Psychologists tell us we are born with two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. The rest of our fears are learned fears. One psychological research study found 7,000 different fears out of 500 people. I do not know how many different classifications of fears there are, but I do know they are not healthy for us.

There is a difference between being cautious and being afraid. Being wise and cautious in signing a contract means that you read the fine print. Another example is looking both ways before crossing the street. Exercising caution is wise, but living in fear is not. Fear causes us to misinterpret things in our life like circumstances, relationships, etc. When you look at life through the lens of fear, you are restricted, controlled, and held back by it. On the other hand, overcoming fear liberates and frees you, and this will allow you to excel; freedom from fear permits you to take calculated risks that could bring you great success in life.

We overcome our fears first by recognizing their existence and then dealing with them. To do this, we must understand the power of real love—not the phony kind that only loves when life is going our way. When we mature in God’s love, fear’s stronghold on us begins to weaken. I encourage everyone to read I Corinthians 13:3-8 every day and believe for deliverance from your fears.

Just a Thought,

PSS

Legacychurchnm.com

In our everyday lives, we believe things about ourselves and others that may not necessarily be true. However, we can change these thoughts and habits by understanding where they come from. By understanding the origins, we can change our thoughts and actions.

The thing that keeps most people from achieving, growing, or moving forward is fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. The root of all human fear originates from an unknown. Fear is an illusion that does not exist outside of our minds; it usually originates when you dwell on problems in the past or future, such as imagining you will not reach a goal that you have strived for. Fear is the absence of love, and it keeps many of us from making necessary changes that would produce positive outcomes in our lives and the lives of those close to us. The truth is that the only way to combat the fears that keep us sidelined is to learn God’s love. When we mature in love, fear will have to lessen its grip on us. Perfect love casts out fear. Fear has torment, love does not. To really begin to mature, read I Corinthians 13:4-8 and start growing in and understanding true love. Then, watch as your fears begin to shrink and have less and less influence on your life.

Just A Thought,

PSS

Legacychurchnm.com

Every obstacle we face is an opportunity for success. However, if we see problems or setbacks only as an opportunity for failure, we are looking at them in the wrong light. Everyone has obstacles, but the way we view them will dictate the outcome. When faced with a problem, see it as an opportunity to grow and develop, and to become stronger and better equipped for tomorrow. Even though some issues we face are hurtful and frightening at times, they are opportunities nonetheless. The next time you face a problematic situation, step back and assess it—begin to find solutions and pray to see the bigger picture. Think: “I can either let this sideline me or I can pick myself up and believe that this will work out for my good.” That is how you deal with it in a productive and honorable way. Do not allow yourself to become hurt or retaliate but instead, learn to rise above your feelings and do the right thing. Doing this will introduce healing and/or reveal an answer. How you view difficulties and deal with them will determine whether the situation makes you stronger and wiser, or just become resentful and bitter. It is your choice. Problems can be opportunities for growth, they can develop our character, and they can enable us to be successful.

Just A Thought,

PSS

Legacychurchnm.com

Habits are an important part of our lives—bad ones lead to problems and good ones lead to success. Steve Gladden said, “Men don’t decide their future; they decide their habits and their habits decide their future.” What are your habits? What is causing you to not succeed? An example of a destructive habit is the habit of procrastination. It will create stress, desperation, and will place undue pressure on those around you. It has been said that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. We should develop good and healthy habits that create success. One such habit we should seek to develop is to grow a little bit every day. One of my mentors, who invested a lot of time and effort in me, told me that in order to grow, I should learn something every day. I never forgot that. If all of us learn to master that habit, it will help us as we move forward in life. First, ask yourself what areas need growth in your spiritual life and your personal life. Then, ask God to show you which areas need growth and to help you grow in those areas.

“Successful people are simply those with successful habits.” - Brian Tracy

Just A Thought,

PSS

Legacychurch.com

Drinking the “Cultural Kool-Aid” means conforming to the social norm and being politically correct on issues such as homosexuality. Why be politically correct when you can be right? What we must conclude at some point is that right is right and wrong is wrong. We should never negotiate our beliefs or our morality. There are some issues in our lives that should be non-negotiable. We get our morality from God’s Word. We either align ourselves with it, or we malign it by doing what we want to do. It should never be about emotions, feelings, or opinions, but about God’s opinion on the matter. Either He’s right or not.

God accepts us just as we are (we should be thankful for that), but that does not mean He approves of our behavior. The world wants approval for its behavior even though it flies in the face of God and His Word. Sometimes Christians want that because they know someone, maybe a family member, who has an issue. All of us need to come back to the truth that God is right every time.

Just a Thought

PSS

Legacychurch.com