Blog - A Broken Heart's GPS Christian Counseling and Resource Center (856) 473-5937 lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org

Work Hard!

7/31/2015

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave..."--Ecclesiastes 9:10(NKJV)

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."--Colossians 3:23(NLT)

I recently watched a local TV broadcast about an female entrepreneur. She was a dynamic cook who made awesome pasta sauce. Her family and friends kept telling her she should bottle and sell her homemade sauce. She finally conceded to the urging of her loved ones. She nervously packed her sauce in a Tupperware container and courageously took it to a local grocery story. And guess what? They loved it! She now supplies this store with fresh, homemade pasta sauce--right out of her kitchen--on a weekly basis!

Each of us were born gifts, talents, and abilities. These gifts, talents, and abilities were given to us by our heavenly Father. He has given us the ability to succeed in whatever we do, but we must "do". Idleness, laziness, dreaming without initiating never got anyone any where.

What gifts, talents, or abilities are you sitting on? Are you working with all your might? What is holding you back from leaving average and mediocre and soaring to height of exceptional excellence? Your gifts, talents, and abilities are not needed in the grave. They are needed now.

"The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.”--Les Brown

Praying God's Word

7/30/2015

"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."--Hebrews 4:12(NLT)

Prayer is powerful because it is our supernatural vehicle to access the throne of God. Yet, it is grossly underutilized by many Christians. We devalue its importance or we feel intimidated by it. I hear many people say, "I don't know how to pray" or "I don't know what to say".

If those sentiments resonate in you, consider the following:

* Carve out time to be alone with God. It could be first thing in the morning, a lunch break, in the evening, etc.

* Find a quiet place to pray--a prayer closet. A prayer closet could be your bedroom, your bathroom, basement, etc.  It is a meeting place for you and God.

* Begin to meditate on God. Think on Him. Worship and praise Him for his power, might, and majesty.  Thank Him for who He is.
(This will "center" you and bring your mind into focus on Him.)

* Confess and repent of sins. Ask for forgiveness. His word tells us in Psalm 24 that in order to ascend to his holy hill, where we experience his presence, we must have clean hands and a pure heart.

* Make your prayer requests known to him (Philippians 4:6)

* Pray God's word in the name of Jesus. His word is a supernatural, spiritual weapon. As we pray his word, it penetrate areas that we cannot access, even in our best human efforts (Hebrews 4:12). It is because of Jesus that we have access to the Father.

Here are some areas of prayer:
Healing/Health
"Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise."--Jeremiah 17:14(NIV)

Marriage
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"--Amos 3:3(NKJV)

Peace
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."--John 14:27(NLT)

So, here is how one might pray the word of God using marriage as an example:

Hallelujah....Hallelujah...Thank you Lord...I give you praise...You alone are worthy of all glory...Thank you for your love...Thank you for your goodness...Thank you for your mercy...Forgive me of my sins...Forgive me of pride and arrogance...Cleanse me from all unrighteousness...I pray that my hands and my heart would be pure before you...Father, in the name of Jesus, I come before you praying for my marriage. I thank you for your word in Amos 3:3. I thank you for my spouse and I thank you we walk together in unity. I thank you for agreement in my marriage. I pray against strife, discord, and disagreement. I thank you for harmony, in Jesus' name. Amen

You will find that as you pray God's word, He will begin to speak to your heart and give you words to pray. Prayer is two-way communication, so be sure to take time to listen and receive what God wants to say. Be open to the way God speaks, he may give you a word or a thought, perhaps a dream of a vision. You will know it is God and not your own random thoughts because He will always confirm his word in the scriptures.

So, as the aforementioned person above is praying for marriage, he/she may hear (in his heart) "Love is patient". We know this is God speaking because we can find this truth in I Corinthians 13:4. This now becomes the word of God to meditate and pray on.

And so on. Prayer is an on-going dialogue with God.  The more we speak to Him, the more he speaks to us and the stronger our weapon/prayer life becomes!

Convenient or Consistent?

7/29/2015

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."--James 1:8(KJV)

Is your relationship with God convenient or consistent?

I grew up in church; I became a Christian at age 12, was baptized, and served in ministry as a teenager and young adult. It was not contrived, I really enjoyed going to church--yet I was not fully committed to cultivating a relationship with God. So as a young adult, my relationship with the Lord was one of convenience. When I went away to college, I quickly found myself immersed in the reality of campus life--complete with carnal living and all of the realities of total independence--parties, sex, drinking, etc.

On the weekends I would come home, go to church, and put on my religious hat. Then on Sunday evenings, I would go out clubbing with my friends! All the while ignoring the internal conflict within my soul. I was having "fun" doing what the vast majority of young adults do--yet I was bringing great distress to my soul because I knew, as a child of God, what I was doing was wrong. I was being openly rebellious and defiant in the face of God.

God's word tells us that a double-minded ("dipsychos" Greek--meaning "divided in interest) person is unstable ("akatastatos"/ inconstant, restless) in their ways ("hodos"/a way of thinking, feeling, deciding; or course of conduct). Literally, a person with divided interests is restless and inconstant in their thoughts, feelings, decisions, choices, and behaviors.

For me, ultimately, I knew that I had to make a decision similar to the one the Israelites were confronted with when Elijah posed a question in I Kings 18:21, "Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent."(NLT)

My decision was to draw near to God, wash my hands, and purify my heart--not just when it is convenient, but as a lifestyle according to James 4:8.

How about you? Are you halting between two opinions? Are you silent when posed a direct question by the Holy Spirit about where you stand--spiritually? Are you living a double-life, which perpetuates double-mindedness and internal conflict? Are you a Sunday morning Christian only? No man can serve two masters. Bring peace and harmony to your soul by choosing to follow the Lord daily. What he has for you is so much greater than what you leave behind--the fleeting, transient, counterfeit offers of the world.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your heats, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world."--James 4:8(NLT)

A Warning for Parents

7/27/2015

"...And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead."--Deuteronomy 18:10-11(NLT)

For many kids, the dog days of summer means no school, no homework, no after-school activities--or translation, boredom--surfing TV channels and the internet in pursuit of any form of entertainment to squelch boredom. It is often during these times of idleness that the enemy looks for entry points to wreak havoc in the lives of our children. Consider an excerpt from an article I posted, "A Warning for Parents":

"Many of today's youth are curious about the occult and witchcraft. Most of the "kid-friendly" movies and TV shows include some form of magic and witchcraft. We as parents and caregivers must be very deliberate and vigilant in what we allow our children to listen to and watch, as the eyes and ears are gateways to the soul. The enemy wants access to our children, and he will pursue them at a very young age. Once he has access, he knows he can create strongholds and bring about bondage.

Some may mock or scoff at this warning thinking, "it's just a game" or "kids will be kids", however the Bible is very clear that believers are to have no involvement in such activities. There are reasons God gives warnings against participating in the occult. The primary reason is it is an abomination to him. Also, participating in these activities open doors to the unseen realm of the demonic which can evoke feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, anger and rage, as well as a myriad of perversions--to name but a few.

Parents, take time to check in with your kids. Ask questions. Find out what is "trending now" in their lives. Talk with other parents. Be informed. The word of God cautions us to not be ignorant of Satan's devices. The more knowledge and understanding we have, the better we are able to guard and protect our children."

For prayer or more information, email: lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org or contact 1(866)460-8976.

Recommended resources:
Let Our Children Go! by Rebecca Greenwood (christianharvestintl.org)

God's Promises for Your Children by Mike Shreve (deeperrevelationbooks.org)

Praise Him!

7/24/2015

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."--Psalm 42:5(NIV)

Did you know that you have a tool within you that causes spiritual darkness to run? It's called PRAISE. Praise is a powerful weapon that the enemy hates. When you make a will decision to praise God, even when you are downcast and disturbed in your soul--you will feel better. Praise changes attitudes, mindsets, atmospheres, and environments. Praise will lift your spirit!

When we begin to praise God, his glory is manifested in the earthly realm. When his glory is manifested, anything unlike him must go! The challenge is, God when you are feeling downcast, worried, anxious, depressed, distressed, sad, or unhappy you may not "feel" like praising God--but that is the time to do it!

One of the tricks of the enemy is to keep us in a constant state of distress so that we do not have the energy or desire to praise God. And when we side with how we feel, the enemy wins. We have given him legal license and permission to torment our soul. Don't let him win! Turn the tables! Begin to praise God and you will win. The enemy of your soul is defeated and you are victorious!

What Are You Saying, What Are You Thinking?

7/23/2015

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."
--Psalm 19:14(NLT)

There are moments throughout my day that my words are kind and caring, my thoughts are tranquil and loving--yet, there are other moments when...yeah...not so much. For example, at one moment my daughters and I may be having a radio sing-a-long in the car. I am cruising along jovial, happy, and carefree. At the next moment, I am perturbed by a distracted motorist who is texting on the phone and does not realize that the red light is now a green light! "Ugh!!!", I yell out, "Put the phone down and drive already!" Then, I hear two little voices in the back seat squeal, "Mom!!!"

Am I alone on this one?

Have you ever tried to track your words or thoughts throughout the day? Truth be told, we do not always fair well in these two areas. The reality is, as human beings, the words of our mouths and whatever we are musing in our hearts may not always be pleasing to God. Sometimes, we put our foot in our mouths. We have a sharp tongue. We speak out of turn. At other times, we are meditating on an offense. We are regretting a bad decision. Or, we are plotting revenge, because we are feeling vindictive.

What are we to do if our words and meditations are not pleasing to God? Pray. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for grace and wisdom. Ask for help with your words and thoughts. It is possible to speak and think in a way that is pleasing to God with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.

Are YOU for You?

7/21/2015

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?"--Romans 8:31 (NLT)

We know God is for us based on his word. There is no greater cheerleader, coach, or motivator than our Heavenly Father! He desires that we live successful, prosperous lives. God takes no delight or pleasure in seeing us stagnant or, in some instances, regressing--going backwards in our lives; he gets no glory out of that! So, laced throughout scripture are divine words of encouragement and motivation spoken to inspire us to move into our destiny and not settle for mediocrity or living beneath our heavenly privilege. Yet, so often we discount the word of God, deeming it inapplicable to us for a myriad of reasons. We may conclude that God's promises are for a select group of people. Nothing could be farther from the truth! If you are a child of God, then his word is you---no matter how you may view yourself.

Our pastor recently posed the question, "Are you for you?" A personal question to grapple with and honestly consider. Are you for you, or are you your own worst critic--one who critiques, looking for flaws, highlighting mistakes, ruminating on bad decisions, and evaluating personal short-comings? Do you find yourself routinely talking yourself out of a God-given dream, desire, or ambition because, at the core of your inner being, you have become your own heckler? That inner voice that whispers or screams, "How could I be so stupid?" "I can't do anything right." "I am no good." If this is sounds vaguely familiar to you, then you are not for you. You are being unduly hard on yourself.

Seeing ourselves as God sees us is vital to living an abundant, successful life. God is already on your team, isn't it time you began to be excited about you and the life that God has predestined for you?

Reflection
1. Is it difficult to believe God is for you? If so, why?
2. Are you for you? If not, list every reason why you are not for you.
3. For every reason that you have listed, identify its origin.
4. Begin to pray and declare biblical truths (scriptures) that will dismantle every reason you are not for you. (See the "Words of Life" page for suggested Biblical decrees.)

Overcoming negative core-beliefs may be challenging to do alone. I encourage to call:
1(866)460-8976 or email: lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org for prayer and/or supportive Christian Counseling. All counseling services are confidential and free of charge.

If you would like more information on Pastor Clay's teaching on this subject, please call:
1(8660460-8976 or email: lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org

Down Too Long!

7/17/2015

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”--John 5:8(NLT)

If you have a moment to read John 5, please do so. It is a fascinating account of the healing of a man who had been sick for 38 years. The Bible tells us that there was a pool, called Bethesda, which was a place where crowds of sick people gathered--the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed. They gathered there because at certain times, an angel would go down into the pool and stir the waters. Whoever got in the pool first would be made whole from whatever disease. Can you imagine the crowd of sick people pushing and shoving in desperation to get into the pool first? Can you imagine the disappointment felt by not getting into the pool first? Can you imagine being the diseased or sick onlooker--watching a fellow "patient" leave rejoicing, laughing, running and leaping in utter jubilation in glee as you sit wondering when will it be your turn? Can you imagine sitting by the pool day after day waiting for the angel to return? Imagine the disappointment of watching another sunset still plagued with an infirmity. Watching a sunrise and feeling a quiet hope that "today could be the day", only to greet another sunset with disappointment? Day after day after day...

Can you imagine this going on for years and years, as it did with the man mentioned in John 5, who had been sick for 38 years? When his moment of visitation had come, you would think he would be gung-ho. Yet, his response to Jesus' question was strange. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be whole, he said, "I have no one to help me get to the pool. By the time I get there someone jumps in line ahead of me!" I love Jesus' response because he did not entertain or speak to the excuses. He simply said, "Stand up, pick up your bed, and walk." And guess what? The man did just that. The word of God says that immediately the man was healed and whole.

How many of us, like the man in John 5, have grown accustomed to our affliction? It may sound peculiar, but it is true. Many of us have been down for so long, we are comfortable with it. It has become familiar to us. The very idea of "getting up" seems scary. I heard Bishop Jakes ask the question, "Have you developed an addiction to your affliction?" Thought provoking, right? We begin to accept our condition and make accuses for why we are just sitting by the pool.

Unlike the man in John 5, we do not have to wait for an angel to stir the water to receive healing, wholeness, and deliverance. When Christ is standing before you asking, "Do you want to be well?", it is not the time to make excuses, justify your state, or play the blame game as we so often do. For example, we make statements like, "I come from a dysfunctional family." "I was not loved or wanted as a child." "I don't deserve anything good." "I tried, but it just doesn't work." "Good things happen for everyone else but me." "Nobody helps me do anything..."

Stop it! You have been down too long! It is time to get up, pick up whatever you have metaphorically be laying on (alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, apathy, pessimism, laziness, pornography, co-dependency, toxic relationships, depression, anxiety, etc.) and walk. Walk into the destiny that God has pre-purposed and pre-ordained for your life. Your time of healing has come!

Optimism...Biblical Faith

7/16/2015

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."--Hebrews 11:1(NLT)

We hear a lot of talk about the power of "positive thinking". We even coach our children to "think positive" and not to be negative. We know that thinking positive is good. It is something we practice and do. We also know the detriments of negative thinking and pessimism. It's no fun being in the company of "Johnny Raincloud" or "Debbie Downer". Pessimists are draining. Negativity is draining. Yet, willing ourselves to think positive on a continuum is nearly impossible.

So, how do we see the glass as half full versus half empty? We activate the gift of faith that we as believers have been given. Galatians 5:22 describes faith as a fruit of the Spirit. If you are a believer, you have been given the gift of "divine optimism"--it is called faith! When faith is activated in your life, you tap into a supernatural resource that enables you to see present realities through lenses of optimism. As you peer through the divine lenses of optimism, pessimism is challenged.

Activating faith is so simple--believe God's word and be courageous enough to speak it! Most people stop here. Speaking God's word audibly, activates the realm of the spirit. Many of us are too bound by pride, fear, worry, or doubt to speak God's word. Yet, God's word is our key to the supernatural. His word is Spirit.

My four-year-old god-daughter's recites Deuteronomy 28:13. She declares with authority, "I am the head and not the tail! I am above and not beneath!" She unapologetically screams this with such confidence and child-like faith. Although she is too young to understand the vastness of what she is saying, she has learned at an early age how to activate her faith.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). God's word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). When it is activated in our lives, we live in supernatural optimism.

Reflection:
1. Do you consider yourself a pessimist or optimist? Why?

2. If you have never spoken the word of God aloud, what is preventing you?

3. Do you believe it is possible to maintain an optimistic attitude?

4. Meditate on Romans 8:28. How does this scripture impact you personally as it relates to optimism?

Your Words Matter

7/14/2015

"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone."--Colossians 4:5-6(NLT)

No interaction or conversation is random; each exchange is an opportunity to empower, encourage, instill hope, impart wisdom, or offer support. It takes the wisdom of God to know how to give a response that is tailor made for the ears of the listener. And when the correct response is given, it is like water to a thirsty soul.

We, as believers, are called to be wise and to make the most of every opportunity that we have to interact with believers as well as non-believers. However, in our fast-paced, hectic, busy world--everything is rushed, including our conversations. We simply do not take the time to converse, dialogue, check-in, or care. Yet, there are those in your circle of proximity who are longing for relationship. They are longing to know that someone is concerned about them and that someone cares. They may be smiling on the outside, but on they are crying out on the inside.

As you move throughout your busy day, take some time to demonstrate care and compassion as Jesus did. Your kindness will have a lasting impact; it may also open the door to share the "Good News" of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.