Shirlee Abbott

Minimize Worries

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

My husband in late for dinner. It’s raining, and I worry. I imagine all kinds of horrible things: heavy traffic, a horrible accident, transport to the hospital. By the time he pulls into the driveway, I’m thinking life-support.

My brain needs a minimize button.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Wild thoughts try to take me captive. Instead, I click minimize and send those thoughts to an unseen corner. I clear the screen in my head to maximize a word from God.

Good morning, Lord. I sometimes get stuck in a revolving door of wrong thinking, a rut of panic, a whirl of imagined disaster. Teach me to run to the strong tower of Your Word and take protection under the umbrella of Your wisdom. There, help me breathe deeply of Your grace and strength.

Even when the situation really is dire, O God, I can trust Your plan and Your faithfulness.

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Maximize Excellence

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Two little symbols at the top of my screen — a straight line and a square box — I use them all the time. Hit the maximize box and an image fills my screen. Click the minimize line and it disappears.

I need a a box and a line for my brain.

Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Maximize the excellent thoughts. Minimize the rest.

Good morning, Lord. I can’t control which thoughts pop into my head, but I can control what I do with them. Forgive me for letting negative ideas take over my mind. Teach me to maximize the excellent and minimize the worthless, to focus on the good and turn away from the bad.

“May the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged maximize, minimize, Philippians 4:8, Psalm 19:14 | Comments Off

The Gift of Intelligence

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Gad gave me the gift of intelligence, along with the free will to do as I want with it.

“Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.”
Frances Havergal, 1874
Take My Life and Let It Be

I choose to give it back to Him.

Good morning, Lord. Sometimes, when I succeed at a difficult task, I think, “How clever I am.” Forgive me for leaving You out of the equation, for You have given me the ability. Thank You for the way my mind, voice, hands and feet work together. Thank You for eyes to see, ears to hear and the intellect to understand.

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). I owe all that I am to You, O God. May all I think, do and say honor You.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged Frances Havergal, intelligence, Psalm 139:14, Take My Life and Let It Be | Comments Off

Real Intelligence

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Intelligence without God-sense (AKA wisdom) is foolishness.

James 3:17-18 (MSG)
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Real intelligence, down-to-earth intelligence, comes from God.

Good morning, Lord. grant me the wisdom to love You, love myself and love others. Show me how to live “in favor with God and man” (Proverbs 3:4), with the right attitude toward both You and those around me. Keep me humble and honest, merciful and genuine. As I walk through my day, let me leave a trail of blessings.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged intelligence, James 3:17-18, Proverbs 3:4, Wisdom | Comments Off

Divine Intelligence

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10a (ESV)
But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

Not just higher intelligence — divine intelligence, more than I can think or imagine on my own. And it’s available to me through the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God!

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for granting me insight into Your divine wisdom and knowledge. The more I study Your Word, the more I know and understand. Forgive me for placing too much value on the so-called wisdom of our culture. Teach me to weigh it against Your Word and follow what is good and godly in Your eyes.

When my thoughts start to wander astray, Holy Spirit, lead them back to the path of righteousness, for Your name’s sake (Psalm 23:3).

Posted in Constructive Thought, Door of opportunity\, Morning Prayer | Tagged 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, divine intelligence, Psalm 23:3 | 3 Comments

Transforming, Not Conforming, Intelligence

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

When AI finishes our thoughts and sentences, won’t we all sound alike?

Romans 12:2a (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Renew your mind, transform your thoughts, refine your voice. Be the unique person God created you to be.

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for always listening when I talk to You. Teach me to listen when You speak to me: through Scripture, circumstance, godly advice and the gentle whisper or startling nudge of the Spirit. Align my thoughts and desires with Yours. Break through my false assumptions, chip away my self-centeredness.

Transform my soul, in Jesus’ name.

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Higher (Not Artificial) Intelligence

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Like it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is part of my daily routine — choosing the news stories popping up on my screen, printing discount coupons at the store, even finishing my sentences as I write on this website.

AI doesn’t make me any smarter.

Colossians 3:1-2 (MSG)
… Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

The more I see things from God’s big-picture perspective, the smarter I become. I want higher intelligence!

Good morning, Lord. Teach me to walk through this world with one eye focused heavenward, ever conscious of Your perspective. Guide me as I listen, read, think, and act. Help me see how my doings impact those around me. I hope to leave a trail of blessings — and I can do that only through Your wisdom and power.

“Be Thou my Wisdom, be Thou my true Word; be Thou ever with me and I with Thee, Lord” (Mary E. Byrne, 1880-1930).

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged AI, artificial intelligence, Be Thou my Vision, Colossians 3:1-2, higher intelligence, Mary E. Byrne | Comments Off

Spiritual Sufficiency and Prosperity

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

My posts for this week have been about sufficiency and prosperity. Spiritually, I think, they are the same.

Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

In Christ, I have more than enough. In Christ, I have spiritual sufficiency and prosperity — thanks be to God!

Good morning, Lord. Sometimes I focus on what I don’t have, instead of what I do have. It stems from comparison. I look at someone else and want to be like–or better than–them. You tell us to be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5).

Teach me to be content–not only with what I have, but for where I am, for what You grant and what You deny, the doors You close and the doors You open. I have more than enough, Lord, thank You!

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged comparison, content, Ephesians 1:3, Hebrews 13:5, prosperity, sufficiency | 2 Comments

Sufficient Grace

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Paul asked God for more, and this was the answer.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMP)
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation].”

I say, More please.

God says, You already have more than enough.

“Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.”
Robert Robinson, 1758
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Good morning, Lord. You have given me amazing grace and unfailing love. I have more than enough, more than I can ask or think. Yet here I am again, with my list of desires. And here You are, ready to listen. You are so gracious and patient with me, grant me the same grace and patience. Help me accept “Not yet” and “No” as answers.

Teach me to trust Your wisdom and not my own.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged 2 Corinthians 12:9, grace, more than enough, Robert Robinson, sufficient | 3 Comments

Personal Prosperity

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

What is it to prosper personally, to be prosperous? Let’s take King David, for example.

1 Saurel 18:14 (AMP)
David acted wisely and prospered in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

“Prospered” — in Hebrew, sakal, meaning to have insight and intelligence, to act wisely, to be prudent, to understand, to have success.

To prosper, as this verse says David did, involves behavior, not riches. It’s not what we own, it is how we think and act.

I want to prosper like David.

Good morning, Lord. As the song says, “we’ve come this far by faith” — it’s not my own doing, but Your plan and Your power. Forgive me for taking credit for work You have done through me. My deeds prosper only because You have granted me the inspiration, skills, wisdom and opportunity. Thank You.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged 1 Samuel 18:14, prosper, we've come this far by faith | Comments Off