manifested) everywhere. We’re thankful that God always, always, not sometimes, not only on Sundays, not once a month, but always, always causes us to triumph. Even if we face a negative situation, we can find something to be thankful for while claiming a promise of God with believing. An attitude of thankfulness puts us in a frame of mind to believe, and we can see that victory come to pass. Remember (with thankfulness) what has been done for us. Remember what has been given to us. Remember (with thankfulness) who you are, where you are, and what you’re doing. Remembering (with thankfulness) will help us continue to stand on the spiritual truths that we know. Born Again In the past, I was alone, broke, with no direction or hope. Then, I met an amazing, outstanding woman, and I became a new person, literally born-again. When we’re born again, we are made near to God. Ephesians 2:13 says “But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off are made near.” When we’re aware of truths like this, it’s simple to be full of thanks. Our logical response now to everything in my life is to be thankful. And to take a stand for God, and give and live in service. Be Transformed Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of being thankful and serving others. And do not be conformed to this world any longer with its superficial values and customs, but be transformed and progressively changed as you mature spiritually by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove for yourselves what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect in His plan and purpose for you. Serve Others Being thankful helps us serve (to do things for others) with a renewed mind and spiritual attitude: when we pray for someone else who has a need, when we reach out and help someone, when we give someone our time and watch a movie together, when we teach someone something new, when we help someone with something their struggling with, when we prepare a meal for someone, when we take care of someone’s child babysitting, when we simply give someone a refreshing drink or a 10-second hug. We can be that type of person who as an attitude of being thankful which puts us in a frame of mind to believe. And when there’s an opportunity to serve, we’re the first ones to say, “Here you go. I can do that for you.” And the result of our service with a thankful heart and mind is that others are blessed, God is glorified, and we are always richly rewarded when we serve others with love in our hearts. Thankfulness in our hearts also smooths the way for a relationship to be sweeter. When we are thankful for what God has done for us, we may find it easier to forgive others, because we remember what God has forgiven us for. Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Being thankful truly helps us put on the mind of Christ and be like him. Being thankful is so important in our lives. Thankfulness actually leads to giving thanks. Thankfulness inspires us to serve others and to give thanks. Thanks be to God. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The truth of the matter is to give thanks, and to do it always. It takes no extra time at all to be thankful and to give thanks for all our blessings. And to give thanks well, we pray. Pray Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a group of folks in Thessalonica (a port in Greece, north of Athens), and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-27 reads, “Rejoice always and delight in your believing. Be unceasing and persistent in prayer. In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God. For this is the will of God for you. Do not quench subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of the holy spirit that is in you. Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecies, which are spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation that you receive by praying. But test and examine and think about all things carefully so you can recognize what is good. Hold firmly to what is good. … and pray. And greet all the believers with a holy kiss. I solemnly charge you to have this read before all the congregation.” It's a Choice Thankfulness is a choice. God’s will for us is to have a thankful heart and mind and give thanks in everything. So that’s what we choose to do. By our choice, we determine our own thankfulness. Rather than focusing on the inconveniences, the negatives, or the pain of the situation, we can choose to remember what God has done for us, what we’re thankful for, so that we can live a life filled with love, joy, peace, power, and also to help others. A key to maintaining a mindset of thankfulness is prayer. When we pray, we speak to God from our hearts. We share our deepest thoughts. We get quiet and speak. Just like a child speaks to her dad. Praying helps get our thoughts straight. It also helps us unwind and release what's going on in our heads. Praying helps us remember that our needs our met. It can bring to mind what has been given to us. Peace Apostle Paul knew about the power of prayer when he wrote not just to believers in Philippi a long time ago, but also to you. To you, a letter which in Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything, every circumstance and situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your specific requests known to God. And what will result? The peace of God, that peace which reassures your heart, that peace which transcends everything you understanding, that peace which stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, that peace is yours.” I have learned that the more thankful I am for what I have today, the more I'll have to be thankful for tomorrow. The blessings just keep coming. Summary Giving thanks is so important in our lives. It helps us see what God has done for us. It helps us help and serve others. Being thankful is a choice. We choose what to put in our minds. We choose what thoughts stay in our minds. Rather than feeding ourselves negative thoughts and focusing on the bad things, we choose to remember, to look at, the good things, what has been done for us, given to us to enjoy, so that we can joyfully give thanks in everything. We choose to be thankful. And we have so much to be thankful for. Let’s keep developing and working on our thoughts of thankfulness and enjoy the rich blessings and success in our lives. Let’s be thankful in every situation every day. I hope that advice helps you be a better man and live a better life. We all live under some type of government system with certain people in authority. We can pray governmental officials - those people in authority. Why? So that their decisions support our freedom to live a spirit-filled life of liberty, peace, abundance and power. Our prayers, our intended thoughts, our mental focus and believing action, help to ensure our freedom to live a life without fear.
In 1 Timothy 2:1-3 we read what Apostle Paul wrote: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." In reference to the previous verses, to exhort is to invite. We are invited by Paul to pray for those in authority. And you may decide to pray for those in authority to be surrounded by smart people to help them make smart decisions. Intercessions are requests that you may make for others on their behalf. We can pray with our understand for someone, and we can also pray in the spirit. We pray in the spirit when we don't really know what to pray for, but we pray anyways. Giving of thanks means to be grateful. We're thankful for being able to pray for others. The purpose of praying is to live a quiet and peaceable life. Free from all disturbance and agitation that comes from without. A peaceable life is an inside thing. A peaceable life is one of tranquility from within. We pray for those in authority so that we may life a life that is tranquil and peaceful from without and within, without any fear of doing so. If you pray, pray for others, particularly those in authority. It's a privilege that we enjoy. It's an important responsibility to pray for others. This type of praying is good and acceptable, which means beautiful and pleasing. Our prayers can have an impact on the lives of others in authority, which result in supporting our lives filled with liberty, peace, abundance and power. Learn how men live like kings. |
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