Personal Development

Christian Leadership – 10 Godly Character Traits to Overcome Negative Traits

Christian Leadership – 10 Godly Character Traits to Overcome Negative Traits

Godly Character Traits Empower Christian Leaders

Christian Leadership with Godly CharacterChristian leadership should set

the standard for godly character.

Not only that, Christian leaders

should be actively developing

godly character in the lives of others

within their sphere of influence.

It is no surprise that the world today is challenging, and changing, the spiritual values of young and old people alike. Morals are being shaken, and wickedness is growing more and more perverse. The Bible clearly warns that many negative character traits will increase in the last days.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
— 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The following list of negative character traits gives insight into the spirit of our times, and how that spirit is being expressed in our own behavior, thinking, and lifestyle. It gives us some things to reflect on, like a mirror to judge our own behavior with. The list also includes positive, godly character traits used to overcome the negative.

10 Godly Character Traits Overcome Negative Character Traits:

1. Genuine vs Hypocritical

A hypocritical lifestyle is almost the norm as we see people having a form of godliness and going through the religious motions, yet without a genuinely changed life. Hypocrisy is all around us and lies are being spoken to teach false doctrines.

In these perilous times, we should have a healthy fear of the perverse days we are living, and live as genuine believers with renewed minds; trusting God daily. We are not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) A genuine relationship and walk with the Lord is required.

2. Love vs Selfishness

Selfishness and a self-centered, willful pursuit of sin is a common behavior as people become lovers of self. (2 Timothy 3:2) Society has a twisted value system and perspective on life. People have become lovers of pleasure more than of God.

God is love and those who do not love, do not know God. (1 John 4:8) We are to love God and love people.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Luke 10:27 NIV

3.  Honor vs Disrespect

Disrespect and disobedience to parents, and authority, is a regular part of the spirit of today; rebellion and lawlessness.

However, God tells us to obey and honor our parents. And He even promises that it will be well with us if we do. (Ephesians 6:2-3) We are to be submissive to authority and honor all people, and when we do what is right we find favor with God. (1 Peter 2:13-20)

4. Generosity vs Covetous

Covetousness is ruling the hearts of many. They want things that belong to others and they have a wrong value system. They find themselves not only fond of money, but in love with money.

On the contrary, God tells us the generous will prosper and that if we sow generously, we’ll reap generously.

“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
— Proverbs 11:25 NIV

5. Humility vs Pride

Proud, haughty people, that think they are above others, are filling society. They have an ungodly pride and boast and brag of themselves. But pride comes before the fall.

When we humble ourselves before the Lord, he lifts us up. (James 4:10) Any boasting we do should be in the Lord. (Psalm 34:2)

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
— James 4:6

6. Purity vs Perversion

Perversions of all kinds are rampant today. Anything that is good and natural is being perverted. People seem to have lost their natural, God-given, healthy affection and replaced it with all that is twisted, unnatural, unholy, immoral and perverse; only to satisfy their own desires.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” We are also to pursue peace and holiness with everyone, without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

7. Encouragers vs Despisers

Despisers are in full force; belittling and treating shamefully the righteous actions of those who are doing good. They scoff, mock and ridicule them.

Our words and actions should not be discouraging, but encouraging. God teaches us over and over to encourage and strengthen one another. And we are told to do so even more so in these end times. (Hebrews 10:25)

8. Loyalty vs Traitors

Traitors, truce-breakers, and betrayers lack any sense of loyalty to the commitments of friendship. They are untrue to their promises and can’t be trusted to keep their word. They are liars and false accusers.

Loyalty on the other hand is a mark of true friendship. Proverbs 18:24 tells us there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Loyalty, truth, and honesty are godly characters that lead to success. Those who can be trusted with a little can be trusted with much. (Luke 16:10)

9. Gratitude vs Entitlement

An entitlement attitude has taken over and in turn people feel they are owed everything. And on top of that, unthankfulness is sadly ruling the hearts and lives of many. These people ungratefully and unthankfully take advantage of others. And the thing is, this combination of entitlement and unthankfulness is a guaranteed formula for failure.

Gratitude is the attitude of success. It is the grateful and thankful people, that keep their hearts turned toward God, they are the ones who rise to the top. As Christians, we have the ultimate reason to be grateful: for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Therefore we should give God acceptable worship with reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:28)

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— Ephesians 5:20 ESV

10. Faith vs Deceit

Deceived and wondering: Are you one that is giving heed to seducing spirits and being led astray from the truth? Take a strong, reflective look at yourself to make sure you haven’t become headstrong in some areas. Is your mind darkened, your thinking reckless, and possibly your pride blinding you? Is your inner conscience seared – is your inner sense of right and wrong fading? Are you losing your sensitivity to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit through continued sin? Are you backsliding and rejecting God’s plan for your life and experiencing a departure from the faith?

Make basic biblical foundational teachings part of your everyday study and meditation. Renew your mind and grow your faith. Keep your trust in God daily and live by faith!

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
— Hebrews 11:6

“The just shall live by faith.”
— Romans 1:17

No doubt about it: Character development comes from discipline and it takes time and dedication; and it needs to be continually cultivated throughout our lives. We must examine ourselves and refuse to let the these negative character traits into our lives. Christian leaders must allow change from the Lord in every area, so that they can minister to others and be a positive example of Christian leadership.

May you be a Christian Leader that abounds with godly character and growing prosperity!

Soar higher in Him,
Brenda

P.S. This article was inspired after reading notes I took from a leadership meeting about character development. We discussed some negative character traits mentioned in Frank Damazio’s book “The Making of a Leader.” (I have not yet read the book, but it was highly recommended.)

 

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Prosperity Minded – 6 Conflicting Thoughts Battle For Your Success and Failure

Prosperity Minded – 6 Conflicting Thoughts Battle For Your Success and Failure

Prosperity Minded Leads to a Life of Success!

Prosperity Minded Leads to SuccessProsperity minded leads to success.

Successful people train their minds to

think success and see themselves

attaining their goals.

They understand the power of their thoughts,

attitudes, and beliefs and use them as tools to become successful.

So, become prosperity minded and become successful. Sounds easy, right? Wrong!

The problem? Success doesn’t come easy because thoughts and attitudes of failure bombard us daily. Take a look at these six conflicting thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that battle daily for our success and failure.

6 Conflicting Thoughts That Battle For Your Success and Failure:

CONFIDENCE vs WORTHLESSNESS

1. Confidence

Success says, “You are confident and you can do whatever it takes to succeed and prosper.”

Confident people see themselves as being able to overcome any challenges on the road to success. Their confident attitude empowers them to move forward with a vision of success and the ability to rise up and take on any task at hand.

“For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being snared.”
— Proverbs 3:26

2. Worthlessness

On the other hand, failure says, “You are worthless, you don’t have what it takes to succeed, and nobody else believes in you either.”

Those who lack confidence and struggle with feelings of worthlessness, are filled with thoughts of assumed failure. They are sure no one else believes in them and they in turn take on the same belief and lack the confidence needed to stay motivated toward success.

DETERMINATION vs DEFEAT

3. Determination

Determination says, “You are committed to the end, no giving up.”

Determined people are prosperity minded and the motivation to succeed seems to emerge naturally from the depths of their heart and soul. Tell the determined person they can’t, and it only fuels their determination to show you they can.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:57

4. Defeat

Now, on the other hand, defeat says, “You are sure to fail and make a fool of yourself, like you always do, why even bother trying.”

People that live with a spirit of defeat seldom accomplish anything meaningful because they avoid all situations that might result in failure. Thoughts of failure overtake their mind so much so that they rarely make goals toward success, let alone take steps to achieve them. They constantly create excuses why they should not even try.

FAITH vs FEAR

5. Faith

Faith says, “You trust in God and His great power to guide your daily choices toward success. Your future is bright.”

People with strong faith believe they can achieve their goals, and they aren’t afraid to take risks because they trust in God to direct them and help them on their road to success and prosperity. Wrong turns and set backs on the way, do not shake them up, because they have faith that God will work things out and that He is ultimately in control.

“Jesus said unto him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.’”
— Mark 9:23

6. Fear

Fear says, “You always have bad luck, you have no control, and something bad is sure to happen. You are destined to fail.”

Those who live with a spirit of fear have a mind full of negative thoughts of worry, lack, tragedy, no control, no options, and blame toward others and situations. They avoid risks at all costs to avoid any embarrassment of failure. They feel stuck and they have no faith in themselves or God to make choices and do what it takes to succeed.

Take Control – Prosperity Minded

Success has no limits for those who are prosperity minded and get control of their thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. A prosperity minded person who defines his or her goals based on God’s Word will find they begin to soar to new levels in all areas of life, including; relationships, spirituality, finances, and career.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13

Your goal now? Train yourself to have an abundance of success attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. Let the Lord be your confidence. Give thanks to God who gives us victory through Jesus Christ. Have faith in God. Believe in yourself and know you can do all things through Christ. Think success – be prosperity minded.

May you be prosperity minded, strive for success, and live a life of growing prosperity!

Be Blessed to Be a Blessing!

Cheers,
Brenda

 

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Affirmation Creates Power by Orison Swett Marden – Part 3 of 3

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden – Part 3 of 3

 

Part 3 of 3

Constant Affirmation to Overcome Fear and Attract Desires

Affirmation Creates PowerIf you are deficient in any quality,

you can strengthen it by constant affirmation.

If you are a coward anywhere in your nature

(and most people are),

you can strengthen courage by constantly affirming

that you are absolutely fearless, that you are courageous,

that nothing can harm you.

Reason that fear is simply the sense of danger, and

when you have perfect confidence

in the great Creator’s purpose,

when you trust it implicitly, there will be not cause for fear.

If you have convinced yourself that there is only one great cause, that the opposite must be a delusion, you will gradually lose the sense of fear and gain the courage you desire.

Every time you feel a sense of fear come over you say: “I am absolutely fearless; there is nothing to fear; fear is not a reality; it is not the truth of being. It is only the absence of courage, based upon ignorance of the great cause.”

Emerson knew the virtue of this philosophy when he said:

“Nerve us with incessant affirmation. Don’t bark against the bad, but chant the beauties of the good.”

Stoutly determine not to harbor anything in the mind which you do not wish to become real in your life.

Shun poisoned thought, ideas which depress and make you unhappy, as instinctively as you avoid physical danger of any kind. Do not entertain a discordant or an unhappy thought, or a thought of weakness and misery, but replace all these with cheerful, hopeful, optimistic thoughts.

When you feel out of sorts, blue, discourage, disheartened if you form the habit of suggesting to yourself some agreeable or pleasant subject, to dwell upon or thing about, or take up some word or idea which will suggest pleasure, happiness, and harmony, you will be surprised to see how quickly you can change the whole course of your thought, and when this is changed, the feeling will change also.

You will increase your courage and confidence, and this is half the battle. You will soon find that your environment will begin to change. Hope will brighten, you will have a healthier outlook upon life. Then thought, instead of depressing your mind, will be a perpetual tonic of encouragement, and light will soon break and drive out the darkness.

All that you dream of, all that you yearn for and long to be, will be within your reach if you have the power to affirm sufficiently strong, if you can focus your faculties with sufficient intentness on a single purpose.

It is concentration upon the thing you wish that brings it to you, whether it is health, money, or position.

Constantly affirm that which you wish, hold it persistently in the thought, concentrate all the power of your mind upon it, and when the mind is sufficiently positive and creative the desired thing will come to you as certainly as a stone will come to the earth, when left free in the air, through the attracting influence of gravitation.

You make yourself a magnet to draw the condition you wish.

*** end of part 3 of 3 ***

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden

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Affirmation Creates Power by Orison Swett Marden – Part 2 of 3

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden – Part 2 of 3

 

Part 2 of 3

Perpetual Positive Affirmation Creates a Life of Harmony, Achievement, and Success

Affirmation Creates PowerYou can do a difficult thing only with a

positive state of mind, never with a negative.

Plus force, not minus, does things.

The dominant qualities are all positive,

assertive, aggressive, and they require a corresponding

attitude of mind for their exercise and application.

A man who has not these dominant, qualities

can never be a leader or independent; he must be a trailer,

an imitator, until he changes his thought from negative to positive,

from doubtful to certain, from shrinking and retiring to asserting and advancing.

It is the decisive, positive soul that wins.

If you wish to amount to anything in the world, never for one moment permit the idea to come into your mind that you are unlucky, that you are less fortunate than other human beings. Deny it with all the power you can muster. Discipline yourself never to acknowledge weakness or think of mental, physical, or moral defects. Deny that you are a weakling, that you cannot do what others can do; that you are handicapped and must be satisfied to take an inferior position in the world. Strangle every doubt as you would a viper threatening your life.

Never talk, think, or write of your poverty or unfortunate condition. Cut out of your life all thought that limits, hampers, dwarfs, and darkens it. These are ghosts of fear; the Creator never made them or intended them to haunt or torment you. He made you for happiness, for joy, for conquest over your environment.

Persistently affirm that the Creator handicapped no one; that our limitations are all our own. Resolve that, come what may, you will be an optimist; that there shall be nothing pessimistic in you; believe in the final triumph of the right, the victory of all that is true and noble.

Affirm that you are one of the most fortunate beings. Congratulate yourself that you were born just in the nick of time, and in just the right place; that there is a definite work for you to do that on one else can do; and that you are one of the most lucky persons in the world to have the opportunity, the health, the education, to do the thing you are bound to accomplish.

If you are out of work and poor, just throw out of your mind every idea of penury and poverty. Hold the thought of plenty, of abundance, of all good, which the Creator has promised you. Stoutly deny that you are poor, or miserable, or unlucky; claim that you are lucky, that you are well, vigorous, and strong; that you must succeed; and you will succeed.

Always affirm that the Creator who gave you the longing to be somebody and to do something in the world, has also given you the ability and the opportunity to realize the ambition.

When you set your mind toward achievement, let everything about you indicate success. Let your manner, your dress, your bearing, your conversation, and everything you do speak achievement and success. Carry always a success atmosphere with you.

You will find a wonderful advantage in starting out every morning with the mind set toward success and achievement by permeating it with thoughts of prosperity and harmony, whether by repetition of set formulas, as some advise, or not. It will then be so much the harder for discord to get into the day’s work.

If you are inclined to doubt your ability to do any particular thing, school yourself to hold the self-trust thought firmly and persistently. It is the assumption of power, of self-trust, of confidence in yourself, in your integrity or wholeness, that cannot be shaken, that will enable you to become strong, and to do, with vigor and ease, the thing you undertake.

You will find that the perpetual holding of these ideals will change your whole outlook upon life:

  • You will approach your problems from a new standpoint, and
  • life will take on a fresh meaning.
  • This perpetual affirmation will put you in harmony with your surrounding;
  • it will make you contented and happy; and
  • it will be a powerful tonic for your health.
  • It will help you to build up individuality and personal power.
  • It will make your brain clearer, your thought more effective.

Keeping the mental machinery clean makes for vigorous thinking, decisive action.

*** end of part 2 of 3 ***

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden

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Affirmation Creates Power by Orison Swett Marden – Part 1 of 3

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden – Part 1 of 3

 

Part 1 of 3

Constant Affirmation Increases Courage; the Backbone of Confidence

“An affirmation is a statement of Truth consciously used so as to become the directing power of Life’s expression.”
— Orison Swett Marden

Affirmation Creates PowerOnly he can who thinks he can!

The world makes way only for the determined man,

for the man who laughs at barriers which limit others,

at stumbling-blocks over which others fall.

The man who, as Emerson says,

“hitches his wagon to a star,”

is more likely to arrive at his goal than

the one who trails in the slimy path of the snail.

Confidence is the father of achievement.

It reinforces ability, doubles energy,

buttresses mental faculties, increases power.

Your thought will carry only the force of your conviction, the weight of your decision, the power of your confidence. If these are weak, your thought will be weak and your work futile.

Some people are incapable of strong, deep conviction; they are all surface, and liable to be changed by the opinions of everybody else. If they resolve upon a certain course, their resolution is so superficial that the first obstacle they strike deflects them. They are always at the mercy of the opposition, or of people who do not agree with them. Such people are shifty and unreliable; they lack strength of decision, positiveness of resolution.

What is a man good for if he hasn’t strength of resolution?

If his convictions are on the surface, he stands for nothing; nobody has confidence in him.  He may be a good man, personally, but he does not inspire confidence. No one would think of calling upon him when anything of importance was at stake.

Unless conviction takes hold of one’s very being, there will be very little achievement in life. It is the man whose conviction is rooted deep and takes hold of his very life-blood, the man who is strong and persistent in his determination that can be depended upon. He is the man of influence, who carries weight; he is above the influence of any man who happens to have a different opinion.

If young people only knew the power of affirmation, of the habit of holding in the mind persistently and affirming that they are what they wish to be, that they can do what they have attempted, it would revolutionize their whole lives, it would exempt them from most of their ills and troubles, and carry them to heights of which they scarcely dream.

We are always talking about the power of the will. Its exercise is only another form of the affirmation. The will, the determination to do a thing, is the same as the affirmation of the ability to do it. No one ever accomplishes anything in this world until he affirms in one way or another that he can do what he undertakes.

It is almost impossible to keep a man back who:

  • has a firm faith in his mission,
  • who believes that he can do the thing before him,
  • that he is equal to the obstacles which confront him,
  • that he is more than a match for his environment.

The constant affirmation of ability to succeed, and of our determination to do so:

  • carries us past difficulties,
  • defies obstacles,
  • laughs at misfortunes, and
  • strengthens the power to achieve.

It reinforces and buttresses the natural faculties and power, and holds them to their tasks.

Constant affirmation increases courage, and courage is the backbone of confidence.

Furthermore, when a person gets in a tight place and says “I must,” “I will,” he not only reinforces his courage and strengthens his confidence, but also weakens the opposite qualities. Whatever strengthens a positive will weaken the corresponding negative.

*** end of part 1 of 3 ***

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden

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Prosperous Thoughts – 7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance!

Prosperous Thoughts – 7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance!

Change Defeating Thoughts to Prosperous Thoughts

Prosperous Thoughts to Help Manifest Abundance!Prosperous thoughts help

manifest prosperous living.

No doubt: successful individuals do not

reach their goals by filling their minds with

thoughts of failure and defeat.

Overcoming the challenges and obstacles,

on the road to abundance, requires a determination to succeed and a positive mindset.

“We demagnetize ourselves by wrong thinking and lack of faith…We see only the obstacles in our path, and forget that man, working with God, is greater than any obstacle that can oppose itself to his will.”
— Orison Swett Marden

7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance:

1. Question Self-Limitations

Question why you limit yourself from reaching your potential. Are you simply afraid of what others will think if you don’t succeed at your first attempt? Do not put a limit on your potential and abilities. If you continually say “I can’t” then you won’t even try. Instead ask “How can I?”

2. Question Limitations From Others

Why accept the limitations others put on you? People enjoy telling us what we can and cannot do. Don’t fall into the trap of filling your mind with other people’s limitations.

3. Monitor Everyday Thoughts

Turn on the mental radar, because even the most well intentioned person will find negative, defeating thoughts try to sneak in under the radar. To often we begin to affirm those negative thoughts without even realizing it.

4. Reprogram Negative Attacks

A passionate dream that you desire to accomplish is hard to keep to yourself. It is normal to want to share your ambition with others, but also way too common to have others ridicule you about it. Learn to quickly reprogram the negative attacks and laugh it off when others laugh at you!

5. Visualize Your Abundance

Keep a visual image constantly in your mind of the goals you desire to manifest. Place pictures and notes up around your living and workspace that positively affirm a mental image of your desired goals.

6. Renew Your Mind Daily

Renew your thought life daily like a mental bath. Keep your thoughts positive, clean, and empowering. The most empowering way to renew your mind is with the Word of God and filling it with who He says you are and what you can do.

7. Turn Thought Habits Into Action Habits

Continue to be mindful of your thought life until positive, productive, prosperous thoughts are a habit. Once they become habit, you’ll find that positive, productive, prosperous actions follow. As these actions become a habit, you’ll automatically move toward a prosperous life.

Final thoughts: Regardless of all the negative thoughts currently filling your mind, it is possible to change those thoughts to the better and become prosperous. Begin today to start making some positive changes to your thinking and soon positive changes will manifest in your behavior and your life!

May your mind be filled with prosperous thoughts and your life be filled with growing prosperity!

Be Blessed to be a Blessing!

Cheers,
Brenda

 

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Spirituality: Stop Destructive Gossip and Live at a Higher Spiritual Level!

Spirituality: Stop Destructive Gossip and Live at a Higher Spiritual Level!

Use Words to Encourage and Stop the Gossip

Stop Destructive GossipGossip can zap the power out of

one’s spirit quickly.

Gossip is negative, mean spirited,

and destructive.

It is an addictive, bad habit for the gossiper.

Gossip will pull the gossiper, and those

around him or her, down to the lowest spiritual level.

If all that isn’t bad enough, God considers gossip a serious sin in the same league as murder, God hating, and other wickedness. (Romans 1:28-32) Gossipers are not in right fellowship with God.

“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
— Proverbs 20:19 NIV

Harmless Good Fun Or Destructive Gossip?

I’m sure you will agree that gossip is something we should not take lightly. What is truly unfortunate, is the fact that most Christians do not consider gossip a sin or wrong! At most, they consider it an insignificant bad habit.

Gossip is a key factor hindering growing prosperity in many people’s lives. And unfortunately, it is rarely recognized. Almost instantly, without thinking twice, gossipers will let rumors, bad-mouthing, confidential information, and idle, malicious talk fly out of their mouths.

If only they knew the damage they are causing! The Bible tells us that a Christian who’s mouth is out of control, deceives his own heart and his religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Let’s face it: Gossip is not harmless, good fun. It carries a negative tone of abuse that is often demeaning, critical, judgmental, harmful, and hurtful. This is why God has much to say about it and warns us of it’s destructiveness.

Dealing With Gossip

Everywhere from family, work, school to church settings, gossip has become a common destructive factor. It is clearly evident that busybodies are everywhere these days. But the question to ask ourselves is: “Am I guilty of gossip?”

Gossip is often disguised as concern for others or as asking for prayer. However, whenever there is talk about others in an unfavorable way, there is gossip.

Keep in mind: Gossip is a sin that separates us from God and hinders our prosperity. God does not bless sin. Gossipers often deal with unexplainable troubles and rarely get their prayers answered. (Psalm 66:18, John 9:31)

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
— Proverbs 13:3 NIV

Tips to Deal With Gossip:

  • AWARENESS. We all have tendency to gossip from time to time. To overcome this tendency and have a more spirit-filled, gossip-free life requires awareness when it happens.
  • PRAYER. It doesn’t matter if you are struggling with a gossip addiction or if you are a victim of gossip, turning to God in prayer is a must. As a gossiper, repent and ask for forgiveness and pray that God help you take control of your words and make them words of encouragement. As a victim, pray that God bless the other person and help them become free as He helps you maintain a forgiving, loving heart.
  • AVOID. Stay out of other people’s business and avoid association with those who gossip. Refuse to engage in gossip.
  • CHOOSE. Decide to speak words of encouragement, hope, and love. Steer conversations in a positive direction. Choose to be silent if only destructive words of gossip are on your lips.
  • LOVE. Walk in love and address gossipers directly and privately in attempting to resolve your issues with them. If confronted for gossiping, be humble and in love be willing to work out your issues.

Believe me: Gossip can spread quickly like a deadly infection. Do not be ignorant of the destruction it carries. You can put a stop to the negative spirit of gossip and choose to walk in love and a higher spiritual level in life.

May your mouth always speak words of encouragement and may your life be full of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing!

Soar higher in Him,
Brenda

 

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How Can Christian Meditation and Positive Biblical Affirmations Adjust My Attitude?

How Can Christian Meditation and Positive Biblical Affirmations Adjust My Attitude?

Get a Spirit Lift for a Brighter Outlook on Life!

Biblical Meditation AffirmationChristian Meditation and

Biblical Affirmations

allow the Spirit of God to stir us up

and make us happy.

There is power in God’s Word to

renew our mind and replace negative

thoughts with positive life filled thoughts.

If we find ourselves dwelling on the same discouraging,

depressing, stressful, worrisome thoughts, then we need to put a stop to it.

How? By replacing negative thoughts with truths from the Word of God.

Replace Negative Thoughts with Positive Truths

You see, meditation on scripture gives us understanding of how God sees us and our future. In His scriptures we find words of hope, joy, peace, and encouragement.

“My meditation of Him shall be sweet and I will be glad in the Lord.”
— Psalm 104:34

We can help make the truths of God’s Word become a part of our mental dialogue by listening to Christian Meditation CDs or Biblical Affirmation CDs during our morning routine, at the office, in the car, while doing chores, and when falling asleep. Then when negative thoughts try to surface, our mind will be prepared and ready to affirm God’s Word instead.

The great thing about affirmations is that it is like planting positive seeds of change. Our minds are able to focus on the new positive thoughts, which will eventually grow to replace the old negative ones.

Biblical affirmations are scriptures that are stated in a positive, first person, present tense form. It is important to make them positive, because the things we hear repeatedly get deposited into our subconscious. And our subconscious takes in everything as if it is real.

Biblical Affirmation Example

Let’s look at an example of a positive biblical affirmation…

Have you ever had a time of struggling with fear? Well, we know that God says, He has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) The truth of God’s Word is that fear is not of Him. What is of God is power, love and a sound mind.

In this example we would not want to affirm ‘I am not afraid’, or ‘I do not fear’. Why? Because our subconscious is going to hear us confessing fear.

So what should the affirmation be? Make the affirmation: ‘God has given me a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.’

Begin now to fill your mind with this affirmation and your fears will begin to fade. The instant you become fearful, start confessing this affirmation and put a stop to the fearful thoughts instantly.

The success in using affirmations is repetition and speaking them out loud. You must listen to or read affirmations over and over until they begin to take root and grow.

So there you have it: Make Christian meditation and biblical affirmations a daily habit. Maintain a positive attitude and a bright outlook on life with the life transforming power of God’s Word. It is His desire that all believers tap into it as they grow nearer to Him.

Why not begin meditating and affirming the powerful Word of God in your life today?

God bless you always,
Brenda

 

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