Chapter 2

This chapter ministered to me greatly, but there were several things that convicted me, reminded me of God’s love for me, and cautioned me against maintaining faulty thinking. I will list each item one by one.

Labels

Jennifer points out that the labels we assign ourselves can be detrimental, if they bear negative rather than positive nuances. There are some things that we cannot change about our circumstances, but we should not see those things as punishment from God. We can see them as a means to trust in God in a greater way. Jennifer used Naomi as an example of one whose label bore a negative nuance rather than a positive one. Naomi labeled herself as “bitter” and “empty” because she had lost her husband and two sons. However, what she did not know was that God had not forgotten her—He was very much aware of her circumstance. He had made plans for Boaz to be her redeemer. In the end, Naomi became the great-great-grandmother of David and was in the lineage of Jesus (cf. Ruth 4:17; Matt 1:5). She died full, rather than empty. How often I viewed my challenging situations as debilitative, rather than restorative. God is a Restorer and He gets no delight in taking things away from us, unless those things have become hindrances in our life. Whatever He takes away, He replaces with something better.

Mind Choice

Jennifer states, “Choosing to believe just one stinky thought will pollute our thought closets.” I could not agree more. I had to stop and ponder this truth. I felt like running to my chair and start typing away, but the problem was that I did not have enough time to do so. Our thoughts do determine what we become as we go through each day. How often have I programmed a wrong thought into my mind? Too often. In the past, I allowed unbelief and doubt to nest in my thoughts, leaving me faithless and downcast. That is not what God wants me to do. I am to take every thought captive (cf. 2 Cor 10:4-6)) and use Phil 4:8 (Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.) to assess my thinking. Meditating on Scripture has helped me to renew my mind and tidy up my thought closet. While I am continuing to grow in this area, I am more aware of the active part I need to play in providing effective thought oversight. I am no longer passively letting thoughts swim through my thought-pond; now, I have a sifter to grab hold of untrue thoughts and haul them out of mind before they have a chance to pollute.

Phony Bologna

Jennifer cautions us not to become like the Pharisees who are known for their double talk. Jesus called them hypocrites. He said they were like whitewashed tombs (cf. Matt 23:27-28). Tombs housed dead bodies, hence, He was likening them to graves. They looked good and clean on the outside, but were rotten and stink on the inside. They were not real at all. They were prejudiced, self-righteous, self-centered, harsh, judgmental, and unloving. They did not have the Father’s heart of compassion and mercy. As I read about the Pharisees, I am once again reminded of how imperative it is to be authentic. I am to be Christ-like at home, at the gym, when I am shopping, and while I tutor the students I so dearly love. I have to strive to be holy. I thank God for the Holy Spirit’s help as I live each day. Some days, I do better than others, but I strive to be like Christ.

Love: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Yesterday, I mailed three boxes of things to my relatives and I was shocked when the post office clerk told me the cost for mailing them was almost $200. “Wow! Oh man…that’s way out of my budget at this time,” I thought. I desperately wanted to send the things overseas for them, but honestly, I had no idea the boxes would have been that pricey. It was toward the end of the month and $200 extra was not what I wanted to spend. I would have been content to spend a hundred dollars, not two. I took a deep sigh as I sat in the van with my husband relaying the events of the day. He took my hand, squeezed it and said, “Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His life for us. You love your relatives a lot, and this is a big sacrifice and God sees it.” I looked at him with tears in my eyes and nodded. A conversation about the Father’s love for mankind ensued, and we were both filled with a gratitude that was quite apropos in this Holy Week.

What is love? What is sacrifice? What is a gift?

God is the embodiment of love. He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to give His life so that we can be experience forgiveness and unity with the Father. Jesus’ willingness to be crucified and humiliated—albeit wrongfully and without retaliation—is the epitome of grace and submission. His death was a sacrifice and a gift to us. He poured out His life so that we can live. So, what are we to do with this gift?

I believe every Christian is called to do the following:

  1. Love God and his/her fellow man
  2. Serve God and his/her fellow man
  3. Give to God and his/her fellow man

In the Gospels we are given a vivid picture of the crucifixion and we conclude that God’s love for man caused Him to send Jesus to redeem us from eternal damnation. That same love propels Jesus to clothe himself in humanity and walk the dusty roads of Israel and embrace mankind. During that time, He healed the sick, touched the unclean and outcasts, embraced the sinners, and loved the unlovely. He broke with social etiquette and took water from a Samaritan woman (John 4:7-26). He allowed another (who was a former prostitute) to anoint his feet and dry them with her hair (Luke 7:36-50). Talk about risqué behavior. Although Simon the Pharisee objected, Jesus did not. It was His encounter with the woman that led her to change her lifestyle. He offered her hope and God’s love, and she seized it. Jesus’ love for mankind is phenomenal; we were and still are His main objective. You are a priority to Him. The decisions you make today matter to Him. He is concerned about all that concerns you. John 13:1 states, “…having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end [to the fullest extent].”

Jesus’ love for mankind beckons Him to serve us. In John 13:4 Jesus, knowing that His death was imminent, and that one of His twelve disciples would hand Him over to the Pharisees in betrayal, rose up from the dinner table to wash the dirty, grimy, smelly feet of the all the men. The men wore sandals, so their feet were not clean at all. The entire supper event seemed out of order. First, Jesus was the host of the supper so He should not have been washing the men’s feet. Also, He was greater than them; He was their teacher and it was not fitting for Him to be kneeling down before them and drying their calloused heels. To make matters worse, He had poured His life into theirs and yet they had not aligned themselves to His Father’s plan. Some of them were following Him for the wrong reasons as they thought He would oust the Roman regime and set up His own kingdom with them as subjects, and reign as God’s true king. They wanted that plan, not the agenda that sets Christ on a Cross in the midst of a jeering crowd. And, to make matters worse, there was a devil among the twelve. Nothing is worse than disloyalty. When you embrace someone and take her into your inner circle and give her your heart, only to have her turn on you out of sheer jealousy, it hurts! It really hurts. David felt the pang of betrayal as his own comrade with whom he had shared sweet fellowship, turned on him like a rabid dog (Ps 55:12-14). It broke David’s heart. However, Jesus knelt down, and taking Judas’ feet in His hands—washed them. He served His disciples until the very moment He was taken into custody on false charges.

I believe it was Peter’s sense of inadequacy that led him to question Jesus’ desire to wash his feet. Peter was probably astounded because he did not expect such an act of humility from One so great. Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ and he knew that God has sent Him. He knew he was in the presence of Deity and somehow his own sense of unworthiness must have pushed him to ask, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” When God places gifts in my lap, I sometimes ask the same question. “Why, Lord, I don’t deserve this.” But I am reminded that nothing I could ever do could earn His love for me. He loves me simply because He chooses to do so. The writer quips rightly when he penned the following words, “The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell…” So, in light of Jesus’ example you and I are called to serve God first, and then do the same to those around us. We must do what we can to help the sick, the poor, the needy, the discouraged, and the debilitated. Jesus pointedly states that greatness begins with service to others, (Mark 10:43). He reminds us that if He were willing to serve in the lowliest position, so should we (John 13:14).

Service requires us to give of ourselves. God gave. Jesus gave. We should do the same. What can we give when our eyes are open to the vast love basket God sets before each of us? The first thing we should give is our thanks. God appreciates our thankfulness. When we acknowledge that He is good and kind and loving, it warms His heart. When we take the time to thank God we show that we are dependent on Him. He wants us to depend on Him. He wants us to want Him. He longs for us like a married couple longs to hold a baby of their own. He loves us. He takes us into His arms and breathes on us. He holds us firmly when we are apt to squirm out of His embrace. He balances us when we think we are able to steady ourselves without His help. He comes alongside us when we take our focus off Him and place it on the wrong things. God is always giving to us. He is always finding ways to bless us. How, then, can we live without offering to others some of what we have received? How can we keep it to ourselves? We cannot. God’s blessings are so magnanimous that even if you were to spread your arms as wide as you can and try to hold it all in, some would surely fall from your grasp. It is too much for you to hold for yourself—because you were never meant to keep it all. God’s blessings are meant for you to share, not hoard. Paul urges us to give liberally and joyfully, for God loves a cheerful giver. Give and it shall be given to you, pressed down and shaken together shall men give unto your bosom (Luke 6:38).

Prayer: Oh Lord, my Father, when I think of the goodness of Christ the Savior, my heart melts like ice on a hot August day. Thank you, Lord, for choosing to breathe life into me. My heart cannot adequately express just how much I appreciate You. My mind cannot grasp the intensity of Your love, and my soul is overwhelmed when I feel Your closeness. Thank You for remembering the nameless and calling the forgotten. Thank You for calling me and my many friends. Our hearts will one day sing, “How great is our Lord…” as we lay our crowns at Your feet and bow in complete obeisance to You—the One who was, and is, and is to come. We love You Lord Jesus and we say, “Come quickly!”

Chapter 1: Day 5

Me, Myself, & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild

Chapter 1: Day 5

“Truth is always authoritative and gracious. Authoritative words should never be harsh, and gracious words should never be without power.”

When I read the above I was speechless. I was left without words because I needed to read it again and again. Indeed, truth is always authoritative because it is the truth embodied in Jesus Christ. The Truth sets the standard for what is to be and what is. It does not need to push or shove its way forward. It can simply stand back and be. On the other hand, falsehood tends to be pushy and controlling. It is afraid to allow you freedom of assessment and expression, lest you should see behind its facade. Truth is loaded with grace, the grace and freedom to question its content.

We do not need to shove Christ’s teachings down anybody’s throat. All we need to do is share His truth and live out His precepts. Our lives should be our testimony. We should speak with grace and truth. Sandwiched between the two is love, God’s love. His love will give us grace for every trial, His grace will maintain the peace He offers us, and His peace will help us maintain trust when everything around us tells us to worry. Worry is not an option for me or for you. We are women of God and we are moving forward with our eyes focused on Christ.

Chapter 1: Day 3

Me, Myself, & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild

Chapter 1: Day 3

Jennifer states that, “Our meditations reflect whatever we focus our minds on.” That is true. Whatever packs our closet is what we meditate on and what we meditate on will become the contents of our thought closet. So, I am ever aware that having a Spirit-filled thought closet packed with truth is of utmost importance. I cannot be lax about my thoughts and neither can you. I cannot wonder or worry or ponder. I must live in the present, plan light for the future and continually dump the baggage from yesterday. I believe this is what it means to “travel light.”

Chapter 1: Day 2

Me, Myself, & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild

Chapter 1: Day 2

Is it possible to gain control over my thoughts and my words? Absolutely! Is it easy to do? No. But God is able to help me gain control over my thought life. Jennifer points out that I do have control over my thought closet. My thoughts are embodied in a container if you will, and Jennifer likens the container to a closet. We have clothes/shoes/handbags closets and we have thought closets as well. The thought provoking question for today was, “What does your thought closet look like?” I have to admit that my thought closet had gobs of worry in it. I was oblivious to just how much I worried over things until I began to shift my thought hangers. As I evaluated what was in my closet, I realized that financial thoughts took up an entire side. Then, there were health concerns, family concerns, and concerns for my future. I felt bad because most of the worry was nonsensical. There was no real merit to my worry and nothing to substantiate such concerns—if I were to align my concerns with Scripture. The promises of God nullify all my worry. It does not pay to worry. It is unproductive and futile to worry about anything.

Don’t misunderstand me, I do not sit around looking downcast, pondering over matters. I don’t abandon my work; I am very intent on doing whatever needs to be done. Actually, I smile a lot; I laugh a lot. My affect boasts happiness and joy, so no one would think I worry, but I do. What I do, instead, is harbor thoughts that begin with “what if…” and I manage to sequester them in between other thoughts throughout the day. I consider what if’s as I do my work out, drive to appointments, cook dinner, and even as I take my shower before bedtime. Those what if’s would find a way just to appear uninvited and I would engage in mental dialogue almost subconsciously. I am sure I am not the only one who can attest to this.

This is the predicament in which Satan wants us to remain—unaware. Ignorance is not bliss and when we allow uninvited thoughts to remain unrestrained, we become “passive existers” rather than “active livers.” We are called to live the Christian life with eyes wide open, alert, aware, and on the offensive against our archenemy. That is why the apostle Paul cautions us against drunkenness because if we are under the influence of alcohol we are not able to take authority over our decisions. The substance becomes the authority for however long we are under the influence. When we live without harnessing our thoughts Satan is able to sneak unwanted stuff into our closet. If you walked into your closet and noticed blouses or pants that you did not purchase, you would wonder who placed them there. You would inquire from family members if they had anything to do with the garments getting into your closet. You would toss them out if you did not know how they arrived there. You would be watchful and cautious from then on. We need to do that with our thoughts as well. When worrisome thoughts parade as truth, we must kick them out by thanking God, praising Him, and repeating Scripture. It’s time for a thought-closet make over. By God’s grace, I have begun to become more aware of thoughts that begin with “what if,” and I immediately replace them. This is a new practice and I have already begun to experience a deeper sense of peace in my deepest thoughts. It is God’s peace and the only way to maintain it, is to submit my thoughts to the Spirit’s control. Whatever happens in my life, God already knows and has already provided for that need.

Chapter 1: Day 1

Me, Myself, & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild

Chapter 1: Day 1

Finally, and I mean finally—someone articulates what I have been trying to say regarding the power of our speech. Jennifer says the following:

“God used His words to create. He spoke things into being. Our words have influence but only God’s words have power. Our words don’t create or destroy, but they do promote life as they build up or death as they tear down our emotions and disturb our spiritual growth.”

Often, I hear preachers and good Christians say that we can “speak things into being” or “call forth that which is not as though they were (cf. Rom 4:17).” Humans do not have the power (by themselves) to do that. However, God can (and often does) use our prayers to bring about instantaneous and miraculous results as we make our requests known. When people experience healing, it is God’s doing, not a person’s words that brings about the miracle. When we pray for a need and God provides it, it is according to His will and divine purpose that the need is supplied, not because that person spoke the need into being.

I believe that cultivating positive thoughts and using positive/optimistic words are intrinsic to becoming a positive, uplifting, and energetic person. However, I do not believe my words can cause you to become wealthy, healthy, or deathly sick. I have had Christians say that they have to avoid a particular person because that person might speak “death” to them. That is absolute nonsense! A mere human cannot cause you to become sick simply by saying that you are sick. You have to believe and absorb and meditate upon that spoken word to have it affect you in any way. My words cannot bring money into my pocket. My words cannot miraculously make me well if I am sick. My words, in and of themselves, cannot change someone’s physiological state. Only God has that power. With that said, my words can encourage or discourage. They can promote wellness and wholeness to myself and those around me, or they can bring negativity and discouragement.

Our words have the power to heal when the hearer listens to what we say, think about what we have said, and meditate on our words. Words have to be absorbed in order to have any effect. So, if I speak negative words to myself and begin to meditate on them, they will undoubtedly affect my emotional wellbeing. The same would occur if I did the opposite. What we say we often believe and what we believe affects how we think and behave. Therefore, words are powerful because they can affect how we think and behave.

What we should do is focus on Christ, say what He says, think on what He says, and strive to do what He does. That is my goal.

Chapter 1: Day 4

Me, Myself & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild

Chapter 1: Day 4

Today, tears came to my eyes as I read through the lesson. Jennifer asks me to describe worry. I begin to think about this and realize that worry is like a robber. It robs me of peace, tranquility, serenity, and productivity. When I worry, I take my eyes off God and lower them to myself. Worry is the opposite of belief and hope. A hopeful person does not worry.

I must meditate on God’s Word. Jennifer grabs my attention when she points out that the standard for my meditation is not what is acceptable to me, but what is acceptable to God. He sets the standard for what we should think about. God hears our every word, every heartbeat, and every thought. OK…I wonder how He feels when my mind becomes laden down with cares. While I am not currently in a season of worry, I lived in that pit last summer. My husband was laid off and I became worried. I worried, and worried, and worried—even though the school that laid him off paid very little and had planned to cut the teachers’ pay even lower. How foolish of me! In hindsight I see what a waste of time it was to spend my quiet moments worrying instead of praising God. I was encapsulated in worry.

Worry is like a bug that bites. It sucks your joy and depletes your energy. It makes you insecure and it creates bitterness. When you host the worry bug, it does not just stick onto you; it tends to suck on the people around you also. It drags down those who are around you. It hurts God’s heart when we worry. Psalm 94:19 says, “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.” Scripture assures us that God wants to console us when we become anxious. Anxious thoughts will come, but God wants to step in and give us hope and assurance.

Whatever you are facing, God wants to provide what you need for your situation. You must believe this. We must not be imprisoned by worry at all. I realized that my worry created insecurity within me. God is a God of security and whatever He has gifted you to do, and is telling you to do for Him, step out and do it. That is why I am going to blog my way throughout this study. I have always been afraid to step out and put my thoughts out there, so to speak. Why should I be? Why should you be? There is no need to fear when God is with you.

Let us meditate on truth:

Phil. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Phil. 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1Pet. 5:7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.