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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

YES to GOD: Ch. 5: Tune In, Awake, My Soul

With the death of two loved friends in less than one week...one the young age of 65 and the other the tender age of 3, my heart has not been focused on blogging at all. Why God allows what He does is beyond me, but yet I still trust He knows what He is doing. So many in the world are hurting and yet I sometimes have the nerve to complain about things that God must find just utterly ridiculous.


Anyway...let's get to Chapter 5 of this incredible book by Jennifer Rothschild, Self Talk Soul Talk. I hope we are all APPLYING what we learn or really we might as well just put the book back on the shelf we got it from. Without application of what we are reading we will remain the same and Lord knows we don't want that, nor does He. ~smile~


CHAPTER 5: TUNE IN: AWAKE, MY SOUL
Remember...anything in blue is a quote from the book.

Keeping something clean is easier when you tend to it daily.
The same is true with our thought closet.
Guarding the doors of our thought closets includes becoming alert enough to refuse any junk to enter.
Oh, do I know this so well. When I had my affair it was because I did not tend to my thought closet or my heart on a daily basis. Oh, I spent time with God...I was even on the youth leadership at the church we attended. But one all that would change when I allowed my thoughts to turn into actions.
We risk what is most precious to us when we are not alert.
I risked my marriage. I risked my kids' security of an intact family. I took a babies life. My relationship with God was temporarily severed.
I risked much for nothing.
My affair was with someone from my past and because I was not alert I allowed him to come back into my life and became willing to give up everything for what I convinced myself I needed. I wish now I would have spoken the words David did of "Awake my soul!" in Psalm 57:8.
When we are not alert to the enemy and his tactics we go from "I would never" to " I can't believe I just..." in the matter of moments.
I really loved the part of this chapter titled Roaring Lion. As a matter of fact, I have a post ready to go later this week about this very thing. Something I was going to share a few weeks ago and never did.
I thought Jennifer really nailed the truth to the wall in this chapter.
We grow so accustomed to the distractions around us that we barely notice their influence. And that's when we become easy prey.
I really got much from all Jennifer said in this part. Here are a few things she wrote that just got me...
Until I let a thought in, it's not my thought. It belongs to the enemy.
Thoughts aren't yours until you embrace them and invite them into your thought closet. If you do, you'll find yourself wearing them again and again. But when you are alert and recognize where they come from, you will refuse them entry.
Our thought closets can become arsenals stocked with the weapons of truth.
MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE!
So be aware of the real enemy. Talk to yourself about his tactics, and tell your soul to tune in. Remind your soul that the One who lives within you is greater than the one who roars at the door!
I just loved that. Be aware Jennifer tells us. 1 Peter 3:8 says this very thing to us. Be aware! We hold responsibility to what we allow into our minds and eventually our hearts and souls. We can't just be walking around unware of where we are and what we are doing. We must be aware at all times because its those times we let our guard down that we become the devil's dessert.
Oh Lord.
This enemy of ours wants to not just disable us, he wants to cause destruction. He wants to kill us. What are we fighting against him with?
I can't imagine when these soldiers that are fighting for freedom are prepared for battle that their commanders just send them out into the war zone without being prepared. When these men and women take their stance to fight against the enemy they are prepared mentally and physically with weapons that will take out the ones trying to kill them.
This spiritual battle we are in is so real ladies, and the enemy will never leave us alone as long as we are a Christian. He knows if he can get in our thoughts he can get anywhere in our lives.
Let's be prepared and guard our thought closets.
Next week: Chapter 6~Look Up Hope In God, My Soul
~Many Blessings~

13 comments:

pam said...

Hmmmm, a good friend lost her 8 month old to brain cancer several years ago...it is a life changer for everyone...even those remotely involved. Certainly can send us hard and fast in pursuit of Him. Oh someday we will see Him face to face and truly know His heart.

It seems like we can "know" a lot but what we choose to act on is what we really believe. If His Word is alive in us, we know how to stand by His grace and mercy. This life with Christ is not just knowing...it is acting out what we know to the point of standing in belief.

Paula V said...

Such wonderful thoughts, Lelia. Not just from Jennifer but from you also. Preach it sister! :-) I feel I repeat what you said all the time to people. Funny, as I type that I think well what about to yourself, Paula. It is so easy to satan's schemes and to warn others of how he works and widdles into our lives. Yet, maybe it is harder to see it (his works) in our lives.

If he can get into our thoughts, he can get anywhere. That is exactly right. He wants nothing more to destroy and demolish us down to the ground. If he ruins our lives, he can get into and affect our children, spouses, family, friends. If he tarnishs our Christian witness, he can even further influence unbelievers in our lives who are watching.

However, I don't want to say all that and give him too much attention. So, let me counter all that by saying, God can do the same. The more effect He has on us, the more effect He has on our family, children, spouses, friends. Ya know...many times we hear of someone coming to Christ not by their spouse preaching to them but seeing God live out in their lives.

It's so neat how things that popped out at me, I blogged on. Then, I read your post and see the highlights of this chapter from your eyes. I think, oh yeah, why didn't I note that. But that's the beauty that God highlights to each of us individually and then we share with others.

Doing my best with His help to BE ALERT. I need to realize what he's doing and what HE's doing. There's a big difference.

Thanks for this. Thanks for the challenge to really apply and take in what we are reading, studying, and sharing. My memory is not the best but I'm really focusing on what I read and hoping I can retain it.

Love ya,
Paula

Laura said...

I'm so sorry about these devastating losses, dear friend. It never gets easier. I love what Pam says about how these things "can send us hard and fast in pursuit of Him". That's where I want to be when i don't understand His ways.

You are in my prayers.

Leaon Mary said...

Hey Lelia,
I'm so sorry for your losses this past week, and have been praying.

You know how near n dear Behind Those Eyes became to me?... well Self Talk, Soul Talk is thee perfect next book... I'm so blessed to take part in this and I am loving it.

Reading about the enemy this week, sure is making me more and more aware that the battle is not flesh and blood... it's spiritual warfare. I have my sword, and this book is a wonderful tool to remind us to Use SCRIPTURE to chase satan away, and speak truth back into our thoughts.

Holykisses sweet Lelia!
Someone in Arkansas is praying.
L

Stonefox said...

Lelia, I am so sorry for the pain you and others around you are experiencing right now. I know that God uses pain in our lives, but it is hard!

In spite of what you are facing, you did an excellent job of drawing out key thoughts here. I'm going to be pondering on these for awhile. I love the thought that things are easier to keep clean when we tend to them everyday. So true.

The Dementia Nurse said...

Lelia, I'm so sorry it's been such an avalanche these past few weeks. We love you and think of you and pray to the Father to keep you safe and warm within His grasp.

Joy Junktion said...

Lelia,

I am so sorry about the losses you have suffered over the past week. It does not matter the size of the trial ~ but what does matter is that God is there for each of us ~ no matter what we are facing. He cares just as much and as deeply for the parent of a lost child as He does for the child of a lost parent and everything in between.

I am praying that God will bring strength and peace to each family member.

Thank you for sharing your heart!
Cindy

Carol said...

Lelia,
Sometimes our Lords ways are beyond our comprehension, but we know He is soverign. I'm so sorry for your losses.

Thank you for your honesty in your post and how you shared so personally with us, the cost of letting ourslves be distracted.

You challenge us, and I'm grateful for that. I have yet to write my post, I have so much underlined that I need to touch on it again.

Praying for you my friend.

Love,
Carol

valerie said...

I'm sorry for your losses this past week, Lelia.

Life is so hard at times. There are so many people I encounter every day at my job who are hurting in many different ways. It gets to me sometimes.

I attended the funeral of a great man in our church last week. The sanctuary was packed. A few days later I learned that a lady who attends our Bible study and is a wonderful church member found out she has breast cancer and had surgery yesterday. Another church member has stomach cancer and his wife called and told me he is slipping quickly. They are so in love (older couple).
There are times I get on my blog and read of all that is going on in the lives of so many and it really disturbs me. I go immediately to God in prayer and ask Him to be their peace. I pray God's Word continually. I know God said in this world there will be tribulation...BUT He has overcome the world.
Stay strong and stay in the Word. Your blog and your testimony bless so many. Thank you, Lelia!
Love,
Valerie

Liz said...

Lelia, I am sorry for the losses that you have experienced. Life changing when those we love are no longer on this earth, and the pain can hurt so deep.
I, too, have made many grave mistakes when I have allowed my thought closet to become cluttered with lies, taking dangerous risks as well. Some of those, I did not recover, but thanks to God, some of them have. Oh, I wish I had been more alert. Lesson learned, I practice waking my soul!

Tina said...

Lelia,
I'm so sorry for your losses. Life is just plain hard at times. He is so good to give us one another along with the early saints Paul, Peter, Timothy.... They just like we, walked in faith through trials they did not always understand.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! The enemy is indeed real but he has already lost! Thank you so much for serving Christ because I am blessed for it!

Pamela (His maidservant) said...

Friend, I am so sorry for your losses. Be stong in Him. I am praying for your heart. You continue to be suc a blessing!

Miss you.

In His Graces~Pamela

Amy L Brooke said...

Hey Leila.

I'm sorry I've missed the study. It sounds good. I actually bought the book but God working in my life kind of way laid my thoughts. Sorry, I've been so absent. I've missed my bloggy friends but have had some things to deal with. So, now I'm hoping to catch up.

Are you going to manage to go to She Speaks this year?

Love ya.

Amy