God is omniscient. 

What does this mean?  What does it imply?

It means - God knows how evil you can be.  

He sees - not only you actions - but your imaginations.

The brutal, perverted and flat out evil scenarios played over and over in our minds - He sees them all.

And yet - it doesn’t surprise Him.  

He knows that’s the only choice we have without Him in our lives.

After He sees the “heart of who we are” - He has compassion on us and loves us and draws near to us.

He then loves us, transforms us.

And works in us to transform the world around us.

This is His Omniscience at work.  

1. Select a habit you want to change.

2. Identify the cue that triggers the behavior (stress, boredom, loneliness, insignificance, etc.).

3. Understand the need the habit meets (the reward).

4. Now, without changing the cue or the reward, replace the routine with a new, healthier behavior.

Contrary to what you and others might think, you don’t necessarily have Bad Habits because you’re a Bad Person.

Every behavior or habit meets a need!

What need are you meeting when you’re facebook-ing, tweeting, youtube-ing, tumblr-ing, drinking, smoking, gambling, gossiping or complainin or TV/Drama watching?

This is a question you desperately need to answer in your twenties, if you want to get anywhere in life.

**You can get the details of each process in the book “The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in Life and Business” by Chris Duhigg. A book I would highly recommend for you to read while you are a twentysomething.

“When times are good, be happy, but when times are bad, consider.”  - Eccl. 7:14

Bad times can be grouped in 3 categories.

1. When your (or loved one’s) health fails.
2. When your (or loved one’s) business fails.
3. When your (or loved one’s) relationship fails.

Whenever any of these 3 fail in our lives, it’s time for us to consider.  

When times are bad, God doesn’t tell us to be bitter or angry.  He doesn’t tell us to complain or blame others.  Nor does He tells us to lose hope & drown in despair.  

Instead, God tells us to consider.  

Consider what exactly?  

Consider that it is God who grants us both the good times and the bad times.  

(Yes, in the Bible, God takes full responsibility for both the good times and the bad times.  Both the sunshine and the rain.)  

And consider the lesson we can learn through the bad times.  

And if we, in our heart of hearts, decide to consider (instead of whining & complaining) God promises to grant us the patient endurance and wisdom to see the “blessing in disguise” in the bad times.  

To all who are reaching out to feel the guiding hand of God, the moment of greatest discouragement is the time when divine help is nearest. They will look back with thankfulness upon the darkest part of their way. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly,” 2 Peter 2:9. From every temptation and every trial He will bring them forth with firmer faith and a richer experience. - DA 528

Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us. His voice, clear and distinct, is heard saying,”I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” John 14:6.  - COL 171

The Christian life isn’t about a life that is free from pain and suffering.  

Rather, it’s a life full of pain & suffering with the wisdom to consider & transform the pain and suffering into God’s blessing in disguise.  

So, if you’re going to bad times, please consider & transform.

The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain to seek for purity of life.

He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ is building his house upon the shifting sand.  

- PP 460

_____________________________________________________

I’ve always thought about the man who built his house on sand.  

The archtype of those who “know” but don’t do.

And here he is again.  

Those who “know” that they can’t change themselves.   

Those who “know” their righteousness is like filthy rags.

Those who “know” their flesh wars against them.  

And yet, they “try to change” all on their own, by themselves.  

Then, they are overthrown & come crashing down, when the fierce storms of temptation roars in their lives.  (i.e. when they’re bored with lots of time & money on their hands.)   

Little and yet incremental changes build & thus transform us inside out, when we’re willing to daily, rely & fully depend upon the grace of God to renew our hearts.  

Started my 2012 New Year’s Resolution today.  :)  

Uh, what?

Yes, started my resolutions for the 2012 TODAY!

Why?

Because there are some principles & steps we need to follow in order to be successful in turning our “dream” into “action”.

What are they?

• 1st:  We need to start living our resolution within 3 days of making it.
• 2nd:  Then we need to continue living for 21 straight days.  
• 3rd:  Then what started as a “resolution” becomes a “habit”.
• 4th:  And “habit” enables us to continue our resolution without even thinking about it like “brushing our teeth” & “taking a shower” in the morning.  (well, at least for some of us anyway)  :D  

___________

Did you know that as many as 90% of attempts at New Year’s Resolution FAIL every single year?

Do you know why?

Because many have “tried to implement” changes on January 1 instead of giving themselves plenty of time for them to “create good habits” from the previous year.  

So, here I am, On Day 1 of my New Year’s Resolution for the New Year!  

I’ve planned & carefully created an “ideal weekly schedule” of 2012 and gave myself enough room for changes.  

In the “ideal weekly schedule” I’ve included the goals (very specific goals) that will be accomplished through a very specific lifestyle.   

So, for the next 21~31 days, by God’s grace, I’ll be implementing a lifestyle, which will create habits, that will feel natural (and kind of weird if I don’t live it) when the New Year begins.