Ignore the Bell

Jesus said, “If you follow my teachings you will truly be my disciples.  You will come to know the truth; and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32

 Famous Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov serendipitously stumbled onto an experiment that demonstrated respondent conditioning. Respondent conditioning means that someone/something is conditioned to respond the same way every time to a certain person, visual, words, sounds, situations either to receive reward or punishment.  He used dogs that he was studying on for something totally different.  He would ring a bell and then serve food.  He did this consistently, repeatedly.  The dogs became conditioned to salivate every time they heard the bell expecting food.  It wasn’t the sight of food, but the anticipation of.

We each have been conditioned to act a certain way, decide a certain path, speak a certain word, have a certain behavior in anticipation of the reward or in trying to escape punishment.

What it does is make us a slave to flesh. It takes control away from us.  A lot of our responses to a certain thing or person have already been predicated from the last time we had the similar situation. We allow ourselves to be manipulated, coerced and unconsciously lead to the same results every time.

What’s the truth?

The truth is that you are no longer a slave to the flesh (Galatians 5:24)

You are no longer under the curse of Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 8:12)

 The bell in our lives is the ubiquitous advertisements, speaking heads, and the culture in general.  And we become like robots doing and being who they tell us to be because of the rewards/ punishments that come from doing, or not, what they are trying to order you to do or not.

Wisdom and insight come from Jesus’ teachings.  Those same teachings tell us how empowered we are regardless of how we “feel”

We must be cognizant all day of why we are saying or doing.

Is it fear that is pulling us one way?  Is it instant gratification followed by regret?  “I just can’t help it!”  “Get’s me every time”  “It’s my weak spot”

Jesus says that we are empowered by Him to be obedient to Him and not undisciplined to the “bells” of the world (2 Peter 1:3, 1 Timothy 4:7)

 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature.  You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit living in you.  

–Romans 8:9    

Carve that into your mind’s eye.

Every time the bell rings you do not have to begin to salivate or tremble – You are free to act and be in a way that God would have you be.

 Intentionally, today……and every day…. LIVE Free

LIVE Intentional Today

BODY – Somehow, some way, intentionally be physically active

MIND – Continue to use empowering words – conversations, interactions

SPIRIT – Read the Word –allow it to transform your spirit, your mind

Focus on Truth

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lively, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  – Philippians 4:8 

Interesting how we become afraid of that which doesn’t exist. A baby/toddler doesn’t cry when they are in the pitch black with the door shut to their room.  It is only after they/we are exposed to what television and books offer.  After that our mind plays tricks on us and we are afraid of someone or something under the bed or in the closet.  We need a bright night light and the door open with the hall light on.  All that after one of our parents does a thorough check underneath the bed and checks and shuts the closet door.

Though in a different context, it is the same for us as adults.  Our powerful mind plays tricks on us. We believe in that which doesn’t exist.  We allow fear of what could possibly happen affect our living.  We absorb all the horror, tragedy and negativity spewed throughout news and conversations.  It has an impact on our psyche whether we are conscious of it or not.

Truth be told, there are certainly things that could happen to us. But, still here you are, alive and kicking!

The problem we have isn’t that there could possibly be that which could happen – struck by lightning, hit by a car, terrorist attack, etc.  No, it is that our mind, in some aspects of our lives, has been conditioned to dwell on and focus on these that are unhealthy for us.  After 9/11 many people developed disorders because they were so affixed on the attacks and their mind continually went to worse case scenarios to the point that they needed professional help.

We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Be aware of any patterns that you have developed that are focused on negative outcomes that do not exist.  Subtract them out by adding what is good, empowering and invigorating. Avoid and ignore the doomsday and the negativity that is rampant all around us.  Cultivate excellence in your mind by continually inundating it with that which is uplifting and encouraging.

Take ownership of what your mind puts in your consciousness.

Make an advanced decision to intentionally seek out these thoughts that will develop godly sound thought patterns.  Create new empowering mindsets to live the abundant life.

Intentionally, Today……and everyday… avoid and ignore negativity, focusing instead on all that is good and godly excellence.

LIVE Intentional Today

BODY – Somehow, some way, intentionally be physically active

MIND – Continue to use empowering words – conversations, interactions

SPIRIT – Read the Word –allow it to transform your spirit, your mind

Boulders

Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”   Matthew 11:28

In Greek mythology, King Sisyphus is punished for his chronic deceitfulness by having to push an immense boulder up a hill for eternity. He is cursed with the fact that the boulder continues to roll back down every time he gets it to the top.  He continually, with no hope or future, repeats this action forever.

Have you self imposed yourself to pushing an immense boulder up a hill only to see it come rolling down again?  And then foolishly trying, exhausting yourself, to push it up the hill…..again and again?

Do you have to?

Why?

For who?

What if you stopped and just walked away?

You might think you can’t, but you can.

You might think you don’t have one.  But before you so easily dismiss this, think and pray about it.  It might be of the most subtle unconscious boulders.

You have an advocate who takes up your cause for you.

Surrender it to Him.

Intentionally, Today……and everyday… walk away

LIVE Intentional Today

BODY – Somehow, some way, intentionally be physically active

MIND – Continue to use empowering words – conversations, interactions

SPIRIT – Read the Word –allow it to transform your spirit, your mind

Listen!

Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.  John 13:13-17 THE MESSAGE

 

Listen to My voice and follow my direction, and I will show you how to be successful.

I will teach you how to remain confident with humility.

I will lead you to prosperity of the soul.

I will share with you wisdom that will lead to discernment.

Most of all I will show you Me.

It is for you, in obedience, to be mastered and taught by THE Master, and THE Teacher.  For there is no other.  So STOP FOLLOWING THEY THAT CANNOT GIVE AND DO WHAT ONLY I CAN!

 -GOD

Focus Inside Out

For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

 First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.  Matthew 23:26

 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.  3 John 1:2

Focus on godliness.

Focus on the positive.

Focus on substance.

Focus on being healthy; mind, body and spirit.

Allow internal integrity shine outward.

Work on yourself from the inside out.

It is a mindset. To be conscientious of what you are feeding your mind and your soul.  The words that you speak condition your mind to activate the brain in what you say and do.  It conditions the mind in believing that you can or cannot.

Seek inwardly first and it will transition easier in the outward physical realm and Champion results.

INSIDE OUT !

LIVE Uncommon

“Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

-Matthew 7:13-14, The Message

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in the direction we are moving: To reach the port of Heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie anchor.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Autocrat of the Breakfast Table

 

To be uncommon you have to set your face towards excellence.

Even when it isn’t:

Easier

More popular

Convenient

You cannot be like everyone else if you are going to attain like no one else.

Godliness is not easier, popular or convenient.

But it is more fulfilling, enriching, significant and rewarding.

The world has deceived many to go down the road that is wide and leads to destruction.  It is fun, easy and dumbing and numbing.

Are you on it?  Get off that road and live godly, live uncommon.  It is your required service.

Honor God, He is faithful to honor you

Great will be your reward

ReplyForward

Unthink The World

The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. – Isaiah 8:11

Who sets the trends? What’s hip? Cool?

We do so much to be successful, live a good life, to get the things we want to do both.

We say we want to be different but we follow the ways of doing things in ways that the world dictates.

And God tells us to stop and give pause.

What if we started paying attention to what He says to do to lead the abundant life that He promises.  The twofold is that the more we read his precepts, commands, decrees, instructions, warnings and laws, the greater our faith will become.

He wants us to have faith that the way He says to live, not the way of the world, is how we will actualize fulfillment.

It goes against so much of what we have been taught.

Faith is in delayed gratification.

It is allowing the process to bring about real change in our lives that are favorable.

It is learning to live according to His ways.  To trust Him.

 

We need to:

Fight to surrender.

Empty out to be filled.

Give to receive.

Kneel to be tall.

Work so you can rest.

Yield to have peace.

Listen to be heard

It is learning to live uncommon to live uncommon.

It is a day by day intentional mindset that we have to put before ourselves.

What will you start with today?

Intentionally, today……and every day…. Surrender your ways for His

LIVE Intentional Today

BODY – Somehow, some way, intentionally be physically active

MIND – Continue to use empowering words – conversations, interactions

SPIRIT – Read the Word –allow it to transform your spirit, your mind