Saturday, September 12, 2015

Meditate on These Things – Part 2 – The Battle


The battle is not against biblical correctness and political correctness, rather the battle is against good and evil. Only the Word of God defines that which is good. The devil and his minions will bombard you with lies and deception. The only way to overcome the lies is with the truth of the Word of God. Christians who are casual about absorbing the things of the world will become casualties of the spiritual warfare.  God has called us to deliberately, intentionally and purposefully take hold of the reins of our own minds, therefore, meditate on the things of the Word of God.  Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."  Galatians 5:16-17 says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." There is always a choice to walk according to the flesh or according to the spirit. 

Romans 8:6-7 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.” Therefore, choose life.

What do you do after sinning and missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? The key is repentance ... to turn back from sin and toward Christ. “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” – 1 John 1:9. “Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me” - Thomas O. Chisholm 1923.  Our prayer is, "Lord I want to be the (man or woman) that you created me to be...  God please make me that person." This is a prayer that God is longing to fulfill in the men and women whom he has called.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon me and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In God's power, there is no heavy burden. Burdens and obstacles are proportionate to the power used to overcome them. Every problem, trial, or tribulation is minuscule compared to God's disproportionately omnipotent power. To come boldly before the “throne of grace” is to humble ourselves and allow our Lord Jesus Christ to wash our feet ... for even though our heart of flesh condemns, us God is greater than our heart and knows all things. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit” – Romans 8:1. Now that is something to meditate on!

May God richly bless you!

Your brother in Christ, Michael

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