Introduction: During these next 30 days God has called all of us believers to rise to another level. I realize that in order to rise to another level without, there must first be a rising to another level within. Notice when a car gets ready to climb a mountainous terrain you hear a shifting sound within, where the car is saying there must come a rise in RPMs from within the combustion of an engine in order for there to be enough push for the car to climb. In the same manner we also must have a stronger exertion of power from within in order to climb higher heights and levels in our lives. I use to blame people and circumstances in my life as being the cause of why I didn’t succeed, or have peace, or have joy. I then began to listen to people who had far worse circumstances to overcome, people to get over, and other stimuli or events or occurrences in their environment that could have influenced negative behaviors or bad actions. Strangely instead I saw these people succeed, have joy, and find peace. So I realized it’s not so much the outside (people, life’s circumstances, losses, hurts, disappointments, and pain) that cause these negative behaviors and thoughts about my life, but rather it’s the inside of me that is the problem.
Brothers and sisters that’s what God wants us to work on in these next 30 days, and that is how to be the best me. Now before you jump ship and allow yourself to run from this challenge, know that what just told you inwardly in your mind that you don’t need this, is the part of you we are trying to kill or tame. That’s a part of the inner you that wages war against the best part of you. Starting today we want to kill negative thoughts, behaviors, actions, and personalities that are causing you to have negative emotions, feelings, and thoughts of low self worth. Today we fight the greatest enemy we will ever fight, and that’s the fight within.
Child of God this is THE YEAR OF INTROSPECTION. The year to BE THE BEST ME IN CHRIST JESUS. You say Pastor Turner, what is Introspection? I’m glad you asked. Introspection is defined by Webster as meaning; a reflective looking inward : an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings. That’s what The Lord wants us to do these next 30 days, and that is not focus on nobody else but ourselves. You have given a lot of your time, energy, and strength to others by running around trying to please them. Just for the next 30 days, let’s build a action plan and regiment of how we are going to be a better me for me. I don’t want you to work at being a better you for anyone else but yourself and The Lord. Truly by you finding YOU, and loving YOU, and having peace with YOU. You will find you will have more peace dealing with others. You won’t allow others actions and decisions to interfere with your peace, because you will guard your peace once you find out how good loving you feels. Are you ready? I sure am. Let’s take the next 30 days working on me, and by working on me, I will be the best me in Christ Jesus.
DAY 1 - Jesus has freed me from my past!!!
I no longer owe my past. I no longer owe my past any more time, but rather I owe myself time to focus on the good my present and future hold for me. I can no longer change the thing about me that I didn’t like that are from yesterday and before. I can only now change the things that will happen for me in my present and future. I no longer owe my past anything. Past relationships, hurts, disappointments, people, jobs, finances, mishaps, are exactly what I just said, THE PAST. Can’t change them, can’t fix what was already done. Can only learn from them and know within that I didn’t like the way they felt or left me. So from now on I will promise myself I will never subject myself to making decision or actions that will lead me down a path that will cause me any further pain. I owe myself peace and happiness. I deserve to be happy and blessed. I commit to me to love God first, and myself. I realize I can’t love others, until I first love myself. I love me. Say it again, I love me. One more time, I love me. I love me.
The Apostle Paul tells me in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if my man or woman be in Christ, he or she is a new creature: old things are passed away, and behold, all things are become new. So if Jesus has freed me from my past and wants my life to have new starts, new ambitions, new goals, and new aspirations, why am I allowing the circumstances of my past to hold me hostage to who God is inspiring me to be. I will no longer allow others bad decisions about their personal lives cause me to be held hostage to their issues, rather than working out the things I need to focus on to make my life better. I no longer owe anyone an explanation for the things I can’t change, but rather I owe myself peace in Christ.
Today Child of God is time to set yourself free inwardly and give God your full heart and mind so He can make you the best you in Christ Jesus.
DAY 2 - Releasing myself from negative thinking
I realize today that a lot of my negative thinking has come from how others and life’s circumstances have shaped my perception of how I see myself. I never thought I should of found me in Christ first, rather than find me in how others perceive me. It’s hard work trying to be what others expect or want me to be. I am working myself raggedy trying to be what others want me to be. I have to stop today and start being who God wants me to be, and also be what makes me happy as being me.
I release myself from negative thinking. I realize according to Genesis 6:5 where my negative thinking is coming from. I have been blaming others as being the cause of why I think negative about myself. When really others perception of me wouldn’t have such a big impact if I was happy with me. Does a giraffe say I wish I didn’t have a long neck because others are laughing at how different I am based on all other animals who have a short neck? or does the giraffe say, “Others wish they had a neck like me because I feel higher and have more access to higher living because I am not at the same level but rather higher than others?
I have to take the cards I have been dealt and see how that gives me an advantage in being the best me. I have my own fingerprint, my own personality, my own mind, and my own relationship with God. I am not trying to please you by being what you want me to be, but rather I am trying to please God and myself. I release myself from negative thinking. Genesis 6:5 tells me that my crazy imaginations, negative outlooks on life, and emotional trauma I cause myself comes from negative thoughts or thinking, which in turn comes from my heart. In the book of Jeremiah 17:9 it tells me that my heart is deceitful and very wicked, who can trust it. So why am I letting my wicked heart feed me negative thoughts about my life and the circumstances surrounding me, which is causing me to derive negative outlooks and perceptions about what I am facing, if I will survive, and why bad happens to me.
I have to stop listening to my heart and start listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying to me in The Word of God. I have to start listening to the words of positive speaking and thinking. My bible says in Philippians 4:8 that whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. All this means is I need to think of things that are true, I need to have honest thoughts, I need to be a just person and not allow my thinking to do unjustly or wrong things, I need to have pure thoughts because anything impure is devaluing me. I need to think on lovely or pleasurable thoughts of how grateful to God I am in Him, and the peace I have by knowing I belong to Him and He belongs to me. I need to think on things that have a good report about me. I don’t need to do anything else that if held up to a microscope would cause me shame. The scripture tells me I need to have actions and thoughts of virtue or behavior showing high moral standards. My thinking should be that which would cause others to praise my actions or behaviors in a way or admiration and value. So all I have to do is start thinking I am to good for anything that makes me feel condemned, things that make me feel shamed, things that are just wrong, things that don’t show me in the best light, things that don’t make my day feel lovely, and things that make me not praise myself for having high moral standards and high thinking as it pertains to the level I see myself to be at.
Today I release myself from my negative thinking.
DAY 3 - Train my thinking to think more positive about me
I realize when a person wants to lose weight and they have never been taught the right way to workout so they can start seeing results, they hire a trainer to teach them a new regiment on how to work out, what to eat, how to regulate their actions and awareness. Their focus is on all the key components needed to ensure they see positive results in losing weight. Well if I want to break bad habits of feeding myself negative thinking, like in learning from a trainer who trains me to be physically healthy, I need a trainer to teach me how to be mentally and spiritually healthy. My bible tells me in John 16;13 that The Holy Spirit will lead me and guide me into all truth. That truth is the truth of how God sees me, and how He expects me to see myself. This truth is also what God has invested in me by giving me His Spirit to dwell in me. In order to train my thinking I need the Holy Spirit to teach me how God wants me to start thinking.
Now if I can be honest with myself I have never consistently prayed for the Holy Spirit to teach me on how The Father wants me to start having a more positive outlook on my life, and what He allows me to go through. Today I commit to adding to my prayer for the Holy Spirit to start training me on how to think like God thinks, and to start looking for the blessings My Father has laid up for me to start receiving in my life. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 tells me that, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
So it tells me that God wants to reveal to me the things He has prepared for me, but I can’t learn these things unless I am open to allowing the Holy Spirit to train me on how to expect better for myself from The Lord.
If God is thinking of ways to bless me why am I allowing myself to think of ways to make me feel down, stressed, worried or fearful. I choose today to have a more positive outlook on my life.
Proverbs 23:7 tells me, “ as a man thinketh, so is he: it is saying that I will become what I think about myself. So if I think negative about myself I will become what I am thinking, but if I think positive about myself I will also become that. I chose to think better about myself, so I can become what I think.
DAY 4 - I’m an apple from a different tree
There’s a saying an apple don’t fall to far from a tree. It denotes the idea that I am just like the person or people I came from. Well today I refuse to be modeled after anything that is not positive. I refute or cancel every negative connection people have conjoined me to, based on generational connections, family connections, or any other connections. I am not from that tree. My bible tells me that I have been grafted in or connected to a new root or tree. This apple is from a good tree.
Jesus tells me in John 15:5 that when I accepted Him into my life a tree change occurred. He said in verse 5 that He is the vine and I am a new branch that had grown out of Him. Now every fruit or apple that comes from my branch is connected to excellence. I am connected to an excellent vine or tree, which means excellence springs forth from and through me. He told me in John 15:5 that if I abide in Him as He is now in me, I will bring forth much fruit. Significant growth, spiritual strength, and positive outlooks and accomplishments all come from me as I am connected to Christ.
I know this apple has fallen from a fruitful and abundant tree. His name is Jesus Christ and I am proud to be connected to the one who connects me to greatness. I know that I am great because I have a great God in me who lives within me by His Spirit.I have read that when I accepted Christ into my life I no longer belonged to my old self and it’s negative thinking and actions. The Apostle Paul tells me in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
So if I accept this scripture as being true. I no longer owe the old me another minute of negative thinking, and I don’t owe anyone else the old me. It tells me above that I don’t belong to the old me, but rather I belong to God who has given me the best part of Him which is His Spirit who dwells in me. So now since the The Spirit of God dwells in me, I have an excellent spirit within me, which means everything about me is excellent. In spite of whatever I face, there’s a champion within me who will survive and win because the battle is no longer mine but it’s The Lord’s. The Lord will fight for me as The Holy Spirit that Champion Spirit lives within me.
This apple didn’t fall to far from the right tree and that Tree is Christ Jesus within me.
DAY 5 - Walking with a new perspective on life
The word perspective means a mental view on something, or a particular way of considering something: to think about a situation or problem in a wise and reasonable way. When I connect this definition to my life it means that I owe myself an opportunity to view myself reasonably (which means fair and sensibly), and wisely (having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right). You see as long as my perspective is based on what my flesh or the world tells me about myself, it will always be a lie. As long as my perspective on life is based on how God sees me, it is true.
How does GOD perceive me?
1. I am justified (meaning he sees me as someone who has never sinned) as long as I am in Christ – Romans 3:24-28
Romans 3:24-28 Good News Translation (GNT)
24 But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. 25-26 God offered him, so that by his blood[a] he should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people's sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.
27 What, then, can we boast about? Nothing! And what is the reason for this? Is it that we obey the Law? No, but that we believe. 28 For we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith, and not by doing what the Law commands.
2. I am His child – John 1:12 and Romans 8:15-17
John 1:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)
12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
Romans 8:15-17 New Living Translation (NLT)
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[a] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[b] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
3. He wants to freely give me all the things He has prepared for me – Romans 8:32
Romans 8:32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
4. He wants me to prosper and be in good health and for my souls to prosper – 3 John 2
3 John 2 King James Version (KJV)
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
You see God wants us to know that when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives we need to have a new perspective in life. God sees us differently, but until we start looking at ourselves through the eyes of God and not the eyes of condemning people or even our own condemning flesh, we will not become the best us in Christ Jesus.
It’s time for me to see myself in a new light and that light in the light of Christ Jesus who dwells in me.
Walk in it!
Day 6 – HAVING A RENEWED MIND
Welcome back child of God. Pastor can’t tell you how proud I am of you for committing yourself to these 30 days of Introspection. Introspection again means looking within to examine one’s thoughts and feelings. This is the year to be the best me in Christ Jesus. In order to be the best you in Christ Jesus you must understand that you are no longer living, but Christ now lives within you. This is found in Galatians 2:20:
Galatians 2:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
What the Apostle Paul is saying in Galatians 2:20 is that when I accepted Christ into my life I spiritually went through a time of Crucifixion where the old me died with Christ on the cross, and a new me rose from the dead through his resurrection. This idea is also found in Romans 6:1-5. Pastor wants you to read it from the Message Bible translation:
Romans 6 The Message (MSG)
1-3 So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!
3-5 That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country.
If all of this is true the old me is now gone and if I was to look at an X-RAY of me I should now longer see the old me, but I should see a new me in Christ. My old self needs to be gone along with those negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Ephesians 4:22-23 King James Version (KJV)
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Stop holding inward conversations with the old you. Yes we talk to ourselves all the time and reason within ourselves how we are going to do things. We must understand that we can no longer continue to have these conversations that relate to how I use to operate. Those old negative feelings and emotions are no longer there. You say Pastor yes they are because I am experiencing them. No you are allowing them to surface. The Apostle Paul said above the you need to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. That word renewed means I need to change from a carnal or worldly thinking to a spiritual or Godly way of thinking. If you keep thinking the way you use to think, no change has come In your life. If you start having a different way of thinking or start taking a different approach on how you handle things it means you are actively allowing the Holy Spirit within to govern your life. Do not allow outside stimuli (Circumstances, events, or people) to cause you to have negative carnal (worldly) emotions or thoughts. Renewed also means to make qualitatively anew. Notice I didn’t say quantitatively which means the amount in number, which means it’s now HOW many thoughts you think in how you handle things in life, but rather qualitatively which means having a certain standard that you don’t allow people or things to change. I have a very high standard in how I act and think that is measured up to the level of Jesus Christ. I will not allow people or things to bring me down to their level of thinking or acting. I am a person of quality and so I will not subject myself to anything that brings me down to a low level, undesirable, slave to the devil, people, or circumstantial thinking. I decide today to set my mind on a heavenly approach of thinking just like Paul said in Colossians 3:1-2. I want you to read it from the message Translation.
Colossians 3:2 The Message (MSG)
1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.
Rise to a new level of thinking. Again it’s not quantitative or how many thoughts your thinking about a certain thing or person, but rather qualitative or taking your time to make a wise decision on how you will handle or deal with things in your life. That’s why the scripture says in Proverbs 15:28 which says;
Proverbs 15:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Notice the latter part of that verse how the wicked person poureth out evil things (that’s quantitative). That’s just speaking whatever your flesh dictates for you to say, just pouring it out. Solomon says at the beginning of that verse that a righteous person studies to answer which means they take time to think on how to answer or speak to a certain question or accusation so that their answer is one of value or of great quality not quantity.
Today take your time and think how Christ thinks and let’s start being a better me in Christ Jesus by first training the way we think.
Pastor loves you, but God loves you more.
DAY 7 - Practice what you Preach
Hey there you are really committed to yourself. So proud of your commitment to The Lord and yourself in working to be a better you.
There use to be an old song by an old R&B artist who’s no longer with us named Barry White called “Practice what you preach”. He got this song title from the church where the saints would admonish others especially the preacher to live, or practiced the lifestyle you preach or teach about. In other words live a life that is actively in line with the life you tell others God is pleased with. Another way of saying this is to not just be hearers or speakers of The Word of God, but rather be doers of The Word of God. Since this is the year of Introspection, God is calling us to look within and ask ourselves personally are we living how we tell others they should live. Are we listening to our own advise? Are we introspectively analyzing ourselves and holding ourselves to the same level of adherence that we tell others to. Some of us tell our children, or siblings, or friends to act or think a certain type of way, while we ourselves do exactly what we tell others not to do. Look what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 2:1-4 of the Message Bible translation;
Romans 2:1-4 The Message (MSG)
1-2 Yes those people who you see sin are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.
3-4 You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
Paul is telling us that if I am going to be the best me in Christ this year I need to stop pointing at others when there is so much in my life that I need to personally work on. Especially if I find myself doing the same thing I am judging others of doing. The only difference is their actions have been made known, while mine are still secret. Remember what the old folks use to say, “Whatever is done in the dark will soon come to the light.” Let us think on these things.
Going to church or reading the Word of God isn’t enough. The Word of God must become the ingrafted Word or the Word that becomes apart of your very being in how you think and live. It must become apart of the very fabric of my being in belief, actions, feelings, emotions, and life’s dealings. The Word of God gives me real life perspectives of other people’s struggles, failures, storms, and actions. It then shows me how they were in the flesh making bad choices and decisions, and then once The Spirit of God came upon them or within them He made a radical change occur in them which changed how they perceived things, thought about things, and even acted upon things.
Look at what the writer James says about being a doer and not just a listener of God’s Word.
James 1:22-24 The Message (MSG)
22-24 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
James is challenging me today to not glance at myself in the mirror of my conscience, but rather stand there and really look at myself and work on all the imperfections I see by modeling my life after the picture I see. Many times people look in magazines and look for pictures of hairstyles we see stars or celebrities wear. We then go to the hairstylist and ask them to make our hair look like the picture in the magazine. Oh how awesome it would be if we did the same thing with the Bible like we did with the magazine, and go to God and say look at how this looks, can you make me look just like this.
Today let’s commit to look like what we preach or teach like.
Day 8 - Loving me enough to make positive changes in me
Most of us prioritize externally oriented attention. When we think of attention, we often think of focusing on something outside of ourselves. We "pay attention" to work, the TV, our partner, traffic, or anything that engages our senses. However, a whole other world exists that most of us are far less aware of: an internal world, with its varied landscape of emotions, feelings, and sensations. Yet it is often the internal world that determines whether we are having a good day or not, whether we are happy or unhappy. That’s why we can feel angry despite beautiful surroundings or feel perfectly happy despite being stuck in traffics. For this reason perhaps, this newly discovered pathway of attention may hold the key to a greater well-being.
Although this internal world of feelings and sensations dominates perception in babies, it becomes increasingly foreign and distant as we grow older and learn to prioritize the outside world. Because we don’t pay as much attention to our internal world, it often takes us by surprise. We often only tune into our body when it rings an alarm bell –– that we’re extremely thirsty, hungry, exhausted, or in pain. A flush of anger, a choked up feeling of sadness, or the warmth of love in our chest often appear to come out of the blue.
When we attempt to resist a certain thought or action (e.g. trying not to eat junk food when you're on a diet, or trying not to think of someone you just broke up with) the effort can easily backfire under stress. In the realm of the mind, what we resist persists. Sadly, some people end up turning to alcohol and drugs as a last resort to quiet their mind.
You can’t control your mind with the old mind. We need The Holy Spirit and The Word of God to reprogram our mind into one of positive thinking. For some having a time of Introspection or turning our attention inward can be distressing, because it may tune us into emotions that are not comfortable. However, constantly distracting ourselves through attention turned outwards will not remove those underlying emotions. By learning to engage with them through our dedicated Introspective awareness, we may experience the first signs of healing.
To experience a healing within is not to run from the emotions or thoughts of pain, but rather to face them with the help of The Holy Spirit and resolve the hidden emotions or feelings that have kept you bound for many years. Resolve the break up and see the good in it. Resolve the molestation and see how after being exposed to a sick world with sick people we were able to find joy and peace through the love of God even while still living in a perverse world. Learning how to change the mishaps of my life to a ministry about my life. Your life’s struggles will become a stepping stone for others to step out of their emotionally deteriorating lives. Allow The Holy Spirit to help you resolve the pain of your past, so you can become a help to yourself and others in your present and future. Teach people how to overcome mistakes you made and yet grew from.
Resolving the fight within should have been the subject of today. Yet I believe you got the picture.
You ask how do I resolve it. You resolve it by allowing The Word of God to penetrate your mind and show you the good in what you experienced. I know the devil has convinced you that it was all negative, but I would like to introduce a new approach of how you see it and say it was all relative (connected to something else) and necessary (required to be done, achieved, or present; needed; essential). All this means is that what happened in your past is relative or connected to a plan that is bigger than you, and also necessary which means it was required that you experienced and survived it so to bring about the very power or strength of your testimony.
DAY 9 - LEARNING TO BE THE BEST ME
Good morning child of God. What I am about to say I realize I probably should have begun this study with, but God knows best so I will say it now. Learning to be the best me is a process. It is a process of undoing all the negative thinking I have grown to think over the years of my life and allowing the Holy Spirit to change me from the inside out. Really the best way to be changed is to give up the old way and say Holy Spirit I am open and available for you to change me any way needed. If you are open to being worked on and not afraid to have God reveal to you the areas about you that need change, you are truly just a few steps way from total peace in God in your life. This is why God told Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3:
Genesis 12:1-3 The Message (MSG)
12 God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
2-3 I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”
In other words I want to change you but you have to be willing to get away from anyone who won’t allow your life to be changed. You have to walk away from people who keep you confined to believing how you are and what you are now is fine and that you don’t need to change. God says no to that. He told Abraham that if you are willing to walk away from what you were I will change you into wh- you really are. He told Abraham:
1. I will make YOU a great nation
2. I will make YOU famous
3. I will make YOU a blessing
4. I will bless those that bless YOU
5. I will curse those that curse YOU
6. Everyone of the Earth will be blessed through YOU
You see child of God all the blessing God wants to do for you and through you if you are willing to take the journey with HIM with no regrets and no looking back. Walking with God is walking with a mirror but the reflection you see is God. As you are walking you notice that there is a change in the mirror the longer you walk with Him. You start seeing that you are being changed and your image of how you see yourself also is changing. You are going from glory to glory and the image of God is made manifest or being revealed in you. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18 out of the living bible translation:
2 Corinthians 3:18 Living Bible (TLB)
18 But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.
Notice Paul says, WE BECOME which is translated in the Present indicative tense as becoming more and more like him with continuous and repeated action of looking into that mirror to remember what we are suppose to look like. You see the more you look in the mirror with The Holy Spirit He reflects what you should look like and what needs to be worked on. Even in the natural life when we look in the mirror we see the hair out of place, stuff in our eye or nose, too much make up on our face, etc. By us noticing this we immediately work on it so we reflect an image that is pleasing to us. Well child of God the same thing needs to happen in your spiritual life. As we look in the mirror we need to see all the areas that need adjusting so we can reflect the perfect image of God within. Guess what we have THE HOLY SPIRIT within who tells us, “hey there fix that before you walk out this house”, or “Fix your attitude before you walk in there”. He will say change your face from 😞 to 😁.
Here’s the key though. He doesn’t want you to change it just for others to see the light within, but He wants you to change so you can see your own light within and value the glow and joy of The Lord that is active inside of you. You deserve to have a life of joy and peace. Pursue it and active look in the mirror with The Holy Spirit within you and let Him tell you all the adjustments you need to make in your life, so you can look and feel the way God wants you to look and feel and that is FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
DAY 10 - Reflecting the new you
Strictly speaking, when you look in a mirror, you see a face that you recognize as your own. This in and of itself is a remarkable feat—other animals generally can't do this. A dog looking in a mirror sees another dog. (At least, that’s what we infer from observing its behavior.) Human infants don’t seem to recognize their own faces, either.
But recognizing yourself is more than just identifying the face in the mirror as your own. When you flip through your photo album, you see yourself in that snapshot of a toddler on a tricycle, that picture of a grade-schooler standing behind a science fair project, the high school yearbook portrait of an awkward adolescent, and that photo of a young adult in a college graduation gown. None of these look like the face staring back in the mirror. Yet somehow you self tie all these different persons together. All have different experiences they underwent and different challenges they had to overcome. Yet they all make up the one you. All of them had different perspectives of life, and all of them has different goals and plans at their different stages. Notice how I am speaking as if they all are outside of you, but yet truthfully they all are you. I need you to see how each stage of your life you changed. At a child you said I want to be a doctor, or lawyer, or fireman, or singer. Then life hit you and changed your perspective or goals. Either by others judgments or your personal confined thinking that you weren’t good enough, you allowed those goals and ambitions to change. Now as you look back and wonder what all happened, I would suggest that life happened. You see the earlier you start out your life with God and surround yourself with a life of faith and high goals, the more you disallow others and yourself to succumb to low goals and ambitions.
Eagles fly only with eagles. Chickens hang only with chickens.
People in the Bible like Moses, and Joshua, and David, and Jesus never let what others thought about them keep them confined to being the same as others. Once The Holy Spirit took control of them they changed their thinking to higher levels of thinking. They saw themselves operating with the mind of God. They had an I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS ATTITUDE permeating from their very being. It’s time for you to rise to the next level of excellence. It’s time for you to be what you believe God has designed you to be. Take the limits off of yourself. There are no limits in Christ. You can do all things through Christ. You have been given a helper called The Holy Spirit. He has been sent to change your thinking and lifestyle to one of endless possibilities. You have to release yourself to His way of thinking. Look what The Apostle Paul said about the mind of The Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 out of the Living Bible Translation:
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 Living Bible (TLB)
9 That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. 10 But we know about these things because God has sent his Spirit to tell us, and his Spirit searches out and shows us all of God’s deepest secrets. 11 No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like except that person himself. And no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world’s spirit) to tell us about the wonderful free gifts of grace and blessing that God has given us.
God has given us His Spirit to dwell within us so He can reveal to us all that God has blessed us to receive in this life. We just have to make a commitment to ourselves to read The Word of God which the Bible says, “faith comets by hearing, and hearing by The Word of God”. So we have to continue to hear The Word which increases our faith. As our faith increases miracles and blessings increase. Remember God is not moved by your condition, but rather He is moved by your faith.
Hebrews 11:1-6 Living Bible (TLB)
11 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. 2 Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith.
3 By faith—by believing God—we know that the world and the stars—in fact, all things—were made at God’s command; and that they were all made from things that can’t be seen.[a]
4 It was by faith that Abel obeyed God and brought an offering that pleased God more than Cain’s offering did. God accepted Abel and proved it by accepting his gift; and though Abel is long dead, we can still learn lessons from him about trusting God.
5 Enoch trusted God too, and that is why God took him away to heaven without dying; suddenly he was gone because God took him. Before this happened God had said[b] how pleased he was with Enoch. 6 You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him.
Remember child of God to look within and see who God has given YOU to change you from the inside out. He has given you His Holy Spirit. Acknowledge Him (The Holy Spirit) and be open to by telling HIM to lead you, guide you, direct you, and change you.
Once you do this, you will see the change happen.
God bless you and Pastor Turner loves you.
Day 11 - WHAT TO LOOK FOR
I am so thankful for you making a commitment to stand and being accountable to being a better you this year. Many people run from Introspection or looking within to become a better person. Many people when asked if they have things that they need to work on to become a better person, they exclaim “no I’m good, but he or she needs to talk to you Pastor”. My face wants to look like this when I hear that, 🤪. It takes a big person to not look at others failures and shortcomings, but rather make a concerted effort to look within, and identify the errors you make and say “ I NEED HELP. YES I NEED HELP. “
1. I AM STILL HURT FROM MY PAST
2. I AM STILL BLAMING OTHERS
3. I REGRET MY DECISIONS
4. I WISH IT DIDN’T HAPPEN TO ME
5. I HAVE BLAMED OTHERS MY WHOLE LIFE FOR WHY MY LIFE TURNED OUT THIS WAY
6. I AM MAD
7. I HAVE SHORTCOMINGS I NEED TO WORK ON
8. I FALL SHORT
You may say all of those are negative statements about me and I like to take the positive approach in my outlook on life. I disagree you can only really take a positive approach in life when you first take ownership of your own truth and personal shortcomings. The question for you today is are you fully aware of your own shortcomings, are you willing to identify what they are, and are you willing to seek help through the Word of God and even counseling to work on those areas so to become a better you in Christ Jesus.
If your answer is yes to the above, you are truly ready to move forward this week in our lesson. You are saying Pastor Turner this is too much for me to do. I don’t like digging up my past. Well child of God believe it or not the residue of your past is showing up in your behavior and actions of your present. Until you deal with it and really overcome it, you will constantly have holes in your armor that the devil will use others to find and attack you in.
Today’s exercise is “What to look for?”
If you’re asking yourself Pastor what do I look for within to see what my shortcomings are. Let’s help you first see what the Bible says as it pertains to shortcomings within, so that you are not in denial.
1. Admit I have areas I need to work on:
• Ecclesiastes 7:20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who always does good and who never sins.
• Proverbs 20:9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin?”
• Romans 3:23 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Since we all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,
• 1 John 1:8 Amplified Bible (AMP)
If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude [deceive, beguile, or double-cross] ourselves and [believe our own lie] and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.]
So since we know we have failures according to the scriptures below, the question for the day is what to look for? I hate to say this but look for the areas in your life where more than one person who you believe loves you tells you that you need to work on.
Deuteronomy 17:6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
On the evidence of two or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of [only] one witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“A single witness shall not appear in a trial against a man for any wrong or any sin which he has committed; [only] [a]on the testimony or evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be confirmed.
Even God needs two witnesses to hold a person guilty. He holds Himself to His own Word:
Deuteronomy 30:19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
So if two or more people are saying the same things about you, listen to their witness of things you need to work on. Another approach is go to two people you really trust and ask them individually, “ what are some things about me that are not my best qualities”. Now if two separate people say the same thing about you, listen and be willing to admit this is something I need to work on. Now anyone who is saying I don’t need to do this, you are the main one who does because you are already in denial.
Another way to find out what do I look for is to own your own truth and admit the things in your life that cause negative emotions or pain. These negative emotions or pains are what I call pressure points that bring out a side of you God wants you to work on. That side of you may be anger, short tempers or fuses, yelling, lying, beguiling, always throwing others truth in their faces and not looking at your own.
One very mature way to identify my truth is to instead of asking a GOD for something tangible, how about ask Him to show you what you need to work on.
Psalm 139:23 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
Lord identify the places in me that need attention so I can be the best me in Christ Jesus.
All these are things I need you to identify today. So you have a plan. Go to 2 trusted people and tell them to be honest because you are really trying to be a better me in Christ Jesus first for myself and then for the people in my life.
Day 12 – WHERE TO GO TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF MY TRUTH
Good morning child of God one of the things that we must search for are what I call spiritual partners. These are people in our lives that we have tested and have seen that they have your best interests at heart. These are people who will tell you truth and love you through your failures. If you say Pastor I don’t have someone like that in my life right now. Then this person should be a professional counselor like a Pastor, psychologist (Yes we all need one), spiritual brother or sister who you see has integrity, therapist, or mother in the church. These are people that you go to and share your shortcomings and ask them to help you this year to hold yourself accountable and measure your personal growth in the areas you have fallen short in the past. This year I am looking at being a better me which means I need to go to to my spiritual father or Pastor and not say, Pastor tell me what’s wrong with me. Rather go to him or her and say Pastor these are the areas I have identified I need to work on better. I ask you to help me plan out a spiritual accountability chart that I can hold myself to so to measure my growth in these areas.
Another place I want you to go to to take ownership of your own truth is the Word of God. I want you to find scriptures that specifically tackle the areas of your shortcomings. For example if anger is your area of focus you can google scriptures about anger, and these will come up:
Proverbs 12:16 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The [arrogant] fool’s anger is quickly known [because he lacks self-control and common sense],
But a prudent man ignores an insult.
Proverbs 14:29 Amplified Bible (AMP)
He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],
But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].
Proverbs 15:18 Amplified Bible (AMP)
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.
Proverbs 19:19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.
Matthew 6:15 Amplified Bible (AMP)
15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing and feeding your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.
That was a powerful one!!!
1 Corinthians 13:5 Amplified Bible (AMP)
5 Love It is not rude; love it is not self-seeking, love it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; love it does not take into account a wrong endured.
These are just a few that deal with that area.
So today’s exercise is I want you to do a scripture search for the areas in your life that need work. You will find by reading these scriptures they attack the areas of your flesh and call them into submission to the Word of God. Trust me these scriptures will bring about a level of accountability that will stimulate the areas of your heart and mind that need correction.
If you need help finding those scriptures feel free to call or ask Pastor, ministers, deacons, mothers, and members of the church.
Pastor loves you and have a blessed day.
DAY 13 – WHERE DO MY SHORTCOMING HIDE
You know child of God I have realized that my shortcomings are smart. They purposely try to hide so to not be exposed and dealt with. Yes, I am speaking about these things as if they have a mind or personality. I found out that the part of me that holds and hides my shortcomings wakes up with me every morning with its own agenda and plan for me. The same way My Father wakes me up everyday with a plan for me [Jeremiah 29:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.]
There is a part of me that lies within me that also has its own plan and agenda. This part of me runs from the light because the light exposes it. This part of me also has a partner in crime called my heart which works along with it to convince me that it’s not me that needs work but others. Just in case you feel you can trust your heart; there is a scripture that says not to: [Jeremiah 17:9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“The heart is deceitful above all things
And it is [a]extremely sick;
Who can understand it fully and know its secret motives?]
Yes your heart has secret motives and works together with that part of you I was describing above to destroy the very belief system that God has engrafted within you. That negative part is called your flesh.
• It has its own desires –
Ephesians 2:3 King James Version (KJV)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
• It has its own mind –
Romans 8:7 Amplified Bible (AMP)
7 the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot,
• It has its own will and plan each day for you –
John 1:13 Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].
The flesh tries to hide so not to be dealt with. This is why Isaiah said when you go on a Fast it helps you to not hide yourself from your own flesh.
Isaiah 58:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Child of God as I am talking to you right now that flesh in you is hiding and saying you don’t need to deal with this. It doesn’t want to be dealt with and wants to be ignored so it can continue to torture you and keep you from being the best you in Christ Jesus.
This is what the Apostle Paul called the war within in Romans 7.
I want you to read it first out of the King James Version:
Romans 7:18-24 King James Version (KJV)
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Now let’s read it from another version called the Message Bible:
Romans 7:18-24 The Message (MSG)
17-20 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
So Paul tells us above that we have a war going on, and it’s not with people, not with the government, not with our family, not with our friends or associates, but instead it is a WAR WITHIN. A self defeating aspect of my life that has its own intentions to see me fail and live defeated.
So I need to start waking up with a desire to be INTENTIONAL.
1. INTENTIONAL TO FIGHT AGAINST ALL THE WRONG I DID AND DESIRE TO DO.
2. INTENTIONAL TO WAKE UP WITH A MADE UP MIND TO LIBE PEACEFUL.
3. INTENTIONAL TO HONOR GOD AND PUT HIM FIRST IN ALL THINGS
4. INTENTIONAL TO HAVE A BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS DAY FILLED WITH JOY AND SUCCESS.
5. INTENTIONAL TO NOT LET THE DAY GO BY WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING MYSELF AND HOW FAR I HAVE COME AND HOW BLESSED I AM.
6. INTENTIONAL TO NOT ALLOWING THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF ME (MY FLESH) TO LOOK FOR AND FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DAY SO TO CAUSE FRUSTRATION, ANGER, AND A SELF DEFEATING ATTITUDE.
BE INTENTIONAL TODAY THAT TODAY AND EVERYDAY FORWARD WITH START WITH GOD AND END WITH GOD. YOU ARE BLESSED!!!
DAY 14 – LIVING MY BEST LIFE NOW
Why wait?
Why wait?
Why wait?
You are probably saying Pastor must of fell asleep typing. He said the same thing 3 times in a row. No that was intentional (yesterday’s lesson).
Why wait to live life to its fullest later. How about living life to its fullest now. It’s time to live your best life now!!!
A life of possibilities.
A life of success.
A life of ambitions and goals achieved.
A life of strength and vigor.
A life with a purpose.
A life of joy and peace.
A life with a daily intent of always winning in Christ.
Yes, this is the life our Father wants us to live. We can have this type of life as long as we understand the power He has left us in order to live a life of power.
1. He has left us a conduit to communicate with Him in prayer
a. Romans 8:26 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
26 At the same time the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words.
2. He has left us someone who leads and guides our daily lives if we ask and let Him.
3. He has left us someone who gives us His fruit which is according to Galatians 5:22 is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
4. He has left us someone who gives us power to walk in the supernatural and be successful in all our endeavors.
5. He has left us someone to comfort us in our times or troubles and despair.
You ask, Pastor who is this someone. His name is The Holy Spirit. He waits daily for you to ask Him to lead, guide, direct, and take control of you and your day. Listen each morning He is awaiting you to submit to His will. He will not force Himself on you, but would rather desire you to come to Him and ask Him to take control.
Why don’t you do this today and everyday from henceforth. Ask him, Holy Spirit please lead and guide my day. Help me to live a godly life so as to please my Father which is in Heaven. Orchestrate all the areas of my life so I live a prosperous and purposeful life this day and everyday. Holy Spirit give me the strength like you have Samson in the Bible to win every battle no matter how great the competition. Holy Spirit help me detect and discern every snare and trap set for me, so I can avoid them. Holy Spirit help me to see the people and places in my life that you have set in my life to bless me, so I don’t miss the blessings My Father has prepared for me. Holy Spirit be the burning light within me so others can see the evidence of Christ living within me, and the character of God shone through my actions and deeds.
Live life with purpose.
Live a blessed life on purpose.
Live life with joy and do not allow anyone to take that from you. You deserve a happy and joyful life, so claim it.
Go now and reclaim the lost time and live a godly and faith filled life in The Lord.
God bless you child of God.
DAY 15 - REDEEMING THE TIME
I have heard these words since I have been a Christian and didn’t truly come into the knowledge of what they meant until most recent. Redeem is like the word salvage which is defined as retrieving or preserving something from potential loss or adverse circumstances. So to understand redeeming the time, the scripture if admonishing us to go and retrieve and preserve the time lost.
To make this more relevant to you, you have given enough time to Satan and to the self defeating part of the you called your flesh. It is now high time for you to awake out of that time of darkness and walk into a new life filled with light and purpose. I have given to much time to my woes, excuses, tears, and despair. I now redeem the time and make up for all the lost time I gave away to:
1. Waiting
2. Questioning if I’m capable
3. Doubting my potential
4. Doubting My God
5. Worrying about the what we think is the inevitable. Not realizing God can shift the direction of something negative to never occur again in your life.
6. Doubting possibilities. When with God all things are possible.
Today I want you to look introspectively and see the Power of God within you called the Holy Spirit. He is a Champion Spirit who never gives up, keeps fighting until He wins, always gets back up when knocked down, always persevering, always knowing He will win, always knowing He will achieve, always trying again until success is achieved. Child of God that’s The Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 3:16 – KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU.
Philippians 4:13 – I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WH- STRENGTHENS ME.
1 John 4:4 – GREATER IS HE THAT IS WITHIN ME, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.
Romans 8:38 – FOR WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.
Redeem the time, reclaim back the time lost by living life on purpose with The Leading of the Holy Spirit. Can I tell you good news? Our Father controls eternity and designed time. Which means he controls the thing you need to redeem or reclaim which is time. He told King Hezekiah that that sign that He would grant him 15 more years to live would be that he would cause the sun dial to go back or the clock to rewind 10 degrees or notches on the dial. This meant God rewinded the time to be as if Hezekiah never experienced the time when he received the bad news he was going to die.
I speak over your life today that God is rewinding the time to cancel every bad word, every curse, every failure, and every mishap as if they never occurred, and He is restoring to you everything thing that was lost as if the lost never occurred.
Receive this Word today in the name of Jesus.
All I ask you to do today is do what David said in Psalm 37:5 –
“Commit thy way unto The Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”
If you commit your life to The Lord to live on purpose to please Him. He will bring to pass the words I just proclaimed over your life.
Receive it today, believe it, and speak it.
