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- P L U N D E R E R
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
Lies: Cages & Consequences 2
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste". We've heard that saying for years, and it is a great saying that continues to make so much sense. Today, however, let's reflect on the subject of this adage by taking a slightly different slant that could change the way you use that mind of yours.
The Bible instructs Christians to guard their hearts because whatever lies within will determine the course of one's life (Proverbs 4:23). We also understand that what we meditate on thinking about will come out of our lips (Matthew 15:18). And because the tongue is powerful, the wrong thoughts can produce the wrong proclamations, which tend to negatively impact our lives and the lives of those we have authority to speak over (Matthew 15:19).
Now consider this: given how powerful your thought life can be, have you fully submitted it to the Lord? Does He get to impact or even change what's in your heart and what runs through your mind? Is your thought life something God has free rein over?
The reality is that most of us say we give ourselves completely to the Lord, but we maintain a tight grip over the reins of our thought life. We don't give the Lord room to influence what we see, think, and hear. We don't let Him change the desires of our hearts to what will glorify Him and bless us significantly. We determine what we want and expect Him to cosign by a specific time. When He doesn't, we figure out how to get what we long for by our own strength. These factors explain why the word of God struggles to fully sink in and why it is difficult to practice what He wants us to do.
Some are afraid that if they allow God to control their thoughts, then their dreams and aspirations will fade to nothing. To some extent, this is correct. However, this fear ignores the fact that God does not wipe out our personalities. He gave them to us, and unfortunately, we tend not to submit them to Him. If we did, then He, and not satan, would profit from them. Besides, if we gave Him control over our thought life, then He would replace our desires with His greater vision, which would always be better than what we aspired to.
Plus, we won't have to strive so hard for it all. Proverbs 10:22 states that He gives wealth with no toil attached, right? Many think that scripture refers only to monetary provision, but God's 'wealth' is much more. It includes wisdom, which is more secure than silver or gold and produces better profits (Proverbs 3:13-18). His wisdom will provide unique ideas and strategies that we would never have discovered without Him (Proverbs 8:12 KJV).
Not letting God have His way with our thought life is dangerous. When we fail to yield our mind to the Lord, that means it is wide open for satanic influence, deception, and manipulation. Instead of focusing on God's concerns, we'll end up meditating on what the devil desires, speaking those evil desires into the world, and reaping the fruits thereof. In doing so, we would have agreed with satan, not our God. And per Job 22:21, the depths of true godly success and prosperity will evade us.
That will not be our portion, IJN Amen. The Lord will help us to submit our thought life and every other aspect of our existence to Him. All by His grace and to His glory, IJMN Amen. Why don't you invite the Lord to help you with your thought life and how you use your mind today? If you're not quite sure how to pray on this issue, please come back for fellowship at Noon EST. We will praise God, intercede for others, and prayerfully submit our thought life to Him. God bless you!
Give your life to Christ with the Altar Call below and learn more about today's topic from the following previous P&P messages:
We often are very clear that lying, stealing, fornication, and hypocrisy are wrong, but how many of us are aware that laziness is a sin? What about slothfulness or being a sluggard? Are we even familiar with those latter terms?
The Bible tells us that there is a set time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). It also tells us that those who use those set times appropriately are wise and will reap a reward. Consider Proverbs 20:4 - Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. A lazy, sluggardly person will not use the seasons to achieve what they should, and they will therefore not reap when harvest time comes.
Proverbs 10:5 - He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Why would someone sleep during the harvest period? Why, after sowing seed and laboring over its growth with fertilizer and weeding, would that person choose to sleep during the reaping season? Why wouldn't anyone want to reap the reward of their hard work?
Although the scriptures speak to an agrarian setting, they apply to those of us living non-agrarian lives. And, believe it or not, distractions from satan are a key factor that can get in the way of using time well. A complication will suddenly arise and seem so pressing that we lose track of the fact that it is time to reap what we sowed. Something could happen to manipulate emotions, leaving us in a negative headspace where we overlook the need to go harvest.
Then there's also the unfortunate reality that many of us don't recognize laziness as wickedness. From God's perspective, He opened a door for us to move and thereby reap. When we choose to be lazy, thinking the opportunity will remain, or ignoring that we've received grace in a season, we disregard what the Lord did for us.
In the Parable of the Bags of Gold, one servant made no effort to earn a profit for his master. He was called wicked and lazy due to his carelessness with what he'd been given (Matthew 25:26). Lacking zeal, he ignored his fiduciary duty to be fruitful for his master. It is this type of negligence that causes many Christians to fail to take advantage of the opportunities God has provided, thinking little of the chance to leverage the moment they are in.
One reason God hated Esau was that he was careless with his inheritance. We should be careful not to be lax or indifferent in how we treat what God gave us. This could be the very job we complain about, our assignment to help or serve someone who disregards our efforts, or an opportunity to work hard so we reap later. We have to pay attention to the times we are in so we don't ignore and squander what God has lined up for us.
Sloths are lovely to watch, but must never be emulated. They move at a snail's pace because God created them that way. We were created to move with the Lord's set times, not being lazy or sluggardly. This requires building a relationship with God, His Son, and His Holy Spirit. It is important to study the word and recognize the patterns and seasons you experience so you prayerfully prepare to navigate them successfully.
Give your life to Christ with the Altar Call below and learn more about today's topic from the following previous P&P messages:
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