THIS IS THE WAY Zach Way

If you fully lived in Gods love you would be filled with joy, and you wouldn't need to try harder to pray. Joy is not just a feeling, it is a condition of the heart.

The fruit of the Spirit we’re focusing on this month is the Joy, the Spiritual Discipline that will accompany it is Prayer.

“Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].” Colossians 3:2

“But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].” Galatians 5:16 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.” Romans 15:13

How to experience more Joy: 


Surrender the illusion of control
Give thanks: practice gratitude
Focus your attention on what is good
Celebrate at the table together with family/brothers and sisters

Prayer Reminders: Start and end your day with prayer, set a reminder for midday.

Morning: Lords Prayer, then paraphrase in your own words

Afternoon: Psalm 23, then paraphrase in your own words

Evening: Examen (5 quick steps)


Gratitude: count your blessings and give thanks
Grace: Ask for God’s Grace to see your shortcomings
Review: When were you living in God’s Love and aware of His Presence
Repent: Ask God to forgive your sin, give you new desires and heal what you have broken
Resolve: Ask God for strength to make tomorrow better in a specific way

I hope this is helpful for you, if it is, please share it with a friend or family member, remember to subscribe, and if you have 30 seconds leave a review.

Please leave a prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com


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Change starts in the heart and then moves outward. So the spiritual disciplines that we're going to be focusing on start internal, then move towards external and then relational or corporate. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. If we want to change the world, we have to allow God to change our hearts, then move on to our home, then lastly the external world.

What we're going to be talking about today is how we should love someone, but not focus on trying to love everyone.

“Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good.” Romans 12:9

Love is active, tolerance is passive. We are told to love our neighbor and our friends, our enemies, to visit and look after the less fortunate. The alone, forgotten, fatherless, and the widows. Those are all singular people, not all of mankind. God loved the whole world, but I can't do that. I think we should love someone the way that we wish we could love everyone.

We can’t love everyone, but everyone can love someone. The more we meditate on God’s word and align our heart with His, the more we will act in a manner of love. Love is not an action, it is a source of action.

I hope this is helpful for you, if it is, please share it with a friend or family member, remember to subscribe, and if you have 30 seconds leave a review.

Please leave a prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com


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The internet is making us less human and harder for us to focus and think and meditate, and social media is making us mean and angry. So, what is the solution?


When we meditate on Gods law, we produce fruit in our season.

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].” Psalms 1:2-3 


The fruit of the Spirit is love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 


What do we know about love?

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 



I hope this is helpful for you, if it is, please share it with a friend or family member, remember to subscribe, and if you have 30 seconds leave a review.

Please leave a prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com


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Ecclesiastes 4:6, Galatians 1:10, Psalms 127

You are not divided, you are whole. There is no work/life balance. There is tension and sacrifice. The more we compartmentalize parts of our life the more separated we become, stringing parts of us along we become dislocated, distracted disjointed, displaced, divided, and depressed. Life was not meant to be lived like this, we are whole beings.

When we view life holistically we mend what was torn, and bring unity to what has been divided. We fool ourselves by thinking we can be one person with a different set of responsibilities from 8-5 Monday - Friday and another person the rest of the time. We fool ourselves into thinking we can act and behave this way online and another way in real life.

The easiest way to reverse the anxiety of it all is to limit the options.

Here’s my homework for myself.


Write out a list of all your current responsibilities and rank them in order of importance.
Limit your time commitments by saying no more often.
Care less about what’s not on the list, in order to care more about what is on the list.
Lower your expectations for yourself, write out your goal for the week, stay disciplined in the short term.
Audit your time and focus most on important but not urgent tasks.
Eliminate situations where you feel the urge to act in a manner that is not in line with your values.
Be the same person, wherever you are.

For additional study and resources check out:

Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster

Bridgetown’s series on Simplicity

The More of Less by Joshua Becker

Enough by Adam Hamilton

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver

Please leave a  prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com


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“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” 1 Peter 4:8-10



When we began these 12 weeks of simplicity, we started with the heart and answered questions surrounding purpose. Well, now we're going to start with the heart of the home, so let's get clear on the purpose of that. 

The kitchen and dining table are the heart of the home. And if you're like most Americans, we’re slowly losing our heart. So, let's simplify.

What is the purpose of your dining room and kitchen? Is it aligned right now? What is your vision for meals? What is distracting you from that? What is in the way?

I heard a winery owner on the news and he said ”$25 is a small price to pay to keep the one's you love at the table for another 30 minutes to an hour” I keep thinking about that. What would you do to keep the one's you love at the table?

This looks different for all of us, but here's some general tips on how to simplify:


No phones at the table
Pick a question of the night
Read a Bible passage at the table
Invite friends for a potluck
Have wine or a special drink
Have rotating weekly meals (you literally cannot go wrong with Taco Tuesday)
Purge your freezer, fridge and pantry.
Keep kitchen items where they are most used and accessible.
Eat more natural, make more from scratch, involve the fam.
Basic meals are fine, don’t try to be fancy if you really don’t want to be, if you’re extra then be extra, but if you’re trying to impress others, stop. Frozen pizzas, carrots and grapes are still a good meal.
Clean as you go, don’t let dishes pile up.
The dinner table isn’t just for dinner, break out a card game.

The purpose of simplifying our kitchen and dining room is to serve others, spend more time together and slow down.



For additional study and resources check out:

Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster

Bridgetown’s series on Simplicity

The More of Less by Joshua Becker

Enough by Adam Hamilton

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver

Please leave a  prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com


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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/this-is-the-way-pod/message

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-8‬ 

Why should we simplify social media? I'll keep it short and simple;


Social media is designed to be addictive.
Social media steals your joy.
Social media makes you mean.

Two ways to simplify social media


Limit

Time limits
Who you follow
What groups you're a part of
Access


Eliminate


Delete social media accounts
Keep it off your phone

For additional study and resources check out:

Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster

Bridgetown’s series on Simplicity

The More of Less by Joshua Becker

Enough by Adam Hamilton

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver

Please leave a  prayer or voicemail here, you can also email me: zacheway@gmail.com



“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-8‬


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