Next Level Thinking Manifesto

Next Level Thinking Manifesto

I will not speak calamity

I will not let my mind harbor fear.

I will not let my mind live in the past.

I will take responsibility for my thinking.

I will learn to keep my tongue under control.

I will think and speak of unlimited opportunity.

I will pursue positive, productive and powerful thoughts.

I will not blame others or circumstances for my life today.

I will train my mind to live by principles and not by my feelings.

I will not let my mind harbor anger, resentment or unforgiveness.

I will take every thought captive and sift it through high level values.

I will choose daily to think purposeful, deliberate and meaningful thoughts.

I will not speak any negative, critical or demeaning thoughts about myself or others.

He Upped The Ante Part 2

Last week we discussed the expectations Jesus has for us if we are to follow Him. In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness (your uprightness and your right standing with God) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” In addition He added to the requirement. In verses 21-22,27-28 He digs deeper into our spiritual pockets and makes it clear on what He expects of us concerning our heart and mind.

When Jesus brings in these additional verses, He is stating that we have the responsibility to control what goes on in our mind and heart. Jesus also said in verse 48, “We are to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect.” He is making it very clear that we must, at all times, be conscious and cautious about our thoughts. In Philippians 2, Paul says to “work out our salvation.” He later goes on to say that part of doing that is to do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless… If we grumble and complain, it is because of our mindset. Wow! To be perfect as God the Father and prove ourselves blameless, are some big commands.

The bible is trying to teach us that the bottom line is we must take responsibility for our own thinking. Before Christ came and died and rose again for us, God said, “"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) But now that Jesus came and gave us a new and better covenant, as Christians, we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16) We don’t have any excuses to think differently than Him.

So how do we start thinking like Christ? Here are some pointers.

1. Remind yourself daily that it is your responsibility to change your thinking for the better. No one else can make you think differently.

Others can give you different perspectives on subjects but that is all they can do for you.

2. Read the bible. It is the surest way to find out how the Lord thinks. Proverbs gives insight to His wisdom and the Psalms give insight to His great love for us.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas of thought that need to change in your life. He will show you and He will help you change those thoughts.

“Next Level Thinking” requires us to take responsibility for our own thinking patterns. Then we can take action to remove those patterns and replace them with God thoughts.

Some thought patterns can lead to self defeating behavior. Find an area in your life you wish was different. Ask yourself: What is a present thought pattern, I could change today, to change my life in the future?

Be Thoroughly Patient

James 1:4 AMP

But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

    The best long distance runners not only need to be physically tough but also mentally tough. They must be patient or have much patience to get to the finish line. What does patience mean? This is how the dictionary defines patience: The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

    Paul said: let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and  let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1 AMP)

    We all know what the sins are. The bible makes it clear what they are. But it is the encumbrances that it doesn’t name. Could it be that a negative attitude is an unnecessary weight that clings to and entangles us? I think so.

    Let’s break this down. The word attitude is defined: A settled way of thinking or feeling, typically reflected in a person's behavior.

    Many of us have decided that we want everything fast. Hamburgers, weight loss, and answers to our prayers. Yet we know that anything good is worth waiting for. Personally I’d rather wait for a great tasting burger than have a fast food burger. Health professionals tell us to loose weight slowly so it will be easier to keep it off. And as for prayers, we all know they don’t always get answered when we would like. And to make things worse, the bible says to let patience have full play and do a thorough work… in us. I’m not so sure that I’m being comforted by the scriptures right now. But there is good news.

 Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:24(AMP): “run [your race] that you may lay hold of the prize and make it yours.”Now the questions becomes: “What is the prize?” This takes us back to James 1:4. One of the prizes is  patience mixed with endurance and steadfastness will help us be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. This is wonderful news to me because sometimes I feel like I’m not much of a person to be admired by God. These scriptures remind me I have purpose in this life. They remind me, God will complete the good work He started in me. They help me to remember, with the Word and the Holy Spirit, I will become more and more like Jesus.                                                                                                                                     

    Next Level Thinking embraces perseverance knowing there is a prize at the end of the race.

    I challenged you today to let James 1:4 be a prayer for your life.

He Upped the Ante Part 1

Sometimes I think the way Jesus presented His messages was a little unusual, . He would say these wonderful truths, then seemingly change the subject in a moments notice. For instance, the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5. Jesus starts out with the “Blessed are they” speech. It’s basically an “everything is beautiful” feel good message. (v3-v11) Then He says, (paraphrased) “Now that you know you are blessed because of God, don’t hide it. Let your light shine.” (v13-v16) After that it turns a little rigid. Jesus makes a very strong statement concerning the law of the prophets. He says: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20)

What the heck happened? Jesus went from everything is beautiful to unless your righteousness (your uprightness and your right standing with God) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes and Pharisees were the religious elite. They had studied scripture for years. If anyone knew the law, it was them. Read the book of Leviticus. You will find it very detailed in describing how to do everything according to the law. There was no way these people listening to Jesus could practice the law better than the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus just upped the ante.

It gets worse! Jesus first clarifies what righteousness physically looks like in the eyes of God. Now He digs deeper into our spiritual pockets and makes it clear on what He expects of us concerning our heart and mind. Verses 21-22 make the point if we harbor anger against someone it’s the same as killing someone. Verses 27-28 add to the problem. Having evil desire for a woman is as committing adultery in our heart. Again, Jesus just upped the ante.

I have two points to make. Here’s the first. Jesus was setting up the death and resurrection prophecy. He was reminding the people of their need for a savior. He was making it very clear that it is impossible to be righteous enough, on our own, to be accepted into the kingdom of God. (Isaiah 64:6) The sermon on the mount was like an opening statement in a courthouse for the accused. In this case we are the accused. And we have been found guilty because of one man. (Romans 5:18) Jesus reminds us, in the sermon on the mount, that we completely fall short of being able to meet the requirements of the law. (Romans 3:23) He is refreshing our memory of why He came to earth. He came to fulfill the law because we can’t. He came so we could enter the kingdom of God with one simple decision. The decision to follow Him. The law required a sacrifice. He came to fulfill it and He did with His death and resurrection. He did it so we could enter the kingdom of heaven to live with Him forever. He did it to pay the price that we cannot pay to be in right standing with the Father.

“Next Level Thinking” fully accepts the price that Jesus paid for our sin. It fully accepts that we can live under His grace. It fully accepts that we don’t have to try to fulfill the law. (Romans 8:2)

Are you still trying to fulfill the law?

Are you still trying to earn your salvation?

If so, ask the Lord to reveal to you the power of His grace and the depth of His love for you.

Next week I will share with you part 2.

I appreciate your comments.

To hear the audio version of this article, visit http://audioboo.fm/boos/756155-he-upped-the-ante-part-1

Pass The Salt

Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you]. (Colossians 4:6 Amp)

My friend once told me a trick he used to help him avoid eating all the food on his plate lest he over eat. He would open the salt shaker and pour salt over the remaining food. I’m not so sure it was a good plan. It may have solved the issue at the moment but what about the discipline it takes to live a healthy lifestyle.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians, in part, the importance of following the teachings of Jesus. They were being lured into thinking that Jesus was not Lord and that He was insufficient. Paul had an interesting way of urging the Colossians to continue to believe in the lordship and sufficiency of Jesus. He writes,

“That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, “(Colossians 1:10-11)

There is a load of teaching in these scriptures but I will focus on one thought. Paul is talking about our conduct. Though we cannot, in any way, earn our salvation, we still must work out our salvation. (Philippians 2:12) We do this as a response to love, not as a requirement.

Now back to the opening text. “Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt…” For many of us, this can be very difficult. It will take discipline and not some trick to fulfill this request. But it is not impossible. Here are a few steps that will help you to be disciplined in your speech.

1.     Think before you speak.

a.     Ask yourself if the words you are about to speak are going to add flavor to the conversation or will you be dumping the whole salt shaker of salt on it. If you are dumping the all the salt, you will leave a bitter taste with someone.

2.     Ask the Spirit to help you daily with your speech.

a.     The Spirit is our Counselor. He will help you in your time of need and will show you your thought process. Your thought process precedes the words that you choose. When this is revealed, you then can work on changing your words.

3.     Ask the Spirit to help you walk in love.

a.     God is love. The more you are like Him the easier it is to respond in love.

Paul was trying to teach us that our words make a difference in how our testimony is perceived by others. Jesus said we are the salt of the earth, therefore we must decide, before we speak, how much salt to put in our every day conversation. “Next Level Thinking” disciplines us to think before we speak. Then we can make a choice of words before we open our mouth. Think of your mind as a salt shaker. Your mouth is the lid. Choosing the wrong words to speak is like opening the lid to the salt shaker and pouring out all the salt.

Ask the Spirit of God to show you the choice of words that you need to change in your thoughts and in your conversation.


To listen to the audio version visit: http://bit.ly/Hxda1s

The City of the Dead

I recently read a very interesting article about people who live in, “The City of The Dead”. The City of the Dead is a four-mile stretch of tombs and mausoleums in Cairo, Egypt. The article states that tens of thousands live in the tombs without water or electricity. Yet they have a satellite dish and a television because it’s free. What a contrast of living and dying.

In the book of Mark, chapter 5:2-5, it describes a man who lived amongst the tombs.                  

       1.    He was under the power of an unclean spirit

       2.   He continually lived among the tombs

       3.   No one could subdue him, even with a chain

       4.      He had been bound often with shackles

       5.      He was always shrieking and screaming

       6.      He was always beating and bruising and cutting himself with stones

This doesn’t sound like a man that was enjoying his life. It reminds me of all the ways the Lord has had to change my thinking process. This man’s story is my story. It’s a story of many Christians. Let me explain.

1.      I know that we believers cannot be possessed by an evil spirit, but we can be influenced by them. It’s called temptation. With that temptation we make a choice to do it or not to do it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

2.      We may not physically live amongst the tombs but we do in our hearts and minds. (Matthew 15:19)

3.      We as human beings get set in our ways and tend to not want change in our lives.(Psalm 55:19)

4.      When we continuously give in to temptation, it always moves us closer to addiction.

5.      As believers, our shortcomings and addictions will always back itself up with a loud voice of justification.(Galatians 5:4)

6.      For believers, condemnation will scream out in our minds the hopelessness and despair of our life.

If you cannot relate to this, then stop reading because you won’t get anything out of it. But if you can relate, there is good news.

Read this: Mark 7:20-23 (AMP) ²⁰And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and renders [him] unhallowed. ²¹For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, ²²Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride ( the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness). 

²³All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed. 

Jesus makes it very clear that our heart and mind is what makes us messed up. It’s a thought process and an attitude of the heart that keeps us from living the full life that Jesus wants us to live.

Here are 3 steps that will help you on your expedition to a closer walk with the Lord.

1.      Read the Bible daily.

a.      Jesus is the Word, so reading daily reveals more of Him and the contrasting life we may be living.

2.      Pray

a.      Praying can be an act of submission. Let the Lord know you need His help to change. Little by little He will reveal to you His thoughts and His ways. Then He will help you to renew your mind which will transform your heart.

3.      Believe that He absolutely loves you and hears your prayers.

a.      It’s take faith to absolutely know the Lord loves us just as we are. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The more you read and pray, the easier it is to believe He wants a relationship with you.

Next level thinking is thinking like Him. And thinking like Him will help you to live farther away from “The City of The Dead”.

Filled To The Brim With Garbage

Our society has slowly eliminated the

"Is the glass half empty or half full?" analogy.

Since we are totally affixed to the on-line,

blogging, cable TV world, we are always

being filled to the brim with garbage.

We as individuals must engage in a mental

battle to keep our glasses overflowing with

good, positive and uplifting thoughts.

We truly are the artist of our own future.

And it starts with what we are thinking.

And to fully have a successfully fulfilled

life we must have Next Level Thinking.








If you would like to hear this in audio form go to:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/648238-thoughts-on-filling-our-mind

No Matter What!

I find it remarkable how much power

we give negative words spoken to us.

We ought not to do that. We cannot

change how others feel or think of us.

Next level thinking focuses on the goal

you have for yourself. No matter how

big or small the goal, you cannot let

negative words decide your future. Yes,

you may need change some kind of

personality trait. You may need to learn

how to be more assertive or learn how

to deal with anger better. But you must

see yourself as the person you want to

become. At all cost you must not accept

the negativity spoken to you. The bible says,

“I have set before you life and death,

the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life,

that you and your descendants may live.”

The words you choose to accept determine

if you choose life or death.

Believe In Yourself 
And in your dream 
though impossible things may seem, 
Someday, somehow you'll get through

to the goal you have in view.

Mountains fall and seas divide before 
the one who in his stride 
Takes a hard road day by day 
sweeping obstacles away.

Believe in yourself and in your plan.
Say not - I cannot but, I can.
The prizes of life we fail to win,

Because we doubt the power within.

Author Unknown

Decide today to choose life

and be who want to become.

Not just for you but also

your descendants.

Andy

Fill In The Blank

As a man thinks,
So is he.
Thinking Negative = Death
Thinking Positive = ( You fill in the blank.)

Think Of The Good Things

Unproductive Thoughts

Next level thinking will cause you to check

your every thought and take it captive until

you clear it with a very high set of standards.

This can be exhausting at times but very rewarding.

Some things change as you learn to take every

thought through your set of standards.

• 1.     You notice change in yourself
• 2.     You see the world differently 
• 3.     You notice more negative and unproductive
        language in our society.

For us to reach higher levels of thinking, we must

do all we can to prevent the negative and unproductive

thoughts to settle in our minds or we will daily face

the consequences of an unfulfilled calling.