News Flash! I recently heard this: when our mind jumps back and forth, it causes our gut to churn ~ destroying good bacteria.

God’s way is to bring every thought captive ~ we can do that instantly by expressing thankfulness to Him when our thoughts start to careen out of control. Negative dialogue is a destructive habit.

“What if…” “I should have…” These types of thought patterns exercise our flesh. Trying to figure something out is futile ~ there is no substance.

Our flesh is a quagmire. Here is a definition of a quagmire in case you are wondering. A soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot. It reminds me of the man who built his house upon the sand ~ no stability for the storms of life. 

In Luke 6:49 Jesus said, “But he who heard and did nothing…” We can read God’s word daily, yet if we don’t adhere to it by applying it, then we are building on sand. 

Nothing is in vain or a waste. The Lord will redeem everything. His promise in Romans 8:28 is that He will work it all for our good. Thoughts that bring doubt, fears, unbelief are lies. I have a mentee whose faith was shaken because she embraced thoughts causing stark fear ~ paralyzed in her tracks.

2 Timothy 1:7 says that fear is a spirit. Fear is a tormentor, designed to waylay us in our progressive sanctification journey. Renounce the fear and affirm the rest of the verse. It says, “…but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The Greek definitions for a sound mind are: good judgment, disciplined thought patterns, and the ability to understand and make right decisions.

Our trials are essential in our spiritual growth. The Lord uses them to strengthen our faith. When the fiery dart lies come, we must hold up our door shield of faith to quench them ~ remaining steadfast and immovable.

2 Peter 1:4 says that through God’s exceedingly great and precious promises, we become partakers of His divine nature. Hebrews 1:3 says that the Son is the perfect imprint (Amplified) of the Father. We are created to exemplify the Lord ~ His image stamped deep into our hearts.

We certainly cannot represent Him in our own strength. The verse says, “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power…”

Our faith is purified in the crucible of our trial. Through the intensity of the fire, the dross is brought to the surface and removed. Our ‘alloy’ of buried lies that we have believed are exposed. They lose their power of control when brought into the light. We then renounce them and affirm the truth. 2 Corinthians 4:2.

I copied this from the internet. A.W. Tozer wrote, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply. God actually rises up storms of conflict in relationships at times in order to accomplish that deeper work in our character. We cannot love our enemies in our own strength. This is graduate-level grace.”

There is no grace when we act independent of God. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6. Are you struggling with difficult interpersonal relationships? He uses our adversity to hone our character.

Character is developed through our hard trials. Romans 5:3-4 Amplified says, “Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity)…”

John 15:5 says that without Him we can do nothing ~ not one thing that will bear fruit for His glory. His way is for us to walk in the Spirit. When we do the Holy Spirit will resist our flesh when it rises to assert itself. Galatians 5:17. 

Self-help books abound. They are not the answer. Korah wrote Psalm 87 about the city of God. Verse 7 says, “Both the singer and the players on instruments say, All my spring are in you.” Our Source Of Life is in Him. 

Psalm 36:8-9 says, “They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.”

John 4:14 says, “…the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 

Galatians 5:16 says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Romans 8:5 helps us understand the two results of our thoughts. It says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

When we contemplate His ways, 1 Corinthians 2:13 says that we compare spiritual things with spiritual. We know that God is Holy. No sin can touch Him. 1 Peter 2:22 says that no deceit was found in His mouth.

I love 2 Timothy 2:13 which says, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Titus 1:2 says that He cannot lie. As we meditate on His word and contemplate His ways, we are given a template of truth. We know about the Lord through His word. Experiential knowledge ~ His character becomes ingrained in our thought processes.

Psalm 119:15 says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.” Until this morning I never had this connection. It is as we are meditating on God’s word, He reveals its hidden message. We then contemplate His way to make a personal application.

We might think that we know how to apply the truths He has given us. However, we need to remember that His ways are higher than our ways. My way would be to make it a discipline. Something to incorporate in my daily life.

We don’t ‘conform’ our thoughts, purpose, and actions to His ways by discipline. It is by moment to moment choices. Our fleshly way is to do it in our own strength. Two choices: serve our flesh or the Spirit.

Matthew 6:33 is a due north compass verse. It says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Here is another line drawn in the sand. Moses sent out 12 spies. 10 came back with a bad report. Two had a good report. All 12 saw the same thing. Yet 10 focused only on the giants through their own projected fears. Joshua and Caleb proclaimed God’s ability. 

We capture Caleb’s words in Numbers 14:9. It says, “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 

Joshua gave the children of Israel two choices. He drew the line in the sand and stepped over. Joshua 24 15 says, “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” When we are faced with impossibilities, our flesh will scream to be served. 

God’s ways are higher than mine. I must make Psalm 119:14 one of heart intent. I have learned from the Psalms that voicing what I say with ‘I will’ states intention. It helps my brain engage to follow through.

The way of the Lord is perfect. When we read about His way, we can rejoice in it and allow it to begin to conform our thoughts to it. I want to know God’s way. Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” It is like a line drawn in the sand. I’m standing on Moses’ side.

In Exodus we see this played out. The children of Israel faced the Red Sea. In Exodus 14:15-17 God told Moses ahead of time exactly what He was going to do ~ His way. His acts were revealed to the rest.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Note the word ‘all’ which means everything without exception.

From this verse we gather two truths. Scripture is God-breathed, and it is profitable. It is not all written to us, but we can make personal applications from it all. I do know that since I started reading through my Bible consistently, it speaks to my heart differently according to the season I am in.

As I was meditating on Psalm 119:14 I realized that it was a verse which draws a line in the sand. It says, “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.” Hmm. It makes my heart stutter at the second part’s comparison. How will I make an application?