-
Look Upward:
-
Pour your heart out to God.
- Yes, it is okay to complain, berate, weep, and protest to God
- about your feelings and circumstances;
- if you doubt that just read the Book of Job;
- he (God) can handle criticism, he wears very big shoes.
-
Praise him, by faith:
- Praise is very good therapy!
- Count your blessings.
- I recommend it even when you are ‘not feeling it’!
-
Look Outward:
-
Find a good shoulder to cry on:
- Your spouse, a close sibling, your BFF, and
- A good counselor.
-
Reach out for the occasional emotional relief
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- ‘cookie’ or ice cream, music, or good movie
- (use with caution and sparingly)
- (this is only a temporary relief)
- (I most definitely don’t recommend alcohol or any other type of ‘Drug’)
- AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
Look Forward:
-
- Life goes on
- Shift gears into the ‘Problem Solving Mode’
-
Learn from the past but do not live in it!
- Can’t drive by looking at the rear-view mirror always!
-
Follow Reach Ministries 
Contact: reach4himwdray@gmail.com
The place
How do we get there in prayer?
- Renounce evil.
- Push past
- the mental/intellectual distractions
- Is the stove off?
- Did I respond to that email?
- If so, can it be misconstrued, how?
- Did I pay that bill?
- If only my team did not make that play
- we could have won that championship!
- What did my spouse/child/sibling/co-worker mean/do when ….?
- That dress was not right for the wedding reception!
- The latest political controversy!
- My elbow is itching,
- Push past,
- The ‘Time-Keeper’ Stage
- How much time has passed
- ‘Has it been 5, 10, 20 minutes already?’
- ‘How much longer can I keep this up?’
- ‘Gimme gimme’ stage
- ‘Lord, bless ….’
- ‘Lord, I really need this money/job…’
- ‘Lord, if only you would heal…’
- ‘Lord, please help…’
- “this is ‘fun’, stage”
- I love this prayer song
- I am having fun singing this worship song
- This is a one man concert
- This feels good
- Push past,
- The problem solving stage
- Issues appear more clearly to the mind while praying.
- Problem 1
- This is the main issue
- This is the solution
- Problem 2
- This is the key problem
- I can resolve it by doing ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’.
- This is useful
- I got to get to it, right now!
- Stop the prayer, be practical, take the next step!
Now you are at the top what do you do!
- Praise! Praise! Praise!
- Holy, Holy, Holy!
- Worthy, are you Lord!
- May your will Be done!
- Let Your Kingdom come!
- Be glorified!
- Pure Praise! Pure Worship!
- Mountain Top Worship!
- Peace, Joy in the Lord!
- Time stands still!
But you got to go back down
- from the Mountain top to the earth
- to live among people, and
- let the Glory shine through you!
- That’s the whole purpose!
It is your choice either to
- Count
- dwell
- What kind of people are more likely to be
- successful,
- happier,
- motivated,
- healthier;
- to have more friends?
- Those who count
- their blessings
- not their woes;
- their opportunities
- not their obstacles.
Philippians 4.4
Your Choice!!
An Aside:
- Thirty-six years ago
- “Three” “Six” Yes!
- It rained
- hard!!!
- On our wedding day.
- Now?
- The memory only brings
- I remember
- (with pleasure)
- the red muddy waters
- rushing along
- as I lifted and carried
- my bride
- over the ‘troubled’ waters!!
- Thirty-six years ago,
- yes, “Three-Six” years!
- The car
- that took me and my bride
- and the wedding party
- home
- would not start,
- Groom and best-men
- wearing wedding suits
- got out and pushed
- the wedding car
- with the bride inside
- to get it started!
- (It is another way to ‘jump-start’
- a stick shift
- without another car).
- Then:
- (It was past 1.00 am in the morning).
- “What a nightmare!”
- What shame on my part!
- “Oh Why me?”
- Now!?
It’s all about
- perspective and Choice,
- what you focus on!
- Choose
- the Positive,
- the Bright side,
We are Designed by God to Reach out to Him and to Others; To Reach Out for Love and Towards our Dreams!
Reach!! 