Escape Your Rut - Part One

Escape Your Rut - Part One Pastor Noelle Huether What has started the formation of this sermon series several months ago is something that others have asked me, and honestly, I have asked myself the same question: If God created me in His image AND Christ is alive in me AND the Holy Spirit empowers me AND God's promises for my life are true, then why can I not seem to have the victory over _________? You fill in the blank. One of God's Promises for me and for you is: "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV Why are does it seem we are anxious and fearful, living much of our daily lives without God's Power, do not love others or God or even, ourselves, and honestly, do we really have self-control, or this Greek word can also be translated as "Sound Mind"? I hope to articulate the next few weeks not only the why we are not walking in God's power, love and self-control in much of our daily lives, but also what you and I can do about it in, all the while praying and seeking God to lead each of us on this life changing journey. Today is just an introduction to the science and Scriptures we will be exploring, so if you do not catch all the details today, don't worry, we will be studying more of the specifics in the weeks to come. First, I want to introduce to you Dr. Caroline Leaf, a Christian and neuroscientist. Since 1985, Caroline has worked in the area of cognitive neuroscience specializing in traumatic brain injury and learning disabilities. Her research goes all the way back to the 1990's when neuroplasticity was just beginning to be understood. Neuroplasticity is how the mind, your thoughts, and your activities, change the brain in real and observable ways. Dr. Leaf has dedicated her life understanding how the brain works and to linking science to Scripture. I give credit to Dr. Leaf for much of what I will be sharing and encourage you to visit her site at www.DrLeaf.com. Dr. Leaf and many other neuroscientists have shown that your brain controls every aspect of your body all the way to the genetic level. Your brain controls your physical and mental health. Your brain controls the replication of your cells and even has the ability to shut off or turn on your DNA codes during genetic expression, or when all your proteins are being created. Your brain also stores all your memories and the emotions attached to them. And what is in control of your brain? Your mind. Your thoughts. You are. So here's my question to you: What would you do if you could change the programming, chemistry and physical structure of your brain, thus affecting your physical and mental health all the way to your cellular level? Would you be willing to fight to reduce the effects of or even overcome: Addictive Habits Depression ADD / ADHD Learning Disabilities Heart Disease Effects of Stroke and Other Brain Injuries General Overall Health Physical Pain Physical and Mental Trauma Unforgiveness  & Bitterness Anger Low Self Esteem Anxiety and Panic Attacks OCD What if you were able to: Achieve a seemingly out of reach goal or dream Become a great parent, spouse or friend that you always wanted to be React positively and confidently to intense situations instead of reacting with judgment, excuses or accusations Receive constructive criticism positively Enjoy learning and have victory accomplishing exams, projects and homework Speak confidently in front of others Successfully accomplish a healthy eating plan Think clearly, make good decisions easily Walking in peace and joy, even through the hard times in your life What if you did not live in fear but experienced continual power and love and self-control as 2 Timothy 1:7 clearly promises that you and I have been given. Now, what if you could achieve any of this, and so much more, in as little as 7-15 minutes a day? What would you change? Who We Are: Scripture: We are created in the image of God Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Ok, help me now. What do we know about God? ..... Ephesians 4:22-24 "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;  to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." This is the exciting part... Science is just now catching up with God has been saying all along. Scientist in the last 20 years have shown: We are wired for love Created with a natural optimistic bias We are created without the capacity to handle fear and hate. Fear is learned. 2 Timothy 1:7 - God did not give us a spirit of fear Wiring in our brain cannot handle fear, hate and negative thoughts or emotions. We will see later how negative thoughts and emotions physically destroy our brain matter as well as body, all the way to the genetic level within our cells. Many neuroscientists recently have shown that these negative thoughts cause 75-98% of all mental, physical, and behavioral illnesses. Did you realize the impact your thinking has? Truly God was trying to teach us something terribly important when He said: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."             Deut 30:19 What do you see in this verse? We get to choose Life or Death, Good or Bad, Fear or Power, Love and Sound Mind. NOTEBOOKS - does everyone have one? Each week I will walk you through the steps of retraining your brain to be the fullness of the man or woman God designed you to be. This week's step is simple, but do not let that fool you. This is probably one of the most important steps. Without this step, you will not be able to move forward. This week, once a day, preferably in the morning, write down what you are thinking, feeling, and sensing. Just make a list of the good, the bad and the ugly. Don't need details, just jot them down. 2 minutes max! No one will see this notebook but you, unless you desire to share. Then throughout the day, if you think of it, stop and process what thoughts  you are experiencing at that moment. You don't have to write them down. This one little exercise is to help you start becoming more aware of the internal and external influences you are experiencing so you can train yourself to being aware of your thoughts. These next several weeks we are going to explore the effects of our thinking on us, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. As we explore the power God has given us over our own lives, we will learn, every week building upon each other, how to change our thinking so that we bring every thought captive to Jesus Christ. And through our deliberate choices in how we think, we will experience God transforming us into the image of Christ by renewing our mind so that we can walk in all of God's promises in the small and large details of our lives.