WEDNESDAY 16TH MARCH,2016

TOPIC: ARE YOU FLOURISHING? (2)
TEXT: Psalms 100:3 “Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people
and the sheep of His pasture.”

Inside you there’s a battle between your flourishing self—the person you were created to be—and your languishing self. ‘What is that?’ you may wonder. Your languishing self feels uneasy and discontent.
You’re drawn to bad habits like mindlessly watching TV, drinking, smoking, misusing sex, excessive spending—things designed to temporarily anaesthetise pain. Your thoughts automatically drift in the direction of fear and anger. Learning doesn’t feel worthwhile. You think about yourself most of the time. Whereas flourishing (thriving, blossoming, and prospering) takes place through God’s grace and favour as one seeks God and His word: 1) In your
spirit. You sense you are beginning to receive ideas and energy from an outside source .Of a truth, you are being empowered by God’s Spirit. We talk about being inspired, which literally means ‘God breathed’. God breathes into you; you come alive and feel like you’ve a purpose for living. 2) In your mind. Your thoughts are marked by joy and peace. You have a desire to love and to learn. You’re literally being
transformed by ‘…the renewing of your mind…’ (Romans 12:2 NIV).
3) In your time. You wake each day with a sense of excitement, and you realise you are never too young to flourish. Paul told Timothy, ‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young…’ (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV). You also realise you are never too old to flourish. It’s humbling to acknowledge you can’t be anything you want, but once you accept Jesus Christ as your source of abundance; it supplies what is necessary for you and produces what Joy brings. You start flourishing.

MEDITATION: Isa. 55:1-3

STUDY THE BIBLE
MATT 17/NUM 3 & 4/ECCL 3:16; 4:1-16