AWAKE! A Guide to God-conscious Living / Michael's Outlook Publishing, LLC (ePub)

So, here you are alive, but are you awake? Are you living your life in a meaningful, satisfying way? Are you living your life with purpose, or does life just sort of happen to you? Have your choices in life given you a sense of freedom and inner peace? Or, does confusion and aimlessness seem to reign?

You develop your habits and routines to cope with the world around you in ways that make sense to you. Sometimes, you feel stuck in your habits and routines. You don't know what, specifically, to do to change things, so you go along with whatever seems to be working, hoping you can figure things out before you make too big of a mess of things.

You don't live very many years before you realize there are people with different religious views and philosophies all around you. The family you were reared in had a guiding philosophy. It may have been clearly stated and defined, or it may have been an unspoken influence, but we all live by a philosophy. Philosophy is any kind of system of knowledge and wisdom and instruction that gives meaning to life, and helps give a sense of law and order to society, and seeks to give answers to the basic questions every human asks.

I invite you to take a journey of the mind, to explore a philosophy that can bring about a sense of true freedom and inner peace in your life. Learn about the kind of life that Jesus offers to whoever will listen and obey. He speaks to the issues of the human heart. His teachings, and the writings of his apostles will replace ineffective ways of thinking, and foster a character within you that will help you develop good habits and routines, and help you cope with the uncertainties in life. Christ offers purpose for living in this world, and hope for a brighter future beyond this age. Christ will not turn anyone away who comes to him with a humble, teachable attitude. Come and AWAKE!

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We overcome the negative effects of our personal conflicts as we trust in Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit in us to renew our minds. The apostle Paul strongly urges us, saying, "Be not conformed to this present age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you can examine and approve what is the will of God, that which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:2) Notice that Paul says it is God who transforms you into a new person. It is not your will power, and your effort that brings about the changes you desire. Our minds are powerful. Our thoughts, and our self-talk are the launching pads for our behavior. Victory over conflicts comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in you by replacing old ways of thinking with new truth revealed in Scripture.

We overcome the negative effects of our personal conflicts as we trust in Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit in us to renew our minds. The apostle Paul strongly urges us, saying, "Be not conformed to this present age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you can examine and approve what is the will of God, that which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:2) Notice that Paul says it is God who transforms you into a new person. It is not your will power, and your effort that brings about the changes you desire. Our minds are powerful. Our thoughts, and our self-talk are the launching pads for our behavior. Victory over conflicts comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in you by replacing old ways of thinking with new truth revealed in Scripture.