The "here and now" and God's presence

The "here and now" is the only "time and place" we experience the manifest presence of God because the here and now is when and where we exist and have our being.

Hebrews 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

To recognize God's presence, you must be conscious of the here and now. It means more than just occupying space in a given situation but actually paying attention. It means being fully engaged in the now. Not distracted by memories of the past or worries of the future.

Evidence that the Spiritual Battleground is our Mind

Cognitive Dissonance? Cognitive Distortion?

Cognitive dissonance may be defined as the state of having inconsistent or conflicting thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or behaviors, which, in turn, produce a feeling of discomfort within the individual.

Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn't really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling bad about ourselves.

Some Distortions:

• Always being right
• Blaming
• Disqualifying the positive
• Emotional reasoning
• Fallacy of change
• Fallacy of fairness
• Jumping to conclusions
• Labeling and mislabeling
• Magnification and minimization
• Overgeneralizing
• Personalizing
• Making "must" or "should" statements
• Splitting (All-or-nothing thinking, black-or-white thinking, dichotomous reasoning)

It's not whether a thought is positive or negative or a "thinking error". The question is whether the thinking is based on truth, which stirs conviction that leads to hope, or on a lie which concludes condemnation which leads to hopelessness.

Renewing the mind...

Taking every thought captive

Pray without ceasing

Distraction.

I've come to realize that worry is a distraction. You may think your worry is justified. That the time you spend worrying about it is required because your love for the one on your heart needs help.

Have you done what God asked you to do? Then give it to him.

Pay attention to your present situation. Don't be distracted by what you have no control over. The tomorrow you think will happen, you have no idea. Proverbs 3:5-6

Some random thoughts...?

What is the number of thoughts I can comprehend in any given moment?

The rate of change can vary in a given inertial frame. Does the rate of change affect the number of thoughts I can comprehend? I think... No, the rate of change is a constant of the inertial frame and therefore the number of thoughts that can be processed is also constant.

If the number of thoughts that can be processed (understood) in my inertial frame is limited then distraction can occupy my attention and I can miss the thoughts the Lover of my Soul has for me.

Are you occupied by distraction?

To be "present" in the Now.

Have you ever been distracted? Has your attention ever been occupied? Have you ever lost track of what you were paying attention too?

Being "Present" in the "Now" is the last thing the enemy of your Soul wants you to be aware of, understanding the reality of your existence, being aware and cognizant of your surroundings, both physical and Spiritual.

It is there you "attend" to the need. It's the last thing the enemy of your soul wants you to realize. There is no better time than "Now". There are no other considerations as important, no other distractions that beg procrastination. Time and effort proclaim "do it now" there is no better opportunity for the doing,  and the promise "Be at Peace" is fulfilled when done. There is no greater Joy than to obey "Now".

"for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." ROMANS 14:17

Life is pointless without God. With God,... what's the point?

Life is pointless without God. I don't have a problem with that. Just read Ecclesiastes, but it falls short in telling me... With God, what's the point?

Okay, I am here in the now, where God is. I understand "now" is what exists and it is where I make all my choices and decisions. I also understand that my choices are unalterable once made. I understand that I am unable to comprehend the infinite complexity of Now and my relationship to it, here where I am.

So what's the point? With God, I have the one who is everywhere (Omnipresence) and therefore knows everything (Omniscient) that is happening. As my counselor, He Knows exactly how I should respond in any given situation I might find myself in because He is able to anticipate every possible contingency I might be faced with, in the now of my existence. So that in that very hour I will be given what to say.

So when you hear "pay attention" I pray you will be awake and not distracted.

Gist, Now and Distraction.

So now is here, where you are. The sum of your past, call it Gist, is the place for your next choice. But memory equips you with perspective that helps you see distraction for what it is.

Will you continue to be distracted by story lines of fantasy. They are all around, ready to take up your attention and distract you from the facts that are being created by your choices.

The facts being created by your choices! Unalterable. Choice, the power to build up or tear down. Correct a wise man and he becomes wiser still.