Stupid Thoughts

 Psalm 92:1–15 (ESV):  

1  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, 

to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 

 2  to declare your steadfast love in the morning, 

and your faithfulness by night, 

 3  to the music of the lute and the harp, 

to the melody of the lyre. 

 4  For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; 

at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 

 5  How great are your works, O Lord! 

Your thoughts are very deep! 

 6  The stupid man cannot know; 

the fool cannot understand this: 

 7  that though the wicked sprout like grass 

and all evildoers flourish, 

  they are doomed to destruction forever; 

 8  but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 

 9  For behold, your enemies, O Lord, 

for behold, your enemies shall perish; 

all evildoers shall be scattered. 

 10  But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; 

you have poured over me fresh oil. 

 11  My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; 

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 

 12  The righteous flourish like the palm tree 

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

 13  They are planted in the house of the Lord; 

they flourish in the courts of our God. 

 14  They still bear fruit in old age; 

they are ever full of sap and green, 

 15  to declare that the Lord is upright; 

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 

Do you have stupid thoughts? Do you ever believe that the wickedness in the world is going to prevail? If so, this is a stupid thought (v6-7). ‘Though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish; they are doomed to destruction forever’! ‘But you, O Lord, are on high forever’. Notice how both of these verses talk about ‘forever’. There is an assurance for the wicked and for God for eternity. Both will last forever, but there is a difference in their eternal destiny.

God is inviting you to have a longer viewpoint. Instead of worrying about the evil that is around and what is going on in the here and now, consider what will be forever. The present is only relevant for this moment, tomorrow it is history. In the here and now evil exists and there are people that perform wicked deeds. Yet the promise for eternity is that God’s ‘enemies shall perish, all evildoers shall be scattered’ and ‘the righteous flourish like the palm tree’. This is the long view, this is what you should focus on. The things that are evil are, ‘doomed to destruction forever’. They have eternal death as their promise. So, ultimately they will not prevail, therefore do not waste time concerning yourself about such things. Instead consider God who is on high and will be forever. 

When you fix your eyes on God, give your life to Him and follow Him you will, ‘flourish like the palm tree’. That sentence at first confused me for i did not understand the sentiment. Then i considered and researched and discovered that palm trees can grow in difficult conditions. Surviving droughts, storms and floods because of their root system. In fact, in a storm even if they are bent over horizontally by high winds, looking deformed and destroyed, they straighten up afterwards and can grow stronger roots as a result. This makes the palm tree more stable after a storm than it was before it! So, think of yourself as that flourishing palm tree, ‘planted in the house of the Lord’. Storms may feel like they are destoying you, but you'll straighten up again, you will be upright and have deeper roots if you weather the storm ‘planted in the house of the Lord'. So rather than concerning yourself with the wickedness of the world, focus on living with God; being righteous, stable, growing strong and fruitful. Knowing that even in the troubles of life that knock you sideways, when you stick to God, you will become stronger and straighter in the long run. For God says you will ‘flourish’. You will not be destroyed when you depend on Him, instead you have the promise of fruitfulness and favour for eternity. 

Consider then what you allow your mind to dwell upon. Are your thoughts sometimes stupid? Do you allow worry to consume you or concern yourself with the news and wickedness? For, 'The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand'. If you insist on focussing on what is temporal rather than what is eternal, you will be stuck. Your progression will be limited as your view is too short, it is in the here and now and God is wanting you to play the long game. Think about someone who knows they have exams in a few months time. They could think that it's too far away to concern themselves with it today. Instead they eat, drink, have fun, go out, giving no thought to what is coming up as it is in the future. How are they going to fare in exam season? What about if they chose to revise now, to practice, look at exam papers, research and prepare for the day they know is coming. Although it may seem far off and other people are not doing the same kind of preparation, how would you expect their exams to go? How about you? Are you thinking about the long game of faith? Are your thoughts overrun by the knowledge that God exists and is righteous, good and on High, or do thoughts about the reign of evil darken your mind? Set your mind to consider the long game. You get to decide what you think about, so don't entertain stupid thoughts. Remind yourself that no matter what is going on now,  evil won’t last for it is ‘doomed to destruction forever', ' but you, O Lord, are on high forever'.

So set your mind to have the long view - evil loses and righteousness wins, forever. You will never understand God or His ways. He has greater insight and foresight than anyone because He sees the eternal perspective not only the present. He was there at the beginning, has been all the way through and will continue to be and He has known what He is doing all that time. He planned for there to be an Adam and Eve, Noah, Josiah, Hosea, Ruth, Isaiah and Jesus. He saw all they would face and the eternal impact of their obedience. He has the same knowledge and understanding for your life. Your life has impact beyond your years, so learn to trust in Him and follow Him even when life gets tough and confusing. God sees the storms as opportunities for you to be strengthened, your relationship with Him deepened and your life to display fruit. Keep your focus on Him, not on the storm. For God is good, He is intelligent, He has a plan and a purpose and sees the end goal. You do not. Therefore give up the stupid thoughts and lean into God and His understanding. The storms of life will then make you taller, straighter and stronger, forever.

Forgiveness that never runs out

 Psalm 85:1–13 (ESV):  

1  Lord, you were favourable to your land; 

you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 

 2  You forgave the iniquity of your people; 

you covered all their sin. Selah 

 3  You withdrew all your wrath; 

you turned from your hot anger. 

 4  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, 

and put away your indignation toward us! 

 5  Will you be angry with us forever? 

Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 

 6  Will you not revive us again, 

that your people may rejoice in you? 

 7  Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, 

and grant us your salvation. 

 8  Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, 

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; 

but let them not turn back to folly. 

 9  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, 

that glory may dwell in our land. 

 10  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; 

righteousness and peace kiss each other. 

 11  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, 

and righteousness looks down from the sky. 

 12  Yes, the Lord will give what is good, 

and our land will yield its increase. 

 13  Righteousness will go before him 

and make his footsteps a way. 

God not only provides one off salvation, but also offers forgivness and restoration to those who are His people but have gone astray, been disobedient and sinned. The sons of Korah recognise that God forgives completely. All sin is covered by Him, He leaves none left. Yet, our memories and behaviours do not always reflect this. We can still walk around as sinful people, or wearing the shame of a sinful past. Neither of these are necessary for this is known of God, ‘You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.’

However, it takes time for you and I to walk free from some things. There are some wrongdoings or habits in our lives which we know God would want us to be rid of, but we have to put in some personal, painful effort to overcome them. It can hurt and be hard work to strive for freedom from sin. I am sure that this is why the psalmists say, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’. To overcome sin, wrongdoing and bad habits we all need encouragement, comfort, support and strength. Listening to God gives you that. I imagine this phrase was said pleading or in desperation, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! When the desires of the flesh seem powerful and the voices of others tempting, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! It is easy to hear what we want, what others say and to feel the cravings of the body, they can be consuming. So it is of great importance at those times to seek God’s voice by exercising discipline and taking time to hear Him. You may hear God speak through; recalling scripture, or reading it, praying, worshipping, speaking with a fellow believer or by being still. Just ensure that you position yourself so that you hear God’s voice during the difficulty. 

When you know you need to walk free from something you need God’s support. It takes a lot of strength to break habits, addictions and sin. Yet you are not on your own in this strive for freedom. God wants to to speak to you and encourage you plus He has restored and forgiven you already and He will revive you again. So approach Him about what is going on, ask for His forgiveness and for His strength. Let God speak to you, ‘for he will speak peace to his people’. In the midst of trial and temptation, how much do you need that peace?! The Holy Spirit can provide what you need, you just need to ask God to help you. You cannot break free of these things effectively in your own strength. It is a physical and a spiritual battle so you need God to help you. His is for salvation and restoration and He promises that, ’the Lord will give what is good’. Even if you keep failing in the endeavour for freedom, you can continue to ask God for forgiveness and freedom for He wants good for you, so keep persevering. God’s forgiveness and goodness never run out, even though it might seem like a long, painful journey to freedom. The battle may be long, but how long is it in comparison to God’s salvation and steadfast love that last for eternity?! 

Repentance and forgiveness are free and everlasting, keep reminding yourself of that. The great and marvellous truth is that God, ‘forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath’. ALL sin, ALL wrath is covered by the blood of Jesus. Past, present, future and repetitive sin are dealt with by the sacrifice of Jesus. You are not good enough or strong enough to get through these things alone, but God is. So trust Him to equip you in overcoming habits, addiction and sin. Let God speak His peace to you, and allow yourself to accept His forgiveness and restoration.

As this psalm acknowledges, God has dealt with sin once and for all, forever. I know that we all get caught in sin, addictions and unhelpful and unholy habits. This is an age old problem, the Israelites in the Old Testament recognised it, and Paul puts it so well in the New Testament, ‘I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 1 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.’ (Romans 7:19-19) Paul goes onto say that with our minds we can know the law of God and desire to follow it, but our bodies have sinful desires that we are battling against. He cries out, ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ It is a real battle within yourself that you need to keep on fighting. People throughout time have had the same difficulties. So instead of concerning yourself with your wretchedness, think about Jesus, the peace and goodness of God, and imagine the glory and the relief when one day this battle is ended as you’ve become free! Paul’s advice is, ‘to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace’ (Romans 8:6). This is not to say you should deny or ignore the fact that what you are doing is wrong - of course you should, you should repent and thank God for forgiveness and the strength to continue the battle. What Paul is saying though, is that you should spend less time worrying or ashamed about what you are doing wrong, and spend more time thinking about God - set your mind right. Think about what the Spirit of God has already changed within you, read the Word to see what else He can do. Put yourself in situations where you can, ‘hear what God the Lord will speak’ for ‘surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him’. Therefore when facing a stronghold in your life, grow in your understanding of the greatness of God, spend more time thinking about Him and His greatness than you do about the hardship. Pay attention to and focus on the goodness and grace of God, ‘set your mind’. You get to choose what you think about, so are you consumed with thoughts about sin, or thoughts about the enormity, love, grace, joy and forgiveness of God? 

the inward mind and heart of a man are deep

 Psalm 64:1–10 (ESV):  

1  Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; 

preserve my life from dread of the enemy. 

2  Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, 

from the throng of evildoers, 

3  who whet their tongues like swords, 

who aim bitter words like arrows, 

4  shooting from ambush at the blameless, 

shooting at him suddenly and without fear. 

5  They hold fast to their evil purpose; 

they talk of laying snares secretly, 

thinking, “Who can see them?” 

6  They search out injustice, 

saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.” 

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep. 

7  But God shoots his arrow at them; 

they are wounded suddenly. 

8  They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; 

all who see them will wag their heads. 

9  Then all mankind fears; 

they tell what God has brought about 

and ponder what he has done. 

10  Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord 

and take refuge in him! 

Let all the upright in heart exult! 

Words can easily entangle and lead us down a path we never really intended on going down. This psalm can remind us how the words of deception, rumours and lies spread, and build into becoming swords, arrows and snares. The little quips and comments grow to transform people into enemies, this is what happened to David. It is bad enough having one person lying about you, saying horrible things and plotting against you, but David had a ‘throng of evildoers’ against him. How did that happen? These enemies and their schemes all started somewhere. There was one moment when something was done or said that has taken over and spiralled. One disagreement, angry word, disappointment, error, jealousy or miscommunication has led to people becoming disgruntled, conniving enemies. It may not even have been anything to do with what David has done or said. People can become our enemies for many reasons. Yet, just because someone is railing against you, doesn’t mean you should do the same. David recognised this. It is important, even when people are horrible to you, to deal with them well - To live above reproach. David did not; shout things back, sneak around after them, try to catch them out or even confront and fight them. He could have done - he was a powerful, mighty king! Even though he could have fought, and won, he did not take matters into his own hands. He could have permanently got rid of these troublesome, lying, deceitful, wicked plotters who attacked him. Instead, David preferred God's way. He talked to God about it and trusted in His eventual salvation, knowing that God’s way is better. David did not repay evil for evil, but he patiently waited for God to start shooting His arrows instead of shooting his own. For David knew that God would transform the situation and cause these enemies to be on the run and descend into ruin because they are attacking God’s man. God preserves and fights for those who love Him, so David was assured that he would not only be rescued by God from this situation, but that it would also be for the benefit other believers too. As they would see God come through and rejoice! (V10). What is your response when people behave like enemies towards you?

It is important as mentioned above, to ensure that you are living above reproach in every circumstance. To make sure that even if people treat you badly, you do not do the same to them. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:39, "I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”. Jesus' advice - Do not try to squash the behaviour of those acting badly, but let them do it! By that you are showing love and mercy like God does to us. Do not allow yourself to retaliate or become angry, for that is not godliness and you will just end up behaving the same way as those against you and become wicked yourself. Consider the disciples in the book of Acts, they undergo terrible treatment, but do not react in their own strength. They endure torture and imprisonment and glorify and trust in God through it. They did not retaliate, fight or argue back. Instead they imitated their saviour in their loving and merciful responses to those who became their enemies. They are great examples of living a painful, but dedicated life to God. They lived their life fully for Him and that meant they didn’t always behave in the way they wanted to. The disciples understood that Jesus had shown that the battle is not really theirs, that even the enemies are not fighting you, but the godliness that is within. They also realised that any argument or physical fight is not going to change the heart or mindset of the wicked. Only the love and mercy of God can do that. Do you allow this to be the case when you have enemies? Or do you roll your sleeves up ready for a fight?

David also gives us an insight in this psalm that people have many reasons for doing things as, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. David has realised that all people have; fears, hurts, joys and hopes which combine to influence their behaviour. David recognises that there are many reasons why someone will act in a certain way because they are ‘deep’. Some get carried away, follow others, respond out of heartache, try to provide security - there are many explanations of why people behave as they do because we are complex creatures. Friends and enemies have reasons to be such, and predominantly it is not because of you. It is because of the deep things that are going on inside of them. The behaviour and decisions a person makes are often not due to one experience or one comment, but there are many thoughts, values and experiences that lead to it. Those who live righteously and those who live wickedly choose to do so as a result of the internal processing of many ideas, ideals, experiences and goals. The things that mould a person into who they become are many and complicated, and they impact how they treat others. 

When you are on the receiving end of poor behaviour or wickedness, it is easy to consider the person or people involved as wicked. Yet you do not know the inner depths of each person for, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. You do not know that they have been through, or why they are acting as they are. Sometimes these people may even seem quite nice and honourable, as they may act wickedly towards you, but they also can seem righteous or good at times! (v5-6) People are complex creatures, we all are. We all have different motivations and reasons for being like we are. We can even seem nice to some and horrid to others. David has noticed how even those plotting evil diligently against him, ‘search out injustice’. Yet they themselves are unjust in their words and actions towards him. It is a conundrum, but not one that any of us can solve by worrying about it. Instead, David does the only thing he can - talks to God about it - the One who knows the innermost being of every man and woman, and he trusts Him to sort it out. David is certain God will bring about the right course of action, and he will wait for it. For now, until his rescue comes, David will take refuge in speaking with God, trusting in His protection, for the time will come when ‘God shoots his arrows’ at these evildoers, and the people of God will, ‘rejoice in the Lord’ for the victory God has brought about. So instead of preparing to fight, why not take guidance from David, who did not roll up his sleeves and prepare for a battle when people plotted against him, but talked to God, carried on his everyday life and waited and trusted in the love and mercy of God to bring salvation and reason for all of God's people to rejoice?

 

Do not let situations dictate your faith, but let your faith dictate how you handle any situation!

 Psalm 43:1–5 (ESV): 

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause 

against an ungodly people, 

from the deceitful and unjust man 

deliver me! 

2  For you are the God in whom I take refuge; 

why have you rejected me? 

Why do I go about mourning 

because of the oppression of the enemy? 

3  Send out your light and your truth; 

let them lead me; 

let them bring me to your holy hill 

and to your dwelling! 

4  Then I will go to the altar of God, 

to God my exceeding joy, 

and I will praise you with the lyre, 

O God, my God. 

5  Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation and my God. 

This psalm is rather similar to the previous one and ends with exactly the same verse therefore it is reasonable to assume that they have the same author, most probably David. As both of these psalms also reference sorrow, harassment and a desire to be in God’s presence it makes sense for them both to be attributed to the same circumstances and author.

As mentioned, this psalmist is suffering. Due to this they have considered their predicament, evaluating his own heart and actions in the process and wondered if he has erred or sinned.  After examining himself, he clearly finds nothing deserving of discipline or punishment and so his first words of this psalm are 'vindicate me'. Only someone who is innocent can be vindicated as this word means to prove righteousness, and so the author must have reason to be assured of their integrity and innocence. Yet what this person is experiencing right now seems punishment. Have you ever encountered a time when you have felt unfairly treated? Or when you are punished for something you haven't done? It is easy in those times to fight back and become adamant and indignant in your self-righteousness, and who can blame you? It is unjust and unfair. However this writer, although he knows he does not deserve this discomfort and pain, he calls upon God to support and clear his name. He does not blame God or take matters into his own hands, but trusts and relies on God to, 'defend my cause'. This in itself must have been painful! To not retaliate, to not fight his own corner, the internal conflict is real. Instead this psalmist has considered and concluded that this battle is not his, but God's. As a man of God who has done his best to live right, he calls upon God to vindicate and rescue him. The author knows that God can work out things better than he can. They know God can give; vindication, refuge, rescue, restoration, joy, truth, guidance, hope and salvation. What could they do that would offer a better result?! When you are caught in a battle, or in a situation in which you are an innocent suffering party, assess your own actions first, then know and trust can and will vindicate and defend you too. If you need; refuge, rescue, salvation, joy, truth, guidance and hope, you can call upon and trust in Him to redeem the situation in a way that cannot be achieved any other way, and it is worth waiting for. 

It is horrible to have to go through and endure these things, this psalmist understands, and seems to be reminding himself that he is alright with God and can rely on him even when he is surrounded by difficulty, feels stuck and ‘cast down’. Have you ever felt like that? If so, then you, like this writer, probably need to remind yourself of the truth of who God is and what He can do.

Difficult times can cloud over your heart and mind and cause you to start to believe in the lies and disaster around you rather than continuing to hope in God. Once you start to remember the truth of who you are and who God is as well as what you can expect from Him - you have already won! Changing your mindset is half the battle. This psalmist has begun to walk in victory already by trusting in the character and nature of God. You have the opportunity to do the same when you meet trials. When circumstances can no longer dictate your mental or emotional state. and you learn to depend on and honour God no matter what, you are victorious! You are just waiting for the final triumph and vindication to come, for restoration to arrive and light and truth to reveal the reality. You are already victorious and vindicated so you can live with that mindset even as suffer. During the tough times continue to praise and honour God. Be inspired to hope when everything feels oppressive, disastrous and difficult. Remember who you are to God, and who He is and what He has done already. 

You have God on your side even if everyone else around you abandons you or turns against you. You can, along with David encourage yourself to, ‘Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God’. Do not let situations dictate your faith, but let your faith dictate how you handle any situation!

Have you learnt from past victories?

 Psalm 9 (ESV): 

A Psalm of David. 

1  I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; 

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. 

2  I will be glad and exult in you; 

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 

3  When my enemies turn back, 

they stumble and perish before your presence. 

4  For you have maintained my just cause; 

you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment. 

5  You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; 

you have blotted out their name forever and ever. 

6  The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; 

their cities you rooted out; 

the very memory of them has perished. 

7  But the Lord sits enthroned forever; 

he has established his throne for justice, 

8  and he judges the world with righteousness; 

he judges the peoples with uprightness. 

9  The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, 

a stronghold in times of trouble. 

10  And those who know your name put their trust in you, 

for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. 

11  Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! 

Tell among the peoples his deeds! 

12  For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; 

he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. 

13  Be gracious to me, O Lord! 

See my affliction from those who hate me, 

O you who lift me up from the gates of death, 

14  that I may recount all your praises, 

that in the gates of the daughter of Zion 

I may rejoice in your salvation. 

15  The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; 

in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. 

16  The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; 

the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah 

17  The wicked shall return to Sheol, 

all the nations that forget God. 

18  For the needy shall not always be forgotten, 

and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. 

19  Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; 

let the nations be judged before you! 

20  Put them in fear, O Lord! 

Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah 

Have you learnt from past victories?

At the start of this psalm we read an outpouring of thanksgiving to God for His past work (v1-12). David recalls how God is; just, wonderful, powerful, triumphant, eternal, king, orchestrator of the past and present, righteous, strong, protective, safe, and invested in those who follow Him. David remembers the truth of who God is, the miraculous ways He has worked, His character and His care for those that follow Him. All of this at a time when David is imploring God to, 'lift me up from the gates of death'! Before David asks God to intervene and help him, he ensures that he reminds himself who God really is and what He has already done. Do you do the same? Before you pour out the pain you feel and complain to God, do you take time to remember who God is and what He has already done for you? Past victories that you have seen, heard of or experienced should impact your faith and your life. Your witnessing of the past; triumphs, protection, breakthroughs, power and might of God should influence the way you pray. 

David prays from this acknowledgement of whom God has proved himself to be - he remembers with gratitude, warmth and growing strength that God is a winner and that God has prevailed many times before. David praises God for what He has done already, and reminds himself that this same God is with him right now in this 'affliction'. Is this how you pray into difficult circumstances? What have you learnt about the character of God from past victories that can equip and empower you as you pray now? Your previous experiences should inform your prayers of the present. God is the same now as He was then, and you can learn and grow in strength and faith by changing your mindset from one of despair and angst to one of hope and security. You do this by doing as David did - remembering the victories already won by God, and then recounting what is happening in life right now. How often do you pray the other way round - problems first, praise later (if at all)?

More often than not the current crisis swamps anything else. That is why it is important to remind yourself that there have been troubled times previously that you have survived. That you have come through because of God's; protection, strength, and righteousness. It is important to remember. It builds your faith and hope. As you read this psalm, you can hear David's hope, joy and faith building before he lets God know he is suffering. Do you want to know hope, joy and faith in the midst of turmoil? Then recall the past victories and thank God for what He has done in your life and in the lives of others. Do not let your state of mind be dictated to by your current circumstances, instead let your understanding of God dictate your state of mind and your circumstances by doing something different - praising and glorifying God in the midst of hardship. 

David does. He remembers, he thanks and praises and it helps him put his current situation into context. He knows that this current, 'affliction' will pass with God's help, but it is only a short space of time when considering his whole life. The same is true for whatever you are facing. Considering your whole life, this time of affliction will one day cease, but you need help getting through it. It is but a short time considering the expanse of life and eternity, so who better to assist you than the all-powerful and all-loving, eternal creator of life? Invite Him into your situation, remembering how God has shown his love power, grace and sufficiency for you before. He has not changed, you may have, but He has not and He loves, cares for and desires to protect and strengthen you in this current season. Are you depending on Him as you have before? 

Have you learnt from past victories?

Take Care

‘Take care, brothers’ 
(Hebrews 3:12)

Are you taking care of yourself?

Are you purposefully looking after, not just the state of your body, but also that of your mind, heart and soul? We can get focused on being healthy meaning to make sure our body is in good condition, but our wellbeing is much more than that. Are you actively looking after yourself, and guarding against what can make you unhealthy?

Are you ensuring your mind is healthy by checking your thoughts? Are you mindful of the media you are exposing yourself to, and are you taking your stray thoughts captive when they descend into chaos, depression or depravity?

What about your heart health?
Do you allow emotions to dictate your actions? Are you giving time to things that give you peace and contentment, or is your heart filled with pain and frustration?

Then, how about your soul?
How is your standing before God right now?
Are you forgiving as Christ forgives?
Are you free from sin?
Are you making an effort with your relationship with God and other believers?

Hebrews 3:12 instructs us to ‘take care,’ so, are you taking good care of yourself as a brother or sister in Christ?  Today, take time to check the healthiness of your heart, mind and soul. Ask God to reveal what it is you need to start or stop doing, then be brave and the change. It may be difficult, but the end result will be a healthier state of wellbeing for yourself, a renewed reassurance of your standing with God, and an uplifted spirit.

suffering temptation

‘For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted’
Hebrews 2:18.

Do you often consider that Jesus suffered?
Do you know that eventhough Jesus did not sin, he still underwent the same temptations as us?
The only time we really consider Jesus suffering is when he entered the last days of his Earthly life as he was; beaten, betrayed and crucified.
Yet, if Jesus was a regular human being, don’t you think he suffered in his daily life, like you? Isn’t there more suffering involved in life than death?

The verse above indicates that Jesus underwent the same everyday challenges and temptations that we do. Jesus had a normal human life. He experienced the life of a frustrated toddler, an inquisitive infant, and the terrifying teens! He knows the temptations of each of these stages of life. Jesus was an average Jewish boy, who lived with his parents, in a community, who learnt, played, worked and grew. He had to handle the same difficulties with people and self-control that we do. Jesus had to grow up in this world too. He had to deal with the emotions, hormones, peer pressure, frustrations and misunderstandngs that this life involves. The normal growing up process applied to Jesus. He had similar thoughts and persuasions to do the wrong thing. Jesus also had to overcome the battle in his mind as we do. The temptation to be selfish, popular and fulfilled existed for Jesus too. He was a normal human being. Therefore he had to deal with all the trials, testosterone, and temptations that brings!

This should give us comfort and hope.

Jesus does truly understand our troubles. He knows the power of the devil, who comes along uninvited and often in our weakest moments, to tempt us to sin or forget who we really are. Jesus knows the very real battle we have within ourselves to do what we want verses what God wants. He knows the persuasion to get up to things when no-one is looking or could ever find out. He battled temptation too - the verse above tells us that. Jesus suffered temptation. It was not easy for him either, he struggled with it just like we do. Jesus understands the very real internal war we have each day for:

‘We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need’.
Hebrews 4:15

Jesus can understand and come alongside us in our temptation and troubles because he has gone through the same mental battles, yet, he fought temptation and he was victorious every time. Jesus lived the everyday fight for purity, he battled against his own desires and the torments of the devil just like we do, and he won. He knows what it’s like. He understands the mental anguish, heart-felt prayers, battle of the heart and mind to do what is right. He suffered the agony of denying self to accept God. That’s why we can trust him to help us out.

We don’t have to be embarrassed by our troubles, no matter how secret we have kept them. Jesus knows the torture of the tempted mind. He has lived it too, and he has overcome, so we can trust him with our troubles, our fraught mental processes and anguished hearts. We can know that we have a brother who can lead us out because he lived free from the sin that we can so easily entangle ourselves in. Jesus can relate because he engaged in the same battle ‘in every respect’. He knows the reality of the human temptation. He knows the level of mental strife. He knows the power and pull of temptation. That is why we can confidently approach him with it all. Jesus acknowledges our suffering, he has also lived it and he has a story of victory to share. Today you can, ‘receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need’ because Jesus has been there. He can sympathise and give you the power to change. The question is - do you want to?

Unity

'Finally, all of you, have unity of mind'
 1 Peter 3:8.

Unity of mind, now that’s something that’s hard to come by! We often recognise our differences with other people but not our commonality let alone our unity. This is true even within the christian community.
For example, our churches are often identified by which denomination they are in, and that in our minds demonstrates difference. It tells us something of how another church may demonstrate faith differently, how worship may be different, styles different and services different.

How about focussing on unity instead?

That’s what this verse encourages us to do - to realise that actually, we have a lot more that unifies us than that which makes us different. 

One of the questions I HATE being asked is, “well, what KIND of christian are you?” I hate that!

*There is only one type of christian.*

A christian is someone who models themselves on Christ - who believes in his death and resurrection for the purpose of uniting us again with God. That’s what a christian is. Why do we get caught up in what ‘kind’ of christian we are? If the fundamental fact is that we are all desiring to honour and worship our creator through the grace of God shown through Jesus, equipped by the Holy Spirit, what else matters?

We are on the same team.
We are in the same army.
We are family.
We are united.

Firstly, I just want to say that this 'unity of mind' is not about us all being some kind of spiritual robots who all have the same types of lives and routines, or who all like the same things. We are different and have been created so, but in this day and age when are all very keen to show off our uniqueness, to flaunt our differences, we need know and accept that we are really one and the same. We are all sinners saved by grace. We were once far from God, and each other, but now we are connected, united, joined together by blood. The very blood of Jesus has made us family. We have been adopted and combined together in the worldwide family of God.

This connection is not about us acting the same way, but recognising that we have been given this 'unity of mind' that instils in us the same mission. We are all disciples of Jesus, entrusted with the task of making more disciples.

The enemy would love for us to flaunt our factions. He loves it when we see the difference in the denominations because it means we are focussed on difference not unity. This then causes us to  disconnect with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Whereas unity between christians and churches is incredibly powerful, not just in the christian community, but far beyond it.

Unity is evident in the incredible success of; Foodbank, Street Pastors, CAP, churches together marching through the streets at special events like Easter. This unity has power. I’ve seen it. The unity of different people with different lives from different churches working together produces a different community.

Through the unity of churches together lives are saved. Salvation comes, communities are changed.

Don’t you want to be a part of that?