Research shows that those who know how to count their blessings lead much happier lives than those who don’t; and, it has nothing to do with their outward circumstances either!
Isn’t it interesting that research discovers what Scripture already has made known to us. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Observe the passage carefully, your happiness depends on it. Notice they’re all commands. God is asking you to do something you’re certainly capable of choosing. Also notice that none these choices are dependent upon your circumstances. No where does it say rejoice because life is good or give thanks because you’re riding a “happy wave.”
No, we can choose to count our blessings. We can choose to rejoice and be thankful no matter what are situations happen to be at the moment. Our happiness is totally in our hands; therefore, happiness is a choice if we so choose to count our blessings.
Over the course of the next few days, I’ll give you a few practical ways to count your blessings. You’ll experience the joy and peace that being thankful each day (not just on Turkey day either, for those living in the US) everywhere you go can bring as you choose to practice them.
Want the first practical step? Talk with Jesus throughout your day! Seriously, research “shows that prayer and acknowledging a higher power can dramatically boost our gratitude.” Isn’t it interesting that nestled between rejoice and be thankful is talking with God?
Actions and emotions start in your head, so where is your head at in any given moment will determine your happiness. Are you focusing on the problem or talking to the solution? Today, choose to do “give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever!” (2 Chron. 20:21b) Your God loves and wants to talk with you now and throughout eternity. That’s a blessing to be counted on every day no matter where you are.
S“E”t Free Nowww

I was taking a break this afternoon and decided to watch some football. The announcers talked about how bad a certain quarterback had played the previous week. I mean it was awful, really awful.
They asked him what he was going to do this week. His answer? “You have to have a short memory to play at this level. You can’t bring last week into this week or you’ll play terrible again, which could cost you your job.” The announcer described it this way, “You’ve got to have amnesia. You must forget the bad game in order to concentrate to have a good game.”
This is true for the believer as well. Though we wish for only good days. The reality is that we do have some stinkers as well. We must remember went right so we can repeat it and forget the bad through getting forgiveness in order to focus on Jesus and victory today.
God covers our mistakes with Jesus’ blood. He doesn’t remember them. Why should we? We’ve got to learn to have selective amnesia by forgetting what lies behind in order to press on towards becoming more like Jesus. It’s the only way to a brighter victorious today.
Set Free N“O”www

Over the past few weeks, in my Bible Impact Scripture reading, I’ve repeatedly been running into the following theme: the power of the One in one. God loves to choose the least likely, at least in people’s eyes, to do something great and then uses them to accomplish His purposes; thus the power of the One, God, in one, you.
The phrase “in Christ” is a very important phrase. As secure child of God we live in Him and He lives in us. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
You have all the power you’ll ever need each day to accomplish the “good work” He put you here to do. How? You are “in Christ” and He is in you every day everywhere – no matter where your steps take you. Always remember this. Let say it differently – don’t you ever forget this truth!
You may feel like an underdog, the last one anyone, including yourself, God could use to change a life for eternity. But the powerful One lives inside you wherever you go. He is the Rock who can make you rock! So, who will you touch today for Christ in Christ? Go make His day and yours today as underdogs do and can rock.
“S”et Free Nowww

Angelo Gonzales, a good friend of mine, put the following words to music in the song “Never Alone”. It’s a good reminder to all of us.
“When your world falls apart drifting toward a black hole
When the emptiness is crowding you are never alone
When the reflection in the mirror is the sight you hate to see
Just know I see that same image and it’s beautiful to me
So I don’t care what people say and I don’t care what people think
You are more than broken promises and more than past mistakes
You are the reason for my being why I took you by the hand, had me singing say say say and we threw caution to the wind
I rearranged the earth and stars to let the moon shine on your face as a reflection of the sun to remind you of brighter days
Days of no more insecurities or trying to prove yourself you have nothing left to prove because the proof is in yourself
Days of knowing who you are and who you’re really meant to be
That’s why I came here with keys to open up and set you free
And all the suffering and pain and years of never ending rain
Will no longer remind you of you trying to run away”
The key is to live between who you are and who you will become with Jesus bought and brought joy and life.
S“E”t Free Nowww

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” I had to say that quite a bit as a kid. I was little chubby. No, let’s be honest. I was fat and those pounds didn’t melt away until I hit my teams, regardless of how active I was.
Names. They can be tools that uplift us; and, they can cause damage as well. These names, whether they’re accurate or not, tend to stick to us like mud slung against a wall. You don’t have control over what others say about you; but you have total control over the names you call yourself!
As we tend to be harder on ourselves than on others, our enemy will try and take advantage of that fact. It’s time to stop slinging more mud at yourself and to wash any mud that’s already stuck to the walls of your brain.
Let me give you a tool the Lord’s effectively used in my life to scrub the walls of my brain. Praise music. He uses songs put there by our Sunday service music team. He uses songs that I play on my phone. He even uses songs from ages ago to scrub my brain.
The next time you want to bad mouth yourself, which can definitely lead you down the path to your drug of choice, start humming the tune the Spirit brings to mind. Let life and peace bringing words stick to the walls of your brain. It’s a much prettier picture!
S“E”t Free Nowww