by Danny Murphy
“I
will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.”
Hebrews 10:16
Wouldn’t
it be nice if there was a medical procedure called Open Soul Surgery? I can picture
the surgeon, Dr. Lord, instructing the team. “Today, we’re going to open up Mr.
Smith, infuse his heart with the Ten Commandments, and etch the rest of God’s
laws into his mind. His old ways of thinking will be gone forever. Mr. Smith is
going to walk out of this hospital feeling like a brand new man.
“His
self-centeredness will be replaced by a willingness to lose his life for the
sake of someone else. He will be able to resist the temptations that have
plagued him for most of his adult life. He will have the faith to actually walk
on water or move a mountain if need be. After this operation, he will be
inspired, empowered, and enabled to be every bit of the man he was created to
be.”
But
really, how does God put His laws into the hearts and minds of His children?
Most Christians believe that the way to get more of God into their hearts and
minds is to go to church, listen to a sermon, and read and study the Bible.
Also, it’s nice to do a good deed once in a while. There’s certainly nothing
wrong with any of that.
Is
there something else that people can do to become more like God? Yes. An
affirmation is an assertion that something exists or is true. Believers have
the power to plant affirmations founded on Scripture into their own minds.
Words of Destiny teaches readers how to do that.
Words of Destiny is available on Kindle from Amazon. If you found this reading worthwhile, you'll probably like the book as well.
It has examples of affirmations based on scripture. The ebook only costs $.99.
Check it out.
by Danny Murphy
"Hear ye therefore the parable of the Sower. When any one heareth the word of
the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth
away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the
way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that
heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself,
but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of
the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns
is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness
of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received
seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;
which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty,
some thirty.”
Matthew 13:18-23 (KJV)
One
of the ways we are programmed is by what we hear. That’s why we’re supposed to
listen carefully to our teachers in school, to our parents as we grow up, and
to authority figures throughout our lives.
\We
can choose some of what we hear in the same way we choose what music we listen
to. A person who likes country wouldn’t tune into techno and a person who
enjoys traditional gospel music wouldn’t tune in to a station that plays heavy
metal. People tune in to the channels they prefer.
Another
way that we are programmed is through what we read. By reading this material,
you are attempting to learn new ways of thinking and behaving that will produce
more of the fruit you want in your life. We choose what we read more than we
choose what we hear.
We
ingest messages almost from the time we wake up until we go to bed at night.
Some people wake up to the sound of clock radios and fall asleep watching TV.
We read our email and we check our social media on our mobile devices so we
won’t miss anything. We watch movies, videos, and the news. We drive by
billboards and other signs. We choose some, but not all, of the programming we
take in.
Along
with the messages we choose to pay attention to, we are bombarded with
messaging that is chosen for us. Advertisers are determined to tell us what we
need, what we should desire, and what will make us happy. Most of their
messaging informs us that we are lacking and inadequate in some way, but, more
importantly, that they can scratch whatever itch they’ve brought to our
attention.
Purchasing
their products or services will address our lack and enable us to live happier,
healthier, more fulfilled lives. They continually collect and organize data to
figure out what to sell to us. They employ psychologists to learn how to push
our buttons. They use advertising to deliver their messages in an appealing way
that viewers, listeners, and readers will respond to.
This
kind of programming is coming at most of us all the time. Marketers are
continually figuring out how to get their messages into our minds. One way to
counteract this is through affirmations. Many Christian ministers have
emphasized that the words we speak have a tremendous impact on our lives.
Confessions of faith and positive speaking can be very powerful tools for
shaping our thought processes.
Writing
is an even more intentional act than speaking. When we put our minds to it,
we’re far more likely to write exactly what we intend than we are to say what
we intend. Slips of the tongue are fairly common. Slips of the pen, not so much.
Writing requires more effort than listening, reading, or speaking, and it
plants programming more deeply. Writing affirmations that are rooted in the
Word of God is a very effective way to positively program the mind.
“In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and
without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-3
When
the Devil tempted Jesus, he used the same techniques marketers use today. He
asked questions that would lead Jesus to doubt his own adequacy and the
adequacy of his relationship with His father.
When
Jesus told Satan, “It is written,” he wasn’t talking about something he had
read casually. He was talking about a conviction that was deep inside him. You
could even say that he, being the Word, had participated in the writing.
There’s
an incredible power in God’s Word. Writing affirmations that align with the
Word as it has been revealed through Scripture will plant His law deep inside
you and will help you to align your life with His will. Your affirmations will
become part of your normal thinking. When you need them, you will have instant
access to them.
Words of Destiny is available on Kindle from Amazon. If you found this reading worthwhile, you'll probably like the book as well.
It has examples of affirmations based on scripture. The ebook only costs $.99.
Check it out.
by Danny Murphy
Begin
with a verse in whichever translation you prefer. I use the King James because
it’s in the public domain and I won’t get sued for using it. I also like the
majesty of the KJV. There’s something grand about it. As an example, here’s an
affirmation that many Christians already use.
“I
can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
To
personalize the verse, simply insert a blank line where “all things” appears.
Then fill in the blank with whatever pertains to you. In this manner, you are
defining one of the things you believe you can do or that you want to do with
help from the Lord.
You
can write “who gives me strength” instead of “who strengtheneth me.” On the
other hand, if the situation you’re writing about calls for guidance, you might
prefer to write “who gives me wisdom” instead of strength.
For
example, suppose you received a job offer that would require you to move to
another city and that would require your children to move from schools where
they were very involved and doing well. It would be an important decision not
only for you, but for your family. It would call for wisdom. You might write an
affirmation like this: “I can figure out whether or not this opportunity would
be the best thing for my family through Christ who gives me wisdom.”
You
can adjust your affirmations to address your situations. They belong to you.
For example, if you have an important meeting scheduled, you could write, “I
can present effectively and answer the questions asked of me through Christ who
gives me wisdom.”
The
type of affirmations I’m suggesting are not magic. They won’t make up for a
lack of preparation or the hard work that is required to achieve substantial
goals. Whether it comes to finishing an important project or succeeding in some
area of your business life, you will still have to do your part. For example,
if your goal is to become a doctor, you’re going to have to go to medical
school. Affirmations will help you to get through it, but they will not
substitute for the study that is required.
During
the writing of this book, I wrote many affirmations about the project. However,
I still had to do the work of writing. I could have written a hundred
affirmations per day about completing this project, but they wouldn’t have done
any good if I hadn’t done any other writing. The affirmations helped to keep me
moving forward. They didn’t substitute for doing the actual work.
Words of Destiny is available on Kindle from Amazon. If you found this reading worthwhile, you'll probably like the book as well.
It has examples of affirmations based on scripture. The ebook only costs $.99.
Check it out.
