Reading Your Devotions Out Loud, Part 1 (TMF:2450)

Friday, September 27, 2024

Peace to Live By: Reading Your Devotions Out Loud, Part 1 (TMF:2450) - Daniel Litton
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Sometimes when we wake up in the morning, we are either too tired to focus on our devotional time that we need to do, or we are in fact unable to focus our thoughts because we thinking about other things, like an ongoing problem, the upcoming day, or some random thing someone did against us. Well, there is one thing we can do that I have found to be particularly handy when we are having trouble focusing on our devotional time. And what that is is simply to put our mouths to work. What do you mean by that—putting our mouths to work? Well, simply, we can just read out loud whatever it is that we are wanting to go over. This kind of forces focus for us if you will. I don’t know how many times this tactic has worked for me, and it has truly been such a beneficial and simple thing that I’ve been implementing. There are so many times that I’ve tried to read and just couldn’t do it. I’d be falling asleep or drifting off in my thoughts. But, something special seems to happen when the mouth is used to read aloud whatever it is that we are trying to focus on in our devotions.

Tomorrow You’ll Feel Like It, Part 2 (TMF:2449)

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Peace to Live By: Tomorrow You’ll Feel Like It, Part 2 (TMF:2449) - Daniel Litton
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I mean, when we are on our day off, we are at a higher happiness level typically than when we are about to go into work. We want that higher level to continue. But, the mind tries to convince us that tomorrow morning we will have no happiness at all—that all the happiness will be gone when we wake up. However, we know that’s not the case when tomorrow comes. Nevertheless, there is still that temptation to buy into the lie every week that our brains tell us this. The beautiful thing is, is that when our minds start to try to start up this conversation, we can remind ourselves that it isn’t telling the truth. We can remember that, even they we may not feel like we want to go to work tomorrow, that when tomorrow comes, we then will in fact feel like it. God gives us his grace one day at a time. We have what we need for today, and not yet for tomorrow. That’s why when we wake up tomorrow morning, we will suddenly have the energy to go about that day. But right now, we don’t have it. So it is futile to even try to think about tomorrow with our energy that is supposed to be used for thinking about today.

Tomorrow You’ll Feel Like It, Part 1 (TMF:2448)

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Peace to Live By: Tomorrow You’ll Feel Like It, Part 1 (TMF:2448) - Daniel Litton
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I think we’ve all had the feeling say, on the afternoon before we are to return to work, that feeling where we think, “I really don’t want to go back to work tomorrow.” Yes, even though we still have much of our day off left, we are already looking into tomorrow. This is problematic for a couple of reasons. First, Jesus told us we aren’t supposed to be worrying about the troubles of tomorrow. So, when we are thinking like this, we aren’t being true to what he taught us in Matthew 6. Second, this is bad because it is assuming that when tomorrow morning comes, we won’t feel like going into work. However, we all know that usually when that time comes, we do indeed feel like working. Why is it so that the mind lies to us, tries to get us to think that we won’t feel like doing something when we really will? Well, I think it’s a difference in the fluctuation of our happiness level. I mean, when we are on our day off, we are at a higher happiness level typically than when we are about to go into work. We want that higher level to continue. But, the mind tries to convince us that tomorrow morning we will have no happiness at all.

The Five-Second Rule on Thoughts, Part 3 (TMF:2447)

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Peace to Live By: The Five-Second Rule on Thoughts, Part 3 (TMF:2447) - Daniel Litton
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The truth is, all of our thoughts are rooted in some sort of desire we have. Could be the desire for love, wealth, success, relationships, etc. All desires, though, no matter what you consider, lead to one ultimate goal. You know what that goal is? Well, you should by now. And, that is happinesses. All of our desires are to achieve happiness. How do we handle the rogue thoughts that come to us? We have to learn to detach ourselves from them understanding that they’re not ours to begin with. We have to realize that they are just thoughts. They are thoughts that are being presented to us without our choice, much like TV commercials when we are watching TV. We don’t get to choose the commercials. So, we have to learn to ‘observe’ them with no judgement, and then they will pass. We don’t react to every TV ad. We don’t go to the website of the business or dial their number. In the same way, we don’t need to react to the random, rouge thoughts that come to our minds.

The Five-Second Rule on Thoughts, Part 2 (TMF:2446)

Monday, September 23, 2024

Peace to Live By: The Five-Second Rule on Thoughts, Part 2 (TMF:2446) - Daniel Litton
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So, it’s like our minds are like a geyser that spews out water, and the water represents the negative things. Therefore, we always have one hand on the geyser trying to keep the negativity from coming forth. So, what happens is that when we get angry, we are so upset that we take our hand off of the geyser to deal with the anger. That allows negativity to come forward. Same thing happens when we are trying to enjoy something. We’ve taken our hands off the geyser and then that starts to allow the water of negativity to spray in our minds. So, again, the Biblical saying becomes true for us, that it is the little foxes that spoil the vineyard. We can’t have a good time if we don’t have good discipline of our minds. That means choosing what to think about. Sounds simple, yet, it’s been one of the greatest battles I’ve ever faced. I’m sure you would agree. But, since we’re short on time, I’ll make it simple. I’ll cut straight to the point. The truth is, all of our thoughts are rooted in some sort of desire we have.