by David Brenneman
"Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." Psalms 34:11-19.
"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. " Colossians 3:2-3.
Was considering the notes of the various study Bibles last night concerning John 12 talking about Mary (Martha's sister).
How often do we shut out the world and sit at the feet of Jesus?
What are we being intentional about to further the Gospel in our hearts and minds?
How important is it to each of us that we finish well the life in Christ that we've been given to live for Jesus?
Are we taking the time to listen to Jesus when He speaks to us?
Because He very much is speaking to each and every single Believer. The onus is on all to pay attention in class.
Right now is a generation of the most intellectually laziest high school and college students ever. Both seeking ways to use AI, artificial intelligence, to get out of the most mentally beneficial aspects of learning. There's a lucrative business in providing cheats that disguise the use of AI.
People who will someday really need to have that information they didn't make an effort to learn.
Now apply that to your Spiritual life. What are you being lazy about? What aren't you doing that you know you should be doing?
Indeed we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them...but...we must be intentional on walking in them.
Our world, as Satan's schemes have proven, is all about getting people to stop any form of critical thinking. Go with the flow. Do what feels good. Don't think, just do. Make your own way that gets you all that you want without regard to the consequences.
Setting your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world isn't a suggestion. It's a survival trait.
You can't begin to understand the things of God unless you are intentionally in the Word of God. You can't truly get beyond providing a grocery list to God in prayer unless you start making it personal. Personal to you and to your desire to be like Jesus.
Cheaters never win and winners never cheat.
We rob ourselves when cheating becomes a viable choice. We rob ourselves when we don't embrace our relationship with Jesus in the way He desires to have with each of us.
What are you doing that you really know you shouldn't be doing? What thoughts do you entertain that you aren't even attempting to stop having? These are negatively impacting your relationship with Jesus. This should bother you!
What of this world are you elevating above your relationship with Jesus? These things in this world are going to fade away. You're going to either watch them fade away or you'll suddenly find yourself facing eternity and everything and everyone will be behind you. Only Jesus will be before you.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. This too wasn't a suggestion. This is very much a part of what the Disciples were to teach all new Disciples. This was part of "everything that I commanded you".
You're never going to realize the rewards of being intentional in your walk with Jesus until you just do it.
You're not going to realize how much you've been trapped inside worldly thinking and desires until you intentionally set things aside in favor of enriching your life in Christ.
You will never know the benefits of being intentional until you do it.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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