Think On These Things

John 16:33

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

I praise you, Jesus, for the peace you give me. There are indeed many trials and sorrows here on this earth. But if I keep my focus on you, then I can continue to have sweet peace.

It's interesting to me that the world is constantly searching for peace of mind, yet it can only be found in you, who they are rejecting.

Isaiah 26:3-4

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the LORD always,

for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

Jesus, help me to keep my thoughts fixed on you. Help me to not worry about anything, but instead, pray about everything. Let me trust in you always, for you are the eternal Rock.

Philippians 4:6-8

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 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.

I need to be intentional and proactive about this. Worry will come. When it does, I must have a plan of attack. That plan is to bring it to God, tell him what I need, thank him for what he has already done, and then put the matter out of my mind. I can do this because I trust the One who is the eternal Rock.

In addition to this, I need to fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I need to only think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

If I am to do this, I need to be careful about what I allow into my mind. If I am always watching or listening to things that are full of this world's lies and hypocrisies, then I will find it very difficult to keep my thoughts on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. In fact, you tell us to get rid of all the filth and evil in our lives. I'm sure this is part of the reason you told us to do that.

James 1:21

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Lord, help me to be wise about what I watch and listen to. I want to keep my thoughts fixed on you. I make that harder for myself if I feed garbage into my mind. It may not always appear as garbage on the surface. Help me to use discernment when choosing. Help me to get rid of all the filth and evil in my life. Help me to see the things I entertain myself with the way YOU see them. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

James 1:19-21

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. You must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

John 12:49-50

"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."

John 12:49-50

I Can't Throw the Stone

John 8:7

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"

Lord, help me to not be quick to condemn others for their sin. I am just as sinful as anyone. It's only your grace, mercy and continual forgiveness that saves me.

Romans 8:12-14

So, dear brothers and sisters you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit, you turn from it and it's evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

As I'm learning to walk in victory and having some success in not doing what my sinful nature urges me to do, don't let me look down on others who are still struggling to learn this.

I can't help thinking of the parable of the proud Pharisee and the repentant tax collector from Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:14

"I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Lord, I praise you for pointing this out to me before it becomes a huge issue in my walk. I have looked at others, who I know have heard the Freedom Workshop message, and wondered, "Why aren't they getting this?" Lord, please forgive me for my self-righteous attitude. Next time I'm tempted to do this please remind me of what you just taught me.

Other believers are in process, just like I am. Of course, if I see a brother or sister engaging in blatant, habitual sin, then I need to lovingly and with YOUR words, rebuke them. But not when they are simply stumbling along as they strive to obey you.

I can, however, remind them to run to you. And I can share the truths from Romans 8:12-14 with brothers and sisters in Christ who may not have learned them yet.

I praise you, Jesus, for the changes you are working in me. I want to decrease so you can increase. I want to be more and more like you, who did not condemn the woman, but told her, "Go and sin no more." In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

James 1:14-15

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. Those desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

James 1:14-15

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Help Me Watch and Pray

Matthew 26:41

"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!"

Lord, help me to watch and pray.

Numbers 15:39

"When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commandments of the LORD instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do."

Lord, you know how prone I am to getting sidetracked or distracted and following my own desires thereby defiling myself. Help me to stay alert and aware of temptations that haunt me looking for any chink in my armor. When I'm weakest is when I need to be most vigilant. When I'm tired or not feeling well, that is when temptation will com at me hardest.

Thank you, Lord, that your power in me is stronger than any temptation I face. I just need to cry out to you and you ride across the heavens to help me!

Deuteronomy 33:26

There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor.

THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSES

Zechariah 11:11

The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Sweat the Small Stuff! Bring it to God!

Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Romans 12:1

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Exodus 15:24

Then the people complained and turned against Moses.

Lord, how quick I am to complain and to turn on those I love. Instead of complaining I need to be talking to you about it. Even the small stuff, especially the small stuff. It's the small stuff that builds up and ruins marriages and other relationships.

Lord, please forgive me for being a complainer. Help me to run to you with the small stuff, then if it's necessary, talk to the person who is doing it so that it doesn't cause friction in that relationship.

Lord, I have some relationships that already have years of small stuff built up. Will you show me how to break down those barriers so there can be reconciliation and no more friction?

 

Song of Solomon 2:15

Quick! Catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love, for the grapevines are all in blossom.

Philippians 2:14-15

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

After nearly a year of no posts, I'm feeling led to repurpose this blog. I may still share things from my daily life, but the new main purpose of this blog will be to share what the Holy Spirit gives me during my quiet times. If these turn out to be too personal then I will either not share that day or generalize it for public consumption. I can't promise that I will share every day, but that is my goal. I need the discipline of journalling and this will help to add a level of accountability.

1-17-15
Genesis 39

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" Gen. 39:6b-7

I don't know what her marriage was like. Was it an arranged marriage in which she was unhappy? That doesn't really matter much. The point is that she allowed her heart to stray. This is something that is SO easy for a woman's heart to do! Even if you are married to a good man who treats you well. Any little bit of discontentment can drive a wedge between you. 

All it takes is a romance novel (even a Christian one!), a romantic movie, or thoughts of an old boyfriend and "How would things have been different with him?" If we allow ourselves to start believing that our husband doesn't measure up in some way then each discontented thought drives that wedge deeper and our heart strays further away.

 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

Lord, you know how I struggled with this early in my marriage. I allowed discontent to grow in my heart. You showed me how to rehearse the things that I love about the man you gave me. You gently urged me to confess my sin of dwelling on thoughts of an old boyfriend to my husband. You helped me to expose that sin to the light so that it no longer held me in bondage. You showed me how to guard my heart by taking every thought captive to the feet of Jesus Christ. But, Lord, sometimes I still forget to remember. When I forget, would you please remind me? Help my love for you first and then my husband to grow. Thank you Lord for 20+ years with this wonderful man! Amen!


If this post resonated with you, please leave your comments. I would love to hear how God is working in your life!