“None of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.”
Romans 14:7 (NIV) Sin may be secret, but it’s never private. It will either come out now, here on earth, or at Judgment Day, but it’s going to be known. Numbers 32:23 is one of the scariest verses in the Bible: “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (NIV). Another reason why sin is never private is because everything you do, good or bad, affects other people—even if they don’t know what’s going on. If someone close to you stayed up all night doing some really immoral things and then saw you in the morning, you would notice something was off. You might not know what happened, but the result of their sin would be obvious in the way they behaved. Very few people could act as if nothing happened. It doesn’t even have to be some big sin you commit. It could be the sin of omission. If you have a regular quiet time with God and then go a few days without spending time in God’s presence, there’s probably going to be a difference in how you react to people and circumstances. That’s because when you’re not plugged in, you don’t have spiritual power to fight sin. The Bible says in Romans 14:7, “None of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone” (NIV). A lot of people will say, “What I do with my life is no one else’s business. As long as I’m not hurting anybody, why should anyone else care?” But you are hurting other people. God made us to be connected people, and what we do and say always has an effect on others. Sin affects you in ways you don’t even realize, and then your actions affect others. When you sin, it cuts you off from God’s power and keeps you from your potential. It limits the good you can do and the impact you could have. Isn’t it sad to think of what you and others are missing when you’re not at your God-given best? There is only one way to move past the sin that holds you back and hurts others: Confess it.
0 Comments
“There will be more and more evil in the world, so most people will stop showing their love for each other.”
Matthew 24:12 (NCV) Someone once asked Jesus, “What’s the most important command in Scripture?” He replied, “There are two of them: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” If those are God’s two most important commands, then their opposite—not loving God and not loving your neighbor—is sin. Sin is always unloving. Matthew 24:12 says, “There will be more and more evil in the world, so most people will stop showing their love for each other” (NCV). Have you noticed that today? People in general have become more critical, less civil, and ruder than ever. Why? Because as sin increases, love decreases. Sin is unhelpful, unhealthy, unfair, unwise, untruthful—and it is always selfish. We often tell ourselves we’re doing something for the benefit of others when we’re really doing it for our own benefit. The Bible says, “Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind” (James 3:16 NLT). At the root of every sin is self-centeredness. Why are you here on earth? God did not make you to live for yourself. You were made for something far bigger than that. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand and believe that, life’s never going to make sense. God didn’t create you so you could center your life on yourself and push other people to the side. You were made to know God, enjoy him, have a friendship with him, serve him, and center your life on him. Whatever you build your life around is your god, whether it’s your boat or your business or a sport or another person. God wants you to center your life on him, but sin will always put the focus back on you. Choose love. Where love is abundant, selfishness will not grow. “Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here.”
Colossians 3:2 (TLB) True freedom comes when you focus your mind on God’s truth. But how do you focus your mind on the right things so you can experience freedom? Here are three things you can do that will make the biggest difference in managing your mind. First, think about Jesus. Hebrews 12:3 says, “Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying” (NCV). What gives you the power to keep on going? You think about Jesus. Keep your mind on who the Bible says he is and the example he’s given you for how to live a life that pleases God. Second, think about others. “Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NCV). Most of the people around the world think about themselves first. So anybody who thinks more about others than they do about themselves is going to shine. When you choose to think about what others may need and how you can help, you’ll find it’s hard to let your problems get you down. Third, think about eternity. The Bible says in Colossians 3:2, “Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here” (TLB). Whatever you’re worried about today is probably not going to matter in five years, much less in eternity. Everything is put into perspective when you think about your life in light of eternity. Whatever situation you’re facing today, stop and think about what you’re thinking about. Then choose to focus on Jesus, other people, and your home in eternity. It will take the focus off of yourself, which is how God intended for you to live. And it will transform your life! “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
Romans 8:5 (NLT) Have you ever felt like you are a hostage to your thoughts? Maybe you just can’t get a thought out of your mind. Or you often find yourself doing things you don’t want to do. You knowingly engage in self-defeating behavior. You know something is not good for you, but you do it anyway. Romans 7:23 says, “I see a different law at work in my body—a law that fights against the law which my mind approves of. It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body” (GNT). Because of your sinful nature, you think of yourself and your wants more than what God wants. It’s a battle in your mind, and you’re losing it. Your old nature—who you were before Jesus changed your life—is not your friend. It is the source of all your self-defeating habits that tend to take you down. Do you want to break those habits and have more control over the way you think? Then you need to hear and understand this truth: You don’t have to believe everything you think. Your mind lies to you all the time. Just because you think something is true doesn’t make it true. Just because you feel something is true doesn’t make it true. Your mind and your emotions often lie to you. Part of spiritual growth—becoming more like Jesus—is learning to know the difference between thoughts that are true and those that are not. One of the most important disciplines you can build in life is to challenge your own thoughts. Say to yourself, “I know what I’m thinking, but is that really true?” No matter how far you go in your spiritual walk, your old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of your thoughts. You have to learn to question your thoughts, not just one time but throughout your day and throughout your life! When you start to think nobody likes you, ask yourself if that’s really true. If you think it’s never going to get better, ask yourself if it’s true. When you think your life is worthless, question what Satan is trying convince you of. Then, remember what you know from God’s Word to be true. “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 NLT). “No one can serve two masters.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV) When you’re always worried about what other people think of you, you can’t be what God wants you to be. But, when you learn to think like Jesus, you won’t worry about pleasing everyone. Jesus had the right focus. He was only concerned with pleasing God. Jesus was never manipulated by crowds or by the approval or the disapproval of anybody else. He lived for an audience of one: “I try to please the One who sent me” (John 5:30 NCV). When you have the mind of Christ, that’s what you do. Wouldn’t it simplify your life to live for an audience of one? If God likes what you’re doing, then you know you’re doing the right thing. God says in Matthew 3:17, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (NIV). Jesus was obviously doing it right. The truth is, you can’t please everybody. Even God can’t please everybody! When someone prays for it to be sunny, somebody else is praying for it to rain. Somebody is praying for their team to do well, and someone else wants the opposing team to win. You can’t please everybody. Luke 16:13 says, “No one can serve two masters” (NIV). You have to decide whose approval you’re going to seek—God’s approval or other people’s approval. Are you going to live for what other people think or what God thinks? When you’re always looking for validation from other people, it means you don’t really realize who you are. You don’t understand what God made you to do or believe that he is always with you. Jesus never let someone else’s approval or a fear of rejection control him. He wasn’t out to win a popularity contest. He didn’t need other people’s opinions to validate himself. When you have the mind of Christ, you will be so secure in your identity, your purpose, and God’s presence in your life that you won’t need to look to other people for approval. “I am not really alone, because the Father is with me.”
John 16:32 (GNT) Having the mind of Christ means always being aware that God is with you. We see this in the life of Jesus. Jesus lived in the presence of God and stayed connected to the favor of God. No matter how busy he was, he stayed in tune with the Father. Jesus said, “I am not really alone, because the Father is with me” (John 16:32 GNT). This is why the greatest antidote to loneliness is thinking like Jesus. When you have the mind of Christ, you’ll be able, like him, to say, “I’m not alone, because I know the Father is always with me.” When we feel alone, it’s often the result of not living with the mind of Christ—we’re not aware of God’s constant care. How can you always stay aware of God’s constant care? One way is through prayer. Jesus made prayer a daily habit: “Jesus would often go to some place where he could be alone and pray” (Luke 5:16 CEV). Notice this verse says that Jesus often slipped away so he could pray. You can’t just do that every now and then if you want to have the mind of Christ. Jesus’ prayer life was continual. He made it the priority of his life to be with his Father. It was a habit. Do you stop and pray throughout the day? Do you think your day would go better if you developed this habit? If Jesus felt the need to slip away and pray throughout his day, then think about how much more we need it! When you don’t take the time to talk with God, you miss the gifts of God. It’s not God’s will for you to be too busy for him. In fact, you’ll get more done in every area of your life if you take the time to stop and pray. That doesn’t seem like it should work. If you’re always stopping to pray, how are you going to get more done? You’re going to have focus. You’ll be able to focus your mind and heart on what matters most because you’re taking time to let God’s Spirit remind you through prayer what your purpose is. Jesus Christ knew who he was and what his purpose was. He was always aware of God’s presence. When you get the mind of Christ, you’ll have those things too, and you’ll always be aware that God is with you. “Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”
Romans 8:6 (NLT) Have you noticed your mind doesn’t always do what you tell it to do? Sometimes your mind has a mind of its own. Sometimes your thoughts go off in directions that you don’t intend. When you need to pray, your thoughts stray. When you want to ponder God’s Word, your thoughts want to wander. The Bible says, when this happens, you need to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). What does that mean? The Greek word used in that verse literally means you take thoughts prisoner. You conquer them. You bring them under control. That’s only possible when you use the two weapons every believer has available to them: the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. First, you need to recognize the power of God’s Spirit inside you. Without him, you are defenseless. Romans 8:6 says, “Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (NLT). You need Jesus in your life because, without the Holy Spirit, your sinful nature controls your mind and will always lead you in the wrong direction. But when the Spirit controls you, you have the power you need to take every thought captive. Second, you need the Word of God. Jesus says, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 GNT). People like to quote the second part of that passage. In fact, it’s posted on university buildings all over the world. But very few people quote the first part, where it says you have to learn and obey God’s Word. People want the freedom without God’s truth. In reality, there is no freedom without truth. And there is no truth without God’s Word. God has given you the direction you need for life, and you can trust every word the Bible says. The more you get to know God’s Word and fill your mind with his truth, the easier it will be to direct your thoughts where you want them to go. “Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do.”
Proverbs 14:15 (NCV) Every behavior is based on a belief. If you act scared, it’s because you believe scary thoughts at that moment. If you act resentful, it’s because you believe you’ve been devalued, and so you’re going to defend yourself. If you’re acting prideful, it may be because you believe you’re not good enough, so you’re trying to compensate by being boastful. If there is a behavior in your life you don’t like, go to the source and change the thought behind it. God says in Haggai 1:5, “Carefully consider your ways!” (GW). Ask yourself: Why do I act that way with this person? Why do I act this way at work or school? Why do I act this way with certain neighbors? What thought triggered that response? What assumption is behind that action? What belief is beneath that behavior? Have you ever been in this kind of conflict with your spouse or significant other: It starts off simple enough—but before you know it, something in the argument triggers your emotions, and you go from zero to 100 in emotional intensity in two seconds? Then you’re out of control, upset, nervous, or fearful. You may start sweating, or your voice may rise. Maybe tears start coming down your cheeks. Something in that moment tapped into an unspoken belief. You may believe the other person is going to leave you. You may believe you haven’t been heard. You may believe your idea isn’t being given validation and you’re not being treated with respect. You believe something that suddenly triggered an emotional response. If you’re ever in a situation like that, you need to ask this question: What am I believing right now? You need to examine the beliefs beneath your behavior. The Bible says in Proverbs 14:15, “Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do” (NCV). To grow in any area of life, examine what’s going on in your mind. Start thinking about what you’re thinking about so your thoughts can lead to healthy, purposeful action. “Don't pay attention to everything people say.”
Ecclesiastes 7:21 (GNT) What makes social media so addictive? Why do you have to go back and check a picture 50 times after you post? Why are you constantly checking your phone? Everybody wants the approval of others. People desperately need to be liked! When you hear the “ding” of a notification, dopamine is released in your brain, and it’s extremely satisfying. Every “ding” feeds your need for approval, and it feels like you can’t get enough. But the Bible says, “Dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith” (James 2:1 The Message). The truth is that public opinion doesn’t have anything to do with your faith. So don’t let public opinion decide what you believe, feel, or do. It will never lead you in the direction of Jesus Christ. The Bible also says in Ecclesiastes 7:21, “Don’t pay attention to everything people say” (GNT). Even when you make the wisest, happiest, most encouraging social media post, some people still will post comments that will not meet your expectations or may just be downright mean. If you make the post because you need a certain number of likes to feel better about yourself, then you are going to be disappointed. When you’re not living for the approval of others, though, what one person says on social media is not going to make or break you. Everyone wants the approval of others. But living for the approval of One will help you use social media as a useful tool and not a crutch. “The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him.”
Proverbs 18:13 (CSB) One of the problems with humans is that we like to fix things. When we see a problem, we want to quickly jump to how we can solve it so we can move on. But God wants you to be a feeler before you’re a fixer. He wants you to feel someone’s pain before you try to solve the problem. “The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him” (Proverbs 18:13 CSB). You may be barely into a conversation before you think, “I know how to fix this.” But that’s not loving. People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. They want to feel heard. They want to feel loved. They want to feel understood. There is healing in sharing. Your ear is a healing tool God can use if you’ll learn to listen without trying to fix anything. When Jesus hears that his friend Lazarus is sick, he takes three days to travel what should have taken less than a day. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus is dead. His sisters are grieving and tell Jesus that, if he had come sooner, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus’ delay might seem callous, but he has a plan: He doesn’t want to heal Lazarus. He wants to raise him from the dead to show he, Jesus, is the Son of God. He already knew the solution before Lazarus even got sick. “Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. ‘Where have you buried him?’ he asked them. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they answered. Jesus wept” (John 11:33-35 GNT). Jesus is not unconcerned about their pain. When he sees everybody around him grieving, he mirrors it. He enters into it. Jesus knows the solution, but it doesn’t keep him from sharing their grief. He shares their feelings, not his solution. You may know the solution, but you need to hold off. If you’re going to be a great listener, you’ve got to listen to someone’s feelings and enter into that person’s pain. |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|