Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 3, 2010
How do you know when you have changed?
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him – Col. 3:9-10 NKJV
OLD MAN vs. NEW MAN…you choose.
We have the responsibility to walk (live) according to the Word of God and act like Jesus. We can say that we are “trying”…but how hard are we trying?
To grow up into Jesus is to change the way that we act, think and speak. We have the power (and the responsibility) to change for ourselves. No one can make you change and no one can change for you. You decide when and if you are going to change.
Our disadvantage is that we live in a society of convenience where we do the least amount possible and expect the greatest result. We want all the shortcuts and we want them right now!
Real and lasting change is not based on convenience, it is based on the how much of the Word of God we are putting to practice in our lives. We must determine that we will do whatever the Word says for us to do as quickly as we see it in the Word! To change we have to change, period. How much have you changed lately?
Posted by Pastor Bruce on January 18, 2010
Do you have stink’n think’n?
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8
This is the “mind filter” that we must apply on a minute by minute basis. Any thought that does not agree with Philippians 4:8 we should not allow in our mind.
We must realize that we have authority over every thought in the Name of Jesus!
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV
We have been given the responsibility to arrest every thought and apply the filter of Phillipians 4:8. If it passes the test think on it, if it doesn’t then cast it down (verbally with the Name of Jesus) and then replace it with the Word of God! Judge your thoughts because what you are thinking on, you become. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (or he will become)
Put the Word in your mind and heart by meditating on the Word day and night! Thinking it, speaking it, talking about the Word with those around you! Make His Word fill your mind and the wrong thoughts will flee FOR SURE!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on November 5, 2009
Wandering mind?…no peace?
You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. – Isaiah 26:3 AMP
We are promised peace when our mind is “stayed” on the Lord. We don’t use the word “stayed” normally in our modern language. It means: to set, to fix, take hold of, establish, rest self.
How do we set, fix, take hold of, establish and rest our mind on the Lord? With His Word of course! Meditating on the Word of God night and day will cause our minds to be focused and stayed on Him. His Word is an anchor to our soul and causes our lives to be filled with His peace! The more Word, …naturally the more peace.
Fill yourself with God’s word and experience the overflowing of His peace today! He has provided the way for us to walk in His peace.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on October 29, 2009
There’s power in your mouth! “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21 NKJV”
We have the ability to cause life or death…with just our words! Few people ever realize this truth; what you say can either bind you and stop the will of God in your life, or free you to experience all that God has for you. For this reason it is extremely important for us to watch our words. We must perform a self examination of the words that we speak!
It is the plan of the enemy to get us to say whatever comes in our mind the minute it comes in our mind. In fact people take great pride in “telling it like it is”. But if what you are saying is filled with death and is critical, judgemental and condemns others, then it does not need to be said. Just because what you are saying may be the truth it doesn’t make it right to say!
“Help me to guard my words whenever I say something. – Psalms 141:3 CEV” We need to take control over our mouth, watch our words and judge them against the Word of God in Philippians 4:8
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 AMP
If we are to think on these things then surely we are to allow only these things out of our mouth! RIGHT?!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on September 28, 2009
You can control your thoughts! “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” – 2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV
This verse is attainable, we can do it! There is one thing that is more powerful than any thought that you will ever think and that is the Word of God! This is why we must be skillful in handling the Word. We must know what it says above all else because we will use the Word of God to capture every thought, judge it and either cast it down or receive it and think on it.
Where we have gone wrong is believing the lie from the enemy that we can not control our thoughts. The devil wants us to believe that it is “only natural” to think certain thoughts. Don’t buy the lie! You were created to think life God thinks and to think on all that is true! Check out this powerful verse…“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 KJV This is our standard, ruler, filter and measure whereby we judge EVERY thought that we find in our mind! If it is not true, don’t think on it, replace it with the Word of God. Arrest that thought, take hold of it and cast it down. Then replace it with the truth of God’s Word by speaking it out of your mouth! Loud and clear!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on July 21, 2009
The thing that matters the most is what the Lord said. The next thing that matters the most is that we KNOW what the Lord said. God is speaking today as much has He ever has…there is just not a whole lot of people that are listening to Him.
Act 7:31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him,
We must “incline our ear to His sayings” in order to hear His voice. Do we know what the Lord has said in His Word? Thank God that we have His written word that we can go to anytime…and we must go to ALL the time. I love Joshua 1:8 that says “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
When we know His written Word it is much easier to hear His voice speaking directly to us, day by day, and minute by minute. Go to His Word and expect to hear His voice today.
What is the Lord saying to you?
Posted by Pastor Bruce on January 12, 2009
The second directive for the year 2009 is…Change your way of thinking.
Romans 12:2 (AMP) Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Look at the Message translation of this verse: (msg) Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Don’t agree with the world because Matthew 18 (power of agreement) works for the negative as well as the positive. If you agree with the negativity of the world it will come to pass in your life. So renew your mind with the Word of God so that you can think like God in order that the will of God can be accomplished in your life.
You are responsible to renew your mind until your thinking is changed. Get in the Word everyday and let it wash the stinking thinking away for good! Be transformed.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on October 4, 2008
Ish 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! (nlt)
We need to grab ahold of our minds long enough to ask ourselves, “what are you thinking?”
This verse is clearly explaining that whatever fills your mind will gain your trust.
If your mind is filled with the current financial crisis, then you will be trusting in your bank account or your stock broker…or the government bailout bill.
But, on the other hand, if your mind is filled with the Word of God then you will be trusting in God and God will keep you (guard you) with His perfect peace. He is the Prince of peace and wants us to walk in His peace and be guarded by His peace.
