THE HOMEMAKERS - DAY 2

AS FOR ME....

Good morning! Hope you were productive in looking at your everyday choices. I also hope you were honest. That is the really hard part. Now please hear me. I am in no way trying to be legalistic about this. There is no set number, no list to check off. It is about the relationship between you & Christ Jesus. It is about your heart, because out of your heart, your actions will come, good or bad. So please don't think for a second that I am looking for certain things or a certain number or anything like that. I, too, am having to check my daily choices even as this goes up on the blog.

I promised some practical applications today. Now these are nothing new, so perhaps they are just refreshers.

First, learn scripture. Isaiah 26:3 says:
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Because He trusts You."
I need peace in my life and I am sure I am not alone. With all the information on the web, books, bible studies, etc., you can look up scriptures over any topic. If it is money that has your peace in check, learn scriptures about money. If it is fear, learn scriptures on fear. Notice I keep saying learn- not only look up. Commit them to memory and hide them in your heart. Write them down on note cards, I like the spiral bound ones myself, and learn them one at a time. The Word of the Lord is our sword against the devil (Eph. 6). It is time we started sharpening it and using it.
Second, become aware of what you are feeding your mind. What are you reading? What are you watching? What are listening to? I would like to interject here that I am not talking about just the "bad stuff". Here is an example from my life. I love romance. I am up for a good Hallmark movie anytime. However, if I let it, the very movies that I love to watch can cause me to long for aspects of a romantic relationship that are fantastical, the whole grass is greener thing. Those longings can infiltrate my marriage and could cause me to make some unwise decisions. If you are feeding your mind with stuff that causes you to want things other than the things of God, or even good things that cause you to turn from the BEST God has for you, start today to choose not to put that in.
Third, take care of yourself physically. I know for me when I am not taking care of my body, it overflows in to other aspects of my life, mainly my emotions. I know I need to exercise. It makes me feel better, relieves stress, and if I drop a pound or twenty, well praise the Lord! Do I obsess about working out and let that take the place of Christ in my life? No. I do my 30 minutes and call it good. I know I need to eat better. Do I do it always? No. But I can choose to most days. Self-discipline is a portion of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and that self discipline can help me through the day my flesh feels weak.
Finally, my last suggestion is journal. Doesn't have to be Shakespeare length. Could be just a few lines. Get some paper and just write. How are you doing? What is there to praise Christ about? What are you afraid of? Journals give you a safe place to vent and they give you a place to look back and see God's provision.
Looking back to Rahab, she impacted the lives of her family members by deciding what action SHE would take. Joshua was declaring the HE would be serving the Lord. WE can do the same. You and I can start today.
Go ahead and find a scripture to start learning. No time like the present.

Father God, I thank you that Your Word is alive & active. I thank You that we live by every word that comes from Your mouth. Help us all this week to begin fill our hearts and our minds with those words. Help us to be calculated in our training so that we might stand against the plans of the enemy for our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.