I talk to people almost everyday that have given up on their struggle to find a church they are comfortable in and I have to admit that even while I’m not out there trying to find that special place, because we’ve been blessed with a very special fellowship at Grace Place, but I certainly understand the struggle. I once heard that if you find the perfect church, don’t go, because you will mess it up.
There are some great benefits in going to church, even if it’s not perfect. Below are a seven reasons why I think everyone should make and take the time to participate in church every chance you get.
1. You Have A Chance To Meet God!
2. You Might Bless Someone Or Someone Might Bless You!
3. You May Hear Something That Takes You To A Whole New Level!
4. If You Do Nothing Else, It’s A Great Time And Place To Practice Gratitude!
5. Interactions With Others Open Up All Kinds Of Possibilities!
6. It’s Possible You Might Get Inspired To Discover, Grow And Use Your Spiritual Gift.
I’ve been thinking about thinking and my thinking got me to wondering where in the universe does a thought come from? After a little research, I discovered there is no easy or difinitive answer to that question. I think a thought is a reaction to a combination of actions on our part. They seem to come from nowhere on a pretty much continual basis. They can work together or oppose each other and they are present regardless of my giving them attention or not.
You are not the creator of your thoughts, but you can be the controller. You have the opportunity to choose the thoughts you will empower, feed and grow. The way we empower, feed and grow a thought is by THINKING about it. If you don’t like the way a thought makes you feel, then you can make a choice to let it go and grab another to empower with your thinking and attention.
YOU HAVE THE POWER OF CHOICE! We have been given a very amazing gift by being able to choose and divide for ourselves. Don’t give this power to anyone else and don’t waste this power by not utilizing it. Pay attention to your thoughts and choose to feed and grow the one’s that are going to make your life better by THINKING about them…
YOU EMPOWER, FEED AND GROW WHAT YOU CHOOSE! This may seem a little repetitive, but we need to realise, understand and apply the power of our choice. What you CHOOSE you EMPOWER. What you empower you feed and what you feed you grow. It really is that simple. Choice = Power…
YOU ARE IN CONTROL IF YOU WANT TO BE! One of my favorite teachers used to say: ”When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!” The key word is: YOU! Here’s the question you need to ask and answer: Do I want to control the direction of my life by choosing the thoughts I empower or do I want give that control to someone or something else?
I’m not sure where a thought comes from, but I know and believe we have the power to decide where it’s going and that makes all the difference!
The most precious commodity that we possess in this present life is TIME. We all have the same allotment of seconds, minutes and hours everyday and once todays is used up, you cannot get it back. The good news is: Tomorrow you get a whole new twenty four hours to do it all over again.
I have often said and have heard other people say: “I just wish I had the time!” And when I really stop to think about it, there is just one problem with that statement: The truth is that I do have the time, and it is ultimately up to me in how I choose to invest and spend that time. And if I don’t spend that time doing what I want to do, then there is really no one to blame, but myself.
The reality is that we are really good at making excuses and the “I just wish I had time” excuse is a very easy one for us to fall back on. Whatever time you have, is yours to take and do with as you please, so stop making excuses and start taking a look at your life from a different and higher perspective. Soon you will realize there are some things you need to start taking and making time for, which means that something else is going to have to slide in your busy life.
One of the questions we need to ask ourselves on a continual basis is: “WHAT REALLY MATTERS?” When we ask this question and answer it honestly, it brings tremendous clarity. Many times, I have discovered that what I convinced myself matters was not nearly as important and necessary as I had convinced myself. What really matters? The list is not anywhere near as big as we sometimes allow it to become. Ask and answer this question on a regular basis, so that you can live life at the higher place you were created for.
Another good question to ask ourselves is: “WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THIS GOING TO MAKE?” What difference is this going to make in a year, five years, fifty years, one hundred years??? Ask and answer this question honestly and it will help you gain perspective that will guide you to a much higher place of enlightenment and living.
There is more than enough time to do what you want to do, what you would love to do, but you are going to have to ask and answer some tough questions to rediscover that time and claim it for yourself. Stop believing the lie that you are too busy and discover the truth that there is time, it’s your time and you can choose to do what you want to with it. When you reclaim the time that is rightfully yours by “taking the time” you will be glad you did…
Michael Joe Harvell 