Odds and Ends

By Arthur Fahy

The purpose of Odds and Ends is to show how
relying on God will help us through our diffi culties. It
is for people who are not familiar with the Bible and
those who may have stepped away from reading the Bible. The
topics are universal. The verses are short and can be read in less
than a minute.
What diffi culty are you facing right now? Look up a verse that
pertains to that situation and read it. Meditate on it and write
it down on an index card. Carry the card around with you and
refer to the verse frequently. At the end of two weeks, compare
where you were and where you are now. One of two things will
change - the situation or you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453582275

Arthur Fahy

Art Fahy resides in Las Vegas. He writes for a Christian newspaper and the men’s newsletter at his church. In addition, Art is a member of his church’s drama team. He is currently working on a Christian novel and two Christian short stories. You can visit his website at www.artfahy.com.

Book preview

Copyright © 2010 by Arthur Fahy.

ISBN: Softcover  978-1-4535-8226-8

ISBN: Ebook       978-1-4535-8227-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

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CONTENTS

PRAYER OF SALVATION

THOUGHTS

JOY

DECISIONS

PRAYER

TRUST

CONFIDENCE

PROTECTION

SUFFICIENCY

WISDOM

SIN

ANGER

FAITH

HOPE

LOVE

GUILT

FORGIVENESS

STRENGTH

COMMITMENT

FEAR

PEACE

OBEDIENCE

PATIENCE

WORDS

MONEY

ATTITUDE

GUIDANCE

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beloved wife Frankie Fahy. The nineteen years we spent together was my taste of heaven here on earth. Thank you for your endless support and loving me unconditionally.

Copyright Acknowledgement

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible,

New International Version®, NIV®.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™

Used by permission of Zondervan.

All rights reserved worldwide.

www.zondervan.com

LESSONS LEARNED

An important lesson I have learned in life is I cannot control people and situations. I do not have the capabilities to change people, the past, or the truth. I realize that what I attempt to control ends up controlling me.

What I can control is my mind. What do I want to think and how do I want to respond to people and situations? Humans are the only creatures on earth who have the power of choice. Every other living creature responds out of instinct. The geese fly south for the winter, bears hibernate, and salmon swim upstream to spawn. Instincts drive these actions.

Your mind is a wonderful tool. Just like any other tool, it needs maintenance to stay functional. That maintenance is the thoughts we feed it. What are you putting into it? What do you think about throughout the course of the day? What are your dominant thoughts?

If anger is your dominant thought, then anger will come out in your words and or actions. It may be lust. The more you entertain lust, the more likely you are going to act on that thought. If your dominant thoughts are service and love, then your words and actions will reflect these thoughts.

Since thoughts are the one thing we can control, I wanted the first chapter to be on thoughts. One topic is not dependent on another. You can pick any topic at any time to improve your relationship with Jesus. The only thing I ask is that you keep an open mind throughout this book. Enjoy the journey and remember you are not alone. God is with you at all times. God has the power to change anything in your life. Are you ready to let God change your life?

PRAYER OF SALVATION

I confess to you Lord that I am a sinner. I believe you sent your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins so that I may be saved. I believe after three days Jesus rose from the dead. I open my heart and accept you now Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

THOUGHTS

MARK 7:20-23

Jesus is speaking.

He went on: What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’

So what is in your heart? What are you thinking? If you dwell on one of the thoughts mentioned above repeatedly, it probably will lead to sin. Let us say you desire to seek revenge on someone because you believe he said something derogatory about you. Revenge fills your mind and holds you prisoner. Every word and action oozes from this venomous desire. Imagine your state of mind and the quality of life if you become a prisoner of this thought.

You must be like a guard at a gate and inspect every thought that approaches the gate. Turn away the thoughts that are harmful and allow uplifting thoughts to enter your mind. Where can you turn to find the thoughts God wants you to think about? You can turn to God’s word. It is filled with uplifting thoughts.

Paul tells us in Philippians to focus our thoughts on what is true, noble, right, pure, and admirable. The Holy Spirit is available to help with the thoughts God wants you to think. It is your choice what you put into your mind.

PROVERBS 15:14

"The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool feeds on folly."

To lead a healthy life you must be painstaking about what goes into your heart and mind. Just as we should be aware of our physical diet, we should also be aware of our mental diet. If Jesus is sitting in our living room, what would you be watching on television? What CD or radio station would you be listening to if Jesus is a passenger in your car?

Just as what you eat can have an effect on your well-being so can your thoughts. If you over indulge in junk food, it will have an adverse effect on your health over time. The same is true of your thoughts. If you continue dumping negative and harmful thoughts into your mind, these thoughts will have an effect on your words, actions, and total well-being.

Solomon, the writer of this proverb, tells you to recognize what is filling your minds and hearts. His advice is to seek knowledge. Seeking knowledge is the first step to wisdom. A step toward wisdom is seeking God’s will for us. One place to find the knowledge of God is in the Bible. There God reveals how he wants you to live.

Fill your minds with thoughts of truth, honesty, and love. Notice the difference in your attitude when your mind holds these uplifting thoughts as opposed to thoughts of anger, revenge, or lust. What you continue to dwell on will come out in your words and behaviors. Stay vigilant in thinking righteous thoughts and notice how your life changes.

ROMANS 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

What is the pattern of this world? Look at this country’s financial situation. Top ranking executives have driven some of the most prestigious companies into bankruptcy and they walk away with huge bonuses. Our top ranking politicians are admitting to or caught in adulterous behavior. The claws of drugs and violence dig deeply into our society.

Paul reveals a way out. He says not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world. Do not act in accordance with the prevailing standards of the world. Paul is suggesting a change in character. The way to do this is by becoming spiritually new. Remember, even though you are focusing on renewing your mind, you will still experience anger, pride, and jealousy. Today you have a way out and that is through Jesus.

Keeping God at the center of your life will help fend off harmful thinking. Quiet time with God is very important. Daily Bible reading, prayer, and contemplating his word will help keep him foremost in your mind.

I need constant reminders to guide my thoughts. I write a Bible verse down on an index card and carry it in my shirt pocket. I pull it out riding an elevator, standing in a line, or while I am on hold on a phone call. This keeps God in the center of my life and I am empowered and uplifted.

THOUGHTS

Ben was a friend of mine. When I first met him, he was a vibrant and happy young man. He married a wonderful girl and they had a son. I lost contact with Ben for about five years.

When I did see him, I was shocked over the change that had occurred. He had gained about 50 pounds and he wore a permanent scowl on his face. He told me he did not have to work anymore.

He began telling me his story. He had sued a large manufacturing company and a fast food chain. He had received healthy settlements from both companies. The entire time we spent together Ben popped different types of medication into his mouth. When he spoke, the veins in his neck protruded and he never stopped cursing.

I saw Ben three years later. He had gained more weight, increased his medication, and was walking with a cane. He informed me he was suing a local establishment because he had slipped and fallen, hurting his ankle. He also told me that he had moved into the spare bedroom away from his wife, which did not seem to bother him.

A mutual friend called me six months later to inform me that Ben had passed away. One of the regrets I had about this relationship was that I was not strong in my faith in the Lord. I felt I was not capable of talking to Ben about my relationship with Jesus. I learned over the years that God wants my availability not my ability. He will provide the ability when the time comes.

It is easy to see Ben fed his mind continuously with harmful thoughts of revenge and anger. They took their toll on his health, marriage, and all his relationships. These thoughts blanketed his joy and vibrancy for life.

Destructive thoughts will harm you. Planting seeds of truth, peace, purity, and love in your mind and heart will lead to a more God like life. These are characteristics of God and they will keep God foremost in your mind.

PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-8

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

Paul writes this passage from prison. He says to rejoice in the Lord always. He says again rejoice. How do you rejoice in prison?

Paul knew he could not control his outside circumstances. He knew he could control his thoughts. He was aware his thoughts produced the right attitude. With the proper attitude, outside circumstances take on a different look.