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  • Justin Brownlee
    • Apr 20, 2020
    • 2 min read

Your Mind and Home are Battlefields


"I don't have what it takes to be a good parent."


"It feels like I fail at everything I do."


"God can't use me because of what I've done." We all have negative thoughts about ourselves from time to time. Now we are out of our normal routine, away from our normal schedule, and taking on tasks that we don't usually do. We are now more likely to be hard on ourselves. But have you ever thought about the connection between your thought life and your home life? When it comes to following Jesus, we often focus on doing the right things and staying away from the wrong things. But every action we take, whether good or bad, begins as a thought. To put it another way, where our thoughts go, our behavior is sure to follow. How we treat our roommates, raise our children, and love our spouses is directly connected to how we think about ourselves and God. When our thoughts are in line with God's thoughts, we show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). But the opposite is also true. When our thoughts are full of doubt and fear, we make selfish decisions, assume the worst about others, and fall short of our God-given potential. We operate from our old nature, and not as the new creation we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we want to win at home, we have to first win the battle in our minds. The key to true transformation is renewing our minds, not trying harder (Romans 12:2). That's why we read the Bible - to align our thoughts with God's thoughts. As we read God's Word, we learn who God is and who He says we are.


Today's Reflection:

  • Are your thoughts full of faith and hope or doubt and fear? Why do you think that is?

  • What is one doubt or fear you hear consistently? What, if anything, triggers that doubt or fear?

  • What do you think God would say to that doubt or fear? Ask Him to point you to a verse or worship song that can remind you of what's true. We have a special Quarantine Worship playlist on Spotify if you would like to listen.


 

At Anchor Church, we exist to love and lead one another with the hope of Jesus. We hope this devotional is an encouragement and an inspiration.



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  • Justin Brownlee
    • Apr 17, 2020
    • 2 min read

Praying and Dancing


If you are spending quarantine at home, then you are spending a lot more time than you are used to with your spouse, kids, or roommates. You might be learning more about them spending more time in prayer for them. We want the best for those who we love and we often ask God to do lots of things in their lives, but when's the last time you asked God what He wants to do in the lives of those around you? We all have ideas of what we think would be best for our spouses, our kids, our roommates, our friends. But God knows more about what our loved ones need than we do.


If our ideas aren't aligned with God's plans, it can feel a bit like dancing offbeat.

Dancing can be fun when you're moving in sync. But if you're stepping on each other's feet, it's a whole different experience. The same is true when it comes to prayer. The only thing more powerful than praying for those in your home is partnering with God in praying for the people in your home. So how do we do this? Start by trying to listen as much you speak. Proverbs 3:5 tells us not to try to figure things out on our own but to let the Lord lead. When you dance with a partner, whether it's the tango or the two-step, there can only be one lead. Likewise, if we want to partner with God in prayer, we can't both lead. Listen for God's voice. Ask what He wants for your loved ones and friends, then follow that direction - even if it doesn't initially make sense. Next, share your concerns. What do you fear for the ones you love? Confess those things to God. Tell Him your worries and ask for His help. "Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down" (Philippians 4:6-7, MSG). Praying this way changes us as much as it changes the people around us. Like a dancer learning to let go of fear, you'll find that you stop thinking about the steps and start to move with the beat of His heart.


Today's Reflection:

  • When you pray, does feel more like conversations or monologues? Did you read anything today that you could try the next time you pray?

  • When's the last time you asked God what He wants for your loved ones? Take a few minutes today, and ask Him to give you a word or a verse for the people in your home. Write down what comes to mind and ask the Holy Spirit to confirm it as you pray over the next several days.


 

At Anchor Church, we exist to love and lead one another with the hope of Jesus. We hope this devotional is an encouragement and an inspiration.



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  • Justin Brownlee
    • Apr 16, 2020
    • 2 min read

Changes with Trust


The news media can be a great source for getting caught up on all the current events, but it can also be the source for fears. We get stories about the Coronavirus, the economy, and all the sensational pieces from the national to the local level. No matter our age or stage of life, we don't have to look long or hard to find something to worry about.

We can take steps to protect ourselves from danger, but the fear is still there. That's because true peace, the kind that surpasses all understanding, only comes from trusting in God as our source of safety.

When we recognize we are all God's sons and daughters, a shift in perspective takes place. It is then that we are able to declare this statement, just like the psalmist: "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'" (Psalm 91:1).

Think about the person who makes you feel the safest, the person you’d go anywhere with. The boldness you feel with him or her on your side is a shadow of the confidence that comes from recognizing God is with us wherever we go.

The worst the world can throw at us - disease, disaster, insult - was dealt with on the cross. Death has been cancelled. Fear has been cancelled. And we can walk boldly into anything God calls us to.

Sometimes, in our efforts to "stay safe," we erect walls that keep us from the exact people Jesus called us to reach. Our job isn't to judge others who think differently than we do but to point others to the cross (Romans 14:13).

We don't have to have an answer to every question. All we need is to show the same grace, compassion, and care God shows us. To love and lead them with the hope of Jesus.

When we do, we become the kinds of people others run to for safety. People who hear without judgment and share without reservation. People who make others feel safe sharing their doubts and fears, their excitement, and their dreams.


Today's Reflection:

  • What do you fear? What keeps you up at night? When we're afraid or overwhelmed, God invites us to call on Him and He promises to answer us (Psalm 91:15).

  • How does knowing God is with you change how you approach your day today?



 

At Anchor Church, we exist to love and lead one another with the hope of Jesus. We hope this devotional is an encouragement and an inspiration.



Follow us on social media:

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