How to Focus on the Goodness of God All the Time

  

How to focus on the goodness of God

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

When we don’t get our way about something, or we experience a bad situation, our minds don’t think about the goodness of our heavenly Father.

Our humanity defaults to negative thinking unless we make the effort to turn our thoughts the opposite direction. Much like we change the channel on the TV when the broadcast is not favorable, we can flip the switch on thoughts.

Despite the fallen world we live in, God made a way for His love to shine through and show us His mercy and grace. He is not the author of disaster, He is the answer to our ability to overcome.

The Bible contains numerous verses that reveal the goodness of God. When these Scriptures are scattered through the Word, we don’t always see how many times the benevolence of the Lord is recorded for us.

Here are 6 verses that show us how to focus on the goodness of God all the time.

The Practice of Biblical Meditation

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

As Christians, sometimes we hear the word “meditation” and we back off as if we are being pursued by a cult. We associate this practice with New Age religions. But is meditation a bad thing? 

The negative image comes from eastern religions that teach people to empty their minds, hum, and sit on the floor with their eyes closed.

But meditation simply means thinking about something. The difference in the benefit (or damage) is in what we think about. The practice of biblical meditation is in God's Word.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God: for to you I will pray. (Psalm 5:1 AKJV)

We can see from this Scripture that biblical meditation is thinking about God’s Word and praying.

Start the New Year With New Thinking

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Have you ever thought about what you think about? We may not realize it but our thinking does control our lives.

New Year's resolutions usually involve changing some type of behavior. Rather than a resolution, why not a renewal? Why not start the new year with new thinking?

A renewal of our minds can bring about changed behavior.

Where do thoughts come from?

3 Ways to Overcome Guilt and Shame

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

 Ever since Adam and Eve took one bite of fruit humans have dealt with guilt and shame.

God warned Adam.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:15-16 NKJV)

4 Ways to Conquer the Serpent of Doubt in the Garden of our Minds

 

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

I love spring and summer because I don’t like to be cold. But warmer weather entices the creeps, which means snakes in the woods, to venture out. They slither through yards and gardens and no matter how beneficial some of them may be, I simply do not like these critters. Because the present season now allows me to plant flowers and vegetables, I constantly peer through every blade of grass on the lookout for something crawling toward me.

The serpent that appeared to Eve in the Garden of Eden wasn’t scary because fear didn’t exist yet and this snake apparently was a beautiful creature at that time. Eve conversed with this reptile as if talking to a snake was no big deal. Rather than acting surprised that she heard a voice, she conversed with a serpent.  

Adam and Eve fellowshipped with God and He gave them everything they needed for physical enjoyment and nourishment. They lacked nothing.

Then the subtle creature appeared with lies and deception.

Whispered words through the leaves of a tree that held beautiful, tasty food.

The words that went into Eve’s mind caused her to doubt the words her Creator had said.

She saw the fruit, she touched the fruit, and she believed the lie. She took a bite and mankind fell. All because of doubt.

Because the first people God created sinned, Jesus had to come to earth and fix what they messed up. Satan also appeared to the Son of God and tempted Him in a wilderness. Jesus had no resources except the Word of God. Scripture overcame doubt for Him.

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment with every need met. God had given His Word but they didn’t believe Him. They submitted to emotions and their beautiful garden fell into chaos and also affected the rest of mankind. All they needed to do was the same thing Jesus did. Repeat what God said and the snake would have disintegrated.

We face the same battles our predecessors in Eden did and the same ones our Savior endured. Thorns of doubt sneak in and wrap around the mind like a python and squeeze our thoughts in confusion with every suggestion from the enemy.

We will never experience the same spiritual agony our Savior did in Gethsemane, but doubt produces the pain of unbelief. Unbelief cuts away the intimacy with our Father and we are vulnerable to temptation.

What can we do when the same slithery creep appears in our thoughts? 

These 4 steps can help us conquer the serpent in the garden of our minds.

1. Think Good Thoughts – We can’t entertain doubtful thoughts and expect to walk in faith.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

When a thought of doubt enters our minds, we need to immediately replace the thought with what God said. Writing down Scripture gives easy and quick access to answers.

2. Thank God for His promises – God doesn’t lie, and He keeps His promises. He has kept his promises since the beginning. Any failures have been on the refusal of humans to follow Him.

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17-18)

3. Take Time to Study the Word – Doubt creeps in when we are weak and hungry. When we are physically hungry, we are physically weak. The same is true in the soulish realm. When we have neglected our Bible study time, we are weak and vulnerable to temptation.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

4.  Trust God’s Truth  – Revive our hearts with the truth about God and we can be set free. Media and opinions that flow around us can sway our hearts if we don’t adhere to what God said as absolute truth.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

No matter what season we are in, spiritual snakes will continue to harass us. Our ability to resist the forked tongue of unbelief depends upon our appetite for the correct food. Not the food of disobedience like Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, but the food from the tree of life given only by Christ.

What are some of your favorite Scriptures to feed on when temptation to question God’s Word threatens your mind? 

 4 ways to conquer the serpent of doubt in the garden of our minds (click to tweet)

3 Keys That Unlock the Prison of Guilt and Shame

 

by Barbara Latta

 Why would anyone want to know evil?

8 Ways to Hear and Receive From God

by Barbara Latta

Do you have difficulty making decisions? Does God sometimes seem silent and your prayers

8 ways to hear and receive from God

unanswered? Most of us have gone through this in our Christian lives. Sometimes God is silent for a season because what we are asking for may not be in His timing yet. The key is to not give up. We need to continue to seek Him and listen for His voice.

Here are 8 ways I have found helpful to hear from God:

1. Be available. Presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice and renewing our minds in His Word places us in a position to hear from Him. (Romans 12:1-2). Putting ourselves in a worship mindset will take the focus off self.
2. Leave the past behind. We can’t move forward when we live in the past and dwell on mistakes and sins. This hinders our ability to hear what God is saying now (Philippians 3:13-14).
3. Ask for revelation knowledge. (Colossians 1:9-10). He will give us understanding when we ask for it.
4. Know that His will is available through His Spirit. He does want to reveal things to us (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).
5. Believe we receive our answer when we pray. Make sure prayers line up with His will and are not selfish (James 1:5-8).
6. Be quiet, listen and get rid of distractions. (Psalm 46:10). We cannot hear God’s voice in the middle of TV shows, a radio blaring or social media streaming through the computer.
7. Pray in the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). Many times in scripture praying in the Spirit is associated with praying in tongues. When the Spirit of God is praying from our spirit to God the Father, our mind is bypassed, and our reasoning cannot get in the way.
8. Let peace be the guide (Colossians 3:15). When trying to make a decision and unsure which way to go, test the options with which one gives peace in the soul. When God is directing, there will be calmness and not anxiety or confusion.

What are some ways you have found helpful to hear and receive from God? Share your thoughts.

8 Ways to hear God’s voice (click to tweet)

How to know what God is saying (click to tweet)

Guilt vs. Shame - What's the Difference?

by Barbara Latta

Guilt vs. shame what's the difference?

“Shame on you!”

How many times did we hear these words growing up? Well-meaning parents and teachers may have said these words in an attempt to correct bad behavior and prevent it from happening again. I suppose the thought was that if a child could be made to realize how wrong something was, it wouldn’t happen again.

But, without redemption, the fallen nature of man prevails.

God’s plan for perfection was thwarted in the Garden of Eden. Man’s oneness of spirit, soul and body became separated when sin entered the world. The conscience of man became his defining factor saying, “You did wrong.”

Blood was required so God brought the bloody skins of a slain animal to cover the guilt. The couple was forgiven.

But the shame continued. I can imagine the way their minds ran away with the accusations that came from the mouth of their tempter. “You are bad.” “Look at what you did.” “The human race is doomed because of you.”

How do we determine the difference between guilt and shame?

Guilt is tied to what we do. Guilt says, “I did bad.”

Shame is tied to who we perceive we are. Shame says, “I am bad.”

Guilt is from a wrong behavior. We can be forgiven, and the wrong actions are over.

Shame stays with us and locks onto the mind condemning us for the behavior that has been forgiven. Shame can cause addictions because the person is seeking to medicate the pain of past sins.

How do we get released from the prison of shame and guilt?  

• Accept forgiveness. We admit we are guilty sinners, but because of the blood of Jesus, we don’t stay that way. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
• Dwell in the presence of Christ to stay focused on the redemption we have been given. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine neither can you, unless you abide in Me (John 15:4 NKJV).
• Transform thinking. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).

Our identity is not tied to our behavior. A born-again person’s identity is tied to Jesus. Despite our sinful actions, we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our spirit is born again. Our soul (mind and emotions) must remain focused on the Word to agree with who we are in the spirit.

We are not shame. We are righteous.

3 ways to be free of guilt and shame

Once we agree with this truth of the Word, shame drops to the ground and is powerless.

People who habitually live in sin have been referred to as shameless. What they really are is conscience-less. God gave us a conscience to direct us from right and wrong. Even a person who is not born again has a sense of good and evil. The problem is when wrong is continually adopted in life, the heart becomes hardened and the conscience no longer directs. Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2).

These people would have experienced guilt over their behavior at some point but continuing to ignore that guilt would have produced a lifestyle of hardness toward God. In that case, they may feel no remorse for their actions, or the remorse they have felt is so repressed they have accepted the words that they are worthless, so they continue to feed the lifestyle.

So, we do want to be shameless in the respect of identity. But we do not want to confuse this term with what is considered shameless behavior, which should be referred to as a hardened conscience.

Jesus left the Holy Spirit on the earth when he ascended to heaven. He is called the Comforter for a reason. He comforts, He does not condemn. He shows us the way, He does not shame us.

A victorious life depends on knowing who we are in Christ. There is no room for shame or guilt because it has been dealt with at the cross. Our place is to receive that truth and become free.  If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

Only the truth that is known sets us free.

Join the conversation and share your thoughts about freedom from guilt and shame.

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The differencebetween shame and guilt (click to tweet)

Guilt is tiedto what we do. Shame is tied to who we perceive we are (click to tweet)