Garden Ministry’s purpose is to encourage the workers in the field of the Lord, and to keep them looking up to Jesus.
This is the 21st letter:
Text for the day: Isaiah 35:4
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Our Theme for the day: MIND OVER MATTER
When I was young, my late mother, (Mrs. Grace E. Bean Santucci), would tell my siblings and me if we were going through a problem, “it’s just a mind over matter”. Friends we are living in a world of fear where people are so fearful. But the servants of God should not be fearful or live in fear. According to “1 John 4:18 which says, there in no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love”. Today, mankind are in need of fearless servants of God, who understand that there is a God in heaven who will strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, “Isaiah 35:3”. If we put more time in serving those around us from a heart of love then worrying about the problems, then there would be less time to be fearful. The mind takes on a new energy through the power of the Holy Spirit and added angels, when you are emerge in service for others. Weakness is turned to strength, in the act of service to others. And the lack of confidents is turned into full confidents, or being fully assured.
It seems that my mother knew something, and I, as one of her ten children have been most grateful for her wisdom. Science is echoing my mother’s sentiments, by telling us that to secure a strong, well-balanced mind; both the mental and the physical powers must be exercised and developed. Yes it’s just a mind over matter, stop being fearful when problems come because worry kills.
This leads me to my second point, there is an intimate relation between the mind and the body, and in order to reach a high standard of moral and intellectual attainment, the laws that control our physical being must be heeded. Without physical exercise, no one can have a sound constitution and vigorous health; and the servant of God who has a well-regulated time set aside for labor, will secure a strong active mind, and a noble character. Today let us seek to preserve the full vigor of all our powers for the accomplishment of the work before us. Whatever detracts from physical vigor will weaken your mental effort. Hence we need to see that every practice unfavorable to the health of the body should be resolutely shunned.
In the word of the apostle Paul he said, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." We cannot maintain consecration to God and yet injure our health by the willful indulgence of a wrong habit. Self-denial is one of the conditions, not only of admission into the service of Christ, but of continuance therein. Christ Himself declared, in unmistakable language, the conditions of discipleship: "If any man will come after me, let him deny him-self, and take up his cross, and follow me." There is a road that leads to spiritual immaturity, fear, and finally death of the servant of God. And that road is selfishness.
As a servant of God, you shall face problems today; but it’s not the problem that shall make you today, but how you handle it. Finally, I give you my late mothers saying to my siblings and me, “it’s just a mind over matter”. Precious hours of probation are spent, God-given means squandered, to please the eye or to gratify the appetite. Custom holds thousands in bondage to the earthly and sensual. Many are willing captives of fear; they desire no better portion. Remember, the problems in our lives are just a mind over matter.
Our Prayer for today:
Please join us as we pray for those who are living in fear, that they may see that it’s just a mind over matter
Remember, you’re the only Jesus some will ever see.
If you are blessed by these “uplifting gems”, share them.
These letters are written by Elder Kevin Santucci
For further information, comment or requests, E-mail Garden Ministry: gardenministry.