Wednesday, March 29, 2023

 Replacing Our Core Beliefs


Before we had words

Our unconscious recorded our experiences

We embraced our experiences as reality

Believing that our life will continue 

To be 

Just how we experienced it…

before we had words


For before we had words

We operated out of emotions


Once we have words

We become conscious of our

Emotions

Feelings

Experiences


We begin to make sense 

Of our experiences

Feelings

Emotions


Nonetheless 


What we experienced during our primal years

Have taken root

Deep in our unconscious

And have become our

Core Beliefs


Our unconscious continues to seek out

Experiences

Feelings

Emotions 

That feel familiar


Relentlessly we grab on to them

To reinforce our expectations toward life


Regardless of our present situation

Regardless of our new experiences

Regardless of our new realities


We are convinced

However we experienced life way back then

Will continue to prove to be true 

In the days and years to come

For the rest of our life



Our unconscious is like an industrial-sized magnet

Scanning for 

Any and every

Vestige of what would prove to us

That our Core Beliefs

Are true and real

In perpetuity



How do we overcome our Core Beliefs?



With much mourning and grieving 

Of our experiences


Putting into words our experiences

To make what is in our unconscious

Conscious


We begin to understand our Core Beliefs

What formed and shaped them



We then replace our Core Beliefs

With reality 

In the here and now


The new creation that we are

In Christ Jesus


Getting rid of the old wineskin

Shedding our past

Renewing our minds

With God’s truths


That we are 

Loved

Desired

Wanted

Cherished 


By God

Our Maker

The Author of our life

Who saw our unformed body

Before the foundation of the world was set

Who knit us together 

In our mother’s womb


He was with us from the beginning

Has been with us each and every day

He is with us in the here and now

And He will be with us 

In perpetuity


Christ the First Born of creation

Christ Who has gone before us

Christ Who suffered for us

Christ Who died for us

Christ Who resurrected from the dead

Christ Who is now at the right hand of God

Interceding for us


We have a new beginning

We are new creation



Our Core Beliefs be gone


Let us embrace 

Our new identity

Our new reality

Our new life

Our new wine skin


For all the old has passed away

Behold we are now made new


Embrace how God views us

Anticipate what He will unfold in our life

His good and perfect will for us

Our new life of

Love

Hope

Joy

Shalom

Purpose


Saturday, March 25, 2023

 God Performs His Miracles…Through Us


Christ calls us to serve Him at all times

When we are filled with excitement

When we are filled with the Spirit 

When we are filled with energy

When we feel capable

When we feel useful


When we are exhausted

When we feel depleted

When we feel defeated

When we feel drained

When we feel empty

When we feel dry


When we have nothing left to give

When we desperately need a respite

Needing to stop

Needing to rest


The 12 disciples just returned from a short term mission

They were looking forward to getting away with Jesus to rest 


They were faced with the needs of the 5,000


There were only five loaves of bread and two fish

They were tapped out

They were exhausted

Depleted


Jesus performed the miracle of multiplying the bread and the fish

He had the disciples distribute His provisions

Together they fed the 5,000


Sometimes after a successful mission

We are in desperate need of rest

We are just plain tapped out


But people’s needs don’t end

They still come to us for help


Sometimes Christ calls us to give more

To stretch us even when we are exhausted


But then He shows up

He performs the miracle

He meets each need


We participate by distributing His provisions

We are His hands and feet 

The instruments

of His miracles


Yes we are tapped out

But He does the work

We don’t have to perform the miracle

We only get to distribute His provisions


Afterall It is all about Him 

He sees the needs

He meets the needs


Through us


Whether full of vigor

Or even when we are exhausted


Monday, March 6, 2023

Hallowed Be God’s Name


Jesus taught us to pray:

“Hallowed be Your Name”


Our lives are to demonstrate God’s Name as

Holy

Sacred

Revered

Honored


Whatever we do

Whether in word or deed

We are to do in the Name of Jesus

So that God’s Name is esteemed before others


When we act as God’s hands and feet


When we consider others above ourselves

When we lay our lives down for others

When we give generously to others

When we walk alongside others

When we rejoice with others

When we cry with others

When we listen to others

When we comfort others

When we encourage others

When we forgive one another

When we submit to one another

When we bear with one another in love

When we are reconciled to one another


When the life we live with others demonstrates God’s 

Joy

Love 

Heart

Holiness

Forgiveness


God’s Name is lifted up

God’s Name is glorified

God’s Name is revered

God’s Name is honored


God’s Name is Hallowed