REJOICE TODAY!

Hey bloggers...

I'm posting from A YEAR IN THE NOW again today...thanks for the good reports from those of you who started going through it again on January 1...it really is blessed...

I don't keep the AYITN blog current (www.ayearinthenow.wordpress.com), but the daily entrees are still posted on the CITN site every day...it's still preferable to have your own copy of the book, though...I haven't heard a weather report for tomorrow, but every time it gets really cold, or it snows a little, people start asking if we're going to have church...so before any of you even think of going there, let me say once again that the answer to that question is always YES! We will have both the 9 and 11 servces tomorrow, and they will both be awesome...so put your thermal underwear on and get here for one or both...good things are happening at CITN, but your visible and manifested support is needed just as much as ever...remember, we didn't get a miracle because we didn't need a miracle...we need you...you are the miracle! See you tomorrow...

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I understand and appreciate the energizing power of rejoicing in the now. Today I joyfully celebrate the present, and all of the possibilities that it presents. I exercise my will — I WILL rejoice, and I WILL be glad in this day! Today I choose to wear the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness. I choose happiness! I choose joy!


Today I will resist the temptation to whine, complain, murmur, grumble, mourn, lament, moan and groan, be depressed, feel sorry for myself, feel down and out, feel dejected, feel discontented, feel oppressed, be sad, or even be in a bad mood. Instead, my merry heart will do me good like a medicine . . . I will glory in my infirmities (for when I am weak, then I am strong) . . . I will count it all joy when I fall into various trials . . . I will leap for joy at persecution . . . the joy of the Lord will be my strength!

Today I will laugh, finding the humor in my current situations. I will recognize what is funny, and I will not hesitate to enjoy it. I will not waste today by living in regret, but with joy I will draw water out of the wells of salvation. I will even find the proper way to appreciate the absurd and the ridiculous. I will let God use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise around me.


Today I will enter the Kingdom by becoming like a little child . . . laughing . . . playing . . . having fun . . . not taking life too seriously. I will make the effort to enjoy my day. I will smile at people. I will be a pleasure to be with. People will enjoy my company today because my joy will be both attractive and infectious. I will be a blessing to others.


Today, for the joy that is set before me, I will endure my cross.
I will know the reality of the resurrection and, therefore, will see no situation as hopeless.
Life will always triumph over death. I will celebrate my life. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will live big in me today!


Today I will be optimistic. I will see the glass half-full. I will think positively. I will think on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report. I will walk in the Mind of Christ. I will be proactive in dealing with the people around me, and with all of their issues. My joyful mind will cause me to think like a winner!


Today I will be thankful to God, and grateful for my life. I will make melody in my heart to the Lord in an attitude of praise and worship. I will be renewed by the refreshing laughter of Christ in my spirit. This is my day that the Lord has made — I will rejoice and be glad in it and, today, I will live in the now!

Father, help me to remember to rejoice today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Tea or Coffee?

Hey bloggers,

I like these two cartoons, and wanted to post them because I think that they are relevant right now for several reasons...they may or may not speak to you...

Hope you're having a great day...today's AYITN is from the chapter I used for Sunday's sermon (even though the entry is in a different flow from the word that came forth)...but I think it's a good one...check it out...

Pastor Varner's wife, Joann, was at Apostle McCurry's funeral Saturday, passing out copies of the book (which is still my/our best seller) to some of the people who were there ...she and Kirk Talley both keep introducing it to new audiences, which is awesome...

I've been invited to Korea to speak for an ILC/GPF in a few days, and my dad has been invited to go with me...he can't find his passport (which is expired, anyway), so be in agreement that we can get one for him in time...

On second thought, just be in agreement for the right thing to happen, because if we can't get one for him, Debye will go with me, instead, and he'll stay and preach on the Sunday I'm gone...either way is cool with him (and us), but I think that he'd really like to go, and I think it would be good for him...he and I haven't gone on a trip anywhere together for over 25 years...

And be in agreement for the direction of the United Rockdale Summit meeting today...I was going to go hear B. Tommy speak at Beulah Heights University this morning, but I think I'll go to the meeting today, instead...lot's of important things to discuss...

Thanks to those of you who tithed for the first time (or for the first time in a long time) last Sunday...I command a blessing on you...

Anyway...be strong today...keep a good attitude...see the big picture...count your blessings...seek first the Kingdom...walk in love...and blog something...

Bye

Visionspeak

Hey bloggers...
Happy Monday! Great stuff on the blog yesterday...your comments are truly inspired and insightful, and I'm glad that we're up and running again. And thanks for the encouraging feedback from the sermon. I always love talking about vision.

Speaking of which, my plan last week to use excerpts from 20/20 Vision: Changing Your Life by Changing the Way You See Things here through the 20th got a little sidetracked, but here's some more from the book that I think will be a word for someone today.

The new look, BTW, is just experimental...


____________________

Today I will expect good things
to happen to me.

Hope is the effectual combination of expectation and desire. Literally, it is the manifestation of a confident and favorable expectation in your life. To create an atmosphere of hopeful expectancy each day that you live is to prepare yourself for miracles. Hope is attractive and, on some level, you only get what you expect to get out of your circumstances. The sheer power of expectation causes things to move toward you, and the force of your desire dictates many of the events that occur around you. It could be argued that you really do have what you want in life and that if you wanted more you would have more. It just may be as simple as that.

It is possible to condition your mind in much the same way that athletes condition their bodies through strength-training. You can increase your brain power by disciplining yourself to spend time every day thinking and talking about nothing but the positive. Your trained attitude can actually become so mentally muscular that you begin living absolutely free of disappointment. If you learn how to see things correctly, the whole concept of disappointment can become irrelevant to you. Expecting good things to happen is a healthy habit that can easily be developed and can elevate the quality of your life. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life” (Proverb 13:12).

Perhaps the most important part of expecting good things to come to you is to talk about good things coming to you. Whatever you regularly and consistently talk about gets stronger in your life, so when you speak your hope and your faith – when you verbalize your optimism – you locate the good things that are swirling all around you in the invisible realm and you invite and order them into your material world. Talk about the happy ending to your story, even when you are in the middle of the worst part of its plotline. Talk about the part of the glass that you see as being half full. Talk about your dreams and visions, because the more you speak of them, the more real they become.

When a door closes, expect another one to open for you somewhere else. When the thing that you wanted or prayed for doesn’t manifest in the way that you visualized, expect something better to come along. Always expect things to turn out for the best, even when everything around you looks like it is in total chaos. No matter what happens, keep hope alive. Don’t dread anything! Just face forward and keep going. God is good and He wants to give you good things. As long as you keep moving in a positive direction, those good things will find you. Open your eyes today and see all the beauty around you. You can change your life by changing the way you see things.


____________________

My thinking today will cause me
to be at total peace with myself.

If you want to live in the kind of peace that prevents you from developing a stomach ulcer or hypertension – the peace that allows you to really sleep well at night – you must learn how to properly see yourself. Developing the proper self-image includes learning to forgive yourself and making a quality decision to stop blaming yourself and mentally beating yourself up for your mistakes and perceived failures. If you constantly bombard your spirit with negative thoughts of regret and self-accusation, those thoughts will eventually mutate into a kind of self-loathing that is completely counterproductive to your having any real degree of success in your life.

Low self-esteem is a learned habit that is usually developed by believing in lies and falsehoods. Insecurity and feelings of inferiority are also merit-less mindsets that people acquire and cultivate throughout the course of their lives. The fear of rejection is the result of learned behavior, as well. But the good news is that any learned behavior can be unlearned! When you know who you are, you don’t have to waste time trying to prove to somebody else that you are valuable or talented. You can believe in yourself while being fully aware and accepting of your own limitations. Being at peace with yourself comes from a balanced estimate of your self.

The more that you are at peace with yourself, the less stress you will have in your life. Guard your heart and never let someone else’s negative words decide the direction of your life. No one should have more power over you than you, and you can determine your own stress level and how much pressure you will allow yourself to feel in a day. If you want peace, you can have peace. You are in the driver’s seat, so determine where you want to go, emotionally, and don’t waver from your intended course. Get a vision of a more confident, more centered you, and become that person. No matter what has happened to you in the past, you can get it together if you want to.

Being at peace with oneself is something that should be aspired to, treasured and protected. Your peace is stronger than your fluctuating moods or temporary thoughts of discouragement. Being at peace will positively affect your health and could even lengthen your life in the long run. It certainly will make you easier to live with and will condition you to have better relationships and live a more successful life. When your mind is at peace, you see things more clearly and with better perspective; you are less likely to become overwhelmed by your circumstances. You can change your life by changing the way you see things.

Encourage Yourself!

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again.

He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
(Psalm 42:11 - The Message)

David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
(1 Samuel 30:6 - AMP)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I have learned from David’s example how to encourage myself in the Lord by speaking prophetically to my own soul. (“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” – Psalm 103:1, 2)

Today I will not feel sorry for myself for any reason. If God is for me, who can be against me?
















Today I will not let myself fall into sadness or depression. The joy of the Lord is my strength!


Today I will not act like a big baby. When I was a child I spoke as a child, but now that I am an adult, I will put away childish things and act and speak like the mature person that I am.

Today I will not be negative in my thoughts or words. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me!

Today I will not be afraid of anything. God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Today I will speak the word only...keep a positive outlook on life...respond proactively to all circumstances...forgive my offenders...pray for my enemies...see the glass half full... surround myself with positive people...count my blessings and be grateful for all of them... forgive myself for my failures...refuse to live with regret...learn from my mistakes...keep smiling...look forward to my future...face my fears...keep moving in the right direction...be a blessing to someone...reward myself for my accomplishments...pray without ceasing...in everything give thanks...get up when I fall down...overcome evil with good...do the right thing...let yesterday go...speak well of myself...accept change...stay true to my vision... believe in my dreams...imagine possibilities...give myself a break...see the big picture...put my trust in God...keep my eyes on Jesus...rely on the help of the Holy Spirit...get it together for the sake of the Kingdom! Today I will encourage myself in the Lord, and today I will live in the now!

SELAH!

Happy Birthday, Jonah Swilley, who turns 15 today...you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased...

Time for a Fresh Outlook!

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
(Matthew 5:8 The Message)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am experiencing a daily revelation of repentance. I am changing my world by changing my mind, progressing through paradigm shifts that point me in new directions, promoting the perception of my purpose, and painting a permanent picture of unlimited possibilities for me.

Today I will practice the power of positive reinforcement and will re-program my mind with the living word of God: His incorruptible seed. I will reward myself when I excel, training my mind to think the right way so that I can do the right thing.

Today I will rethink my history and will make the effort to see it in a totally positive light. No matter what has happened (or is happening) to me, all things are working together for my good because God perfects that which concerns me. The way I see it causes me to say, “It’s ALL good!”

Today I will run with the vision, even if I don’t understand every detail of it at this point in time. I will not have to wait until I fill in all the blanks before I start making genuine strides toward my goal, because I walk by faith and not by sight!

Today I will renew my faith in my faith. I have the ability to believe myself into greatness, so I will not underestimate my innate powers, bequeathed to me by the Author of the New Covenant Himself, to call things into existence that are currently invisible or intangible!

Today I will change my opinion to take dominion. My life is not controlling me; I am controlling my life, as I follow Christ. Today I will take charge of my emotions and passions because the fruit of the Spirit Who lives in me is self-control. In Him I am organized, disciplined and firmly focused on fulfilling my destiny!

Today I will experience the beauty of a whole new world by thinking a whole new way. My positive mindset will be a magnet for magnificent miracles and mighty moves of God. Today I will see the world from God’s perspective, and today I will live in the now!

Father, freshen up my outlook on life today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

"Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously.”

_____________


"Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles, and handicaps of the moment to poison your attitude and plans for yourself and your future. You can never win when you wear the ugly cloak of self-pity, and the sour sound of whining will certainly frighten away any opportunity for success. Never again. There is a better way.”

- Og Mandino, American Essayist and Psychologist



"A little less complaint and whining, and a little more dogged work and manly striving, would do us more credit than a thousand civil rights bills.”


- W.E.B. DuBois, co-founder of the N.A.A.C.P.



"The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects.”

- Lord Jeffrey, Founder and editor of the Edinburgh Review




“Firmness in enduring and exertion is a character I always wish to possess. I have always despised the whining yelp of complaint and cowardly resolve.”


- Robert Burns,
National Poet of Scotland

____________

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

(Proverbs 24:10 – NKJV)


And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

(2 Timothy 2:2-3 - NKJV)


For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

(Philippians 4:8 - Amplified Bible)

Selah!


BTW, it's very cool to log on to the Million Acts of Service and Kindness site and see so many of your names there! Thanks for participating...I'm very proud of you!