The Good Stuff:
Mondays. For many folks, it’s the toughest day of the week. For me, it’s an energizing day. It is that start to a new work week. It’s the day after and awesome Sunday. It’s the day before everything for next Sunday is set in place. And it is a day to get the week off to a great start.
But this Monday is special. It followed a day when I was preaching to a mirror and hundreds of others that have felt the sting of self-doubt, insecurities, and fears as they looked in the mirror. But fresh off of yesterday’s teaching, I’ve chosen to look back into the mirror with my chin up, my chest out and my soul in tune with the Divine. I’ve chosen to receive the value that the Divine has placed on my life as His creation. I’ve chosen to let Him go before me, and make a way. To let Him go within me and give me peace, joy, fulfillment, and contentment. And I’ve chosen to confidently trust that when my way becomes difficult, He will come behind me and carry me through whatever this life can dish out. Why you ask? Because He has proven to me over, and over, and over that He loves me.
But I have better news for you than He loves me.He loves YOU!!!! As a reminder…
Jesus, when asked, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 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.’
Before we can love others, we must first love ourselves. The Bible teaches us that we are to love ourselves. Love ourselves through the lens of the Divine.
— Loving ourselves doesn’t mean we become self-centered.
— It doesn’t mean we become arrogant and prideful.
— It doesn’t mean we think that we are better than others.
Loving ourselves means that instead of having a poor self-image, we have a healthy self-image. We think positively about ourselves because God created us, and He doesn’t create anything poorly.
But, like many of you, I can fall into the trap of condemning ourselves. We say things like:
- I am a failure.
- No one likes me.
- I am a terrible parent.
- I’m just stupid.
- I am just ugly.
And when we feed our minds with these condemning thoughts, after a while, we start believing them. And before you know it, we experience low self-esteem, social withdrawal, a lack of inner peace, security, and depression.
Here is some incredible news – The faster you chase the Divine’s best you, the faster you can leave your past behind! And you can start by embracing the value that the Divine has placed on you! He loves you so much, that He created you in His own image. In the story of creation, we read that: “God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Since we are created in the image of God, we are highly valuable in His eyes.
Great Chuck, but what do I do with my “real world problems” on this fine Monday? Well, remember what I said yesterday. There is a three-part prescription in your name, written for you and signed for by the Divine.
- Ephesians 5:18-20 18 Don’t be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is the “Chuck notes” version: Don’t let anything control you but the Divine.
If you do, you are ruining your life. Let Him take control. How? Oh yeah,
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Philippians 4:6-7 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Again, “Chuck notes.”: Stop fretting, start praying, and again…say thank you!
Be grateful and seek peace. Peaceful souls have guarded hearts
and live in the presence and protection of the Divine.
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John 15:16 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
Last “Chuck note.”: Like children on a playground, the Divine drafted you
number one. So play like it! And when you do, the Divine will give
you what you ask for…when we ask in His Son’s name, Jesus.
LIVE IN GRATITUDE – When you are grateful for what you have, you’ll find that what you have is always enough!
TELL THE DIVINE ALL OF YOUR NEEDS – When we bring needs, wants and wishes to the Divine and leave them at His place, when we sit in His lap and speak directly to Him, when we finish our lists with “in Jesus’ name,” we are saying that I trust you with this so much that I will trust your decision and your answer to be for my good and for His glory!
LET YOUR GRATITUDE AND PRAYERS BECOME DAILY HABITS – When we turn our routines into sessions of Gratitude, Needs, and Trust, the Divine will always hold us, direct us, and lead us. He will straighten our path, He will always be for us, and He will love us with a never-ending love!
Let your life be filled to the point of running over with gratitude, with a healthy view
of the how and the who He has created you to be, and bring your praise, your needs,
and your wants into His presence…and just watch what He will do in your life!
Run to Him…Every single Day – Run to Him. He is ready for you to take a flying leap into His arms and catch you with a love that will never fade – Run to Him!
–AChuck
