Problem-Solving Formula

"If anyone lacks wisdom, ask God who gives to all generously ... and it will be given to you." [James 1:5]

The following formula for resolving problems came from Norman Vincent Peale. He said to prayerize, visualize and actualize; that is, PVA.

First, prayerize. Ask God to give you the wisdom and courage to see and face the real cause/s behind your problems. Then you can pray realistically by committing your problem to God and asking for his guidance to help you find a solution and also for the courage to do your part.

Second, visualize. We need to see a problem for what it is. Often what we see isn't the problem at all—it’s the symptom of a deeper, hidden problem, the fruit of a hidden root! As somebody else said, "God is merciful. When we have problems, he gives us symptoms." Only as we see the true causes of our problems and face reality can we ever resolve the difficulties we have. Once we see and acknowledge the truth, we then need to visualize what we need to do to overcome our problem as well as visualizing what we are asking God to do for us.

Third, actualize. In every situation we need to realize that we are responsible for resolving our problems. No matter what happens to us, we are always responsible for our reactions, feelings, and what we do about resolving our difficulties. God will give us wisdom if we ask for it, insight if we desire it, and courage if we need it, but he won't do for us what we can and need to do for ourselves. If he did, it would keep us overdependent and immature. Accepting responsibility for our problems, emotions, behavior, and our life is the heart of maturity.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, give me the wisdom and courage to see and face every symptom in my life and help me to trace these to their root cause/s, and lead me to the help I need to overcome these problems so I can be healed and made whole. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen."

Richard (Dick) Innes

http://www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=1437&d=2&c=5

God Will Take Care of You ♫

1. Be not dismayed whate'er betide,
God will take care of you;
beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Refrain:
God will take care of you,
through every day, o'er all the way;
he will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

2. Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
when dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
(Refrain)

3. All you may need he will provide,
God will take care of you;
nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
(Refrain)

4. No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you.
(Refrain)

Seek Ye First ♫

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and ye shall find
Knock and the door shall be opened unto you
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

If the Son shall set you free
Ye shall be free indeed
Ye shall know the truth, and it shall set you free
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Let your light so shine before men that they may see
Your good works and glorify
Your Father in heaven
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart
He shall direct thy paths
In all thy ways acknowledge Him
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Credit crunch

'Give, and it will be given to you.'

Luke 6:38 NIV

Three reasons to hang on to your purse strings:

1) with the credit crunch in full bloom you'll need every penny you can get

2) it's a tight month you can always give a little next month

3) wait til you've landed that dream job with that dream salary, then give!

If you're not going to give, feel free to choose any of the above as your reason. For those of us, who want to give, feel free to choose one of the following:

1) When we give - we get! Jesus said, 'Give and it will be given to you...the measure you use...will be measured to you' (Luke 6:38 NIV). Test Jesus in this, put your money where his mouth is, see what happens.

2) We get back more than we give. If a bank lends you money, they whack a load of interest on top - so in effect, you always pay back way more than you borrowed. The Bible says when we give to the poor we lend to God (Proverbs 19:17). Imagine that- loaning to God! What kind of interest does God pay back?

3) We get into good habits. Giving is not just how the church raises its budget, it's how God raises His children. Parents want to raise their children to cultivate beautiful qualities such as: generosity. Our heavenly parent is no different. So, pick a reason!

Sunday, 13 September 2009
http://www.word4u2day.com.au/200909121856/Credit-crunch.html?bsb_midx=1

Untended Places

Our family had just arrived at the lake cottage we had rented for a week of much-anticipated vacation when my wife discovered the unmistakable evidence of spiders and mice in the house. It wasn’t that we had never encountered such things, but that we had expected the cottage to be cleaned and prepared for our stay there. Instead, the counters, cabinets, and beds were littered with the residue of infestation, requiring much cleaning before we settled in. It wasn’t a bad house; it had just been left untended.

We might be guilty of dealing with our hearts the way that cottage was managed. Our “untended places” can become breeding grounds for infestations of wrong thinking, poor attitudes, or sinful behavior—creating problems that require significant attention to correct. The wise path is to recognize our need to tend our hearts by staying in God’s Word and embracing its truths.

In Psalm 119:11, King David recognized the danger of not building our lives on the Scriptures. He said, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

With a focus on the Word, we can build strong spiritual lives that will help us avoid the dangers that inevitably grow in untended places. — Bill Crowder

Give me, O Lord, a strong desire
To look within Your Word each day;
Help me to hide it in my heart,
Lest from its truth my feet would stray. —Branon

To grow spiritually strong, read the Word.

September 10, 2009
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/09/10/devotion.aspx

Get more sleep

"'He gives His beloved sleep.'"
Psalm 127:2

Illness, stress, family problems, job demands, etc, rob us of sleep. And when we constantly run on low battery power it shows up in our attitudes, our relationships and our performance. The Bible says: 1) 'It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.' 2) 'I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety' (Psalm 4:8). 3) 'When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet' (Proverbs 3:24).

Sleep is an act of trust: when you go to sleep the world is in God's hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you're not awake to control things. When you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will give you the grace needed. Jeremiah said, 'After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me' (Jeremiah 31:26).

Ever tried to pray when you were suffering from sleep deficit? It's hard to do. Before Elijah was able to spend prolonged time in prayer the angel of the Lord made him take not one, but two long naps. Contrast that with the disciples in Gethsemane who couldn't pray because they kept falling asleep. Know what? It's hard to think, feel and act like Jesus when you lack sleep. That's why 'He gives His beloved sleep.' Maybe the most spiritual thing you could do is get to bed earlier and wake up refreshed so you're ready to fulfil God's purposes for your day.

Thursday 10 September 2009

http://www.thewordfortoday.com.au/