No bad moods allowed

I attended North Point Church in Alpharetta a few weeks back and was very interested in hearing the first sermon in a series with the topic concerning the fact that God is in control and there is no need for the uneasiness, anxiety, angst, and so forth that is so prevalent in our country right now. The pastor who is brilliant has been preaching a series on it and all of them are available at http://www.northpoint.org/messages and I highly recommend that you do as I have been doing and listen to them via the Internet if you are not close enough to attend the services in person.

I think it is very encouraging to be reminded that God is still in control and has the entire world in His hands and that is what this series is about. He also offers some super suggestions concerning prayer; fresh ideas, (at least they have never occurred to me before), and I am sure that you will enjoy trying them as will I, starting today.

I received an e-mail from a friend the other day who was bemoaning the fact that every piece of news or even piece of mail that she receives is bad news and she went on to say that she was so sick of hearing bad news. Wah!!!

I was not the least bit sympathetic and curtly reminded her that she has a wonderful family and home to live in, was recently promoted to a position of high import with a nice salary, and she personally did not have anything for which to complain. She did not respond. I suppose that is not the answer she was looking for and she no doubt wanted a sympathetic ear and not a lecture.

Lately however, I have had to chew myself out in the same manner, because I too am sick of hearing all of the bad news and feel led to whine about it to anyone who will listen thus spoiling their bright day too. In fact the rotten news about the economy and what I view as serious missteps of our President combined with having to relive my ill-spent youth 24/7 in order to write my book, combined with lousy weather and poor fishing in the Keys, and hearing of tragedy after tragedy befalling my friends lately has gotten me to the point of outright depression.

The other night some friends came over for dinner and I think I might have had them close to drinking some Kool Aid laced with poison with me and ending it all before they left. I saw them in church Sunday and they seem to have recovered and appeared to be cautiously optimistic about life again and I was glad.

I have decided to do something about my dilemma before it is too late. My wife and I have decided to just quit watching the news for a while just to escape its tedious message.

Further I am going to review all of my blessings every morning and actually am writing them out on a list which I add to daily and will review daily or if necessary, minute by minute. I also have been comparing my personal situation to others throughout the world. I am better off than anyone whom I know with a wonderful family and so on and so forth.

I have no logical reason to be depressed. In fact just the opposite I should be sitting on cloud nine, or maybe ninety-nine. I have made the stupid mistake of letting satan gain the upper hand on my intellect and control my moods and it ceases today. I will be in a good mood today! I will be in a good mood today! I will be in a good mood today! I will be in a good mood today! I will be in a good mood today!

Mainly I intend to use the prayer technique in last week’s message from Pastor Stanley. I am going to listen to it again this A.M. and then try my utmost to pray in such a manner.

I urge you to join me in refusing to allow satan the upper hand regardless of the economic climate or any other tribulation. Yes it will be difficult and some of you are undergoing VERY serious stress right now that is legitimate, but we have the strength of God on which to rely and that is sufficient for our needs.

One thing that encourages me is to remember where I started when I was 24 years old. Believe me once you read my book and understand just exactly how bad off I was, you will know that with God’s capable assistance no obstacle is too difficult, or mountain too high to climb to escape satan. No matter how badly something is broken, God can fix it. It is as simple as that.

Sometimes we just need to step back and take a look at the forest and get our noses out of the bark on the trees

Phil.4:13
I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.