123.LET GOD CHANGE YOUR THINKING. Romans 12:2

When you think creatively, you are thinking like God your Creator. But not everybody will welcome your creative ideas. Jesus wasn’t crucified because He worked miracles: He was loved and applauded for those. He was crucified for having ideas that challenged the status quo. God is the giver of great concepts, truths and ideas. So when He gives you one, don’t let anybody talk you out of it. Don’t let the fear of rejection or failure kill your idea either. After all, you can’t do something new and exciting if you force yourself to stay in the same old rut. Don’t just work harder at the same old thing; make a change. And the first things you’ll have to change are how you think, what you listen to, whom and what you believe in and how to handle criticism. God’s commands, principles, values, ethics and precepts are non negotiable. Remember that; and cover every thought , idea and project with His approval before proceeding any further down the track. So with that in mind, we can proceed. The following phrases will challenge you on your journey of change, so be aware of them… “I’m not a creative person,” “ Just follow the rules and don’t ask questions” “Don’t be different or difficult,” “ Just stay within the guidelines.” “ There is only one way to do this,” “Don’t be foolish,” “ Think of your image and reputation.” “That’s not logical or practical.” “ It’s never been done that way before.” “ It can’t be done.” “ It didn’t work for them.” “We’ve tried that before.” “ It’s too much work.” “ We can’t afford to make a mistake” “ It will be too hard to administer” “ We don’t have the time or the money.” “ Yes but…” You and your ideas will be rubbished, discarded, and thrown out. But if you feel God has given it to you, hang in there with it, if it is in fact from God , He will find a way. Paul tells us in (Romans 12:2) “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God’s Will for you, which is good, pleasing and perfect.” If you are surrounded by negativity, look for a better environment. Charlie Brower said “A new idea is delicate, it can be killed by a sneer or a yawn, it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.” Negative environments kill great ideas. A creative environment on the other hand is like a greenhouse where ideas are seeded, sprout and thrive in order to grow. So seek out people who are committed to personal growth. Such people (1) encourage creativity. David Hills says Studies of creativity suggest that the biggest single variable of whether employees will be creative or not is whether they perceive they have permission.” When environment and good thinking are openly encouraged and rewarded, people see they have permission to be creative. (2) Are willing to risk failure. Even when they have studied and prepared themselves thoroughly, they will have to try several times before they succeed. So make sure you are in an environment where mistakes are viewed as part of the creative process. (3) Believe in the potential of a dream. A creative environment encourages the use of a blank sheet of paper, with the question. If you could draw a picture of what you want to accomplish, what would it look like? It was a creative environment that allowed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to speak with passion and declare “I have a dream” not “I have a goal” Goals have focus, but dreams have power. And God is the giver of dreams and visions (see Joel 2:28) The book of proverbs. Begin: (Proverbs 1:1-5) “These are the proverbs of Solomon...Their purpose is to teach people; wisdom… to help them to understand the insights of the wise...To teach people to lead disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance.” Creative thinking is simply disciplined thinking. If you think you know all there is to know then you already know everything you are ever going to know. Think about that!!! In order to breake out of the box, you must begin by asking the right questions. Sir Antony Jay said “The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a creative mind to spot wrong questions.” Wrong questions halt the process of creative thinking. They send you down the same old path. But, in order to change your life, you must change your thinking. That means you must be willing to ask these two questions; Why must it always be done that way? and Is there a better way? Whether your goal is to build a better life, family, business, church, career or better anything, all change and progress must begin by honestly asking those two questions. The saying is still true; “If you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door.” So yes, to succeed, you must be willing to change your thinking. I believe the best way to begin that process is by first establishing and then maintaining a close relationship to the God of creation, and ask Him to share His creative mind with You. Thank you for reading these thoughts on “Changing your Thinking” It begins and ends with turning our minds over to God, who will keep them Pure, honest, upright and at peace. Isn’t that what we all want? God Bless Phaline. ------------------------