Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God will all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”

Matthew 22:36-37, “Jesus replied, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In Deuteronomy 6:4-5, this passage is known as the Shema, derived from the first word, “hear,” in Hebrew. It is said that modern Jews recite this in the evening and morning, considering it their sacred duty, as a declaration of their faith and commitment to God. Jesus recited this verse in Matt. 22:36-37, as “the greatest commandment of the law.” Then He explained that the First and Second Commandments are linked together. Jesus didn’t say that to love your neighbor, you need to love yourself first. No, He was saying just as you care for yourself and love yourself, love others in the same way. It would then demonstrate a continual devotion to God over self, despite those who irritate you, undermine you, and so on. It requires continually living to please our Lord and Saviour rather than ourselves.

It requires asking ourselves, ‘How can I increase my awareness of God right now and throughout my day?’ What thoughts can I be dwelling on that are loving (to God and others) that are true, thankful, hopeful, and glorifying to God in light of the gospel? What verses give me transforming, renewing Spiritual strength by the Holy Spirit’s power? One would be Ps. 147:5, “How great is our LORD! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!”

So, how can we grow in our faith, which is ongoing sanctification, and change to obey and follow this greatest commandment God gave us? “Rather, if we really love God, we’ll inevitably love people, and our lives will become like a chicken pot pie. No longer compartmentalized, the peas, potatoes, and chicken will all be mixed together. Truly, if our love for God is genuine, it will naturally flow into a love for people.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary. New Testament. Love others as God has loved and forgiven you (me) in His mercy and grace. That is the challenge that we as Christians must live out, as He is always present, always near us (Ps. 139:7-10; Ps. 23:4), because He is omnipresent. So, remember the picture of chicken pot pie, the next time you are frustrated with someone. Love others as God has loved and forgiven you. “Jesus lived the truth of this commandment,” as stated in 1 Jn. 2:8. Therefore, show mercy and grace when needed, demonstrating that your love for God is supreme in your life and is more important than taking your next breath.

Listen to Phil Wickham – Song Of The Saints (Official Music Video).

1 John 5:14-15, “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” NLT

Have you had a predicament recently that caused you some stress and anxiety? You know those circumstances that suddenly come up when least expected, and everything else stops for a bit. Fearful thoughts keep entering your mind, and you know the source of those thoughts. So what did you do? What verses did you go to, and how did you pray?

I had one of those situations this past week. Or should I say I had another one of those situations recently? 1 John 1-5 was listed on a biblical counseling exam question I was taking this week that I was working on. The apostle John wrote this book to reassure Christians in their faith, to counter false teachings, and how to achieve victory in overcoming battles is only for those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who are Christians, that have become a child of God. Then I read 1 John 5:14-15, and that was just what I needed as I prayed for God to show His infinite and abundant power in a meeting I had to attend. A problem was discovered, and I was afraid I would be blamed for it. How could I have missed it, as I am normally very thorough in every detail in total diligence in every step. This is what I didn’t know in this large problem that had surfaced that had to be addressed now in this meeting that was to take place.

But I did know that I am a child of God, and that does affect my daily choices, so I needed to put off worrying and fear, Matt. 6:25-32 – Jesus said not to worry about everyday life and put on trust – 1 Peter 5:7 – giving my worries and cares in this to God which I did.

John was emphasizing in these two verses that we are to pray for what pleases God, not what pleases us when we talk to God. So, I asked God what He wanted for me in this situation. I of course, asked Him to fix it and to provide an agreeable outcome, which I could not foresee happening. I knew He heard me and would give a definite answer during that meeting, as I prayed with confidence. I also thanked Him for Romans 8:28, that He would work this out for our good, my good, which I had no idea what He would do, but believed in faith that He would provide (Jehovah Jireh).

God did abundantly more than I could have asked, as Ephesians 3:20-21 declares, for God’s power can exceed our requests and imagination, as I was trusting Him to do. Right before we walked in, my boss and the other account manager, we realized what had not been done internally that should have been done. So, we really didn’t have a problem after all, it would be fixed, we would explain this to the customer, and God blessed us throughout the whole meeting from beginning to its end. If it had gone the other way, I would have had confident faith that God was still in control, and I would have thanked and praised Him, which was also my prayer.

Dear friend, dear reader, pray with confidence that God is hearing your prayer. Ask Him to give you His thoughts and to direct you to a verse or verses that will provide you with reassurance and faith in your troubling circumstance, and what pleases Him. That is how to have doubt-free faith.

Listen to Danny Gokey – Only For A Moment (Lyric Video).

2 Corinthians 10:5, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” ESV

So how has your week gone? Would you categorize it as smooth sailing, or in a time of rowing, or simply drifting in a boat on calm water, or maybe in a boat that is sinking?

When facing any unpleasant situation and a reaction of thoughts is forming within one’s mind, what if we first took our thoughts “captive to obey Christ” before speaking as it instructs in 2 Cor. 10:5? Do we remember Philippians 4:8, which instructs: “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.”NLT. But wait, there is more! Paul teaches in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything: instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live for Jesus.” NLT.

Can you imagine never having to worry about anything? Examine your thoughts when facing a challenging situation. Are you focusing more on the problem or on following Deuteronomy 6:5, Luke 10:27, and Matthew 22:37, which all command to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Then verse 39 & 40, in Matt. 22, commands, “Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Look at it this way, we all need to focus on what we can do to show others our love for God rather on what we should not do.

We are all guilty of magnifying a sudden problem sometimes. I have done that many times. But if we stopped and prayed and then took time to listen to what God wants to say to us, in taking our tumultuous thoughts captive to obey Christ, and transforming our thoughts to be a living and holy sacrifice, centering around what our Lord would find acceptable and worshipping Him, then the Holy Spirit will transform us in the way we think, renewing us, redirecting us, in the way that pleases our Lord and Saviour (Rom. 12:1-2; 8:5). That is the unfair advantage we as Christians have and we can declare and worship our God in singing Psalm 103:2, “Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” May our every thought and opinion be transformed to obey Christ.

Listen to Brandan Lake – The Great I AM Can (Lyric Video).

Psalm 1:2-3, “But They delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

When someone asks you, “How are you?” and you reply, “I am fine,” but you’re not, how do you bridge the gap between the emotions stemming from concern (and maybe anxiety) about the circumstances you’re going through and handling it all internally? It has been said that for every sigh there is a Psalm. For everything you are going through, there is a Psalm (Jon Courson). David and the other writers of Psalms expressed a wide range of emotions to God, from the depths of despair to rejoicing in worship. “The righteous (Ps. 1:1-2) can have the confidence of Psalm 16:11: You will show me the paths of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. God has a path, and it is a good road to take.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Commentary.

Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, among others, in meditation, aim to empty the mind. The trouble with that is it is Godless and dangerous because an empty mind may give an open door to deception or a demonic spirit (David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible Commentary). In contrast, when Christians meditate on the Word of God, thinking about each word and phrase, and then applying it and praying it back to the Lord, it provides protection for feeding one’s soul and is the way to receiving blessings for those that obey it according to the Psalms.

Psalm 1 instructs us to meditate day and night on God’s Word. Then we will become like a strong tree with strong and deep roots and will become strong and stable, drawing closer to the LORD. Jeremiah 17:7-8 declares, “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” God’s wisdom guides our lives and is our life source.

Living and striving to live a righteous life, following God’s standards, does not mean we will be rich and without any material needs when it says in Ps. 1:3, “and they prosper in all they do.” What it does mean is that God will work out everything for our good out of everything– Rom. 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Tough circumstances will challenge each of us, yet they will bring forth more fruit in our lives as a needed result. But it requires us and is a commandment found in Deut. 6:5 and Matt. 22:37, to delight more in God’s presence, loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, than reliving and dwelling on hurts and resentments that turn into bitterness which is a sin. Instead, seeking and applying total devotion and commitment to God, filling our minds with the word of God, needs to be accomplished. That is how more fruit will be grown within us, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness (Gal. 5:22-23) from spending time with those that love God and spending time in His Word. That is the truth to grab hold of and meditate on when someone asks you, “How are you?” and you say “I am fine” but you are not.

Listen to Matthew West’s Truth Be Told (Official Audio).

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my conclusion. Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”

Anxiety and fear are the most common problems we all encounter throughout our lifetime. Anxiety usually involves a fear of what could or might happen. Fear is more convincing oneself that what is most dreaded will happen. When we become anxious, a chemical reaction occurs where adrenalin pumps into the body, triggering a fight-or-flight response to our thinking, which often increases the longer we allow those thoughts to batter us. But if we would pause and instead took every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5b), speaking out the promises of Scripture, we would have our insecurities redirected to being free of this stronghold. But we have to apply doing so by closing the door to anxiety, worry, and fears. We know Romans 8:28-29 which tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, and are called according to his purpose for them.” So why do we, why do I often struggle in worrying about uncertainties, or maybe something we (I) feel was stupid that we (I) said will cause someone’s lack of approval for us? Have you been there too?

In his book Trusting God, Jerry Bridges defines trust as “Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul whereby we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that sometimes seeks to overwhelm us.” That is our answer: clinging to the promises of God when anxiety, fear, worry, and longing for approval invade our hearts and minds. Matthew 6:27 needs to be said to oneself: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life.” “If you have laid your best plans in the Lord’s hands, you can turn your attention away from tomorrow. You need no longer be concerned about that, but your concern, your efforts, your energies, all that you have now can be poured into today. That is the key that locks the door on worry and opens the door to peace: focus your concern upon today.”[1]

Remember Acts 17:28, “For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ The Holy Spirit lives within us who believe in Jesus Christ. Think about all that means. God is our natural environment, and we are surrounded and created by His presence. God is sovereign, in control, and close at hand. You are not alone. You don’t have to figure out life independently because God is close beside you (Ps. 23:4b) and never leaves us (Deut. 31:8).

Lastly, seek God’s approval above anyone else. That is the right thinking biblically, in not holding up people’s approval over God’s approval in one’s life. It involves a reorientation of priorities and values.

• “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10
• “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23.

We need to seek God’s approval above anyone else. Then, leave the results with Him. The door to fear, worry, and anxiety needs to stay closed, locked, and not opened. Place your confidence in God’s shield of protection, “But the LORD is faithful; He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” 2 Thess. 3:3. Yes, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my conclusion. Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”. Ecc. 12:13-14.

Listen to Rascal Flatts, Brandon Lake – Stand (Lyric Video).

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[1] Jay Adams, “What To Do When You Worry All the Time?” paragraph 15.

1 Kings 19:12-13, “And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak, and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”

What gets you down? Often, hardships, and misery, when seeming to not be shortened in time, spiral one into feelings of depression if we dwell on them too long. It takes turning our thoughts instead into praising God for being with us and being steadfast in our faith and trust in God to see us through is the mindset we need to put into practice on our journey. Living out that God is always in control and we are not. Reading the Psalms can be of great comfort, as David often lamented, expressing deep sorrow and distress and a plea for God’s intervention, emphasizing his need for God’s help.

We see in Genesis 4:13-14, a biblical definition of depression that Cain had as “Cain replied to the LORD, “My punishment [or my sin] is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me.” Did you realize that Cain is the first example of someone having depression in the Bible? His jealousy over his brother caused him to choose to do wrong by killing his brother Abel and had no remorse. Cain’s punishment from God was to be a homeless wanderer on the earth (Gen. 4:12). 1 John 3:12 helps us understand Cain – “We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.”

The second example in the Bible is Elijah, who, after receiving two great spiritual victories, the defeat of the prophets of Baal and that miraculous answer to prayer for rain, was at the depths of fatigue and discouragement. He was depressed. This can happen after great physical and emotional effort. He thought he was the only person who was still faithful to God. God came to him and confronted him with the need for Elijah to return to his mission of speaking God’s words to Israel. God still had a purpose for Elijah to do despite his discouragement. Elijah recognized God’s voice as a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12-13) and is not always in a loud, powerful, miraculous way. Because he had a humble heart he heard God. Remember, when troubles surround you, God still has a purpose for you to do and submit to His schedule. Then you won’t waste your time in nonproductive thoughts. Often, Satan uses our business of activities to distract us away from listening to God for needed guidance.

Two verses to fight feelings of depression are in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, MSG– “We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken.”

When going through an emotional upheaval and time of depression in my life several years ago, I found Psalm 119:92, which became my prayer, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Teach me Your Word during this season of my life as I have never known it before and make this verse my testimony when I emerge from this place.”

Yes, a gentle whisper of guidance from God – listen for it as Elijah did and recognized in 1 Kings 19 as you emerge from that place of discouragement, displacement, sorrow, regret, frustration, whatever it is, put up your shield of armor with God’s Word in fighting against the fear of failure and discouragement. Ask God to exalt you in due time and leave the results with Him. Then listen humbly and quietly for direction, guidance, reassurance, and comfort which could be found in a gentle whisper from the Holy Spirit illuminating a verse you are reading as you will eventually emerge from it all.

Listen to The First Hymn/Chris Tomlin & Ben Fielding (Official Lyric Video).

Galatians 5:16-17; 22-23, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But the Holy Spirit produces the kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Bible teaches us a lot about anger. It is a common problem, a human emotion that is sometimes hard to control. Anger results from one’s beliefs, feelings, and perceptions against something. It could be an adverse reaction against someone’s incompetency or inefficiency. Others may give into anger from not protecting themselves by overdoing and overworking and then lose all patience from being emotionally stressed out and exhausted (how I can relate to this one). There are numerous reasons we all react without self-control, known as triggers to feeling wronged. However, that is not biblical, and it is not obeying and honoring God, if we examine it by God’s standards. So, how can we produce what Paul calls the fruit in our lives created by the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit gives us the sensitivity to discern our feelings and thoughts. I want to live each day controlled by Him, so I have more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Proverbs 29:11 states, “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly holds it back. Then Proverbs 19:11 declares, “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.” Ask yourself, do others see me as a critical person or an impatient person in light of these two verses on anger? Can’t we all relate? One must discern when correcting wrongs if it is needed and when grace needs to be shown in being a “sensible person” or one with greater wisdom.

I came close to being hit by a car running a red light this week. I admit I reacted angrily, blared my horn at the culprit, and yelled at the driver. But I quickly thanked God for keeping me safe and alert to see that I needed to quickly slow down and stop, even though I had a green light, and let this guilty person not engage with my side of the car in a crash. I am challenged every day to need the Holy Spirit to lead my life so I will experience more joy and freedom from letting Him rule my life. I need to pause and listen because “The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8.

If we think more about having the same attitude Jesus had as Paul taught in Philippians 2:3-4, it will help one with anger, for it says, “Don’t be selfish, don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Lastly, forgive as God forgave you. Use the pause technique in asking the Holy Spirit to give you the right words and attitudes to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness, portraying a gentle spirit, and be reminded of verses in Scripture to give you a better understanding and wisdom in handling conflict. Nothing is a surprise to God. Be specific when you tell someone you are sorry for what you said or how you said it. Remember God’s mercy to you. Listen more carefully. Ask the right questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead your thoughts and mind so you have a clean heart when squished. Draw on God’s grace and remember to use the pause technique in using Holy Spirit filled self-control over anger.

Listen to Newsboys – Fortress (Official Lyric Video).

Proverbs 18: 13,15: “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.”

How often don’t we react to situations of conflict or in conversations, and our words come out faster than our brain is understanding and interpreting? Haven’t we all been there? But this proverb holds so much wisdom in the importance of being a wise listener before speaking. It takes humility to be patient with others and to pause and wait for the Holy Spirit to minister to oneself before speaking one’s opinion too quickly. Proverbs 11:2 instructs, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Listening well, being able to repeat back to someone what you understand they are saying, asking them if that is correct, would be better, so the other person can correct the listener if they are getting it wrong and misinterpreting what they meant in what they were saying. Proverbs 18:1&2 is something to heed as it warns, “Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense. Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” God’s Words of truth is always so relevant and gives us instructions, warnings, and teachings, all to apply to our situations in life and to relationships with those we interact with, be it family, co-workers, or anyone else we encounter. So, be a good listener. Learn to ask questions for clarification. Be ready to learn. Ask God to speak words of truth to you as you read His Word giving you additional information. Then the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say. Ask – listen – think through – then give your reply. That is how not to be foolish. Lastly, Colossians 3:12-13 gives wise instruction that Paul taught offering a strategy to help us live for God, day by day in not being foolish: “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Lastly, learn to use the pause technique, and be a good listener. It will serve you well in not being foolish as Proverbs 19:2 warns, “Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.”

Listen to Matthew West – The Last Song (Official Music Video).

Mark 6:50-51: “Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed.”

It is common for everyone to have anxiety and stress throughout their life. No one is exempt. We all seem to get through one hurdle that we know our LORD got us through, and then a few days pass, and something else strikes us, but how do we react then? What does God say to us in His Word? We have the same scenario with Jesus’s disciples, who had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 people by multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:35-44). Afterwards there were twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish to boot. Jesus had done that. They had seen Him heal people, had commanded the wind to stop in the storm the disciples were in and were afraid of sinking, and suddenly the lake was calm, and now this situation again of another storm, and they see Jesus’ walking on the water, got into their boat with them, and the wind ceased. God’s power is also continuous today, in providing for our needs.

Jesus said: “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed.” Mark 6:50-51. Jesus was in total control of their situation, got into the boat with them, and rescued them from futility in trying to save themselves from this danger. Dear friend, Jesus is with you in your ship of troubles. Listen to Him immediately speaking to you through His Word. Take Mark 6:50-51 to heart. Jesus later rebuked and warned the disciples in Mark 8:17-21, “Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? You have eyes – can’t you see? You have ears – can’t you hear? Don’t you remember anything at all? . . . Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.”

As Christians, we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, but what do we do with that when trials hit us? I, too, have been of little faith at times. I don’t like change. New things can be hard for me. I don’t like uncertainty. Yet Psalm 23:1 declares, “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Then Hebrews 13:5b-6 promises, “I will never fail you. I will never abandan you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

If we listen and seek Him, Jesus speaks to us immediately so we can be completely amazed, too. Just ask Him and wait expectantly for His answer. Jesus sees your difficulty just as He saw the disciples’ futile attempt to cross the lake in the windstorm. You may feel you are not making any headway but take heart; remember the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and is seated at the right hand of God (Ephesians 1:20-21). God’s great power helps us grow in the grace and knowledge, through faith, of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Jesus is telling us immediately – “Take courage, I am here!” Listen to the truths found in God’s Word. Know what it says. Trust that He is there for you (Matt. 28:20). Now go and be amazed immediately and completely!

Listen to Rend Collective – Hallelujah Anyway