16 July 2017
Two-Minute Features | 23 July 2017 | 09 July 2017

Peace Taker #12- Believing for Bad Things, Part 1 (TMF:695)

Friday, July 21, 2017
Peace to Live By: Peace Taker #12- Believing for Bad Things, Part 1 (TMF:695) - Daniel Litton
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       Number twelve: Believing bad things will happen in the future. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV). Another thing that can rob us of our peace of mind is by believing that bad things will happen in the future for us. Again, this negative form of thinking will breed discord in our minds. It is the opposite of hope. God wants us to be hopeful. If you’ve had a lot of bad things happen to you in the past, you may have cultivated the mindset that your future must assuredly hold bad things as well. But remember, just because you may have experienced some bad things in your past doesn’t mean you will or that you have to experience bad things in the future. The past doesn’t always have to dictate the future. Satan may remind you a lot about bad things from your past, but remember you don’t have to think about them. Again, I touched on this a bit last week. The Apostle Paul taught us that we are to forget bad things that have happened in our past and move forward into the future (see Philippians 3:13).

Peace Taker #11- Hypothetical Situations, Part 2 (TMF:694)

Thursday, July 20, 2017
Peace to Live By: Peace Taker #11- Hypothetical Situations, Part 2 (TMF:694) - Daniel Litton
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       What are we thinking about throughout the day? Are we consistently cultivating possible worries and fears based on speculation that’s not founded in truth? Remember, Jesus has told us, ““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34, ESV). This advice can save us a lot of mental headaches and heartaches. Like I stated beforehand, if we are thinking about ‘now’ and not thinking about tomorrow, this gives us peace in our minds. God generally isn’t wanting us to be concerned about tomorrow. That doesn’t mean we don’t make plans, but we shouldn’t be thinking too much about what we are going to be doing tomorrow. We should be thinking about today, enjoying today, getting the most out of today, and that will give us more peace in our minds.

Peace Taker #11- Hypothetical Situations, Part 1 (TMF:693)

Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Peace to Live By: Peace Taker #11- Hypothetical Situations, Part 1 (TMF:693) - Daniel Litton
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       Number eleven: Contemplating on daily hypothetical situations. “But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge” (Psalms 71:14,15, ESV). I think all of us, to some degree, have trouble with besetting thoughts that come to mind about possible hypothetical situations that could occur in our lives. Satan will present us with possible outcomes to situations, and these are outcomes which are negative or even worst-case-scenario. When we believe his lies, like I talked about earlier, it can hinder our progress and make us paralyzed with fear of doing anything. And when we think about a situation for too long, and think about it too much, lies are presented to us and we get confused. The truth becomes intermixed with lies, and we often then can’t see the forest for the trees. But we are not to contemplate these lies that Satan sets before us. We are to destroy these thoughts, and embrace faith in our varying situations in life. We make each thought obedient to God’s truth.

Peace Taker #10- A Negative Self-Image, Part 2 (TMF:692)

Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Peace to Live By: Peace Taker #10- A Negative Self-Image, Part 2 (TMF:692) - Daniel Litton
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       King David said to God in Psalm 139, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (139:14, ESV). It is true that God spent a lot of time intricately making each one of us, designed us as his image-bearer how he wanted us. We were so important to God that he sent his Son to the earth to die in our place, which reconciled us to him. So, we definitely have value, as Jesus said, and God definitely cares for us. While this fact alone will give us peace of mind, we need to love ourselves inwardly since God loves us as much as he does. When we realize we are one-of-a-kind, and are designed with particular interests and abilities, we can learn to love ourselves more. This can make us less critical of ourselves, and we can stop comparing ourselves to others, another thing that will take our peace from us. We are who we are, and that is how God has made us. There is peace in understanding that fact.

Peace Taker #10- A Negative Self-Image, Part 1 (TMF:691)

Monday, July 17, 2017
Peace to Live By: Peace Taker #10- A Negative Self-Image, Part 1 (TMF:691) - Daniel Litton
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       Number ten: Having a negative self-image. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Luke 12:6-7, ESV). People who don’t view themselves correctly usually don’t have peace. If we don’t like ourselves, and we are constantly rolling over negative thoughts, how could we have peace inside us? Remember, Jesus taught us, ““You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39, ESV). Now, notice how he said we love our neighbors ‘as’ ourselves. That fact is often overlooked. Yes, we are to show love for our neighbors, but we cannot show love for them if we don’t love ourselves first. Yes, it’s true, God does expect us and want us to love ourselves. King David said to God in Psalm 139, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (139:14, ESV).