Week Forty-Two - Thoughts

THOUGHTS

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  Jeremiah 29:11

When it comes to thinking, the Lord outdoes us all.  Psalm 139 tells us that he thinks of us more often than we can count…more than the grains of sand.  Here in Jeremiah, God’s Word tells us what God is thinking toward his people.  He is thinking good.

Sometimes we get the idea that God is a big baddy in the sky with a club ready to thump his unruly children.  We hear, “God will get you for that.”  And we imagine that all-seeing eye watching what we do and standing in judgment.  I guess a portion of that picture may be true. We will stand in judgment before God for what we do, but we are not in judgment because God has willed us to be punished.  We are there by our own choices.

God looks down upon us in love and desires only the best for us.  He wants us to succeed. He wants us to know His love and acceptance.  He has good plans for us and wants us to reach the end with a fulfilled and satisfied life.

Coming to grips with the idea that God is for us changes how we approach life and how we approach God.  It gives us a positive outlook and a confidence that comes from knowing God is on our side.  Paul puts it like this:  “If God be for us, who can be against us?”  (Romans 8:33)

How do you see God?  Does sin in your life need to be addressed?  Sin will taint our view of God.  Better to take it to Him now!  Do you see Him as loving?  John 16:27 tells us, “…the Father himself loveth you…”.  Take time to meditate on this truth – God loves you, thinks good about you and is for you.  How might this change the way you approach your day?

THOUGHTS

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” 

Psalm 119:59

O, be careful little feet where you go,

O, be careful little feet where you go,

For the Father up above is looking down in love,

So be careful little feet where you go.”

This is one of the first children’s songs I learned in Sunday school.  I used to sing it over and over and think about what it meant.  It teaches that making good choices is important.  Our feet, our eyes, our ears, our mouths, all are avenues which need to be considered or thought about.  God cares what we are doing with our lives.

I remember times in my life where I had to stop and take stock of where I was and what I was pursuing.  Sometimes it meant changing friends.  Sometimes it meant saying no to opportunities or temptations.  Sometimes it meant waiting on God instead of forging ahead.  But those were all pivotal times - times when my path changed direction for the better.

Self-evaluation is necessary in the Christian life.  Thinking about our direction, or our attitude, or our motivation is imperative for spiritual growth and consecration.  The Psalmist David gives us an example as he invited the Lord into the process.  Psalm 139:23, 24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David opened himself for divine evaluation.

Might be a scary thought.  Might cause us some real soul searching and self-denial.  But it will be well worth it. As we turn our feet to the direction of God’s Word and instruction we are bound to find a greater communion, fellowship with our Lord and a place of assurance and blessing.  You up to it?

THOUGHTS

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

 Psalm 94:19

My mind can get into a whirl.  Like on a roller coaster, so many thoughts are screaming for attention that I just don’t know which one to pay attention to first!  Pressures of the job, family issues, and self can get into conflict and cause me to have to just stop and try to sort it all out.

I have found that whirling is not of God.  God is ordered and systematic.  He doesn’t get into a flap.  He doesn’t get too much on his plate.  He has it all under control. 

Oswald Chambers wrote, “I will never think of anything my Father will forget, so why should I worry?”  This amazing me.  I will never think of anything God will forget.  Oh, but I can do a powerful lot of thinking!  And worrying! But when I come back to this thought I realize that God already has it all figured out.  I can simply relax.  This brings comfort to my soul!

Comfort also comes from rhema – God’s Word alive in my heart.  Scripture brings peace and assurance.  Scriptures that God has used over and over in my life to bring me back into line.

Comfort also comes as I see God’s Hand at work in my life.  Just a spoken word from a friend, or a kindness done will cause my thoughts to cease and bring me back into focus on the God who loves me and delights my soul.

Whirling is a sure sign that I am out of control or trying to be in control.  I need to just stop my whirling and come back to the centre – God - where I am sure to find the comfort and joy my soul so desires.

Are you whirling?  Allowing your mind to just spin and spin to no end?  Why not get off the roller coaster and take a seat with God!

THOUGHTS

“The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.” 

Psalm 94:11

God knows our thoughts.  Poor God.  He knows that the thought of man’s heart is evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)  Even with our best intentions, our hearts wander into evil thoughts and imaginations.  Romans 3 tells us that none of us naturally seek after God.  None of us are righteous.

“Oh”, but you say, “I am a Christian.  I do seek God.  I don’t think evil.”  Really?  Oswald Chambers wrote, “Beware of the piety that denies the natural life, it is a fraud.”  Self-righteousness is not God honouring.  Man, even redeemed man, can imagine and desire evil.  The difference is that with Christ, we do not have to yield to our sinful thoughts.  We have His resurrection power to give us strength to overcome and to control our thoughts.

Vanity means empty or void.  Sometimes we confuse it with meaning only focus on makeup, fashion, or things like that.  But the vanity of man’s thoughts goes much deeper than the simple outward appearance.

Let’s paraphrase the verse. “God knows our thoughts.  Our thoughts are of no value.  They are empty and void compared to God’s thoughts.”  So, with all our great thinking ability, better than the animals or anything God created, we are still simple creatures.

There is no room for pride here. No room for exaltation of man.  No room for “smartness” or super intellect.  Oh, we might be able to figure out some things in science and mathematics, but we will never attain to God’s wisdom.

When I think about this, with my small mind.  I am humbled.  It brings me to a place of submission to an all-wise God.  Where does it bring you?

THOUGHTS

“The thought of foolishness is sin…”  Proverbs 24:9

Because the sin nature lusteth to envy and dwells in desire to live opposed to God, man has a natural bent toward foolishness.  Foolishness is not only an outward action, but also a case of the inward thought processes.  Proverbs 22:15 says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child…”

           

First there needs to be a determination between foolishness, which is sin, and foolishness, which is innocent.  The writer of Proverbs was referring to foolishness in the form of devising evil against another, not innocent joyful play.

        

Foolishness starts with an inward thought and leads to outward actions and consequences.  We experience foolish thoughts toward other drivers, people who hurt us, or those we find difficult.  Before we realize it, we say things about what we’d like to do to retaliate.  Rarely do we take it further, but sin is already at the door and we need to take it to God in repentance.

        

II Cor 10:5 instructs us to cast the thought away and bring it unto obedience.  We are responsible for our thoughts.  Every thought is to be obedient.  Every thought needs to be weighed by Scripture.  Mind control is a life-long exercise in obedience.

        

Is it possible?  Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”  So, according to this verse, “yes!”  God knows our thoughts before we think them, so surely by the power of the Spirit and the Word working within us He would be able to direct our thoughts as we yield control to Him.  The question is, “Are we too foolish to yield?”

Week Forty-One - Take Heed

TAKE HEED

“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently…”  Deuteronomy 4:9

The Bible word is “shamar” meaning to hedge about as with thorns, to guard, protect, attend unto, beware, be circumspect, to mark, look narrowly, to observe, protect, regard, reserve, save, wait, watch.  As Moses began to prepare the children of Israel to enter Canaan he repeatedly told them to take heed unto themselves.  Look at these instances in Deuteronomy:

2:4 – take heed in passing through Esau’s land

4:9 – take heed to keep your soul focused

4:15 – take heed to avoid idolatry

4:23 – take heed not to forget God’s covenant

11:16- take heed that your heart is not deceived

12:13 – take heed to perform worship properly

12:19 – take heed to reverence the man of God

12:30 – take heed to not be captured by worldliness.

God knows how weak we are.  We think nothing can move us.  We believe, like Peter, that though all would fall away, we would remain faithful.  Well – we may – but only if we recognize the dangers and set a guard on our hearts.  This is our active part in sanctification.  We do not become holy by prayer alone.  We must choose to take heed of the influences that would seek to draw us away and follow up those choices by action toward God with a whole and holy heart.

We need to take heed to the Word that is preached to us, to the holy promptings of the Spirit of God, and be aware of the weakness of our flesh.  We need to hedge ourselves about with good friends and good fellowship. 

Are you taking heed? Or walking on dangerous ground?

TAKE HEED

“Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.”

 Joshua 23:11

God will not make me love Him.  I must choose to love God.  And, I must actively protect that love.  Joshua called the people to remember all God had done for them and what service to God truly required.  God offered his love and protection, but they had to choose their response.  In 24:15 Joshua and his family chose to serve the Lord.

        

When we choose God, we must be prepared to stick with it!  We must be prepared to obey with a heart of love.  Rev. T. Smyth wrote “Self-will destroys obedience…first take heed to thyself.  Keep diligently thine own vineyard.  Let no day pass without self-examination.  While it is yet day and the shadows of evening invite to meditation, commune with your own heart and be still.  Let God be heard, and thy own conscience bear witness, and accuse or else excuse thee.  Recount God’s mercies and your responsibilities…the spiritual life…is seated and purified and quickened, not in the head, not in the understanding, not in the will, but in the heart, the disposition, desires and affections, and pre-eminently in love.”

This idea of self-examination at the end of the day is a good practice as long as we focus on self-examination – not the examination of others.  To avoid looking at our own responsibilities and accountabilities is to fail to take heed to the dangers taking root in our lives.  These need to be weeded out.  Honest self-examination faced with the truth of the Scripture will help us see the weeds! We also need to beware of lazy love and loose spiritual living.  Love is an action and requires obedience and vigilance to keep the flame alive.  Sloppy Christian living exhibits a misplaced love and will bring us to lukewarmness.

What is your heart set upon?  Your own ways, or, God’s?  To live so as to prove your love to Him, or, to satisfy self?  Answers to these questions reveal whether you are taking heed, or, taking your ease!

        

TAKE HEED

“take heed therefore how ye hear…”  Luke 8:18

This verse comes after the parable of the sower and the warning of hiding our light and certain exposure of secret things.  It is a warning given by Christ.

        

Let’s examine taking heed a little further.  Rev. T. Smyth wrote “…the faithful Christian next to his supreme obligations to Christ, will regard the welfare of his own soul.  That soul, remember is not yours, but you; and you are the Lord’s.”

        

Take heed to your soul.  It is the only thing you have that will last for eternity.  And, as Rev. Smyth points out, your soul is not a part of you like an arm or a leg.  It is the real essence of who you are.  You are a living soul.  God breathed into you the breath of life.  That is His gift to you.  What will you do with it?

        

Protect your soul.  Grow it in godliness.  “Godliness is a miracle of grace; but is also a miracle of order…as the Christian is the highest style of man as a rational and immortal being, so is piety the most rational and becoming service in which that being can be employed.”  (Smyth)

        

To bring forth fruit one hundred fold requires diligence and attention.  Develop fully.  Stand complete in all the will of God.  Don’t become a spiritual monster with warts and deformity.  Take heed to yourself.  Love your soul.  Let your hidden weaknesses be revealed by His Spirit and His Word.  Dig them out.  Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by excuses for weaknesses.  God’s grace is sufficient for victory.  Becoming a growing, changing and living sacrifice holds joy, peace and real beauty.

Are you caring for and growing your soul?  Or making excuses for it?  Are you taking heed to yourself, or, blaming others for your weaknesses and failures?

TAKE HEED

“…take heed how he buildeth…: I Cor 3:10

Jesus is the chief cornerstone.  He is the foundation.  Paul had been used of God as a wise master builder to plant churches and strengthen the brethren.  Yet, he knew it was not to gratify his pride, but to magnify the Lord.  Much blood, sweat and tears had gone into the establishment and growth of the Church.  It was precious to Paul, and, as we read in Ephesians, it was precious to the Lord because He loved the Church and gave himself for it.

This foundation, this building, this church, has been passed along to us.  We are now building on what has been laid for us in the past.  The admonition is to take heed how we build upon it.  Matthew Henry says, “There may be very indifferent building on a good foundation.  Nothing must be laid upon it but what the foundation will bear, and what is of a piece with it.  God and dirt must not be mingled together.  Ministers of Christ should take great care that they do not build their own fancies or false reasoning on the foundation of divine revelation.” 

I love that phrase, “God and dirt must not be mingled together.”  It reminds me to use discernment in the things I choose to do and to recognize the different in temporal and eternal things.

The phrase, “take heed”  here in I Corinthians means to behold, to look, to regard, or to pay attention.  That is exactly what we must do.  Look – what is happening in your church?  Regard – does it match God’s Word?  Pay Attention – where could you be a wiser builder?  Where do you need to take heed to what you are putting into your life that will affect your church?  What are you building – something temporal or eternal?

 TAKE HEED

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts…”  II Peter 1:19

Here the phrase means to watch out, be on guard, to beware, to pay attention, or apply oneself.  And what is the object?  God’s Word.  We are to be applying our minds to understand the sense, and our hearts to believe the truth, of this sure word.  If we will apply ourselves to the Word of God, we will find profit for ourselves and become pleasing unto God.

The scripture is a light that God has sent to dispel darkness.  Every man in the world is naturally without that light, those of us who have had the light shine into our hearts, would do well to take heed and share it with those in darkness.  The light of the scripture will dispel darkness.

Our knowledge should be growing and diffusing light throughout our lives as well.  We should be judging our motives and actions by God’s Word.  We should be developing more confidence in the truth and surety of His Word.  Taking heed will mean that more light can be given to us.  We will become more skilful in the Word and better workmen for the effort.

What about you?  Do you believe the Bible to be solidly true?  Are you taking heed to the Word and using it as a guide and measure in your life?  Does God’s Word come alive to you?  Do you allow it shine into the dark corners of your life?

Week Forty - Strength

STRENGTH

“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man…”

 Ephesians 3:16

Strength for the day is the cry of many.  Sometimes it all seems like too much.  Pressure comes from our families, our jobs, our finances, expectation and disappointments, often we feel completely helpless.

        

There is a classic daily devotional called, Streams in the Desert, which addresses this subject of strength.  Commenting on this verse in Ephesians the writer states, “The Lord imparts unto us that primary strength of character which makes everything in life work with intensity and decision.”  This strength is not limited to the physical, but also the strength of the affection, judgment and ideals.

        

The writer develops this idea into four thoughts.  The Lord will give us strength to:

1.    Go on – to persevere no matter the path.

2.    Go up – to climb the mountain before us.

3.    Go down – into the depths knowing God is still there.

4.    Sit still – to wait on God’s hand and work without struggling.

This sort of strength is not man-made, but God-given according to the depths of the riches of His glory.  It is the Spirit of God working in and through us to enable us to endure and have victory.  Encouragement comes from the thought that God knows we need His strength within us and He has already made provision!

I especially like the fact that this isn’t strength I have to muster up, but strength given me by His Spirit.  It is mighty strength that comes from deep inside and is not limited.

Do you need mighty, unlimited strength today?  God will give you nothing less!

STRENGTH

“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength…” Nehemiah 8:10

The word “strength” here means stronghold, refuge, fortress, and place of protection. The story around the verse is where Ezra has read the book of the law to the people and they are grieved as they see their sin, but are told not to grieve, but rather to rejoice.

Their spiritual renewal to taking place and it began with the challenge of the Word and continued as it effects their emotions.  If they had merely remained remorseful, there would not be a sense of security, but when they rejoiced in the fact of God’s ability to forgive, the whole scene was changed and there was very great gladness.

It works the same for us.  If we live morbidly looking at our failures and weaknesses, we will not have the strength we need for life.  Negative thoughts sap our energy and resources.  Positive thoughts bring life, hope and energy.  God knows that we are emotionally motivated.  He knows that we are but dust, yet he desires us to have strength.  This strength comes from praise.  It comes from looking for His appearing.  It comes from serving the Lord with gladness.  It is a holy attitude that creates and generates spiritual strength.

What about you?  Is your strength running low?  Would a dose of thankfulness and gladness strengthen you?  It is your choice!

STRENGTH

“As thy days, so shall thy strength be…”  Deuteronomy 33:25

What a promise!  If we paraphrase, Asher’s blessing reads, “ The strength of thy old age shall be like that of thy youth; thou shalt not feel a decay, nor be the worse for the wearing, but shalt renew thy youth; as if not that shoes only, by thy bones, were iron and brass”. (Matthew Henry)

For as long as he lived, he would not see his strength diminished.  Whatever work was appointed to him, he would have the strength to do it.  Whatever burden he bore, he would have the strength to bear it.  Reminds me of the promise of II Corinthians 10:13,  “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that we are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

God knows the length of our life.  He knows every work and every burden we will face.  He promises not to give us more than we can handle, and also a way to bear it.  One sure way to have the strength necessary for life is to know how to carry the burden. Matthew 11:28 is the key,  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…”  This is truly a “way to escape”.  When we realise that Christ is there to carry every burden with us, we will know the strength necessary does not come from our own power, but from leaning upon His.

No matter how young or how old we are, in every circumstance, and in every day of our lives, we can have the strength needed if we will learn to lean upon our Saviour.

Is life heavy?  Are you carrying more than your fair share?  Maybe you need to stop and evaluate what you are doing.  Do you need to take an escape route? Why not come to Christ, allow him to put in his hand and give you some rest?

STRENGTH

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength….Isa 40:31

Here the word has the idea of physical strength and the vigour of good health.  It is good to note the remainder of the verse speaks of mounting up with wings as eagles, of running without becoming weary and of walking without fainting.  Flying, running and walking are all physical activities.  The strength for the activity comes from waiting – a rather non-physical action.

Waiting is not a pleasant activity for most of us.  We don’t like to wait in line for groceries, for gas, or for tickets. We get agitated and irritable.  We feel exhausted because we have had to wait.

We don’t like to wait on God either. We want the blessing now, the answer now.  We get agitated and irritable when we don’t see God moving as we desire.  But the verse says that waiting will produce strength.  Maybe we are waiting the wrong way?  You think?

The older I get, the more wisdom I find in waiting.  When I rush and get agitated, I don’t have the right kind of energy when it comes to whatever I have been waiting for. But, when I relax and trust God to move, in His time, all things into place, I find more is accomplished and with less self effort.  Things go much smoother and I see the hand of God working instead of my own drooping hands and knees!  I can go for the long haul without getting so weary, agitated, or frustrated.  I don’t feel so much like quitting because my strength is solid and I enjoy everything so much more.

I also am learning that renewed strength comes from resting, not caffeine!  Stopping is good.  Time with the Lord is beneficial.  God blesses me with extra measures of strength and time when I put Him first.  Tiegreen wrote, “…eternal fruit can only come from an eternal source.”  If I am not plugged into the source…nothing of eternal value can happen.  Best to spend my time recharging before I charge into life!

Are you living an agitated and frustrated life?  Have you learned any of the secrets of silence and waiting?  Need more strength?  Why not stop struggling and try trusting?  Do you need to recharge?

STRENGTH

“Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.  Psalm 68:28

This verse uses the word “strength” twice.  The first usage indicates that God gives us strength.  It comes from Him, his power and grace.  He has commanded, or instructed it to be given, strength for us.  This strength is power, might and will.  The second usage is an action of God.  He strengthens.  This form means that God overpowers, hardens, or puts a bold face upon.

He is doing a work in our lives.  He promises to do a work in Philippians 1:6 “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  He will strengthen His work in our lives.  He will have power over our lives and create the endurance or hardness that we need to make it through.  He will cause us to have boldness and confidence, not in ourselves, but in He who is doing the work.

Weakness is not what God has commanded for us. We are to endure hardness as good soldier.  We are to be brave and confident in Him and in His Word.  He will appoint or command us strength as necessary and then He will do the work through us.  This strength will take the form of personal will to obey and to serve.  And He will continue to strengthen us day by day as we yield to His working in our lives.

If we are feeling weak, it may be that we are not yielding to His working.  We may be allowing different sorts of hardness to have control – hardness of heart or self will.  We may need to stop and remember where our strength comes from in the first place and get ourselves back into line with the One who is working on our behalf.

Have you gotten too big for your britches with God?  Are you feeling weak due to subordinate attitudes?  Are you getting stronger in God, or stronger in self?