Week 22 Devotions

May 28 - - “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth” (Colossians 3:1&2). “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do” (Proverbs 4:23). How true it is, that we become what we think most about. That’s why the Bible focuses so much on what we feed our mind. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will is” (Romans 12:2). So long as we think in the same way the people of this world think, we will reap the same results the people of this world reap. Solomon knew how easily men can be enticed into sexual, immoral conduct. Once, an immoral thought has been introduced into our minds, that immoral thought leads to an immoral action. And immoral actions, if not forsaken and repented of, lead to spiritual separation from God, which is eternal death (James 1:14&15). Do not commit adultery with another man’s wife is Solomon’s advice. “The man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul” (Prov.6:32). “The lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But the result is as bitter as poison, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave” (Prov.5:3-5). How do we avoid immorality? By nipping it in our minds. By, taking immoral thoughts captive (II Corinthians 3:3-5) and replacing them with thoughts about our own wives. “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving doe, a graceful deer” (Prov.5:18&19). We should starve immoral thoughts by not placing immoral pictures before our eyes, for the eyes are directly connected to our souls (Matthew 6:22&23), and once an immoral picture has been introduced to our minds, an immoral thought ultimately leads to an immoral act (Matt.5:27-30). What kinds of pictures are you placing before your eyes? What kinds of thoughts are you allowing in your mind? Choose wisely for the choice you make has eternal consequences. May 31 - - How many times have we made plans and thought we had something all figured out, only to have some problem or obstacle mess up those plans? Someone sets aside money on a regular basis to retire at a certain age, only to die before they reach that age. Someone else plans to get married and have children by a certain age, only to find themselves still single when they reach that age. Someone else plans how they are going to make their way to the top at their work, only to get fired from their job. Because we all experience the frustration of making plans and then finding those plans become irrelevant by circumstances beyond our control, someone coined the phrase, “the only thing you can count on in life are death and taxes.” Now, there is nothing wrong with making plans to achieve something. The people of Babel made plans to build a great city, complete with a tremendously, tall building (Genesis 11:1-9). They weren’t condemned for making the plans. In fact, there almost seems to be a hint of commendation because they had such lofty goals. God ends up thwarting their plans because they had ungodly motives behind those plans (vs.4). Nehemiah is a great example of someone who thought out what he was going to do and then carried through on it, and he did so in record time (Nehemiah 6:15&16). One of the differences between Nehemiah and the citizens of Babel is that Nehemiah made his plans by first consulting God (Nehemiah 1:1-2:5). Nehemiah wanted to do what God wanted him to do, rather than simply asking God to bless what Nehemiah wanted to do. “We can gather our thoughts,” and it’s important that we do so. “But, the Lord (is the One who) gives the right answer” (Proverbs 16:1). “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they will fall” (16:33). “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (16:8). Since, God has a plan for each and all of our lives, as well as a plan for the world we live in, we would be wise to simply, “commit your work to the Lord (in the first place), and then your plans will succeed” (16:3). Afterall, whose will is it we want done? His? Or, ours? The fact is, “you can make many plans, (all the plans you want), but the Lord’s purpose will (eventually) prevail” (19:21).