Wrong thoughts are to be swiftly resisted before they become sin. Once dwelt on, they enter the heart and must be recognized and confessed as sin.
I confess that the sheer thrill and adventure of being slipped into Iraq pressed my “go button” and it was tempting to just take off. Yet deep in my spirit, I sensed uneasiness and a warning to wait before the Lord.
While it is true that today’s Church is worldly smart with the best educated pastor, full circle ministries and highest available technology, we are often spiritually dumb as deception reigns supreme concerning the attributes of real knowledge in morals, in priorities (knowledge of the Word and energy put into the eternal), brevity of life, scriptural literacy, and humility that brings discernment and sound spiritual judgment.
The greatest wonder of all? This glorious God says to you and me, “I choose—I greatly desire—to dwell with you in fellowship and love.”
Now it is no longer “Christ in the world” but “Christ in you” who daily wishes to carry out this wondrous plan of the Father.
Darkness is indeed covering the earth as sin runs its final course before the return of the Lord. And gross darkness—a deep, spiritual blindness—has fallen over the people of the earth as false gods are worshipped by billions living under Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions of man including the god of the atheistic West—Materialism!
God tells what loving Him should be all about; breaking the chains of spiritual prisoners, lifting the heavy burdens of others, feeding and clothing the hungry and poor, training our own tongues to build others rather than judge them, and living to satisfy others and not just ourselves.
It's not the size of sin but the sorrow for sin that brings repentance, renewing, reviving and release...
Like the man lost in the desert who suddenly locates water—like the starving prisoner who is freed and offered food—I drank and ate and drank the Word, the Word, the Word! And just like He said, I got so full that rivers of this living water started flowing out of my inner being.
If someone throws a lemon at you, make lemonade rather than throw it back. If another hurls mud your way, don’t try to rub it off. You’ll only make it worse. Just love the Lord, allow no bitterness in your heart, let the mud dry, and shake it off.