Page 31 - Faith-Based Workbook 8-27-18

TOPUCU Adult Faith-Based Workbook Lesson 4: Part 2

LESSON 4: PART 2
or behavior you were initially trying to avoid. busy,” or, “I’m just too tired to read my Bible
The power of your words is something we tonight.” Do we really need to go through E TO THE 7 POWER
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are going to explore in depth during part 2 the litany of excuses we humans come up
of this lesson, but for the purposes of what with it? We can’t let our minds get to the
we are discussing right now, suffice it to place where we are mired in excuses. It’s
say there are fewer things in this world that just like the story of Peter we discussed in
have the creative and destructive magnitude Lesson 2. Peter could have kept walking There is no doubt that our words have power. Proverbs 18:21 states it very plainly “Death
of words. Instead of just thinking about the toward Jesus on the water, but he thought The book of James in the New Testament and life are in the power of the tongue, and
shortcomings of our ancestors, we begin the wind was too strong or the waves were speaks at length about the tongue: those who love it will eat its fruits.” (NIV)
to talk about it. The negative speech is now crashing too high and the rain was too heavy. It doesn’t get any plainer than that. But of
confirming the negative thoughts. We’ve “…For every kind of beast and bird, of course, taming our words and thoughts and
given the thoughts more power. Think The seventh E stands for “Enveloped.” reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and consequently the way they affect us is much
about this example of corrosive rust. If you This means you are completely covered, has been tamed by mankind, but no human easier said than done. So today we are going
take water, salt and steel and put them in a surrounded and wrapped in the excuses being can tame the tongue. It is a restless to discuss E to the 7 Power in more depth,
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vacuum nothing will happen. But if you take you’ve created for yourself. This is the evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless because we believe that, along with prayer
them out of the vacuum and expose the mix point where change becomes very difficult our Lord and Father, and with it we curse for God’s guidance and strength, this formula
to air you’ll have rust. The first four E’s took because everywhere you look, you see a people who are made in the likeness of will help to push you toward your goal of
place in your brain, but when you take it reason why you can’t achieve. Everywhere God.” James 3:6-8 (NIV) seeing total transformation.
from thought to “Experience” you breathe you go, you’re reminded of why you can’t The Bible is unapologetic when it comes
air into that thought and create corrosive move forward. Every time you stand up to warning people about the destructive Let’s get down to it.
rust in your life. you’re looking for the first opportunity to
sit back down. potential of words. The things we hear Just as negative thoughts enter your mind,
The sixth E stands for “Excuse.” and read get into our minds – that’s an so do positive thoughts. But do you entertain
Now that you’ve decided to continue back Entrance. Entertain. Examine. Enjoy. inevitable. Those words become thoughts, “I can do it” thoughts? Do you speak positive
to that negative behavior, you begin to make Experience. Excuse. Enveloped. These are and if those thoughts are negative they things to yourself? Instead of thinking, “I’ll
excuses for why you can’t be a finisher. You the 7 E’s that progress through our minds as can be very dangerous. In the first part of never finish this schoolwork,” start thinking
begin to duck responsibility and blame negative thoughts attempt to take hold of us. this lesson, we discussed these dangers to yourself, “I will finish this schoolwork.”
everything else. Your circumstances are to In part 2 of this lesson we are going to delve and the unavoidability of negativity, but it’s Instead of thinking, “I’m overweight and out
blame. Your upbringing is to blame. Your deeper into the 7 E’s and teach you more what we do with those negative thoughts of shape,” start thinking to yourself, “I will
past mistakes are the reason. We say things tools that will allow you to take back control that gives them power to set us back, make lose weight and get in shape.” Instead of
like, “I really have a challenge with school of your thoughts and emotions so you can us stumble, keep us complacent or even thinking, “I’ll never get ahead in life,” start
work,” or, “Coach, I was going to get into move closer to becoming a finisher and destroy us. We learned that entertaining and applying the motivation formula and thinking,
shape this off season, but I was just so achieving a transformative life. verbalizing those negative thoughts may “Yes, I will get ahead in life!” Start thinking,
seem inconsequential at first, but can lead to “Yes, I can do the hard work that is necessary
the gradual deterioration of our will to make to increase my odds of success!” or “I will
NOTES: positive change in our lives. There is a phrase do the hard work that is necessary to
which states, “What you accept, you teach.” become a finisher!”
If you accept negative, defeatist thoughts
you will eventually be teaching yourself how The first step is the entrance of the positive
to speak those thoughts and ultimately live thought you had in Lesson One about
them out. But if you begin to accept positive, breaking the bad habit you're working on
victorious thoughts then you will be another throughout this Starter Program. As we’ve
step closer to becoming the finisher you discussed, thoughts come into your mind
want to be. through hearing and reading words. Have
you written down that change you want
to see? Are you reading it daily? Are you

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