Make two good decisions today!

Two short articles about developing a praying habit to access God's good influences, and living by God's Word and Spirit to stop society's bad influences from getting to us. We live each day at a time. That's the way God has instituted. Each day we make our decisions that will impact not just us today, but also impact others that we come in contact with and what will become of our future, here in this life and more so, in our life to come. So, make good decisions today. God is watching, even if you think others may not. Be careful. Be watchful. Be alert. Be good. God bless.

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Make Prayer A Habit

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Prayer is a habit that, like every other good habit, must be developed. You know you need to pray. You need God's help, His wisdom and His guidance. But you must persevere in prayer. The activities of life try to keep you from praying. So persevere!

LUKE 21:36 BBE

36 But keep watch at all times with prayer, that you may be strong enough to come through all these things and take your place before the Son of man.

In communing with God, you gain strength that comes in no other way. You find the wisdom and courage to face life and overcome.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17-18 ICB

17 Never stop praying.
18 Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.

Learn to always include God in your thoughts. Ask Him about everything. Cultivate your relationship by continual communication. And one of the most important things for you to communicate to God is your gratitude. Thank God for everything.

Don't relegate prayer to just when you're on your knees. As you go about your activities, include God by constant communion with Him. Talk to God about everything!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to develop the habit of continual communication with you.
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Don't Let It Get To You

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
(Romans 12:2)

First, the bad news. Our society can have a terrible influence on us and our children. The entertainment media, for example, offer various forms of sinful behavior for our listening and viewing "pleasure." One music TV channel, for instance, was characterized in World magazine by film critic Michael Medved like this: "There is absolutely no excuse for MTV to be present in the home. It is 100-percent negative."

And now for the good news. None of society's negative influences have to bother you. They will affect you and your family only if you let them. They can infiltrate the minds of you and your children only if you refuse to use the discernment, power, and instruction God has provided to everyone who is redeemed by faith in His Son Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:20-24).

In other words, our problem is not so much the evil in society as it is our lack of discernment and self-control.
We should find great comfort in knowing that the Lord has given us the resources to live above society's level of degradation. We can be in the world but not of it (Jn. 17:14-17). If we're living in the power of the Holy Spirit under the guidance of the Word of God, society's bad influences can't get to us.

To live in the world but not of it
Is the path that we should take;
For to be in the world and live like it
Brings nothing but sad heartache.
--JDB

Let's yield to the spirit, and we won't be conformed to the world.
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