YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE

Hello Friends,

Our purpose in this life is to let our light shine. God has give us a great blessing through his forgiveness and through his word. He has sacrificed His son, and in doing so, has created a way for us to be saved.

Whether you believe in the God of Jacob or not, we all know deep down that we have been set up to succeed in life. In my last post I spoke of how important it is for us to find the best in life. To briefly touch on that topic, I'll say this. If we look for negativity and darkness in this world, then we will surely find it. But, this can also be reversed. If we condition our mind to see the good in life, then it will surely come out. To return to the subject of success, we need to realize that we have all it takes to succeed in this life. We have an unlimited amount of resources to better ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. And if you want to improve relationally, then simply work on the previous three areas and they will in turn improve the latter.

Now that we agree that we have more than it takes to succeed, I'd like to mention a verse that states what we are to do with this gift. The gift I speak of is not only success in this life, but also the hope for a future beyond the present. The verse is as follows - "for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8.

A lamp is considered a light, and when we turn it on it is meant to shine. With this thought in mind, why is it that so many of us choose to hide our light? Is it because we are nervous? Maybe it is because we don't take the time out of our busy schedules to give the creator recognition for all of the things we are blessed with on a daily basis.

We must constantly feed this light with the word of God, but also with pure positivity. I have a friend who claims he gets the most joy out of life by dancing. He now wants to start a dance studio as a means to share the one thing that's given him peace throughout his life. I admire that. I also have a co-worker who can light up a room simply by smiling. This is truly amazing. We must continue feeding this kind of positivity with more positivity, and we must be more than willing to share it.

It is a great thing when we can help others and help ourselves by letting our light shine. Please remember, just as a fire needs wood to stay burning, we need to always add to our light in order to maintain it, and to properly disperse it.

God Bless!

HOW TO ENJOY LIFE

How do you enjoy life?
This question is a rather easy one to answer; by making a conscious decision to enjoy it.

See, all too often we get caught up in the challenges of our daily lives. So caught up in fact, that we neglect to notice all of the good things going on everyday. If we simply decide to be more happy, and to have fun in what we're doing, then we will be much happier and much less distracted by the negativity in the world.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

I have to ask, do you think it will benefit you to worry?  I have been guilty of worry and dread in the past, and I believe we all have been, but we should do our best to maintain a positive attitude in times of adversity. This thought was recently reinforced in my mind; Christ died for us, and therefore we truly have nothing to worry about. Like the awesome verse says - "If God is for us, who can be against us." Romans 8:1. 

It goes without saying, but there are so many wonderful things we have to be thankful for, salvation being one of them. So I believe that to live a fulfilling life with smiles and laughter we need to make the choice to ignore what's wrong with the world, and to recognize and embrace all the blessings that we are given everyday.

I thought I'd keep it brief today, but you get the point. The good in life is a lot like the stars in the sky; the more you look, the more you find. Please keep this in mind.

God Bless!

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE, BUT ENJOY THE PRESENT

Hello Friends,

I recently realized that I was too focused on the future; so focused in fact, that I started neglecting the things in the present. Now don't get me wrong, it is important to have goals, and life requires that we have goals in order for our life to be a success, however, we should never be so focused on the future that we begin to ignore all of the blessings we have in the present.  Ecclesiastes 8:15 says - ".. A man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun."

We should always strive for perfection, but we should never let that focus distract us from the good things that are happening in our everyday lives. I found that in the past, all my focus was on reaching and exceeding my goals, this caused me to become especially upset when I would reach a roadblock. And might I add that roadblocks are healthy from time to time as they will help you build character, and they can help you become grateful for all the times that life goes well. 

I have met so many people who have been depressed in their everyday lives. The main sign of this is laziness. I have witnessed many people, who just sit around without truly enjoying the things God has given them. We are too quick to just waist time, when we should be reading, having wholesome conversations with people, conducting Bible studies, and doing little healthy things to treat ourselves. It is very important that we stay positive and stay productive at working toward our happiness.

Now after some thought and prayer, I am still focused on my goals, but my attention is also on the good things in my life. We all have things to be thankful for in our lives, such as: family, friends, hobbies, food, work, God's grace, etc. We just need to remember to be grateful and thankful for all that God has done for us, and to remember that we are blessed in both the present and the future.

God Bless,

Noah Brewster

TAKE CONTROL!!!

Hello Friends,

Something has had me quite perplexed lately. More and more I keep seeing people doing and saying things that can be harmful to themselves and to others around them. When I witness these things, I can't help but think these people either can't control themselves, or worse yet, that they just don't want to. 

Self control is key in sustaining a positive and healthy atmosphere. To further grasp this thought, let's look at what it means.  According to Wikipedia, Self Control is the ability to control one's emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations.  Now I understand it may be difficult to do this, especially if you are use to living a certain way, but it is very important that we control our thoughts and our actions in order to make a better future for ourselves and for others. Like Trainerbobonline.com states repeatedly - "You must TAKE CONTROL."

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control." - Proverbs 25:28.

In this day and age so many people struggle with refraining from using bad language, making harmful jokes, thinking immoral thoughts, influencing people in a negative way, etc. Whether you are a Christian or not, I think you'd agree that we should always try to control ourselves.

I have had such a difficult time meeting quality people because they can't seem to stay morally upright and professional. This frustrates me because I care about everyone, and sometimes it seems like I care about them more than they seem to care about themselves. I guess this is probably how God feels, but nonetheless it should change.

I am going to continue to self evaluate my thoughts and actions, and I would ask that you do the same. To make a better future for ourselves, we need to take control and refrain from letting emotion and fleshly desires to dictate what we do.  I think this is a very reasonable, yet crucial thing to do.

God Bless

HOW TO BE A WINNER

Hello Friend,

Do you know how to win?
Do you know how to get the results that you want?
I can answer this question with a rather easy answer...
You will get results simply by taking action. Many of us suffer in life because we just don't do the things we know we should be doing. We waste our time sitting around waiting for something to happen and for something to change when we need to stand up and become the change that we want to see. Now you ask; "Noah, what does it mean to take action?" And I would respond "To take action!!!" See, people over complicate it. Most of us sit around making excuses as to why we aren't where we want to be, but I'm telling you, if you just begin to make the changes that you know you should make, then you will be victorious in all of the areas of your life.

Many of us think that we lack the ability to make these progressive changes in our lives, but the truth is that You have the power to make your life better. 1 John 4:4 says - "...Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." If the Bible is correct, (and we know it is) then God is on your side and He wants you to succeed! If God is truly on your side, then you know you have no reason to fail. Now you may be thinking "Noah, you are making this too religious," but what I just said is true my friend. The creator of the universe wants you to win, and He has enabled you with the necessary tools to do so.

Many of us continue in a lifestyle that makes us unhappy, such as; Staying at a job we don't like, continuing to date people we aren't content with, etc. We often times do this because we don't want the people we are around to be offended or to dislike us, but have you ever thought about what you want? We need to break free from oppressive lifestyles like this. If you aren't content with a certain aspect of your life, then change it!! Now some of these processes take time, and I understand that, but we should always be doing something to help improve our current situation. For example; if you want a better job, then it will take time to find one, but you should be looking and applying at other jobs daily. Always take progressive steps toward your goal daily.

While on the topic of improving your current situation, I'll tell you my story. Just over a year ago I weighed 150 lbs. I wasn't happy with how I looked, or how I felt physically or emotionally. So what I decided to do was to take action. I began to lift weights on a regular basis, and on the days that I didn't, I was eating extra food, stretching the sore muscles, and reading up on how to bulk more. See, I was making a determined effort to do something everyday to make my life better. Now I am happy to say I now weigh nearly 175 lbs and I lost 5 lbs of fat in the process. I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm a lot closer than what I would have been if I hadn't taken action and stayed consistent.

Now what are you going to do? I know there is something that you want to change in your life. It is your duty to yourself and to God to improve yourself and to make your life the way it should be. So I will ask again, what are you going to do?

P.s. Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

God Bless!!

THE CURE FOR LONELINESS (POEM)

Loneliness can be very hard
Loneliness can weigh on your heart
But there is no need for you to fear
For there is most certainly a cure

Maybe you have been hurt by a loved one
And maybe you think your hope is all gone
But thankfully for you there is someone
Who won't stop until your heart is won

This amazing being I speak of
Who is making sure you are loved
Sent His son whom He beloved
To guarantee that you'll have a home above

Now here is what you must do
To guarantee that this will work for you
Just follow the scripture in Romans 10-9
And everything for you will be just fine

Just kneel down and tell God the truth
"My savior, I know that I need you"
My wicked ways will soon be no more
Because your son Jesus has now opened the door
I choose to make every day a better one
Because now I know that with God I have won

Choose to make God the lord of your life
And everything will soon be alright
You and your loved ones may sometimes fight
But this will soon be fixed with time

Just keep in mind the grace that's been sent
For now you won't have to dwell in loneliness
The reason for this has now been made clear
With God on your side there is nothing to fear

God Bless,
Noah Brewster

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

 You want peace, right? You want happiness too, correct?  Whether consciously or subconsciously, you probably answered yes. Most of us know that we should consistently be doing something productive to reach our goals and to obtain happiness and peace. With a greater purpose in life, these things are feasible. I would like to share with you now the great advice that the Bible gives us on this subject. 

DISCLAIMER: Whether you believe in God or not, this information can still be helpful to you. Please read it and be open to change, as change is what can make this world a better place. 

1) You can't do it alone:  Proverbs 3:5 says - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." When we attempt to make important decisions using our old worldly philosophy, things are bound to go wrong for us. However, when we consult God first by reading the Bible, then we will be making decisions with a mindset that is enforced and inspired by sound, logical, Godly ideas. Prayer also will help with this, as praying causes us to ponder and focus on what is prominent in our minds and will therefore help us to sort it out.

2) Do all it takes: A big thing that will help you be more happy is by having more confidence. Confidence usually comes from taking action. When we do the things we know we should do, and when we begin to see results, we will immediately feel more confident and more at peace with who we are. We should always make it our mission to do all it takes with whatever we are trying to accomplish. Ephesians 6:13 instructs - "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

3) Be selfless:  God would have it that we all share and help each other out. When we give to others, not only are we helping them, but we are also helping ourselves. Have you ever donated money to a good cause whether it be a church, a homeless person, or a needy friend? Have you noticed that after doing so it feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders? This is because we know deep down that this is the right thing to do, and therefore we are at peace when we do it. By helping others you will soon begin to see that you will also get many things that you desire; that's just how this world works. Romans 12:13 "When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality."

So there you have it; these are some really good ways to boost your confidence, to become a happier person, and to obtain ultimate peace. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

God Bless,

Noah Brewster