Read To Understand Other People's Beliefs #LeadersAreReaders August 2023

When I was talking to an Anglican church lay leader about the Roman Catholic understanding of the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, he thought I was a Catholic. When I said no, he was surprised because it seemed to him that I was defending the Catholics' position, but in actuality, I was just explaining to him what they believe and how they interpret the Scripture and traditions on this matter.

Another time, I was having a casual-turned-serious conversation with a colleague about Calvinism and the five solas. He sounded very convicted, so I challenged him with some questions, thoughts, and Bible quotes. A few months after that, I heard him say to another colleague of mine that I was a Calvinist. I'm not. Perhaps he heard me say, "If I agree with this and that point, does it mean that I'm a (number) point Calvinist?" To the non-Calvinist, I talk like a Calvinist. To the Calvinists, I defended the Arminian. I'm neither (who says there are only two choices? Who says I have to choose?). Likewise, I argue like an atheist when I talk to a Jehovah's Witness and other cults, for example, when they approach me or my students.

Why do I do this? I do this to those who are confident with their positions (friends) and to those who think they have figured it all out (acquaintances and strangers), not to the weak believers in faith. First, for fun and intellectual joy (some may find it intimidating. Well, I'm sort of). Secondly, to challenge other people's assumptions. Thirdly, examine mine. Fourthly, to apply what I've read. And finally, with the previous one, to understand why they believe what they believe. Sometimes you're wrong or in error, and sometimes you make enemies and/or make them think, but you will always learn new things. One of the ways to equip yourself for this kind of conversation is to read widely in the narrow areas of your interests. Read books that you're curious about, books that you don't agree with, and books that enrich your mind and foster empathy.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #ReadWidely #NarrowInterests #NonConformist #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

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The Mindful Man: Words from the Earth (2018) by Caspar Walsh, Book Review

The Mindful Man: Words from the Earth (2018) by Caspar Walsh

In my opinion, the concept of mindfulness is not unique to Buddhism and/or Hinduism. It is an ancient eastern practice that evolve and may or may not be called 'mindfulness' that you can also find in other religions, teachings, and traditions. As for Christianity and the Old Testament Jewish religion, the closest, almost similar practice that I can think of is Meditation in Biblical terms. But here is the main difference: Mindfulness focuses on self, which is good if done properly (yet limited in its scope) but Biblical Meditation focuses on the One true God, YHWH. The basic attitude of Mindfulness is 'what's I'm doing, thinking and feeling right now' but the attitude of Biblical Meditation is 'delight in the law (or word) of the LORD day and night' (for example, refer to Psalms 1:2). Once you know the difference then, reading books like this one from other beliefs and worldviews, can be much profitable and safer for the soul.

The definition of mindfulness can be very fluid. So, let me quote the author, Caspar Walsh, to explain it for himself: "Mindfulness sums up meditation, focus, attention, and reflection in a single word. But it is also a paradox. Breaking it down suggests mind-fullness, the fullness of mind - exactly the opposite of what a beginner's mind is hoping to achieve. Mindfulness means focusing, bringing our mind to what we are doing, and paying close attention. In a wider sense, it explores the whole experience of being human. The mind is an essential tool for interpreting, translating, and finding meaning in the world around us and inside us. It is essential to living in every sense." Without God as the center focus of the mind, I can only agree with the author from the human perspective. No more. Nevertheless, it is an important aspect to consider about since most of us - men, especially - need to be self-aware of what's going on within us and around us. We are so engaged with technology, concerned about other people's lives on social media, and busy with work that we neglect self-care and what's going on with our lives. Most men are lost, purposeless, and tired. We need a guide.

For some men, Caspar Walsh's The Mindful Man can be the beginning of that journey. This book doesn't have all the answers. In fact, it has lots of helpful reflection questions and insights to consider. "The world needs mindful men, now more than ever. Men who understand what makes us tick, aware of the impact we are having on the lives of others." Elsewhere he also wrote, "We need to up our game, daily. We are the leaders we're been waiting for. In a world divided by fear and greed, it's time to look deeper into what we can do to ground ourselves, ready ourselves, to be of service to our friends, our communities, and our highest ideals... How do we become mindful men who can be trusted, respected, and called on to begin the healing? It is essential for all men to be initiated into the mature, sacred masculine. And for this, we need courage." Yes, we need the courage to examine ourselves to be better men. In this book, Walsh invites us to 'see' the ideals of a Physical Man, Emotional Man, Family Man, Brotherhood of Man, Sacred Man, and Working Man. These are the areas that a Mindful Man needs the courage to 'see' ⚡

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheMindfulMan #Manhood #Mindfullness #Masculinity #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Read the Bible But Don't JUST Read the Bible #1Book1Week October 2021

“When people refer to a man as 'a man of one book’, meaning the Bible, he is generally found to be a man of multitudinous books, which simply isolates the one Book to its proper grandeur,” said Oswald Chambers, a preacher, teacher, and writer of a well-known devotion My Utmost for His Highest. “The man who reads only the Bible does not, as a rule, know it or human life.” I agree wholeheartedly! Mr. Oswald loves for books came in part from his sitting at the feet of the Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte, who taught a series of classes that Oswald attended as a young man. Many times Oswald saw Whyte hold up a battered old book, telling the students, “Sell your beds and buy it.”

Afterward, Oswald never went anywhere without a book. Once, while traveling, he wrote to his sister Florence saying: “My box has at last arrived. My books! I cannot tell you what they mean to me – silent, wealthy, loyal lovers. To look at them, to handle them, and to re-read them! I do thank God for my books with every fiber of my being. Why, I could have almost cried to an excess of joy when I got hold of them again. I see them all just at my elbow now – Plato, Wordsworth, Myers, Bradley, Halyburton, St. Augustine, Browning, Tennyson, Amiel, etc. I know them. I wish you could see how they look at me, a quiet, calm look of certain acquaintance" (quote taken from David McCasland's Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God).

As Christ-followers, the Bible is our one and only chief Book that we all need to read, study and meditate daily. But this doesn’t mean that it is the only book that we need to read. Broaden your mind, enlarge your visions and uplift your spirit by reading other types or genres of books too. If I need to be inspired to walk in the faith, I read biographies like those of William Carrey, John Calvin, Hudson Taylor, Martin Luther, Charles H. Spurgeon, John Sung, etc. If I want to learn about the Scripture and theology, I turn to John McArthur, J.I. Packer, David Pawson, John Stott, etc. If I want to improve my leadership, I read John C. Maxwell and J. Oswald Sanders. To improve my critical thinking skills, I read Tony Buzan and Edward de Bono. So many subjects, so many choices, so little time! Read widely. Read more. Read daily.

#ServeToLead #GrowingLeaders #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my October 2021 #1Book1Week reviews - obviously, my reading theme was on preaching this month - CLICK TITLES below ���

1) The Supremacy of God In Preaching (1990, 2004) by John Piper
2) Preaching & Preachers (1971, 1997) by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
3) Charles Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers (1988) by J. C. Carlile,

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Preaching & Preachers (1971, 1997) by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Book Review

Preaching & Preachers (1971, 1997) by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

 

When I posted on my WhatsApp status after I finished reading this book, Dr. Thomas Chung, an itinerant preacher and a medical practitioner, texted me, "[This book] remain one of my most treasured books on the subject. From him, I learned the importance of 'diagnostic preaching' and tried using it every time I prepare a sermon. Glad you also like this man's writings." Dr. Thomas had sat on the preaching of Dr. Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel when he was studying medicine in London in the early 80s. "To watch the man preached stirs the spirit," he continues. "After listening to him one becomes consumed with the Majesty of God." I cannot say I feel the same since David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was born and died before God ever formed me in my mother's womb. But I trust that the testimony of Dr. Thomas - and few others who have witnessed the man and his preaching - is true. There are less than half a dozen of video interviews on YouTube available today that shows how soft-spoken, calm, and gentlemanly Dr. Lloyd-Jones was but there are hundreds of audio recording sermons at the MLJ Trust website that can give us a glimpse (although inadequate) of his passionate, piercing, and precise preaching.

This book is originally a transcript of his lecture series on the same title that he delivered to the students of the Westminster Theological Seminary. Besides reading the book, I also listened to the audio recordings of the 16 lectures available online (plus two question and answer sessions). I find that this practice of after reading a chapter, then listening to the session is very helpful for me to comprehend more, memorize important points, and capture the gems that I might miss along the way. Above all, I can somewhat imagine that I was sitting there in the lecture room with the other students to hear and interact with Dr. Lloyd-Jones. It is more lively, and I can hear his Welsh accent that is absent in the written pages. Also, you must understand that when he preached on the pulpit he is very serious but in the lecture room, you can hear his sense of humor. Try it! Knowing the man by reading his biography and listening to sermons on his life and ministry are very helpful too. I recommend watching Steven Lawson's The Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and Iain Murray's The Legacies of Martyn Lloyd-Jones on YouTube for a start (To get a hold of how God uses this man to influence other faithful preachers today, watch a documentary about him entitled, Logic on Fire).

It is hard to say which chapters are the most important but obviously, the first two are essentials, namely, on 1) The Primacy of Preaching, and 2) No Substitute, because here Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that preaching the Word of God or The Gospel or The Truth is not an optional but the very reason why the Church exists in the world. He observes from the Scriptures and history that: "The work of preaching is the highest and the greatest and the most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called. If you want something in addition to that I would say without hesitation that the most urgent need in the Christian Church is true preaching; and if it is the greatest and the most urgent need in the Church, it is obviously the greatest need of the world also." When he comes to the question of what is preaching? His famous words are "Logic on fire! Eloquent reason!… It is theology on fire. And a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a defective theology; or at least the man's understanding of it is defective. Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A true understanding and experience of the Truth must lead to this. I say again that a man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatever to be in a pulpit; and should never be allowed to enter one." And what is the chief end of preaching? He simply said, "It is to give men and women a sense of God and His presence." One sentence that I can describe the man who is often known as 'the Doctor' is this: he cares about the Truth!

Unlike his preaching, since this is his lecture series, he shared lots of relevant stories, personal examples, and anecdotes to help his students by way of illustration to explain the Biblical preaching principles. But when he wanted to state his personal opinions about what is not clearly taught in the Scriptures, he said so and I sometimes (very few) disagree or remain skeptical with his diagnosis. It's okay. We are human beings bound by our perceptions, biases, and time. Only God is perfect, immutable, and fallible! Praise Him! I fully recommend this book to every Christian minister regardless of either you're a preacher or not. Not all are called to be full-time preachers (I'm not!) but all are called to preach the Word. Stephen and Philip in Acts 6 were chosen specifically to "serve tables" not to the ministry of the Word but when the Holy Spirit filled them with power and wisdom, they preached the Word boldly with logic on fire! (read Acts 7 and 8).

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #MartynLloydJones #PreachingAndPreachers #LogicOnFire

To read my previous #1Book1Week book reviews, CLICK HERE  

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Cracking Neuroscience (Cracking Series) by Jon Turney, Not-A-Review

 

Cracking Neuroscience (Cracking Series) by Jon Turney

If I want to see the greatness of God, I either look at the vast universe or look into the complex brain. This Cracking series on neuroscience is a good crash-course introduction in the latest scientific knowledge of the workings of the brain 💪 I enjoyed reading Jon Turney's bite-sized chapters (quite wordy as a whole but wonderful graphics makes it doesn't look so) on the field of neuroscience - such as memory, addiction, consciousness, brain waves, mind mapping, etc. - give me the chance to understand the brain, not fully (many things remain a mystery), but enough to be fascinated with it... and a proud owner of one 😉🧠💪

#ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #CrackingNeuroscience #BrainPower

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Read To Refill the Wells of Inspiration #1Book1Week September 2020

 

Why read? "Read to refill the wells of inspiration," said Harold Ockenga, who took a suitcase of books on his honeymoon! As a leader (in any field), you need to learn consistently. There are many ways to do it, one of the most effective ways is by reading books 📖 (the second is YouTube!). Read Christian books for your spiritual benefit. Read other subjects too for intellectual growth. Read to spark your imagination and challenge your current beliefs. Read for fun! 😉

In the world of social media today, to be a leader, you must CHOOSE depth, not shallow thinking. Social media gives you titbits, entertainment-based news, and lots of negativity. You'll be depressed easily. Try reading books. Because it is not that 'viral' thing nowadays (people with millions of followers on TikTok are not famous because they promote or review books. Duh!), you can be ahead of others who don't read. In this way, you will always be a leader. A real influencer ⚡💪🙏 #ServeToLead #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #Mythology #PersonalDevelopment #History #Religion #Fiction

Btw, here are my #1Book1Week for the month of September:

1. The Decision: Overcoming Today's BS for Tomorrow's Success (2020, Audible Original) by Kevin Hart
2. Introducing Jesus: A Graphic Guide (2012) by Anthony O’Hear & Judy Groves
3. Homer: The Odyssey (1993) retold by Geraldine McCaughrean
4. Altar of Eden (2010) by James Czajkowski a.k.a. James Rollins
5. Forbidden History: Prehistoric Technologies, Extraterrestrial Intervention, and the Suppressed Origins of Civilization (2005) edited by J. Douglas Kenyon

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Happiness Is A Mental Attitude

 

Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don't have. It's so simple - yet so hard for the human mind to comprehend.

No matter what your situation, things could be worse. Count your blessings and enjoy a little happiness while you may 😉⚡💪 #ServeToLead #MentalAttitude

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The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013) by Rolf Dobelli, 2nd Book Review

The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013) by Rolf Dobelli, 2^nd Book Review

I have read this book twice. The first was 4 years ago in 2016 (to read my first review, CLICK HERE). I love this book so much for three main reasons: 1) It’s about thinking; 2) I’m very interested in social psychology and decision-making; and 3) Each chapter is short, concise, and easy to read. It is about cognitive biases, namely, systematic errors in thinking that occur when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make. The bad news is that all of us - even the most self-aware people - cannot avoid all of these biases. But the good news is that we can begin to understand why we do what we do and by deliberate practice - we can make better (not perfect) choices. Dobelli outlines 99 cognitive biases, let me share the top 3 biases, in my opinion, that we always make in our day-to-day thinking:

#1 Confirmation Bias. It is the idea that people seek out information and data that confirms their pre-existing ideas. They tend to ignore contrary information. This can be a very dangerous cognitive bias in business and especially, religion. Let say you just started a business selling Faith Fleur hair serum because your friend says it’s an excellent and the best serum in Malaysia. You post some testimonial pictures on your social media and then a few hours later, you observe (due to the algorithm) that others in your circle of social media also sell the product with very positive testimonies. You thought, “This product is the best!” Is it the best? No. There are other products in the market. Faith Fleur hair serum is a popular, safe, and good product but not the very best there is. Your friend says it’s the best, you believe her, and so you interpret everything based on that existing belief or conviction. As you can see, if you apply that bias in religion, it can be misleading, even dangerous. “The confirmation bias,” writes Dobelli, “is the mother of all misconceptions.”

#2 Groupthink. It is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals reaches a consensus without critical reasoning or evaluation of the consequences or alternatives. Let me give an example in a Christian setting: during a Bible Study on the Book of Romans, the leader expounds the Scripture and concludes that Calvinist doctrines of predestination and election are the most biblical and faithful to the Scripture. When you heard it, you’re skeptical and doubtful. You wanted to respond and ask questions but since almost everyone nodded in agreement, you keep silent. Not wanting you cause division, you suppressed your opinions, and say to yourself, “Oh well, since nobody disagree with him, maybe I’m wrong.” And you say “Amen” all the way. If you want to decide with your friends where to eat for supper (Malaysian culture ma), then subjecting yourself to groupthink is harmless. But when it involves ethics or morals (and eternal consequences), groupthink can be disastrous.   

#3 Halo Effect. Simply put: it is when one trait of a person or thing is used to make an overall judgment of that person or thing. It is also known as the "physical attractiveness stereotype" or the "what is beautiful is a 'good' principle." I love this example by Dobelli: “Dozens of studies have shown that we automatically regard good-looking people are more pleasant, honest, and intelligent. Attractive people also have it easier in their professional lives - and that has nothing to do with the myth of women ‘sleeping their way to the top.’ The effect can even be detected in schools, where teachers unconsciously give good-looking students better grades.” Men, do you accept Facebook friend requests by a stunningly beautiful girl right away even though you never knew her before? Woman, do you think all the BTS members are angels from heaven? (Okay, maybe not all men or women like that). We love to think that we are fair and just, not stereotyping and anti-racism, very kind, and ‘never judge a book by its cover’ but on a subconscious level, we do. We are irrational. Why do anime fans think that Son Goku is the good guy? Because when he died, he has a halo and angel’s wings. Oh, the halo effect dies hard.

I recommend this book for beginners and for those who want to get the big picture of cognitive biases or fallacies. If you want to study deeper, I recommend reading books by Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow (haven’t finished it, so no book review yet), Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s The Black Swan (use it as reference), Robert Cialdini’s Influence (my review, CLICK HERE), Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational & The Upside of Irrationality (my review, CLICK HERE), and Steven D. Levitt’s Think Like a Freak (my review, CLICK HERE). But before I finished, I’m fully aware of the controversy that Rolf Dobelli is accused of - or actually, showing that - plagiarizing other authors especially his once a good friend, Nassim Nicholas Taleb... I think it’s true.

#1Book1Week #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #TheArtOfThinkingClearly #SocialPsychology #CognitiveBiases

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Five (5) Ways To Protect Yourself From the Influence of Social Media

I love social media! It broadening my social connections (see, I'm connected to YOU), it has become my main source of self-eduction and my ways of getting information. However, as you also know, social media has good and bad side effects. Its risks cannot be overlooked. Here are five (5) ways for me to protect myself from the heavy influence of social media. I hope it can help you too! #ServeToLead #SocialMediaInfluence #ProtectYourself #GrowingLeader

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Your Health Is Your Wealth

If you don't learn anything yet during these challenging times - MCO and COVID-19 - at least, you must realize how important your health is! "So many people spend their health gaining wealth," reminds A. J. Reb Materi, "and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health." Sad but true. Take care of your health people! #ServeToLead #HealthIsWealth

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Nobody Remembers the Man Who Almost Won

The difference between accomplishment and failure and that between champions and losers is oftentimes measured with the EXTRA EFFORT. When I was in primary school, I'm one of the fastest runners. During sport's day, I got second place. And do you know how much different from the winner? Just a few seconds!

So it is in many facets of life. "Almost" is a sure sign that with a little effort, you can make it. Some adjustments and paying attention to a little more detail can take you to the top if you don’t give up. Going the extra mile will always place you ahead in life. Nobody remembers the man who almost won #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #ExtraEffort

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Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset: How to Change Your Life?

Being an A+ student is always an advantage. But I'm not. I love to go to school because I want to meet and play with my friends. I think I break the school's rules more than follow the rules of success to become an A+ student. Regardless, either you score good or bad grades in the educational system (it's not a good system anyway), if you have a growth mindset, you can change your life #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #GrowthMindset

[Ps: the formula in the pic is a general observation. My point is about fixed versus growth mindset. I would like to recommend a book by Carol Dweck, entitled Mindset]

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As A Man Thinketh #7 You Can Choose Your Thoughts

“A person cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances”

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

In Pam Golden’s book Choose the Happiness Habit, she writes a good illustration for this quote: “Take the story of two brothers who are twins. One grows up to be an alcoholic bum. The other becomes an extremely successful businessman. When the alcoholic is asked why he became a drunk, he replies, ‘My father was a drunk.’ When the successful businessman is asked why he became successful, he says, ‘My father was a drunk.’ Same background. Same upbringing. Very different choice.” The brothers chose different thoughts about the identical experience. Those thoughts over the years shaped the circumstances they now find themselves in. The successful brother chose to view his negative upbringing as a positive motivation to be a better man than his father. He chose his thoughts rightly “and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.”

Bob Proctor, author, and motivational speaker, says, “You’re either living in the problem or you’re living in the solution.” Whenever I’m in negative circumstances, I try my best to view them from a positive perspective first. In my mind, I thought: if this is a problem, then I can solve it; if I can’t solve it, then it’s a fact of life. If I can solve it, no matter how hard and long it will be, it will be solved. Then, I shouldn’t worry about it. If it’s a fact of life, I can’t do anything about it, so might as well, it is useless for me to worry about it. There are two empowering thoughts whenever you face a bad circumstance: #1 Be In A Problem-Solving Mode. List down ideas that might be a solution and don’t delay, take action, and #2 Activate Your Learning Mode. Never be so caught up in solving the problem that you missed the lessons. Focus on the possible lessons you might learn from the circumstance.

George Bernard Shaw has this great saying: “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them” …Think about it!

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As A Man Thinketh #6 How to Overcome Doubt and Fear

"Thoughts of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure"

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

I think it's Napoleon Hill who said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." When we spend inordinate amounts of time fearing something or event in the future (not happened yet), many times that which we fear comes upon us. When it does, we wonder why it happens to us, when in reality, we are responsible for the most part for our troubles. It all started with a thought of doubt. Then it causes an emotion of fear, which manifests itself physically as anxiety. Anxiety robs us of our power, energy, and focus. Severe anxiety will not only mess our minds but also undermine our health – and it's all brought on by a thought of doubt. It "can never accomplish anything."

There are three (3) basic ways that help me overcome thoughts of doubt. First, I change my mind about doubt and keep it changed. If I doubt whether I'm going to have enough money to make it to the end of the month, I change my mind about it. When doubt knocks, I pray and affirm to myself that: "God will always provide for me. He is good. And I always find a way to have enough of what I need." Dan Brule advised, "If you are going to doubt anything in life, doubt your limitations."

Secondly, overcome doubt and fear with massive actions. Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear (rhyming, huh?). "Inaction breeds doubt and fear," writes Dale Carnegie, "Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. go out and get busy." This action-oriented mindset will always work! Trust me. Thirdly, replace fear with faith. Some people say fear and faith cannot co-exist. I disagree. They can co-exist. What's important is which one is greater? If my fear is greater than my faith, it will eventually fail. But if my faith is greater than my fear, success is my inevitable future. Bob Proctor puts it nicely: "Faith and fear demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose." Think about it!

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As A Man Thinketh #5 No Victimized Mindset, Take Responsibility

“A person is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions”

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

One of the great weaknesses of our society today is the growing attitude of victimization. Many people claim themselves to be victims of some outside force. “I don’t know the story of the Bible because my pastor doesn’t teach me…”; “If that driver hadn’t pulled out in front of me…”; “I am like this because of my parents…”

When we are victims of circumstances, or as James Allen says, a “creature of outside conditions,” we have no power. We have given over the power in our life to the circumstances. The longer we give power to our circumstances the worst our circumstances become. In his other book, Above Life’s Turmoil, Allen writes, “You imagine your circumstances as being separate from yourself, but they are intimately related to your thought world. Nothing appears without an adequate cause.”

To get control of our circumstances we must first acknowledge personal responsibility for being where we are. That was the hardest part for me because the ‘victim’ in all of us doesn’t want to take that responsibility.

When we take responsibility, we must then take control of our thoughts. And, yes, in the beginning, that can be hard. It seems sometimes that it’s our nature to first think negatively. But that’s just because it’s the habit we’ve developed. And like any habit, it can change by replacing it with the habit of thinking the right way.

Emmet Fox once writes: “You are not happy because you are well. You are well because you are happy. You are not depressed because the trouble has come to you, but trouble has come because you are depressed. You can change your thoughts and feelings, and then the outer things will change to correspond, and indeed there is no other way of working.” Think about it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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References:

1. As A Man Thinketh (1903) by James Allen

As A Man Thinketh #4 The Most Basic and Logical Principle

“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results. This is but saying that nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing from nettles but nettles”

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

Most everyone understands the biblical concept of sowing and reaping because we can grasp the simplicity of logic. If we were to plant durian on our farm, we wouldn’t expect apple to come up. But even though we can grasp the logic, we don’t always act as if we understand the power of this principle. And we certainly don’t act as if this principle will affect us.

An example: For many years my morning ritual began with video games (or PSP to be exact). Most mornings spending an hour or more on games and morning news before dashing off the office. I haven't realized then that our minds are most impressionable immediately upon rising in the morning and just before sleep in the evening. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that my sowing of these thoughts would reap an ‘attitude’ at my workplace (impatient, demanding, shouting, etc.).

I gave up my morning ritual seven years ago and replaced it with a habit of reading. I read my Bible or book of the week and on the way to work, I listened to motivational or self-development audiobooks. When I sow “good thoughts” and thus I’ll reap “good results.” The Apostle Paul wrote, “You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8, The Message).

We always reap what we sow and that is especially true with our thoughts. As Emmet Fox writes, “The secret of life then is to control your mental states, for if you will do this the rest will follow. To accept sickness, trouble, and failure as unavoidable, and perhaps inevitable, is folly because it is this very acceptance by you that keeps these evils in existence. Man is not limited by his environment. He creates his environments with his beliefs and feelings. To suppose otherwise is like thinking that the tail can wag the dog.” Think about it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

References:

1. As A Man Thinketh (1903) by James Allen