Random Thoughts and Unrepentant Sin

Having once again fallen from my spiritual walk with the Lord, my mind fills with conflicting thoughts. Part of me is enjoying the “freedom” of doing my own thing and being all about ME and MY desires.

There is enough of God’s Word in me that speaks back to my heart; saying to turn away from this sin and quoting scripture to warn me.  I have not prayed in a very long time, and this already weakens my spirituality by itself. Add to that the succumbing to temptations, and I am totally walking in the Flesh!

Random thoughts have been coming to my mind; urging, suggestions, remembrances that I know better than this.  Here are some of the things being spoken to my heart these days:

1) You know enough of the Truth and how it has set you free.

2) Why are you choosing to continue engaging in the Lie?

3) My gift of discernment has shown you how Sin leads to Death time and time again.

4) My actions are causing my brethren to stumble.

5) My selfish activities are further isolating me from others

6) I am distracted by these things that keep me from doing God’s Will.

7) Your insomnia has returned and you know deep down why.

8) You have regained almost all the weight you lost last Autumn because of your habits.

9) I can’t bring myself to pray, give thanks, or to bend a knee to ask forgiveness…yet again!

10) Your heart does not overflow with Love towards others as it does when walking with God

11) Life is very short and can end without notice.

12) Would you be prepared to meet the Lord today with unrepentant sin in your heart?

13) Though you have been saved by being reborn and accepting Jesus as your Savior, you feel condemned by your actions and fear for your immortal soul.

14) You read the novel and saw the movie, “Heaven Is For Real” and you believed it!

15) You no longer believe you will be taken up into heaven by Jesus before the 7 years of tribulation comes.

16) You began reading the bible 4 years, and you feel that if you had taken it more seriously, you would be much further ahead spiritually by now!

As I can see from the above, the weight of sin is great and plays on your mind. Does it really seem so much fun now?

 

 

Breaking the Pride Inside – Episode 2

Walking to work this morning, I remembered being 18 years old and quitting my part time job at a fast food restaurant. Having been off work due to illness for a few months, it was decided that I would not return to work there. While telling one of the Managers not to schedule me for any shifts he told me “Good riddance, and get out”. Being the more shy and humble person I was in those days, I shook his hand, thanked him and left feeling stepped on. However, the thought of seeking my own vindication didn’t cross my mind, nor did I have the confidence to stand up for myself.

In latter years, my confidence grew to the point I became very prideful. I got to thinking about all the ways I had been hurt by people over the years, and made a vow no one would ever be allowed to do that again. With all my strength and to my last dying breath, I would stand up for myself and seek my own revenge when it was necessary.

Once I began studying the Word, I came to the point where I began praying to our Dear Lord to help me break the Pride inside. Ask for what you want from Him, but be prepared that you may get it!  I have been tested on many levels since I made that prayer, and to be honest I have not passed all the tests as He would have liked me to.

Today’s test of pride was finding out that a colleague of mine is seeking to be promoted and to take on responsibility of support that I had been doing for many years. It has been hoped that the ground work I had been laying would result in my own promotion into an area I enjoyed very much, and would get me through the last 15 years until my retirement.

Funny thing in looking at the previous paragraphs I have just written, what jumps out at me is all the “I’s” and “Me’s” and “My’s”. In God’s Word we are not to live for ourselves, but to live to serve others and think of them first. There is no room for I, Me, and My in that context.

How I choose to handle this situation will be an effect on my opportunity to pass this new test. The upper management in my company already knows of my aspirations. Whomever is appointed to take the lead and possible promotion, will depend on who Management decides. In recent years I would be trying to control the situation by influencing others or getting upset over the matter.

Perhaps I am supposed to just sit back, wait with patience and with a good attitude, and see how the chips fall?

Romans 12:16 and Your Working Life

Romans 12: Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.

This sure sounds like a lot to remember, and an even bigger challenge to live this way! I am tested on this each day I go into work, and for many years I was failing that test.

1) Live in harmony with one another – easier said than done when you work with a wide variety of personalities and in close proximity to one another (aka cubicle country). Keeping in mind that God places us with each other so that we learn from one another. That one person who gets on your last nerve? They could have been placed there to smooth out your rough  edges and sculpt out of you a less sharp, hard, and pressing personality!

2) Do not be haughty (snobbish) – when one person thinks they are in better standing than the next person, you are going to have conflict! We are ALL children of God and we should love one another as such. Remember, God does care about how his children are being treated! Do your best to promote inclusion and not exclusion in the workplace. This could go a long way to reversing the toxic environment.

3) Readily adjust yourself to people and things – The office environment would not be the same if you didn’t have shifting priorities! Some days it seems everyone wants something at the same time, and it is up to you to see they get it yesterday! This is definitely a favourite test of God, and one that will continue to come your way. You might as well get used to that idea and find a way of passing this test with a smile on your face, and keeping your inner peace at the same time; YES it is possible! Personally, I am seeing progress in this area of my life simply through repeated practice. The good Lord is really testing my faith and patience on this one almost daily.

4) Give yourself to humble tasks – don’t be afraid to bend and stoop. This makes you more pliable and helps God to shape you into what He needs you to be!  Jesus was a servant to his brethren so why can’t we be as well?

5) Never be wise in your own eyes – be careful about turning your attention and sympathy inwards. This is a perversion that the Devil persuades us to engage in. God wants us to focus on HIM and not ourselves! We are nothing without HIM and can do nothing without HIM.

As you can see, out of that one scripture there are a lot of expectations on us for how we are to live in God’s Word.  I encourage you to read the rest of Romans 12 as I find for myself this Word talks directly and continually to me.

God Bless!

 

No Condemnation Required

Romans 8 Amplified Bible (AMP)

8 Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.

We all make mistakes! Sometimes they are purely accidental, and at other times we know better than to say or doing something, but…

What happens next is entirely up to us. Do we allow ourselves to feel guilty, condemned, and depressed because of our mistake? Yes, that is one option but is it the right choice?

When you set meditate on your mistakes, you are playing the incident over and over in your thoughts. This fills your soul with negativity that does no one any good, especially yourself!

The Devil loves to remind us of our mistakes and to feel bad about it. He wants us to grieve, feel bad about our situation, and feel less than perfect in God’s eyes. Why? Because when your thoughts are kept busy this way, your mind is not set on doing the things God had planned for you to do. Thus, the Devil has stolen any opportunity you would have had to plant a seed.

² For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.

We as followers of Christ do not have to accept condemnation for our mistakes and sins. We are forgiven by God’s grace if we pray on it, repent sincerely, and then move on to enjoy the life Jesus wants us to have! Practice does make perfect and this applies to our spiritual journey as well. The best way to handle the opposing forces that want to tear you down is to show that you are enjoying the life that God gave you no matter what!

Remember what Jesus said in the book of John and do have a happy day!

John 10: ¹⁰ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it ^[a]overflows).