Saturday, September 10, 2011

Are you Paying Attention to The Signs Part Two?

Why?  You may ask would someone look at a sign that clearly says “make a Left” but points to the right and and do it anyway?

Out text in the last post was Galatians 5:16: ”So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”  Years ago, I heard a teacher say this “if the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.” If there ever was a verse that makes common sense, this is one of them. Yet, so many get it wrong and focus on the sin, failure or the negative rather than the positive of “who we are in Christ”. This brings us to part two of our post last week. There is of course, a place for the sin to be mentioned but it is secondary to the positive of our “Identity.” And is better understood and received by those who are “settled in their Identity.”

When the teaching from parents, in a book, small group or the pulpit is continually “sin focused” by that I mean the emphasis is continually on the sin, the action, the behavior it is bad theology. Strong? yes! But, you can read the New Testament for your self. There was a guy named Paul who penned most of it under the inspiration of Holy Spirit. Just compare how much he spoke about our “identity”, us in Christ and He in us with how much he talked about the sin and failure of us as individuals. For instance, Romans, Galatians and Ephesians. They are all packed with the Transforming Power of our identity.

Lets face it we are what we continually and habitually think. This is why scripture tells to renew our mind, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24 and to pull down strongholds II Corinthians 10:3-5. The whole idea of Renewing the Mind is replacing a “Lie” with “Truth.” Or we could say fixing our mind or focus on the Truth rather than the lie. Dominant Thought then is what we continually or habitually think or focus on. Just a s a side note, this is one reason pornography is so damaging. The images remain on the screen of our mind....”dominant thought.” Because it is constantly before you, you continue to go back......Dominant Thought is Powerful.



So we have a choice! We can use Dominant Thought for us or against us. We make Dominant Thought work for us by following the admonition of Ephesians 4:22-24. Put on the new man, Romans 12:2 Renew our minds, II Corinthians 10:3-5 bring every thought captive to Christ or Joshua 1:8 meditate in the word day and night. All of this is simply Practicing the Presence of Jesus in your Life. It does take some effort but it is well worth it and it will get easier as you continue to make Him your Dominant Thought.

So, ask yourself...What am I continually or Habitually Thinking or Focused on?

Essential Reading:
Practicing His Presence
By Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach







1 comment:

  1. Great post Phil. I received your letter, and I'm happy to be praying with you. You have been a great friend and positive influence in my life. When thinking of this passage of flesh vs. spirit I think of the Book of Romans as well. I have found that some put spiritual activity on the spiritual plain but really do the work in the flesh. Doing things "in the Spirit" will always give us the right results, but doing things that are spiritual activity in the flesh lead us to spiritual pride, arrogance and isolation from God's plan. Being on the "spiritual dimension" we cannot see the acts of the flesh.

    Your friend Dale

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