Manage Desire

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6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

I Timothy 6:6-7 NIV

Day 52: Manage Desire

Have you ever been told about the importance of setting goals? When reading books about success or having a better life often we are told that we must set goals and that they should be specific. I have found that when I set a specific goal I have a greater sense of purpose. I can know where I’m going and how close I am to getting there.

But there is another side to goals. We can become unhappy and dissatisfied with our lives–good, God blessed lives. By intensifying our desire we are able to create greater energy towards our goal. If we write down the goal daily or meditate on it we intensify our desire to achieve it. If we visualize it we also increase our desire to have it. But are we creating goals that will take away from enjoying the life we’ve been given?

¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Don’t let someone trying to make a buck control your desire. I was happy with my IPHONE 8 until the next one came out. My apartment was nice till we went to potluck at your townhouse. My modest single family home was the bomb until I came to the cook out in your new development and I saw your mansion with walk in closets and stainless steel appliances. The things we have our wonderful. We are blessed if we can pause and count the good. When you live in famine then the food that we throw away looks spectacular. It’s easy to be tricked into not appreciating all we have.

The problem with setting goals can be the goal. Imagine if I set a goal to be a millionaire. What happens if that goal took me away from creating a loving household or a vibrant church community? Will Our Father be pleased? Can everyone be the president of the company? NO! But everyone can be happy and a blessing.

Today, I will manage my desire! I will learn to be content with what I have. And I will pray both for my needs and the needs of others.

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November 7, 2019

Day 51: Order

Day 51: Order

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning….of the school day, I straighten out the desks. Some chairs are under the desk while others didn’t quite make it back. Some desks are in a row but others are out of place. When I’m done there is peace. I feel better. When my kids come in although they may mess it up in 10 minutes or less they feel better.

When God created he had an orderly process. As we live and look for lives that are healthy we should respect the value of order.

Today, I will make a plan and a schedule and use it. I value the time God has given to me.

November 7, 2019

Day 50: Visit Home

Downtown Takoma Park.

8 ¹all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

²So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. ⁸They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

⁹Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:1-10

Day 50: Visit Home

There are places that are familiar to us from our past. Often they are places that we have special memories from. Even places that we discovered many of the ideals we currently hold sacred. It’s important to visit home. Visiting home can be going to a neighborhood you use to hang out in with your friends. It can also be going back to the roots of your spirituality.

In the above scripture from the book of Nehemiah we see depicted a seen where people are weeping. They are weeping because they are listening to the words of the Law of Moses. Perhaps they realize that God had been so good to them and yet they had neglected their relationship with God. Maybe they understood more clearly things they had heard many years before but had forgotten. Sometimes we need to visit home. We need to be reminded of what we have valued in the past. We need to remember what truths we already knew and see how they relate to our current situation.

In visiting home we may find the answers to many of the questions of our today.

Today, I will meditate on past locations and journeys, reflecting on lessons learned.

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November 6, 2019

Day 49: Time

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Day 49: Time

¹⁴“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of ^[d]the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! ¹⁵And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of ^[e]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:14-15

You don’t have time to waste. Changes that affect our mental, spiritual or physical health should not be put off. It is so sad to hear stories about those who waited to change. Some of them end up with very harsh consequences. Imagine the person who could be walking normally but put off changing their lifestyle and now because of a stroke no longer walks well. Or imagine the parents who lose a child to suicide wishing they had noticed the signs earlier and made an intervention. Although not all health related tragedies can be avoided many can.

Today, I will do one thing to improve my health that I have been putting off. Now is the time.

I am grateful for everyone who takes a moment to read or share on this blog. Much love to you.

David

November 3, 2019

One Step

²²You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Day 48: One Step

How many of you have heard the phrase “Whole Food Plant Based” before? When it comes to healthy eating a lot of people share the benefits of eating a whole food plant based diet. In fact there are many who claim to be able to reverse disease using this lifestyle. And if we are honest we all realize that eating processed foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat as well as many animal products, can lead to destruction. So why don’t we change?

One of the advantages to the church experience when I was growing up was the Minister’s altar call or appeal. After he shared a lot of scripture and wisdom with you he would give you a call to action. Would you decide to follow Jesus? Would you stand up and come up front as a sign that you want God’s Holy Spirit to enter your heart and change your life? At that moment with the leverage of witnesses you had the opportunity to make a public commitment. But you have to take one step.

Over the next several weeks as we continue 100 Days Of Healing, I will provide you the opportunity to make a decision to take massive action so you will see change. At the same time I value the wisdom of building integrity. When we say we are going to do something and then we don’t, we stop trusting ourselves. I know I have. Then you don’t want to attempt anything because you don’t believe you can trust yourself to be committed to your decision.

I asked earlier the question why we don’t change. Knowledge is power but if not acted upon we will know clearly why we have disease and are dying early….but we will still die early and live a life beneath God’s design. We don’t change because forces to keep us in unhealthy habits are strong. We desire things that will kill us if not kept in check. If we ate a solid diet of junk food we might get sick of it but then again we might die first. Corporations market to our desires in hopes of steady profits. If a business gets a client that is addicted to their product they will make a lot of money. Many businesses are trying to get you and I to buy what we can’t afford and eat what enslaves us. So change becomes a challenge because many are working against our liberation and healing.

But we can make a decision right now. Learn one new thing about healthful living today and try one new healthy practice today and WRITE ABOUT IT!!! Make a post on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. I promise you that you will help your journey to wellness by making the decision to do this one practice right now. Will you join me in doing this? Let me know in the comments.

leaves (1 of 1)-2 Today I begin one step at a time to a healthier way of living.

November 3, 2019November 3, 2019

Not in the Show

Day 47: Not in the Show

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

I Kings 19:11-13

I used to think God was in the show. I used to voraciously consume the latest and greatest Gospel, CCM and worship music seeking for that which would bring me into God’s presence. I used to church hop looking for that sermon that would turn on the brightest spiritual light unto my path so I could figure out just exactly what He wanted me to do or to be.

But as time went on I played for some of the artists I’d unknowingly worshipped. I sometimes was their chauffeur. I had conversations with several of the preachers I’d revered. I became an artist and a preacher myself. And while I’ve experienced many answers to prayer and have seen our Father transform lives my focus began to shift. I no longer was drawn to those gatherings I had chased in former years.

I have grown to yearn more for His quiet intimate communications. I realized that a lot of what I had admired was anointing surrounded by smoke and mirrors. But let me assure you: God does not need special effects! Yes he is almighty! But he wants to have an intimate relationship with us–the kind where we can have real conversations without the pretense.

And I found that He was willing to communicate directly with me. He invites me to pray. He says to come boldly to His throne of grace. He says call unto Me and I really will answer. Healing takes place when I don’t rely on someone else to connect with my Heavenly Father.

Today I will spend more then 5 minutes talking with my Creator and Savior who loves me more than anyone.

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November 2, 2019November 2, 2019

Eat

Day 46: Eat

²⁴A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Some of the most meaningful moments of life involve food. We celebrate birthdays with food. We celebrate weddings with food. We even morn the dead with food. We go out on a date and eat. We need advice and meet a friend for lunch. So don’t forget that moments of eating can be very therapeutic. Here are some recent ones that have been special to me.

Today, I will plan a date to eat with a friend!

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November 2, 2019November 2, 2019

Carry Each Other

Dan, Ace, Me and Arun @Guapo’s in Bethesda, Maryland

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Day 45: Carry Each Other

Every few days I wish I could talk with my friend Kishore. He passed away a few months ago. His friendship was profound. He had this kind of impact on many others. In fact, his brother, two of his best friends and I met together last night on his birthday to remember him and encourage one another.

When we are hurting it is easy to want to hide. When we are discouraged we often want to retreat away from everyone and “lick our wounds.” But we need each other. And often when sharing what we are going through with someone else we find that they may see things we can’t see because they may have gone through similar experiences. And after sharing we often feel our burden is lighter.

Today, I will seek ways of lightening others loads and allowing others to lighten mine.

I am really enjoying sharing 100 DAYS OF HEALING with you. Thanks for your encouraging comments. Please subscribe to enjoy the rest of our journey and make sure to share any post that you think would help or encourage a friend.

HERE IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

October 31, 2019

Day 44: The 1 Percent

Oxford Maryland (1 of 1) — My favorite place on earth, Oxford, Maryland.

Day 44: The 1 Percent

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 6:38

Have you ever watched success videos that teach you the secrets to becoming part of the 1 %? There are people who are able to make lots of money and even create wealth that generates more wealth. They are a small part of the population. When looking for motivation one factor may be the idea of making lots of money.

I’d like to talk to the 99%. If there is a king there is only one king and the rest of the people need to find a way to live that makes them happy and healthy without being the ultimate person in charge of the kingdom.

I really love the example of the Son of God. He humbled Himself to better serve and love others. We all can do that. (And He actually is the King of Kings!). We all can make choices to make ourselves more helpful to our family and community. In so doing we will find happiness, health, and purpose. While we must make sure to live a balanced life we can rest assured that when we allow ourselves to be a blessing to others we ourselves are blessed.

Today I will focus on helping those in my reach.

October 27, 2019October 27, 2019

Day 43: Once More

²²They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into^[a] the village.”

Mark 8:22-26

Day 43: Once More

One thing that will take the wind out of your sails is loosing hope. When you’ve been one to have dreams and then you stop dreaming because you’ve lost hope life becomes a burden. Today Jesus wants your healing to begin with you having the faith to dream again.

Don’t wait for some miracle to occur. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Stepping out in faith is imagining something, some event that you can’t do on your own but you trust God to help it come to pass. And as you learn who God is through reading His word you come to know that you can trust Him. So you talk to Him every day about your dream and ask for His help. Your days become brighter because you start to see how He’s working things out. And as you are influenced by His presence you start to desire different things and have more faith stir in your heart.

Sometimes you may feel like giving up. Sometimes you may give up.

In Mark 8 we read the story of a blind man who came to Jesus for healing. He may have lost hope. But some of his friends brought him to where they knew he could get help. Be careful who you spend time with. Good friends renew our faith and help us get to where we can be helped.

Jesus brought him healing in stages. Jesus spit on his eyes and then asked the man if he saw anything. The man said he saw people looking like trees walking around. But once more Jesus put his hands on him and he saw everything clearly.

The journey to dream fulfillment is a process. Even Jesus allowed some miracles to occur in stages. You may have to dip in the Jordan river 7 times. But don’t loose faith in the one who is able to help you. Trust in Him once more. Have faith to know that God never fails.

Today I will once more believe and dream.