Mt Olive Baptist Church

Join us for a midweek pandemic pep talk from Pastor Tony Johnson as he continues the discussion title, We’ve Got To Do Better! Invite someone to watch with you. We don’t own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Pastor_Tony_Johnson #Word_Up_Wednesday

How can you get past the troubles in this life? We know that they won’t go away, so how is it possible to live a life for the Lord and not focus on our momentary troubles? 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. We must have a heaven focused mindset instead of an earthly mindset. We must not all...ow the troubles of today affect our future and our godly lives. We have to see everything as temporary instead of lasting problems. Instead of fixing your gaze on the momentary things of this world, fix your gaze on the unseen things. These things will last forever. If we see everything through the eyes of Christ, then we will see them differently and not selfishly. We will see relationships differently when we see them through His eyes. He will lead and guide our relationships when we see them through His eyes, whether it is romantic relationships, friendships, family relationships, or work relationships. Everything can change when we allow God to be a part of our relationships.

God will supply all of my needs. Who agrees?God will supply all of my needs. Who agrees?

To get closer to God, you’ve got to open your heart to him. Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I’ll come in and we’ll eat together (Revelation 3:20 GW). Jesus Christ has been standing and knocking at the door of your life for a long time. He wants to come in and help you use your passion in positive ways. But he’s a gentleman. He’s not going to bust the door down.... You’ve got to open it up. (RW)

While we may go through sorrow in this life, while tragedy may strike, cancer may take over our earthly bodies, a global pandemic may threaten to wipe us out, we do not lose hope. While our outward bodies are wasting away, our inner spirit is being renewed day by day as 2 Corinthians 4:16 states (That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day). There is great hope to be found in Christ. We cannot trust in ourselves and our... own earthly bodies. We will lead ourselves astray every time. We will get distracted and lose sight of who He is if we trust ourselves instead of the Lord. We cannot trust something that is temporary. However, God is eternal. He has placed His Spirit inside of us to live and breathe. Our spiritual selves are being renewed day by day because that is what God does. He renews us. Even when we try to mess things up, He will still pick us back up and renew our spirits. Allow yourself to be found in Him today. May you rely on Him and His Spirit to lead and guide you. May you allow Him to renew your spirit today. #mountolivebcsd

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So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 There are consequences for every type of action. This verse says that when you allow the spirit to control your heart and mind you will find peace and even life. But when you allow your sinful nature, which we all have, control who you are, you will find only death. We will all struggle in this life to constantly allow the spirit to be i...n control. We were all born into sin and continue to struggle with sin even after salvation. But it does not have to control us. When Jesus is Lord of your heart, He is in control. When he went to death on the cross, he reserved the right to be in control of your life. You just have to decide that is what you want. It is no different than driving a car. When you drive a car, do you want to be in control or do you want the person riding with you to be in control? God wants to be in control. He can see the journey and the road ahead, so let Him drive! See more

Sometimes you’re scared to death and vulnerable. You don’t know where you’re going, how long it’s going to take, or what’s going to happen when you get there. So what do you do? You remember that the path to a miracle often goes through uncomfortable territory. The Bible gives an illustration in 1 Kings 17:8-10: Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah, ‘Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath (...NCV). God’s instructions meant that Elijah would have to walk more than 100 miles during a drought through dangerous territory. Everyone he met would know who he wasand King Ahab had a price on his head. Elijah’s path was definitely an uncomfortable one. When Elijah finally made it to Zarephath, he met a poor widow who was going to feed him. But the town still was full of pagan people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. How could the widow defend or protect him? Miracles don’t happen when things are comfortable. Miracles happen when things are uncomfortable. Elijah didn’t say, God, there are three things wrong with this plan. One, you’re sending me in the wrong direction. Two, you’re sending me to the wrong location. And three, you’re sending me to the wrong protection. Elijah just obeyed. God’s path to a miracle often takes you through uncomfortable territory so you’ll learn to depend on him. It was true for Elijah and for God’s people throughout the Bible. For instance: When Moses led the Israelites out of slavery to the Promised Land, they had to go through the Red Sea first. Before David could slay Goliath, he had to walk onto the battlefield. God told Jehoshaphat to put the choir before the army, and he’d win the victory. How much faith do you think that took? Miracles never happen in your comfort zone. When everything is settled in your life, you don’t need a miracle. You only need a miracle when you’re at a low. Are you at a place where things are a little uncomfortablefinancially, emotionally, relationally, or physically? Maybe you’re nervous, unsettled, or insecure. Congratulations. You’re on the path to a miracle! On your uncomfortable path, follow the example of Elijah. Obey God so you can see his miracle at the end of the road.(RW)

Pastor Tony Johnson continues this pandemic pep talk about starting strong with God! All are welcome to join us. We do not own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Word_Up_Wednesday #Pastor_Tony_Johnson

How do you want God to use you? What ways can you use your talents in view of eternity? That means spending your time on earth preparing for your time in heaven. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, Use every part of your body to give glory back to God (TLB). Many peopleincluding some Christianshave a big misconception about heaven. They think that when you get to heaven, you’ll kick back and eat bon-bons, wear a white robe, play a harp, and float on clouds. But none of ...those things are in the Bible! So what are you going to do for all those trillions of years when you get to heaven? God has plans for you to serve in heaven. You’ll have workenjoyable things you’ll do in service to God. And your time on earth is practice for that. If you hope God will give you a place of serious service in eternity, you can’t spend your time on earth just living for yourself. Imagine if all through life you just sit on the bench, saying, I live for me. Then, when you get to heaven, you say, Okay, God, take me off the bench and put me on the A team. Let me serve you now. God will say, Forget it. What serving skills did you develop with your time on earth? You have no serving ability. God wants you to understand that right now is your chance to get ready for the real thing. You’ll take to heaven only two things: your character and your skills. You’re not going to take any of your money or possessions. You’re not going to take a single material thing to heaven. So don’t waste your time on what you can’t take with you. Instead, spend your time developing your serving skills and building your character to be more like Jesus. How are you using your talents for God? Or are you using all your talents on yourself? God wants you to serve him well here on earth and forever in heaven.(RW)

If you want to get ready to be used by God, first you need to get to know Jesus Christ. Then you need to use your time in view of eternity. Colossians 4:5 says, Use your time in the best way you can (ICB). Time is your most precious resource. It’s far more important than money. You can get more money, but you can’t get more time. You only have a certain amount allotted to you in this life. You can’t make time. You can’t borrow time. You can’t save time. You can’t extend tim...e. You can only use it. We all have the same amount of time every week: 168 hours. You won’t be able to manage anything else in your life if you don’t learn how to manage your time well. Your time is your life. God is watching how you manage your time on earth to determine what he’s going to have you do in eternity. One of Satan’s strategies is to get you so busy doing unimportant things that you don’t have time for the important things in lifepreparing for eternity. If Satan can’t get you to be bad, he’ll just get you to be busy. The Bible tells you exactly what you should be doing with your time: My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus (Acts 20:24 NLT). God wants to use you, but he wants to make sure you’re investing your time in the most important things. That means using your time in view of eternity. Ask yourself, How much of what I’m spending my time on is going to count five years from now? How much is going to count in eternity? Then use your answers to refocus your time. You have 365 days in front of you during 2021. How can you use your time in view of eternity?(RW)

What do you do when you can’t fix a problem, solve a riddle, change a circumstance, or control a hurt? You throw yourself on the sustaining grace of God. He offers you the kind of grace you need to keep going in spite of temptations, trials, tension, tiredness, and troubles. To accept his grace, do these four things: Cry out for God’s help. When you pretend to be self-sufficient, you short-circuit God’s power in your life. You need to admit your inadequacy and say, God, I ca...n’t handle this! The Bible says, ‘God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.’ So give yourselves completely to God . . . Come near to God, and God will come near to you (James 4:6-8 NCV). Fill your mind with God’s Word. Let God’s Word comfort, strengthen, fill, soothe, and energize you to keep going. Get into it every single day of your life. The psalmist prayed, I lie in the dust; revive me by your word (Psalm 119:25 NLT). If you could find the solution within yourself, you’d already be changed. You need to look to God! He’s the only one with sustaining strength. Accept support from God’s people. The Bible says that, by helping each other with our troubles, we obey the law of Christ, which is, Love your neighbor as yourself. God never meant for you to go through life on your own. Our weaknesses help us realize how much we need each other. You need to accept support from God’s people. Hold on to God’s promises. There are around 5,500 of them in the Bible waiting to be claimed. Here’s one of them: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV). Keep your hope in the Lord and your eyes focused on the hope of heaven, not just on the here and now. The Bible says, Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV). When you’re going through a problem you can’t fix, don’t give up. Just look up!(RW)

Pastor Tony Johnson shares this end of the year message that he titles, Don’t Go Back That Way! Scripture reference is Matthew 2:12-15. Get the family together and watch it while you enjoy your breakfast. We do not own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Pastor_Tony_Johnson #Don't_Go_Back_That_Way #Matthew_2:12-15 #San_Diego_Churches #What_A_Friend #Amazing_Grace #Pandemic_PepTalk

We’re all given the same number of minutes in a day. And we’re all given the same goalto become more like Jesus. If I were to describe Jesus in one word, it would be this: unselfish. So, for you and me, the whole goal of life is learning how to become more and more unselfish, because to be unselfish is loveand Jesus is love. God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helpin...g them (Hebrews 6:10 NCV). Our reward in heaven is going to be based on what we did here on earth. One day, we’re all going to stand before God, and he’s going to say, What did you do with what you were given? Do you want to say, Well, I made a lot of money, retired, and died? You were put on earth for more than that! Instead, live unselfishly and give yourself away for others and the Kingdom of God. Then you will be able to say to God, I gave it all, Lord. I’m laid bare. Everything I have and am, I gave it away for the Gospel. One of the most significant things you can do with your life is to give it awayto be generous with what you’ve been given, including your money, resources, time, and talent. God says clearly that when there is no service or generosity, there will be no reward in heaven. Is that how you want your time on earth to end? Make your time on earth count for eternity. Help people come to know Christ, discover their purpose for life, grow in their maturity, find their ministry, and serve in their mission in the world. When you give your life away, life takes on new meaning, new joy, and new excitement. When you give your life away, you begin to fully live.(RW)

Join us for our midweek message of hope, as Pastor Tony Johnson continues to encourage us with an insightful pandemic pep-talk. We do not own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Word_Up_Wednesday #Pastor_Tony_Johnson #Pandemic_Pep_Talk

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 Drinking alcohol is a very hot topic in the Christian world with many different views. Whether your view is that drinking alcohol can hurt your witness and be dangerous, or if your view is that a little alcohol does not hurt, you can hopefully agree that there is no benefit to being drunk with wine. This verse makes it very clear that getting drunk can ruin your life. It ca...n lead to addictions and it can also ruin any standing you have with people who are not saved. If they see you acting like a fool, then they will think that is what it looks like to be a Christian and they will not want any part of it. This verse goes on to tell us to instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul was one who was accused often of being drunk when in fact he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He acted so differently from his former life and so passionate about Christ, that people just couldn’t believe it and thought he was intoxicated. When you live differently from the world, they will not recognize who you are and will try to reason in their mind why you act the way you do. So fill yourself with the Holy Spirit and make every action count. See more

Life is not fair. God never said it would be! Life is unfair because there is sin in the world. Jesus came to make things right, and, one day, they will be. But, right now, sometimes bad people prosper. Sometimes good people suffer. Sometimes innocent people get hurt. If you have been discriminated against because of your race, culture, language, or gender, if you’ve been abused, if you have been harassed or mistreatedthat breaks my heart, and I am sorry for your hurt.... We should do whatever we can to correct injustice. But there’s something even more important than the way I feel about it. It’s the way God feels about it. God has seen every hurt in your life, and he grieves over injustice, too. God may not stop a hurt from happening, but God is keeping a record. Not only that, but he’s storing up your tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). The Bible also says, Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’ (Romans 12:19 ESV). Because God is loving, he is also a God of justice. To allow evil to hurt his children and not seek justice would be unloving. Since God seeks justice, you don’t have to spend your life holding on to hurts. In fact, God doesn’t want you to waste one second of your life on resentment, retaliation, or revenge. That’s just going to fill you with the poison of bitterness. Don’t waste your life on bitterness! Some of you are allowing people who hurt you 10 years ago to still hurt you today because you’re holding on to the memory of that hurt. That’s foolish! They can only hurt you when you choose to hold on to the hurt. You have to let it go. Justice delayed is not justice denied. God is very aware of what people have done to you, and there will be a day of reckoning. Do you trust him? If you do, you’ll let it go. Surrender your hurt to Jesus, and let him settle the score.(RW)

Morning Family! Here’s our morning worship service for today! There are some technical difficulties with the FB Live, but you can watch the full video here on YouTube. https://youtu.be/TzzJIjFOtUY

Jesus is often referred to as the good shepherd in the scriptures and we are referred to as His sheep He carries close to His heart. There are times in our lives when Jesus knows that we cannot make it through certain situations. It may be because we are facing financial problems, health issues or grief. But no matter what the reason, we can trust that He is there to carry us. Allow Him to pick you up today.

When you became a Christian, did you expect life to suddenly be perfect? If you did, I bet you found out pretty quickly that there are all kinds of trials for Christiansincluding relational, financial, physical, and mental. Some people expect life to be heaven on earth. But this is not heaven! We pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heavenbecause then it would be done perfectly.... But on earth, God’s will is seldom done. Everything on this planet is broken. The weather, the economy, our bodies, and our relationships don’t always work right. We can be sure that, because of sin, bad things will happen. We can also be assured of God’s promises to support us in all the trouble we will face on this earth. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned upthe flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God (Isaiah 43:2-3 TLB). When you go through deep waters and rivers of difficulty, God doesn’t promise that you won’t get wet. You’re going to go through some problems that have pain. You’re going to get wet. But God does promise that you’re not going to drown. When you go through the fire, it’s going to get hot. But God promises that you’re not going to burn up. You’re going to make it through. Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purposeI am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace] (AMP). That doesn’t mean that you can do anything because of who you are. It means you can have confidence in whatever trouble life brings because you face it with the power of Christ in you. You may not feel very strong right now. But the strength you need will come when you need it. The Bible doesn’t say to ask God for your weekly or monthly bread. It says to pray, God, give me my daily bread. I need just enough strength for today. God will support you in your trouble. He always gives you the strength you need for today.(RW)

I would rather attempt to do something great with my life and fail than attempt to do nothing with my life and succeed. Yet, that’s where most people are! They’re drifting through life. They have no goals. They’re not aiming for the moon because they’re so afraid they’re just going to hit the fencepost. People have forgotten or never understood that failure is not the same as being unable to do something. Failure is being unwilling to try. You move forward in spite of your fe...ars. The Bible says in Matthew 9:29, According to your faith let it be done to you (NIV). When you move forward and show God you’re willing to trust him with the unknown, you are choosing how much God will bless your life. Life is a marathon. People do not run a marathon to get first place. Only one person out of the thousands running can get first place. They run a marathon to finish and be able to say, I did it. I tried! You’re not going to be number one in most things in life, and neither am I. What really matters is this: Did you finish the race, or did you quit too soon and coast for the latter part of your life? Did you run hard and fast for Jesus Christ until the day he took you home? Hebrews 11:6 says, Without faith it is impossible to please God (NIV). Faith means you try. You set a goal, take risks, and work hard. Whether or not you reach your goal or challenge is irrelevant. When you attempt something for the glory of God, you can’t be considered a failure, no matter what happens. If you’re doing something in faith, then you’re already a success.(RW)

When you ask people what sin is, you’ll get a wide range of answers, from murder to forgetting to call your mom on Mother’s Day. Most of the time, people think of sin as bad behavior. And your bad behaviors often do reveal sin. But the Bible tells us that God pays more attention to our thoughts than our behaviors. Because it’s sinful thinking that leads to sinful behavior. So what is sin? Sin is the opposite of God. The Bible says, Everything he does is good, he is good to... everyone and has compassion on all he made, and everything that God has created is good (Psalm 111:7 NCV; Psalm 145:9 GNT; 1 Timothy 4:4 GNT). For example, when you use prescription drugs the right way, they can bring helpful relief. But when you misuse and abuse drugs, something good becomes something harmful. Money is neither good nor bad. It can be used for great good, but it also can be used for incredibly bad things. God expects you to turn from your sins and start walking faithfully toward him. Part of faith is trusting that God has your best interests in mind. You don’t have to wonder what God is like. The Bible says clearly that he is perfect and does not sin. While you will never be perfect on earth, you can become more like Jesus. This starts by turning away from sin and making choices every day to pursue what is good and godly.(RW)

Merry Christmas Family!

Pastor Tony shares this timely message entitled, Come Do It Yourself, taken from Acts 16:35-40. Invite a friend to watch with you! We do not own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Pastor_Tony_Johnson #San_Diego_Churches

Join us this morning for the word at 9am and 11am. We’re on Facebook Live, YouTube or our church website! Grab the Family and let’s worship! #mountolivebcsd #inspiration #sunday #worship #comedoityourself

A lot of things that are true won’t set you free. You can learn how to program a computer, but that won’t set you free. You could read all the latest self-help books, but that won’t set you free either. The only truth that sets you free is the truth of God’s Word: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32 NLT). A lot of people can quote this verse, but not everyone acknowledges that it’s talking about the Bible or is even from the Bible. If knowing... God’s Word is the only way to be free, then you’ve got to make reading and studying the Bible a priority in your life. You’ve got to feed your mind on the truth of God’s Word. The ancient Israelite King David understood how important God’s Word is. There was a time when he had so many enemies that he was actually a fugitive. He was running for his life and hiding in caves. But no matter what happened, he fed himself with God’s truth. Psalm 119:95 is one of the psalms he wrote during this time, and it says, Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws (NLT). When you look around at things in the world, it’s easy to get discouraged. If you scroll through your news feed, listen to talk radio, or watch the news, you’re going to get down. You’re going to feel hopeless. But when you fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word, then you will have more hope and a better perspective on your lifeeven when you’re in a crisis and running from your enemies. How I love your law! I think about it all day long (Psalm 119:97 GNT). It might be intimidating to try to think about God’s Word all day long. That’s because it doesn’t come naturally to anyone! You might struggle to think about God’s Word even one time in your day, but you can start somewhere. Try starting your day with the Word of God. Spend 10 minutes reading the Bible in the morning, and then you can think about what you read throughout your day. And the Holy Spirit will help you recall what you’ve read when you need it in difficult times.(RW)

Wait for God. Wait on God. Wait with God.Wait for God. Wait on God. Wait with God.

Have you ever felt like you are a hostage to your thoughts? Maybe you just can’t get a thought out of your mind. Or you often find yourself doing things you don’t want to do. You knowingly engage in self-defeating behavior. You know something is not good for you, but you do it anyway. Romans 7:23 says, I see a different law at work in my bodya law that fights against the law which my mind approves of. It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body (GN...T). Because of your sinful nature, you think of yourself and your wants more than what God wants. It’s a battle in your mind, and you’re losing it. Your old naturewho you were before Jesus changed your lifeis not your friend. It is the source of all your self-defeating habits that tend to take you down. Do you want to break those habits and have more control over the way you think? Then you need to hear and understand this truth: You don’t have to believe everything you think. Your mind lies to you all the time. Just because you think something is true doesn’t make it true. Just because you feel something is true doesn’t make it true. Your mind and your emotions often lie to you. Part of spiritual growthbecoming more like Jesusis learning to know the difference between thoughts that are true and those that are not. One of the most important disciplines you can build in life is to challenge your own thoughts. Say to yourself, I know what I’m thinking, but is that really true? No matter how far you go in your spiritual walk, your old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of your thoughts. You have to learn to question your thoughts, not just one time but throughout your day and throughout your life! When you start to think nobody likes you, ask yourself if that’s really true. If you think it’s never going to get better, ask yourself if it’s true. When you think your life is worthless, question what Satan is trying convince you of. Then, remember what you know from God’s Word to be true. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit (Romans 8:5 NLT).(RW)

If you’re very far into adulthood, you’ve probably learned that you can handle more pain than you ever thought. In fact, it probably took going through difficult times for you to realize just how much you could handle. Human beings can stand an enormous amount of pain if they can see a purpose in the pain and a reward past the pain. That’s exactly what Jesus did when he went to the cross. He was in excruciating pain, but he looked past the pain to the reward in heaven. He had... an eternal perspective. Jesus wasn’t just looking at the here and now. If he was, his future would have looked bleak, and he would have despaired. But Jesus looked past the pain to the reward in heaven. He valued that eternal reward far more than any temporary relief on earth. When you’re in pain and just looking at the here and now, you can get discouraged and depressed. Sometimes you may feel like giving up. The only way you’re going to make it through the toughest times in life is to look past the pain to the reward in heaven. Hebrews 12:2 says, [Jesus] did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God’s throne (GNT). Jesus endured the shameful pain on the cross because he knew of the joy that would be his afterward. The greatest joy for Jesusand usis the hope of an eternity in heaven, where we will be in God’s presence forever. When you get the mind of Christ, you begin to think the way Jesus doesabout your past, your present, your future, God, life, death, sin, salvation, your friends, and your confidence. You realize there’s more to life than just here and now, and that gives you the strength to endure.(RW)

Pastor Tony Johnson encourages us with tonight’s Pandemic Pep-talk, Being A Living Testimony! We do not own the rights to this music. #Mount_Olive_Baptist_Church_San_Diego #Word_Up_Wednesday #Pandemic_Peptalk #Pastor_Tony_Johnson #Being_A_Living_Testimony #San_Diego_Churches

To have the mind of Christ means you want to do God’s will, even when it’s painful, even when it’s difficult, even when it seems impossible. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of this the night before he went to the cross. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in agony knowing the pain he was going to face the next daynot just the physical pain but the emotional and spiritual pain of being separated from his Father as he carried the shame and weight of our sin. Even then, J...esus prayed, Abba, Father . . . everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will (Mark 14:36 NIV). In Gethsemane, Jesus said that he wanted to do God’s will, not his own, even if it was painful. Any time you’re in pain, pray the Garden of Gethsemane prayer. There are three parts to it. The first part is faith. Jesus believed God had the power to change his situation. You can pray that, too. Whatever kind of situation you’re going through right now, you can start by praying in faith, God, I know you’ve got the power to change this. Then ask God for his help. It’s appropriate to say, God, I’m asking for your help. I’m in a lot of pain right now, and I need some relief. I’m asking for you to do a miracle. I know you have the power to change the situation, and I’m asking you to do it. The third part of the Gethsemane prayer is surrender, and its key to learning to have the mind of Christ. Pray like Jesus did: Lord, even though I’m asking you to take away the pain, I surrender to you. More than anything else, even more than relief, I want your will, not mine. Are you ready to say that to God in your hour of greatest need? When you do, you show your spiritual maturity and trust in God to continue to provide for you and use your trouble for good.(RW)

To think like Jesus means to be willing to forgive the people who have hurt you. Even on the cross, Jesus forgave. In Luke 23:34 he says of the people who tortured and hung him there, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (NIV). Who has hurt you the most in life? Who are you holding a grudge against? What pain are you holding on to because you cannot forgive?... When you hold on to hurt, you’re really only hurting yourself. You need to forgive the person, not because they deserve it but because God has forgiven you, and he expects you to do the same for others. You forgive because you don’t want your pain to turn into bitterness and resentment. Being unforgiving is like drinking poison and hoping it hurts the other person. Jesus always forgives, but he never stops with just forgiveness. He gives a radical example when he says, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44 GNT). It is not enough to just forgive. God wants you to learn to respond to evil with good and bless those who have hurt you. He wants you to pray for their good. Why would you do that? Because thinking like Jesus is the healthiest, happiest, and most healing way to live. If you have the mind of the world, you’re only going to live in the pain of past hurt. When you have the mind of Christ, you are free to forgive and bless. You’re free to move forward with your life, secure in your salvation and hope for the future.(RW)