"The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man."
Matthew 15:18
Most people don't realize how essential it is that they control their thoughts. They'll say', "I don't think about the sinful things that would compromise my relationship with God." However, they completely miss how much their ugly, critical, and bitter thoughts and feelings toward themselves and others impact their lives. We all view ourselves in light of what we believe to be true. So even if we subconsciously live by a negative belief system concerning who we are, then we will not experience all the joy and blessings Jesus has for us.
Therefore, my challenge to you is to refuse any negative or disparaging thought that arises about yourself or others. If your inner voice says you are unworthy or inadequate, look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I am a child of God, and He loves me just the way I am-end of discussion!" If some wrong comes to mind, reply, "I forgive them in the power and love of Jesus!" Change the way you think by replacing your undesirable, unconstructive thought patterns with God's Word. Because that is the way He will transform your life and make you more like Jesus. And that's certainly a subject worth thinking about.
Jesus, identify my negative thoughts and replace them with
Your Word, Amen.
- Trusting God with Today, Dr. Charles Stanley.
It's a difficult morning for me. Another day, with another rejection of a potential employer. Yet, in this, I think that God was beginning to prepare me last night when I read this particular devotional.
Yet in this too, as Dr. Stanley would have agreed, passed through the fingers of my Savior to get to me. Nothing that we encounter as children of God, saved in the Lord Jesus Christ, can get to us unless it's been approved to do so.
We aren't victim's of circumstances when our circumstances are at the orderly direction of our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Even the Apostles often found themselves dispairing even of life at times. Life can happen like getting hit by a truck of which I can testify that hurts. Been there done that and they weren't making t-shirts to prove it at the time.
My first thoughts after reading my latest rejection was to still pray to Jesus about it. He knows of my weariness after 6 months of this.
My second thoughts were of this devotional. Plus the 2 others from this same book that I went as far as to print and put before me at my study to see and be reminded of throughout my day.
God loves me. His love for me is profound and personal in ways I've yet to discover and probably won't see fully until that day I get to be held in His arms welcoming me to His Heaven.
Regardless of circumstances...the love of Jesus Christ for all who believe is unwavering, unshaking.
I know not where my next job will come from but I know that He knows what kind of burden it is on my heart right now. He knows my discouragement, my saddness over it. I know that He knows the truth behind being in this situation that I did nothing wrong.
In this time of life for me I do think that a few things are stacked against me. One is my age, the other is that particular black mark from 6 months ago. Even though I was exonerated by the State of Ohio as to having been wrongfully discharged, people still see that.
Yet in all that...I know that God will still place me in a new job soon. What He starts He always finishes.
Scriptures says that. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6.
Doing a search on my Bible App in the NASB, on what all my Savior says He will finish or complete, look at these passages.
Proverbs 3:5-6, John 14:27, Philippians 4:13, Galatians 6:9, Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 12:9, hebrews 12:1-2, James 1:12, Luke 12:32, John 1:12, Romans 15:13, Ephesians 3:12, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:2, Colossians 3:23, and 2 Timothy 1:7.
We have, I have, many reasons to still yet hope in the Lord even in the face of such discouragement. Habakkuk had much astonishment, and shock at what the plans of the Lord were going to be but yet said he would still look to the Lord as his salvation.
While days like today have started out being are extemely difficult, they are not unnoticed by my Savior concerning their impact on my heart.
His plans for me will still yet stand no matter what anyone has to say about it. That's just a fact of the spiritual life.
I took these things this morning and put them at the feet of Jesus like all the other burdens of my heart.
The important thing yet still is that God loves me. I am a child of God and as Dr. Stanley put it...that settles it...end of story.
Lastly...we learn perseverance through these things. Jesus did in His time here on Earth and so shall we.
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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