Tag Archives: positive confessions

Scriptures on Freedom

Scriptures on Freedom

Scriptures on Freedom

This week on the 4th of July, the United States celebrates our independence. It was on July 4, 1776, that our nation signed the Declaration of Independence which states that God always intended for human beings to be free exclaiming, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

However, Jesus came to give us more than just physical freedom and liberty. Jesus came to give us freedom from death, sin, and/or anything that enslaves us. Because of Jesus, we can declare independence from sin or anything that holds us captive.

True Freedom

I love the way this article from Focus on the Family articulates what true freedom is…

“Jesus was not setting us free to do whatever we wanted; He was freeing us to do what we ought to do. He was liberating us to walk in relationship with God and to be the kind of people He created us to be. This spiritual freedom is what I call “inside freedom” —  the ability to obey God and choose His will for our lives.

And this is the freedom that sin had long denied us.

Jesus shocked the Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of His day, when He stated, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Jesus was asserting that we are all under the power and control of a natural tendency to sin; we can’t get away from it by ourselves.

Sin brings a penalty that, by ourselves, we can’t escape either. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

How do we find freedom from the penalty and power of sin? That comes through accepting Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross as the payment for our sin. As we submit to Christ, sin loses its power — Christ’s power takes over. As we choose to trust and follow Him, our sinful habits, thoughts and attitudes lose their control. Guilt disappears, and peace of mind dominates. Right habits become the norm. That’s freedom — true freedom!”[1]

Scriptures on Freedom

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How to Make Positive Affirmations Out of Scripture

Learn How to Make Positive Affirmations Out of Scripture...

How to Make Positive Affirmations Out of Scripture

We do positive affirmations at our house on a regular basis.  I’ve shared before (here and here) how they have helped me overcome insecurity.  They help me to sleep better at night.  Daily positive affirmations have also been a part of the morning drive routine for my kids as we headed to school to help them face the day ahead and to build their faith.  The way we make our positive affirmations is by saying what God says about us.  We do this by taking specific scriptures and then just turning them into a statement using words that describe us… “I am…I have…I will…etc.”  Scriptural positive affirmations said aloud are very powerful.  This week I’d like to share with you how to make positive affirmations out of scripture.

WHY we use positive affirmations…

We use and say positive affirmations because they make a difference.  I’ve always been a huge believer in the power of words.  The Bible says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” in Proverbs 18:21.  I believe there is significant truth in speaking things into existence.  In Romans, the apostle Paul calls it “calling into being what does not yet exist” (Romans 4:17 Berean Study Bible).  Modern science or psychology might consider positive affirmations coming into existence as a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The theory is that a positive (or negative) prophecy or statement, when declared as truth even though it may presently be false, can adequately influence people in order that their responses will eventually fulfill the original statement, prophecy, or positive affirmation.  In other words, our words affect and influence our actions.

Scripturally speaking, I believe this is true because our words also affect our beliefs.  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), particularly when we hear the Word of God.  The more we hear something the more we believe it and the more it sinks down into our hearts, especially when it’s coming from our own mouths.  According to James 3:2-5, our mouths/tongues (and the words that come from them) are to us like the bit is to a horse’s mouth or like the rudder is to a ship.  Even though they are small parts (just like our tongue is a small part), they control, guide, and steer the whole body.  So then can our tongue (our words) guide our body and our lives and change the outcomes thereof.  Therefore, the ability to effectively control our words is a vital life skill. 

Why we use SCRIPTURE in positive affirmations… Continue reading

Wounds Heal But Sometimes There Are Scars

Wounds Heal But Sometimes There Are Scars

Have you ever experienced some kind of pain or trauma in the past but have since recovered and healed from that? Do you have reminders, triggers, or stimuli that bring that past pain up again? Does that mean that you aren’t completely healed? Not necessarily. Personally, I don’t think that this automatically means that you aren’t fully healed. Now, as a disclaimer, let me say that this most certainly could be the case, and that some healing might still be in process (as healing IS often a long process, especially when wounds are deep or trauma is severe). However, I also believe that there are times when wounds heal, but sometimes there are scars left behind.

Even after healing, there may be times when we still experience some subsequent pain. There might even be some external or internal triggers to prompt further pain or remind us of an old injury. There may be some additional healing and recovery to be done. Then again, it may just be a scar serving as a reminder of a wound that once was there.

Let me give you an analogy…an old basketball injury

Several years ago my husband, Eric, completely damaged his ACL and meniscus in his knee. “Obliterated” was the precise word the doctor used. Eric experienced excruciating pain at the time of the injury, and the pain lasted for quite some time. He eventually had surgery replacing and repairing parts of his knee, yet afterward he still experienced some pain for a while during the recovery process. He also had ongoing physical therapy for a while. Again this was all still painful, but the pain gradually diminished as his wound healed.

Though he now has permanent scars, over time the knee was completely healed and the pain was completely alleviated. However, it’s odd because there are times when the weather might trigger a flare up of pain in his knee at the scars. Even though the injury is healed, there is a trigger for pain from time to time. The pain doesn’t last indefinitely, and experiencing pain again doesn’t negate the fact that his injury is completely healed. Nevertheless, because of the old injury he just still suffers from subsequent pain on occasion even after healing, and sometimes there are external triggers that might cause a renewed temporary discomfort, ache, or soreness.

Additionally, because of the old injury and the initial pain affiliated with it, he tends to favor, protect, or guard that knee a little more. He wants to prevent that pain or that same or similar injury from happening again. That still doesn’t mean he’s currently experiencing pain or that it’s not healed. He just tends to be a little more cautious and careful—he’s more aware. He may even avoid some of the activities that were involved in the injury to begin with.

Wounds we experience, the scars left behind, and subsequent pain even after healing

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Masterpiece throwback

 

Masterpiece throwback

Hello friends!

I apologize for the delay in my post this week. This week I’m actually going to push an easy button, and give you a link to a post I wrote a few years ago. I have several new subscribers, so I thought I’d do a masterpiece throwback to one of my original posts that most of my newer subscribers probably have not seen yet.

This post is called You Are a Masterpiece. Even if you have already read this, we could all use a refresher about how God sees us, right!?

You Are a Masterpiece! Are you insulting your creator?

You Are a Masterpiece!

You Are a Masterpiece! Are you insulting your creator?

Additionally, here’s a video of me speaking on this same topic at a women’s conference in 2015. I spoke there to share about seeing yourself the way God sees you. My goal during this session was to help you learn about insecurities and how to start to overcome them, how to find your identity in Christ, and to give some practical steps to start to improve your self-esteem and self-talk.

P.S.  If you liked this post, you might enjoy receiving new posts delivered right to your inbox each week!  Sign up here

If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

Healing from Sickness: Some of my rituals and routines to avoid sickness and heal quickly

Healing from Sickness

Healing from Sickness: Some of my rituals and routines to avoid sickness and heal quickly

Has your community been inundated with sickness lately? Ours sure has! Flu…Pneumonia…Strep Throat…Common Cold…Seasonal Allergies…You name it. In some areas it’s been so bad that they have closed some schools down. Typically my family NEVER gets sick. Truly. I can count on one hand how many times that I’ve had to take either of my children to the doctor for an illness-related visit. We are just a healthy family. Unfortunately though, we’ve been fighting off some sickness in my family recently.

The good news is that our cases haven’t been severe and have been very short-lived. I’ve had several people ask me what we do to avoid sickness and to get over it so quickly when it does strike. This week I thought I’d hit on the “Healthy” part of “Happy, Healthy & Prosperous”. I’ll share some of our rituals and routines that keep us healthy and help us to get over sickness quickly with less severity in the rare case that we do get sick. Feel free to try out some of my tried and true practical steps for sickness prevention and healing!

My Practical Steps for Prevention

Positive confessions

I’m a firm believer in positive confessions and speaking things into existence.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17 (KJV)

When I was little I always used to say, “I never get sick,” and I never did. I looked forward to getting the perfect attendance award at school every year. I asked my mom one time, “Hey mom, why do you think I never get sick.” Her answer was simple, “Because you say ‘I never get sick’!” Now, a frequent saying in our house is, “We never get sick” or “We are happy, healthy, and prosperous”. We have positive confessions of health and/or healing.

Healthy eating

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Scriptures About Speaking To Others And Knowing What To Say

Here are some scriptures about speaking that will help you with what to say to others.  Use these scriptures as a prayer for help on figuring out the right thing to say or as a positive affirmation that you will say the right things at the right time.

Scriptures About Speaking To Others And Knowing What To Say

Sometimes not knowing what to say to others can be very intimidating. Often we find ourselves in situations where we might have to have a difficult conversation or confrontation. Occasionally, we might even have to defend ourselves from time to time. Some situations are less serious, and we just need some wisdom or guidance on saying the right thing or clearly communicating a message. Fortunately, I have found some scriptures about speaking that I like to turn into a prayer request depending on my need at the time.

Personally, I’ve spent a significant amount of time in prayer using these scriptures about speaking to ask for God’s help to say the right thing at the right time. They also help me to ask for help to clearly explain something. Actually, I pray many of these verses before I write a blog post as well because I truly want my posts to be God-led, clearly explained and contain information that will help anyone who reads them. I also use these scriptures before a difficult conversation or confrontation when I know I’ll need to tread lightly and when the right words are so important. I even use them to help me discern when to keep my mouth shut! Lastly, I always want the words that come out of my mouth to only mirror what God would say.

I’d like to share some of my go-to scriptures for speaking that I use when I’m in these types of situations. Some I have found on my own with research on the topic. Others have been shared with me by close friends when I’ve reached out for prayer. My hope and prayer is that you might find a few go-to verses for yourself that help you know what to say when you are at a loss for words or need a little help. 

Scriptures about speaking the right words and having the right timing: Continue reading

Top 10 Posts of 2014

Happy, Healthy & Prosperous: Top 10 Posts of 2014

The New Year is here!  We had a stellar year in 2014 (of course with ups and downs).  This time last year this blog was just a passing thought in my head.  OK…it was actually a suggestion command from God that I reluctantly accepted over several months (didn’t get my site up and running until July!).  Overall, though I’m so glad I obeyed God.  I feel honored to be used to speak into the lives of people and hopefully share a little bit of insight of practical ways to achieve Godly success in a variety of areas.  This past week I did a year-in-review and checked on my site’s progress.  This week, I thought I’d share the Top 10 Posts of 2014 with you in case you missed any or would like to revisit them.

TOP 10 POSTS OF 2014:

  1. What Does Your Price Tag Say? A Message on Self-Worth…

    What Does Your Price Tag Say? A Message on Self Worth...

    Top 10 Posts of 2014 #1

Our value is not determined by labels that others put on us or by even by labels we put on ourselves.  This post gives some resources and tips on overcoming the negative labels we wear and some tips for creating new ones.

  1. 9 Common Causes of Insecurity

    9 Common Causes of Insecurity

    Top 10 Posts of 2014 #2

Most people deal with insecurity in one form or another.  This post addresses 9 common causes of insecurity with examples of each in scripture.  I share some of my personal struggles with insecurity.

  1. How to Apologize Effectively

    How to Apologize Effectively

    Top 10 Posts of 2014 #3

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You Are a Masterpiece

You Are a Masterpiece! Are you insulting your creator?

You Are a Masterpiece!  Are you insulting your creator?

When we think of some of the most valuable items in the world today, priceless art often comes to mind.  I’m always amazed at what people are willing to pay for masterpieces sold via Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and private sales.  I was reading an article that the Huffington Post did in December of this past year about the most expensive art of 2013 (“18 Unbelievably Expensive Artworks That Sold For Millions This Year”), and I learned that over $1 BILLION was dropped on just 18 works of art!  It’s unsettling what some are willing to fork out for what they deem a “masterpiece”.

Well, you already know you are valuable because last week we talked about realizing your value and your worth, but did you know YOU are a masterpiece?  You are the handiwork of God. 

You are His masterpiece.  I think of God as the artist of all artists. 🙂 I mean really, any other artist is just creating art of God’s art.  Continue reading