3 Ways Gratitude Benefits Our Lives

 

3 ways gratitude benefits our lives

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Have you ever wondered why we are told in the Bible to be thankful?

Our flesh defaults to complaining. Sometimes we may not realize our words or thoughts contain grouchy sentiments.

Even though we have been made new in our spirits when we accept Christ, our soul still needs to be renewed or we drift back into unholy thinking.

Gratitude may be easy when we contemplate answered prayers and receiving what we want. But even those blessings can be taken for granted when we get comfortable. God warned the Israelites against complacency when they arrived at the Promised Land where everything was already provided for them (Deuteronomy 8:11-18).

There are more verses in the Bible about thankfulness than we can count here. That should tell us how important this virtue is to our lives.

Here are 3 ways gratitude can benefit our lives.

8 Scriptures to Help Us Overcome Damaging Emotions

 by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

We are commanded to do this in Scripture. But how do we resist our enemy?

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7 NKJV).

It is not a suggestion. God gives us this instruction to protect us from the schemes of satan. If he gets a foothold in our mind, whatever we allow in is harder to uproot once we have entertained the temptation.

Joseph is an example of fleeing from evil. When Pharoah’s wife attempted to seduce him, Joseph ran. He didn’t stand around and debate his thoughts. If he had, the temptation would have overcome him. He was a young, handsome man and a beautiful woman desired him. He was alone and away from home. Who would know?

How Can the Calendar's Seasons Give Us Life Lessons?

 

How can the calendar's seasons give us life lessons

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

 Seasons can teach us how to withstand the challenges of life. We go through transitions, but they don’t always bring circumstances we like. Bue we can learn from these seasons when we follow the Lord’s directions for nourishing our hearts.

How can the calendar’s seasons give us life lessons?

Condemning Thoughts Cause Mental Bondage - Excerpt from New Book Sustaining Life’s Victories

 

Condemning thoughts cause mental bondage - How to sustain life's victories

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Do you struggle with guilt and shame? Do thoughts plague your mind with accusations of past sins or missed opportunities? These attitudes can place us in a soulish prison that we can’t escape on our own. Condemning thoughts cause mental bondage. We need God’s help.

Condemning thoughts can cause us to shy away from talking to God or reading our Bible. I have done this many times. Whenever I would do something wrong, I would wallow in remorse and not feel worthy to approach God’s throne. But this is when we should be running into His arms.

We aren’t worthy to approach His presence in ourselves. But we are worthy to approach Him because of Jesus. Jesus makes us worthy.

6 Ways the Bible Teaches us to Live Successfully

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

King Saul was an example of a man who began his national leadership submitted to God. He enjoyed victories in war while he followed the Lord. But when his true character was revealed, jealousy of David drove him to the point of madness where he even tried to kill David. His selfishness was the downfall of his reign and it cost him his life and the lives of his sons as well.

In contrast, David is called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). David sinned terribly on more than one occasion, yet he always repented. He never blamed anyone else for his failures, rather he took the consequences that the Almighty laid out.

David won multitudes of battles because he listened to the Lord’s guidance before he pursued an enemy. He is an example to us that seeking divine vision is the path to success.

These 6 Biblical Principles Will Teach Us How to Live a Successful Life

5 Remedies for Fear

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

I could say, “Have you ever been afraid?,” but that would be a silly question.

Of course, we have all faced fear at some time in our lives. The news we hear daily from various sources promotes anxiety.

The “what-if’s” can plague our souls. World events and political division can create chaotic thoughts of disaster.

Fear is an enemy to our mental stability and physical health.

Why Are We So Easily Deceived by Temptation?

 

Why are we so easily deceived by temptation?

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Why are we so easily deceived by temptation?

Sin attracts us when we are deceived into thinking something that appeals to our senses is good. The danger lies in not recognizing if a desire is right or wrong.