DO IT!

I always find it intriguing with the different times and places in which the Lord will talk to me.  Take for instance a couple of days ago.  I was walking up to my car parked in the vast lot near our local PetSmart, lugging an 18lb bag of Purina ProPlan Adult, large breed dog food over my shoulder, when I clearly heard that very familiar small-still voice of the Lord pop a question into my head.  He asked, “Why do some people only seem to concentrate on the negative… whether it’s actually true or something they conspired without fact to back it up?”

Well… that thought sent my mind moving off in numerous directions as I tossed the bag into the back seat, started up the car and maneuvered my way through town toward home.  I quickly recalled folks who almost immediately and repeatedly over the years focused on what they considered to be the negative aspects of the horrendous situation that my wife and I were trying to wrap our heads… and more importantly, wrap our faith around as we grappled with the increasing symptoms of Alzheimer’s that was attacking her brain and body.

Then my mind zeroed in on all the times the Scribes and Pharisee’s in Jesus’ time came to Him with every kind of negative thought and attack that they could muster as He began to spread His message of love, healing and our eventual opportunity of salvation through His death, burial, resurrection and seat at the right hand of Father God. 

From there my mind went to our current political situation in America where one party regularly broadcasts and discusses while often times twisting what they consider to be the negative policies and goals of the administration currently in power… while totally ignoring all the positive effects resulting from those said policies.

Then I bounced back to the story of Adam and Even where the devil succeeded in getting mankind’s predecessors to accept and then act on his lies and negative deceptions of the truth and the positive actions of a loving God.  So, with that and many other examples running through my thoughts, I realized that a negative attitude is a part and parcel of the enemy of our soul’s successful game plan that he has employed for generations… and most likely is not about to change now!

Combating and reversing that game plan, my friends, is another simple but powerful way of living a practical faith life!  It dawned on me about the time that I got home from PetSmart, that the devil’s ways always lead to the negative, while God’s ways always lead to the positive!

And how do we combat and reverse his negative game plan?  Simple… By choosing to live a life of joy that incorporates thankfulness unto God, an abundance of His grace and an unfaltering trust in Him… that is activated on a daily basis by putting HIM and HIS Word first in everything you do… with every decision you make, every action you take and with every word you speak!  Psalm 19:8 informs us that “The instructions of the LORD are correct. They make the heart rejoice. The command of the LORD is radiant. It makes the eyes shine.” (God’s Word ©)  The Message Bible makes it even easier to understand declaring: “The life-maps of GOD are right, showing the way to joy.”

You can believe me when I say that it is a lot easier and much more constructive to be around joyful and encouraging people than those who only seek to bring you down with their negativity and fear.  I was thanking God earlier today for His blessing me with 48 years of life that were closely knit with another individual who exuded joy, happiness, holiness, an unrelenting fear of God that led to a pure heart (see Psalm 19:9) and a knack to always seem to have the right encouraging word at just the right time.

I admit… living with Piper spoiled me… and I was rather shocked when not everyone around us responded in her deepest time of need as positive as she would have, had it been them instead of her.  But you know… being positive because you are happy, joyful and trusting in Him is a simple step that many of us tend to forget when life tightens up around us.   But it is also a game ending, champion winning game plan of our Father God’s that can work for us… every time!  All we have to do is to DO IT!

Have a happy, positive and joyful week, and as you do, say with me… “I am expecting to choose His JOYFUL and POSITIVE truth and attitude over any negative thing that comes my way today!”