ROMANS 12:2a NLT “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

Many people would like to see changes in their life but may not know how to make the changes. To change the way you act, you must first change the way you think. Because you act like the person you think you are (Proverbs 23:7). But to change your thinking, you will need to focus on different information. Our beliefs are the cause of our actions. So, to permanently change behavior, beliefs must be changed. A belief is a thought you have decided to accept as truth. You choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs determine your actions. You always act on what you believe. As long as you think something is advantageous for you, you will keep doing it. People normally do not act contrary to their beliefs, except under great pressure. When your beliefs change, your utterance and your actions will also change. Trying to change your actions without first changing your beliefs will fail because your beliefs govern your actions. For example, if you believe God loves you, you will turn to God when you need help. But if you believe God is mad at you, you will be hesitant to seek God’s help. Usually, our wrong beliefs are based on incomplete and inaccurate information. But our beliefs always determine our actions. Humans are like a guided missile, programmed to change course when new information is presented and accepted. So, the first step for positive change in your life is to get information that will change the way you think. Study the scriptures and discover what Jesus Christ has done for you. Find out who you are in Christ. Find out how God sees you. To change your behavior, you must first change your beliefs!

John 8:12 NKJV “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”

The term achluophobia is the fear of the dark or darkness. ‘Achluo’ is Greek word for darkness and ‘phobia’ means fear. It is a simple phobia specific to the environment of darkness. Being in complete darkness is frightening. It induces a sense of helplessness. And yet physical darkness is nothing compared to emotional, relational, and spiritual darkness. Today you may feel like you are in a dark place with no way out: “Your girlfriend left you for another guy.” Or, “You are probably headed toward divorce. Your husband has been cheating on you.” Or, “You are depressed and weep for no reason. When will the blues go away, you ask?” Or, “You are wrestling with a terrible illness, and you are basically a shut-in. You are in a dark place and need help.” If that is your story, there is help, and there is hope. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” If you are willing to turn to Him today, you will discover that He can illuminate your path and show you the way out of the darkness you are in. When you turn on the light, darkness has to leave. And Jesus is the light that removes our spiritual and emotional darkness. Notice that Jesus did not say He is a light, or one among many lights, but instead the light. He did not say He is light just for some, but the light of the world. Regardless of where you live in the entire universe, Jesus is your answer. He is the WORD that brings light (Psalm 119:105). If you are living in darkness, He is inviting you to come to Him and step into the light, right now!

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1 Peter 5:7 ESV “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Anxiety can creep up at times when we least expect it and quickly overwhelm us. Or it can take up unwelcome and apparently permanent residence in our lives. Anxiety may take on different faces, and it may be propelled by different circumstances, but the issue itself is surprisingly common. When we face anxiety, we often try to ignore it by distracting our minds: engaging in activities. Notice, though, that in this verse, Peter does not say we are to deny, ignore, or flee from anxiety. Instead, we should be “casting all [our] anxieties on him.” The Greek word for “cast” here could be used to describe throwing out a bag of trash. So, instead of going through our days pressed down by the burden of anxiety, we are to throw it, hurl it, upon the Lord. To do this requires us to be humble. Being humble is what enables us to give our worries to God. When we attempt to take matters into our own hands through too much worry, we indicate an absence of humility; we are more concerned with ourselves than with our heavenly Father, or we are more determined to navigate our own course than to leave it to Him. There will always be a circumstance that can make us anxious. Peter does not address any specific circumstances, though; rather, he addresses the anxiety produced by the circumstances. Our anxiety itself is what we cast upon the Lord, doing exactly what the Bible says to do: humbling ourselves under God’s hand, saying, “My Father knows best. He cares for me better than I can care for myself.” The Lord is always willing to help. Perhaps it has been a long time since you knelt beside your bed and truly cast your burden upon the only one who is able to carry it, saying, “God, I cannot live my life with this burden anymore. Take it. It is Yours.” If that is you, do not hesitate any longer. Cast your anxieties into the loving arms of your heavenly Father and experience the freedom and peace only He can provide.