Step Six

Welcome back to ...

THE PATH

James 1:4
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

I trust you're taking just one step each day.
If you try and build on top of something before the glue dries,
your project will not turn out very strong. We want it to be perfect!

Great to see you again ...

Today I have an exciting new project for you that will help you remove your problem(s). As you know, every garden should have the nutrients it needs to feed and nourish it. There’s no doubt about it, fertilizer is the best answer for a stronger healthier and more fruitful garden.

Weeds rob your soil from all those valuable nutrients that are necessary for a thriving garden, so we need to replace the nutrients that all those pesky weeds have robbed so that it’s rich and fertile once again and you can begin to produce more fruit for the Lord.

MIRACLE GROW

This new program is a way of showing God your dedication to being free of your problem. It’s also a way of goal setting. You’ve probably heard many times that it’s a proven fact that when you write down your goals on paper, your chances of attaining those goals are tremendously higher than if you don’t.

As we discussed in the TRINITY study ... You are made up into three individual parts yet are one entity. There is the Soul, the Spirit and the Body. Your MIRACLE GROW project will help you to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit. In doing so, it’s like a preventive maintenance program to avoid and resist new seeds from taking root and old problems from resurfacing in your life.

STRENGTHEN YOUR MIND

Your mind (the soul) controls your body (flesh) and your emotions (spirit), so strengthening your mind is a very important exercise. Your mind (Soul) tells your body (flesh) and your emotions (your spirit) to act and react to thoughts that your mind (Soul) has. Sounds strange huh?

Well lemme show you just how NORMAL it is.

Imagine if you will ...You are having an absolutely SON-derful day and suddenly you get a call from a friend who tells you that your friend of 20 years died. Your Mind (Soul) hears this news through the "ears" and it enters the Mind (Soul) ... You then THINK sad thoughts and immediately your emotions (spirit) are affected and you FEEL different than you did 30 seconds earlier.

Your body (flesh) changes in that you can feel weak and tears are created from your eyes. ALL this from one THOUGHT that entered your mind. It is a natural procedure within humans. This procedure within us works the same for all thoughts. Whether the thought be that of anger, jealousy, lust, fear, doubt or pride ... Or good thoughts such as love, understanding, forgiveness, faith and compassion ...

WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS WHAT YOU RECEIVE

MARK 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

MARK 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

MATTHEW 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

THINK about this TRUTH.

BUT ... What if we controlled those thoughts that enter our Mind (Soul) ...
Would we not then be able to control our emotions (spirit) and our body (flesh)?

How do you strengthen your mind (Soul)?

With knowledge of the TRUTH.

After removing the seeds within as we have been performing and filling your mind with TRUTH, it will help you discern good from bad seeds (thoughts).

NOW JUST HOLD ON HERE A MINUTE ... IS THIS ONE OF THOSE NEW WAVE OR SCIENTIFIC THEORIES?

WHERE DID WE GET THIS IDEOLOGY FROM?

THE ANSWER IS ...

THE BIBLE

We are told to ... Think GOOD thoughts.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Paul is telling us that we should control our thoughts and THINK on these good thoughts.

The Bible CLEARLY reveals that we are to gain control and strengthen our minds.

Be transformed by renewing your mind.
Put on the new man.

ROMANS 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Serve God with your mind.

ROMANS 7:25
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Renew your mind.

EPHESIANS 4:23-24
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Forget the past, think forward, be thus minded.

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-15
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Soooooooo, as you can see ...The Bible is clear.

We ARE commanded to renew our minds.

In the MIRACLE GROW project, you won’t be strengthening your body physically, but instead, you’ll be strengthening the control your Mind (Soul) has over the body (flesh). Remember that the mind (Soul) controls the body (Flesh), so you’ll be using your mind (Soul) to control your body (flesh) also.

STRENGTHEN YOUR SPIRIT

Again ... It is IMPORTANT for you to understand that your spirit is the part of you that listens and obeys the things that your mind (Soul) tells it to feel.

Let me further elaborate on this topic ... You have many different emotions. Happiness, sorrow, anxiety, fear, excitement, love, anger, etc., etc. Your spirit holds these emotions only if you THINK thoughts which produce said emotions (spiritual reactions).

Your spirit reacts with these feelings when your mind (soul) tells your spirit that something is sad as in the example given before, your spirit says “gotcha” and you become grieved in your spirit.

Many people think that the spirit and the soul are the same thing, but, the Bible provided us the TRUTH.

Your mind is the soul, and it controls your spirit.

Your soul (Mind) is like your control center for your feelings and emotions.

Make sure you have read this study to fully understand this TRUTH.

WHO AM I

Your mind (Soul) and your spirit can cause physical reactions too.
Tears, goose bumps, shaking, laughter as well as sexual changes.
All this just from a thought planted in your Mind (Soul) ...

These all happen because your mind (Soul) told your spirit something and it caused the physical reaction.

You can control your spirit by changing your thoughts.

All you have to do, is send your spirit the signal for a different emotion by thinking differently. BUT ... Your Mind (Soul) has to believe it to be TRUTH.

It happens with you ... Or without you being aware of it.

Have you ever been thinking of a problem and then got busy with your daily agenda and all day long you felt this bad feeling of doom, though the day was going pretty good? It is that your Mind (Soul) did not resolve the earlier problem that you THOUGHT and your spirit is crying out because it is reacting to the problem that you were thinking of earlier.

Even though you are not consciously aware of the thought.

You may think that it’s a difficult thing to do, to control your emotions, by controlling your thoughts because they’re very strong, but with the MIRACLE GROW project, you’ll be strengthening your mind with TRUTH, and you’ll find that TRUTH has a way of changing a lot of things.

Later on down THE PATH you’ll discover that the HOLY SPIRIT will be your guide in helping you with controlling your thoughts and your spirit.

RESPONSIBILITY

Before we move ahead into the explanation of the Miracle Grow Project, let's have a little talk about ... Responsibility.

As you very well know, in any undertaking, there is some measure of responsibility involved. If you're a student in school, and you don't do the schoolwork or the homework, you begin to have problems. You have to write things down, and read things and repeatedly study things until they become engrained in you, and then after that, you no longer need your notes or your books to look them up.

What about practical life endeavors? If you have a checking account, you have to fill out a deposit slip or a withdrawal slip each time you make a transaction. If you want to keep your records straight, and not run into problems, you have to keep your check register current, and you have to balance your checkbook each month. You have to keep records.

If you think about it, just about everything in your life that you want to keep organized, requires documentation of one kind or another in order to avoid problems.

This documentation isn't mandatory, but without it, things get quite chaotic.

The same is true of music. If you were learning to play the guitar, for example ... You will have to look at your sheet music until you learn the notes, and you'll have to look at your fingers until you become so familiar with each chord that you can play them without looking. Then, once you memorize a song, you can play it without looking at your sheet music OR your fingers.

Now, you can read through your "Learn to Play the Guitar" book one time, and play each chord once or twice, and say that you've done the work, but if you don't practice regularly ...

You will never learn to play the guitar.

BUT ... If you DO practice and CHOOSE to get into it.

You WILL play guitar and will NOT need the "Learn to Play the Guitar" book cuz it is WITHIN you.

A PLANTED SEED

Why am I going through all this rigmarole?
(The word rigmarole is documented in the dictionary.)

Because you're here for a reason.

One of those reasons is because God has led you here, and another reason is that other methods you have tried using to rid your life of your problem, have not worked.

I do NOT want the enemy of your soul to discourage you.

I do not want you to allow your unwilling flesh to CON-vince your mind (soul) to doubt in this Miracle Grow project cuz it sees it may have to do a lil work to get rid of the problems within.

In other words ... Human nature is going to balk at the new responsibility of this program. Most people get very defensive if they think that anything looks like an endangerment to their free time.

My friend, what is it that causes most peoples' problems in the first place?

IDLE TIME

Spending time with the world, instead of spending time with God.

Some people call it free time .. when it is really spending time with the world. If you find the suggestion of spending more time with God offensive, or that this program is just too invasive of your life, I encourage you to ask the Lord if He has any objections to your implementing it into your life to help get rid of your problem.

I also want you to understand that it IS Biblically sound.

Consider the Ten Commandments and all the statutes and ordinances that God gave to Moses.

God Himself first wrote the Ten Commandments on the first two tables of stone that Moses brought down the mountain, and told Moses to write down other laws of God for the people to follow. This DOCUMENTATION was studied until it became part of their normal routine.

Why?

Because organization brings peace to our lives.

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the Saints.

Why do you keep documentation?

Why do you refer to your cookbook when you cook?

Why do you use text books or references to learn or study something?

Why do you keep your receipts for your income taxes?

Because you believe that these things are necessary for organization ...

They minimize the problems that you could have if you didn't follow these methods.

Now I ask you, if your worldly, menial, every day life tasks involve documentation that you don't question performing, wouldn't you want to do the same ... With even greater enthusiasm for your spiritual well being ... And wouldn't God appreciate that?

As a friend, I encourage you, if you hesitate at the feeling of obligation, remember, that this is NOT mandatory, but take a little inventory of your daily routines or rituals and decide for yourself if you spend more of your time serving God, or the requirements of the world.

Now remember ... This Miracle Grow program isn't mandatory, but if you're serious about getting rid of your problems and habits, it is an awesome way to renew the mind as we are taught to do ...

There's one last thing I'd like to mention before we look into what's involved in the Miracle Grow Program.

King David was a Psalm writer ... He wrote poems, psalms and letters to God. It wasn't mandatory that he write them down, but because of David's documentation, we are spiritually uplifted when we read his heartfelt, God inspired words.

And we know that God was very fond of David.

THE PROJECT

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMEMBER THAT DURING THIS MIRACLE GROW STEP, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU MAY NOT ACHIEVE YOUR DAILY GOALS AT TIMES. CONSIDER IT LIKE BEING REBORN AND AS A BABY YOU ARE LEARNING TO WALK. YOU MAY STUMBLE HERE AND THERE BUT IF YOU KEEP TRYING, YOU WILL REACH YOUR GOALS. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DISCOURAGED.

DURING THE EARLY STAGES, YOU MAY NEED TO ADJUST YOUR GOALS TO BE SURE THEY ARE ATTAINABLE, YET A LIL BIT OF A CHALLENGE. THEN, GRADUALLY ADJUST IT AS TIME GOES BY AND YOU ADAPT TO THE MIRACLE GROW PROCESS.

KINDA LIKE FERTILIZER IN A GARDEN, IF YOU PUT TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH IT WILL HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS SO BE SURE AND BE PATIENT AS YOU BEGIN THIS PROCESS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST FIT FOR YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE AND DAILY REQUIREMENTS.

IT IS NOT A JOB ... IT IS AN ADVENTURE.

You will need to CHOOSE to perform this daily, taking one day off per week for rest, as we are taught to do. (Honor the Sabbath Day.) This day can be either Saturday (Jewish Sabbath) or Sunday (Lord's day) ...

You will need to create a simple chart.

Below is a sample MIRACLE GROW chart.

Make your own chart like this with pencil and paper.

Following the chart, I will show you how it works.

SAMPLE MIRACLE GROW CHART

JANUARY

MIRACLE GROW

MIND

Date Pray
3 x Read
Steps Read Bible Listen
Music Forgive all Pull Weeds Plant Seeds Control Thoughts Love
All Read Spiritual Points

1-1-07 YES YES NO YES NO YES NO YES YES YES
70

1-2-07 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES NO YES
90

1-3-07 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
100

1-4-07 YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES NO YES
80

1-5-07 YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES NO YES
80

1-6-07 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES NO YES
90

1-7-07 S A B B A T H D A Y
FREE

Average
85

1-08-07 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES NO YES
90

1-09-07 YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES NO YES
80

1-10-07

1-11-07

1-12-07

1-13-07

1-14-07 S A B B A T H D A Y
FREE

Average

1-15-07

1-16-07

1-17-07

1-18-07

1-19-07

1-20-07

1-21-07 S A B B A T H D A Y
FREE

Average

1-22-07

1-23-07

1-24-07

1-25-07

1-26-07

1-27-07

1-28-07 S A B B A T H D A Y
FREE

Average

1-29-07

1-30-07

1-31-07

INSTRUCTIONS

This chart will fit on a single sheet of lined paper.

There are 10 categories per page which means you make 10 columns for said categories.
(We will talk about the categories in a lil bit.)

Add a column at far left of page for the date and a column at the far right for the daily score.

This means your page will have 12 columns total.

Fill in the dates along the left hand column.

Along the top row of each area, you will write in the activities that you choose to do.

As you complete an activity each day, you write YES in the column underneath it corresponding with the date.

For the activities that you don’t accomplish,

write a big red NO in the box.

At the end of each day, total up your points for each separate area and write the number in the column on the right where it says “Points.”

The grading system is simple ... For each activity that you accomplish, you will give yourself 10 points. There are a possible 100 points per day. At the end of each week, add up the six days and divide it by six and that is your week average.

100 = A+
90-99 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
Below 60 = F

You can also add up the points at the end of the week and write them in the row at the bottom of each area where it says “Average” to see your weekly grade.

You can do monthly totals as well if you like.

Just add all totals and divide by the amount of days.

(Excluding your one day a week off)

MIRACLE GROW is flexible, because you can change your activity topics whenever you want to. If you feel like a certain activity is too difficult or time consuming to accomplish every day, you can adjust it, or create a more reasonable activity. in addition, as you overcome a certain problem or habit, you can remove it from your Miracle Grow chart and add a new one as to over come it.

Set goals ... Set a specific reward for yourself if you achieve said goals. Make your reward something you really want to do, and something that will encourage you to continue on your journey to freedom from your problem.

SUGGESTIONS

I can give you some ideas for topic categories, but remember, these are examples only. You will custom design your MIRACLE GROW project for your individual needs and goals.

Your MIRACLE GROW project should be challenging and enjoyable.

STRENGTHEN YOUR MIND

Pray 3 times a day.

Read a chapter of the Bible.

Read 5 Psalms.

Read one chapter of Proverbs.

Read a spiritual book for ___ minutes.

Read the Daily Word.

Do a Bible crossword puzzle.

Play a Christian board game.

(You can also include your STEPPING STONES too, until you’re finished, or go back through them again if you like.)

STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY

Fast (abstain from a habit you have) for ___ hours (unless Doctor requires you to do so).

Be completely still and quiet with your eyes closed for ___ minutes.

Break a habit, by only having a certain amount of cigarettes, coffee, tea, candy, soda, etc., per day, reducing slowly as the weeks or months progress.

Stop cussing.

Devote ___ minutes a day toward making a real garden. (While you work on this, focus your thoughts on how the garden is spiritually like you. Go ahead and pull some weeds while you’re at it, and talk TRUTH with yourself.)

Do a good deed for someone that takes physical effort.

Exercise ... Specific exercise programs you create.

Weight loss program.

Volunteer for a worthy cause.

A couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon could give you points.

STRENGTHEN YOUR SPIRIT

Listen to some Christian music, concentrating on the words. I encourage you to listen to spiritual music whenever you can, but for your points, isolate this activity so you can give it your full attention.

Spend time alone with the Holy Spirit. (Actually provide a seat for Him.)

Attend a Bible study or other church function. (Again, this can cover as many points as you think is fair.)

Sing a hymn - singing comes from the spirit.

Light a candle. (Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.)

Praising comes from the spirit, too. Spend 5 minutes praising God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Write a psalm to God.

Again, these are only examples.

I encourage you to replace your activities from time to time. Not all of them at once, but one or a couple at a time. If you use the same fertilizer all the time, your plants get used to it and they don’t grow as good as they did when you first started it. Give yourself some variety. Keep it exciting. You should never grow bored with it. If you do, change the activities that need perking up.

Before any given month is over, you should have your MIRACLE GROW chart for the next month made and ready to go. It shows God your eagerness to succeed for Him, and when your new month begins, you won’t have to stop and make a chart when you can be starting your activities.

MIRACLE GROW is like an spiritual offering to God. You are sacrificing your time to give it to HIM. He sacrificed His only Son’s life for you, now you’re giving Him back a piece of your life. By RENEWING your mind, body, and spirit, it is a way of glorifying HIM.

ROMANS 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Another thing MIRACLE GROW does is change your lifestyle. A hard thing to do when you have a problem is to stop thinking about it. You’re setting new goals for yourself now, and if you ponder on your problem, keeping it in your memory, you may be keeping it from going away. Release it into God’s hands . . . GIVE IT TO GOD . . . He wants you to, you know.

LET GO AND LET GOD!

LET GO (of your problem), AND LET GOD (remove it)!

The Apostle Paul said,

Philippians 3:13-14
I don’t consider myself to have achieved, but this one thing I do, forgetting the things in the past, and reaching forward, I strive for the goal, for the prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus.

FORGET THE PAST, THINK FORWARD!

STEP SIX

Look at you! You’ve got six STEPPING STONES on your path! You’re moving right along! It’s time to become familiar with your new MIRACLE GROW project. Ask God to help you with it. It may seem difficult at first, but remember this: What is a miracle? It’s something that can’t happen without God’s hand. Ask Him to provide you with time for your new program. I’ll be back with you again tomorrow, and we’ll set another STEPPING STONE in place. See you then.

Continuing in EACH step daily is so very important.

Go back over each step often to be sure you have not missed anything.

MAKE SURE YOU JOT DOWN A LIL SOMETHING IN YOUR

C-O-O-L MEMBER FORUM BLOG

If you are already a Member, it is in your:

MEMBER FORUM

OR IN YOUR PERSONAL JOURNAL

YOU CAN CHECK OUT SOME MORE AWESOME MUSIC ON THE
C-O-O-L C/D PLAYER

CHECK OUT SOME MORE C-O-O-L CHRISTIAN GAMES, BOOKS, STUDIES AND PROGRAMS AT
CHRISTIANITY OASIS

Tomorrow, return to the main page and select:

STEPPING STONE #7

And I’ll meet you there!

Take care and have a SON-sational day.

If you’re under the care of a doctor, or if you’re taking prescription medication for any reason, DO NOT discontinue it unless you have orders from your doctor.

Be sure to visit us at Christianity Oasis and sojourn
through the rest of our awesome Christian web site community.