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During this season of the year, much emphasis is put on the physical body, but an inward emphasis on growth is even more essential. Let’s get healthy, go for or maintain our proper weight, determine to exercise, but even more important, let’s grow spiritually. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart, the part of us that is eternal. Today we are going to talk about growing in faith. I can remember one time when our church was believing for property that we really wanted, and were asking God to help us find a way to get it, and it looked totally impossible. We really wanted a 60 acre parcel that is directly across from our current building and in the natural it looked like the seller would just take the top bidder and the sky was the limit for some of the investors who wanted the property. God put that particular property in our heart, but it looked impossible. It seems like Jesus constantly reminded His followers that although many things are impossible with man, all things are possible with God. It is a common thread throughout the Bible.
Is there anything to hard for the Lord? (Gen 18:14)
I am the Lord, is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27)
The Lord does what brings pleasure to Him (Psalm 135:6)
Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)
With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Mark 10:27
So what seems impossible for you to overcome in your life? Are there relationship issues, money issues, habits, health issues or any other negative circumstance that seem overwhelming to you? What are you believing God for? What are you expecting God to do for you? Do you believe that God can make impossible situations turn around? I love the great faith story in Matthew chapter 8 when the centurion is commended for having the greatest faith in all of Israel. He told Jesus just speak the word and my servant will be healed. Jesus said to the centurion, as you have believed, let it be done for you…..and his servant was healed. That’s great faith. To keep growing we, as believers, can never get stagnant. Let’s keep pressing for God’s best, even when naturally there seems to be no possible way. Praise God, we did get the property that we wanted, and the money was there for it all. Is there anything to hard for the Lord? Nothing is impossible with HIM. We always want our faith to be growing….let’s keep believing! That’s what believers do!

Intro:
Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. We have a “Working it Out” focus this month, so I will be encouraging you in the area of spiritual fitness. We want every part of our life to be at its optimum level, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit becomes a new creation at the new birth. Our soul (which is our mind, will and emotions) needs to be renewed day by day by making our thoughts obedient to Christ. Our body needs to be brought into obedience to do God’s will by daily making choices to do what is right. Both our soul and our body are controlled by thoughts which turn to actions. So this week, we’re talking continuing to talk areas of spiritual fitness. Let’s keep on getting stronger!

Today I want to encourage you to be your own “thought” policeman! That sure sounds like a funny thing to do, doesn’t it? It is a great way to determine what kind of thoughts you are going to think about. The Bible tells us how we should think, and what we should think about. It tells us in II Corinthians 10:4-6 that when thoughts try to enter our mind that are not thoughts that help us obey God’s Word, that we are to capture them. That means we don’t allow them to stay. So here is how you can be a “thought policeman”. Whenever you find yourself thinking of anything that leads you down a wrong “thought” path, pretend you are the “thought policeman” and you capture the thought and then throw that thought in jail. Don’t allow those thoughts around you at all. As soon as that thought is captured, instead of leaving your mind empty, or trying not to think about the wrong thoughts, you have to replace it with something that will keep your mind on the right things. Do you have any idea what that might be? It is the Word of God. Whether you use specific scripture, or just a “God-principle”, your thoughts can be centered in on what God thinks about you. If you’re feeling like a failure in any area, capture and handcuff that thought, and then put thoughts like these in it’s place.
I have the mind of Christ.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
God will bring back to my remembrance all of the things I have learned.
I am well able to do well.
Once you start thinking like that, you’ll start believing like that! And when we believe in our heart, we will see positive results, because that brings our faith into action. So this week, think about what you think about! When your thoughts need to be captured, be the “thought policeman”, and get them out of there!

Do you know that your thought life can affect your heart? This week we have been looking at how important it is to think thoughts that line up with God’s Word. We have to capture thoughts immediately that are against what God’s plan is for our lives. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” That’s in Prov 23:7, and it does show that our thought life can affect your heart. What we think about, often becomes who we are. What we think about is what we begin to talk about, and what we talk about is what we begin to do. The progression goes from thought, to words, to action. What is very cool about the power that God has given us, is that we can use that positively for our good. The enemy always perverts what God created, and God created the world with words. The enemy tries to destroy our life, often by our own words, that are a result of negative thoughts that become planted in our mind. Power for life is in our tongue. Power for life then in is taking our thoughts and aligning them with God’s thoughts. That’s the renewal process, or making good our mind, which leads to speaking God’s thoughts, and then seeing them manifest in our life. I really want you to learn to control your thought life. Don’t let random, ungodly or negative thoughts settle in your mind. Determine to capture them immediately. Let your thoughts become positive words that bless your life and those around you. The tongue has the power of life and death. As the Bible says, “He who keeps his tongue, keeps his life”. To keep your tongue, you need to keep your thoughts. So my encouraging word for you this week is to center your mind on things above. Instead of being carnally or worldly minded, which leads to death, be spiritually minded with your mind centered and focused on Christ, and live a life of peace and rest.

One of my favorite things to do is to encourage people with specific scriptures that pertain to their situation. I can remember as a teenager, when I was first exposed to the full gospel message when I heard a lady from the pulpit give someone a specific scripture in a church service, that was like a word of knowledge just for the person in the congregation. I can remember thinking, I want to be able to do that. Well, guess what, if we hide God’s Word in our heart, God will bring His Word to our remembrance when we need them, and you can encourage someone with the very words of God. It doesn’t even have to be super-spiritual! Out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth will speak, so what you put in, is what will come out. Let me give you an example. One of my daughters was studying for a major scholastic exam. She called me discouraged that she might not do well, and right away, God’s Word started rising up in my heart. I started reminding her about what God’s word says about her. It says, that she has the mind of Christ. It says, that she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her. It says, that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. It says, that He will bring back to her remembrance all the things that she has learned. It says, that she hasn’t been given a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. It says, that the diligent will prosper. It says, that she is more than a conqueror, and that God will give her the desires of her heart. So in a few simple moments, she went from being a little fearful, to being encouraged. What we think about really matters. If we continue to focus on the negative, we will get what we expect. The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Or as a woman thinks in her heart, so is she. So what do you choose to think about? Let’s think God’s thoughts about our life, and encourage someone else with what God thinks about them.

II Cor 10:3-5 are 3 scriptures that are so powerful when understanding what we have to do with our thought life. There is a progression that takes place in this scripture. See if you can notice what it is. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The progression is this, thoughts turn into imaginations, and imaginations can become strongholds. The key to having a healthy thought life is to deal with issues when they are in the thought stage. Since we can’t keep thoughts from coming, the moment they enter our mind is the moment we have to deal with them. If we entertain them for a while, they can move from a random thought into something we imagine ourselves doing. It goes from black and white to a full color wide screen! Sin can actually be conceived when at that point. Verse three is such a big key in understanding how we deal with what is going on in our mind. It is where the biggest battle takes place for most Christians, and as verse 3 of II Corinthians 10 says, even though we are flesh, we don’t fight with weapons of flesh….our weapons are mighty in God. He has given us keys and tools to overcome, and we must choose to operate in them to live in the victory that Jesus purchased for us. We begin by taking every thought captive. That means we can’t be lackadaisical about what we think about. We have to have a purpose driven thought life. Just like we wouldn’t allow a mouse to run through our house, we would set up a trap and get that varmint out of there. We need to do the same with our mind. When even a small negative thought comes through, set up a trap, get it out of there. And do it right away. Capture that thought, so it won’t move on to the next stage of imagination or become a stronghold.

Renew your mind. That is what Romans 12:2 tells us to do. One of the synonyms for renew is to “make good”. I like the thought of “making good” your mind. There are lots of ways that thoughts come to our mind. There can be “out of the blue” thoughts, “something triggers your mind” thoughts, even smells and sights can bring up thoughts in your mind. One thing that is so necessary when it comes to our mind is recognizing where thoughts come from. Obviously there are two forces in the world, one good and one evil. So there are God thoughts, and enemy thoughts. So when a thought from the enemy settles in your mind, you can make it good, by renewing your mind to what God’s Word says. We have the ability to remove thoughts and to change our thinking by replacing them. We take the wrong thought out and replace it with the right thought. We take out the old thought and replace it with a new thought. We take out the bad thought, and “make it good”. One of the key words in Romans 12: 2 is the word transformed. In the Greek it means metamorpho, which is the root word for metamorphosis. We think of caterpillars to butterflies. One thing becomes something totally different. What was once on a lower level, now takes wings and flies! The same thing can happen with our thoughts. We can choose to think on a higher plane. We take a lower thought, and replace it with a higher thought! Romans 8:6 says that to be carnally minded (or earthly minded) is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. To think on those things which keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus, we “make good” or renew our mind to His Word.

I’m sure you are familiar with the scripture in Joshua 1:8 that says for us to meditate on the Word day and night, observe to do what is written, and then we will make our way prosperous, and the we will have good success. Just in case you think that meditation is some recent invention, it was God’s idea from very long ago. Our thought life or what we meditate on appears to be really important to our future success, from this one scripture alone. This week we’ll be concentrating on lining our thought life up with God’s thoughts. What we choose to think on has great power in our lives, because thoughts become actions, and actions demonstrate what we believe. When we become a doer of what we believe, change and growth results. So what do you believe? Are you taking time to meditate, or think on God’s Word? There is great power in the written (logos) and the spoken (rhema) Word of God. Meditation on God’s Word does the opposite of what worry does. Worry believes the worst, pictures the worst, expects the worst, and often gets the worst. Meditation believes the best (The Word), pictures the best, expects the best, and gets the best! So if you have a tendency to be a worrier, start doing this. Whenever thoughts of worry come to your mind, capture them, and replace them by meditating on God’s Word.
Instead of thoughts of going under, remember God is Jehovah Jireh, your provider, and meditate on scriptures like “my God will supply all my needs by His riches in glory”.
Instead of thoughts of catching some sickness, remember God is Jehovah Rapha, your healer and that by his stripes you were healed.
Instead of whatever you can worry about, think of what God says about the subject. His Word is what is The Truth.
Think about and believe the truth. Meditate on and act on The Truth. Then positive changes and good success will take place in you.

Thoughts can lead to imaginations and strongholds as it talks about in II Corinthians 10:4-6. Thoughts are much easier to deal with than strongholds. So nip wrong thoughts in the bud. Don’t let them hang around even for a minute. Take control of your thought life by capturing the wrong thought and replacing it with a God thought. Let me show you how it works. I’m make it really general so you can put whatever you might be struggling with in the blank to make it personal. When you start thinking this way:
I will never overcome my habit of ______________
Every time I’ve tried before and I have failed
It’s impossible, I don’t have enough will power
I will never break through this barrier to success
My life will always be this way, I’ll always be defeated
Turn those thoughts around immediately, and begin filling your mind with these “God” thoughts:
I am well able to overcome the habit of __________
This time, I have the strength of God on my side
Nothing is impossible with God, He gives me strength
Jesus broke down every wall, I will break through this wall.
My life will be forever changed, I’m more than a conqueror
As you begin to say what God says about you, strength and power will be released into your life, because of the power there is in lining your thoughts up with God’s thoughts. It will affect how you speak, and then how you live! That’s encouraging!

Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. This new year we are going to be focusing on Working it Out, so I will be encouraging you in the area of spiritual fitness. We want every part of our life to be at its optimum level, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit becomes a new creation at the new birth. Our soul (which is our mind, will and emotions) needs to be renewed day by day by making our thoughts obedient to Christ. Our body needs to be brought into obedience to do God’s will by daily making choices to do what is right. Both our soul and our body are controlled by thoughts which turn to actions. So this week, we’re talking getting our thoughts to line up with God’s thoughts. Right thoughts lead to right words, and right words change your actions, which can change your life. Here’s your encouraging word for today.

Monday Jan 5 Spiritual Fitness Profits A Lot
Physical fitness….It seems like everybody is talking about it and lots of people are doing it. Our family is all doing way better at getting outdoors and exercising, and going to the gym to work up a sweat. As great as physical fitness is, spiritual fitness is so much more important! The Bible says in I Timothy 4:8 that physical exercise profits a little, but spiritual exercise and godliness profits all things, in the present life and in the life which is to come. That is a pretty amazing thought. Profit in all things! Not only will life be great on earth, we get to experience perfection in heaven! That sounds a little bit like glory, to glory, and added life to life, and increased strength to strength. Renewing our mind to what God thinks has the potential to make us grow, increase, and change dramatically, and even exponentially. That is some incredible power.

Mental fitness, or getting our thoughts to line up with the Spirit of God, can seem like a challenge. Renewing our mind is a daily thing. Each day we choose what we put into our bodies for food, sometimes it is good and sometimes it is way bad! What happens over the long haul in our body is that what goes in does affect not only our appearance, but our health. Because we don’t see our thought life, it seems like it is easier to let things slide. We can be thinking thoughts that are very contrary to what God thinks about us, and can do it day upon day, week upon week, year upon year without realizing that damage is taking place. But damage is happening. So stop the damage today and make a change.

Sunday January 4th
This week we have looked at the song the 12 days of Christmas and what a great reminder they are to us of the beautiful life we have in Christ. Let’s recap!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
A partridge in a pear tree – That is Jesus, the center of everything
Two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testament
Three French Hens represent, Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is love!
Four calling birds are the 4 gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Five Gold Rings are the first five books of the Bible, called the Torah or the Pentateuch.
Six geese a laying represent the 6 days of creation
Seven Swans a swimming symbolize the 7 motivational gifts listed in Hebrews
Eight Ladies a milking are the 8 Beatitudes from Matthew chapter 5
Nine ladies dancing – fruit of the sprit in Gal 5:22
Ten Lords a leaping represent the Big Ten Commandments from Exodus
Eleven pipers piping represent the 11 disciples who remained faithful. If you can name them all you get extra points! Everything is a competition!!!
Twelve Drummers Drumming are the 12 basic beliefs in the Apostle’s Creed, that states what we believe as Christians.
I hope your New Year starts out recognizing the importance of centering everything in your life around Christ. He is the reason for it all, and the reason we have breath and life. Even though we are done with 12 days, now we have just begun a new year! May God complete in your what He has begun Phil 1:6
May your New Year, be filled with all the abundant blessings God has for you.