Both are things, you know—your thoughts and your words.

It may seem a nearly impossible task to take control of your thoughts, as they seem to run rampant throughout your waking hours.

It’s a matter of changing habit. And even if simple, it isn’t just so simple.

Let me give you an example.

Most of us are really undisciplined and let our thoughts roam hither and yon, willy-nilly.

During the course of a day, we may find ourselves way back in the past, far into the future, or just overwhelmed with the present. And here seems to be no pattern, just a stream of undirected consciousness floating all over the place.

To change this drifting in uncharted directions, we have to set certain goals. At first, we have to do this hour by hour. And I’ve found a simple kitchen timer is very helpful to discipline oneself.

Get into the habit of setting small goals every hour. For example, within the next hour I’m going to end this issue. If I don’t, it’s no catastrophe, but it’s something to spurt for; though, I set the timer for 30 minutes, not an hour.

At that point I will get up from my chair, stretch, and do a few small exercises, just to get my blood going, take some deep breaths to get more oxygen into my blood, and then my brain is refreshed and ready to resume.

After that hour is over, stop what you are doing and focus all your concentration on changing how you reckon. This is what prayer is all about—getting results—and to do that you have to spend some time with God, even if it’s only a few minutes.

You have to shut the world out and go within. This is not simple—anything worthwhile never is.

It takes twenty-one days to set up a habit, so you have to implementation your willpower to hang in here. Question our Lord for His help and strength to get you owing to to the point that going within to change your thought patterns becomes following nature.

The more time you spend doing this, the sooner it will become a habit, just as regular as your morning grooming ritual.

The more you do this, you will find that it will become a high point in your day to look forward to with enthusiasm and passion . . . and your level of stress will automatically fall.

The Bible says, ” . . . bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Just as vital as guarding your thoughts is guarding your words.

“Words are like small spiritual containers,” I heard Creflo Dollar say this morning.

Consider the fact that, in the beginning, nothing came into being without having been spoken. Words are everything.

We are to call things that are not as if they are, and doing so will result in manifestation, either straight away or gradually, depending upon your level of belief.

We also will be called to account for all our idle words, as Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37 — ” . . . every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”

So never ever speak anything or any condition that you do not wish to see manifest in your life. For example, don’t ever tell a child that he is stupid or that he will never amount to anything.

And never say, “I am frightened that this or that will happen,” for you are making that very condition and being receptive to it.

Always phrase your statements in a positive tone and expect excellent results. And t-h-i-n-k before you speak!

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