Proverbs 23:19, “My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.” (NLT)
Keep your heart on the right course… become wise; point your life in the right direction….some days that is a huge chore. Some days that’s just downright impossible so it seems. I’m just going to be really transparent here and say there are days when it feels like the last thing that I can accomplish because the enemy is after me big time. The best defense if a good offense, yep its football season so a football analogy is fitting here. So what is the offense? Well let’s start with Prayer, say them as often as you need to, pray morning, noon and night – also there is study, keeping strong in His word in our minds and hearts. Need more, well, be involved in a Bible Study, seek out friends who can do one with you or at worst case they can be some good Godly council. Get involved in a good Bible teaching church.
It is kind of unnerving how fast things can go south if you allow dark emotions or dark things to exist in your heart or head. I’ve noticed for me that sometimes things I see on TV or hear on the radio can just have a negative impact on your mood. I had to back off of watching the news since the Covid has been around because the stats can be overwhelming. The other thing that can mess you up is not knowing what to believe or not believe. I think we all should be informed but not when it’s wrong information. Filling up on that is just empty.
Some minds work different than others, no doubt but I believe if you think of your mind and your heart as containers that need to be filled and spilled then you can do what you need to do to ensure the filling is good and right. Put the funnel in your container and let’s work on filling it. For me it’s reading some, in the morning I have three books at my desk. I get here usually early so I have about 30 minutes to set up and get ready for my day. If I could I would blast my music but some of my co-workers get here right after me so that’s a no go since I sit in an open cubical. So I read from each of my books and get my day started. It doesn’t have to be a super long devotional or podcast but if you have time for that then by all means do it. Find what works for you and make it habit. Keep doing it day after day and it will stick. Figure out what works best for you to help fill that funnel and keep your container full. A full container has no room for anything bad to enter – right??
Thinking about our current times, with all the crazy going on in the world right now. It’s easy to fall down and get messy from the muck. It’s always easier to wallow in the bad, in the wrong. I think it wise to remember the lessons of the past, look at history – the time frame when he said this was in 1948, Winston Churchill said, “Those who fail to learn from history
are condemned to repeat it”.Santayana said it first at the turn of the century, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it”.Both are giving us a good reminder – apply the good and prevent mistakes of repeating it. Such as, how to respond to crisis. In history how did people or the church handle it when bad things happened? Oh I imagine they handled things best they could, some were the wrong way but for the most part since we still have church today – think about it logically – they must have done the majority of it right. Otherwise we would not have church today – right? When things are outside of our control – like this pandemic. How do we handle it, how have we handled crisis in our past as a people? In our own history did we handle crisis was it the best way? Rest Easy – Rest in who God was and is the great response to crisis, repeat “trust in God” in crisis. Trust God in times of sorrow, hope, sadness, rescue… continually a repeat – trust in God. Reaction = Lord I trust You. I think this is how the early church handled crisis. Go back in time when Jesus has already ascended and the disciples were passed on, leaving just the church and its people. Surely right on the heels of all the persecution there is still some going on so they totally lived in fear and crisis. Likely lots more than we do these days. I have been questioned in my lifetime about my faith, I have been challenged about my faith but I have never been condemned or persecuted over my faith.
We will always be presented with crisis, maybe not every day but certainly in our lifetimes so we have to be resonate in Jesus. The cross is a symbol of defeat, if you think about it since Jesus died on it but He turned it in to a symbol of peace and love with His death, burial and resurrection. Victory. We have a hope – built on an assurance of what is to come, the promises of God. Live in anticipation Him, being with, joy and Heaven. Live out of the love that you’ve experienced in Jesus – that love of finding Him and knowing Him. Bring that joy in to your everyday life.
“When the family of God acts and lives out the gospel in the midst of the chaos, we provide proof and evidence of the surpassing peace and stability that only the gospel of Jesus can establish in the hearts of mankind”
James 3:17 (NIV) 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17-18 (MSG) 7-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
Teachable – wisdom in knowing when to hear and when to learn. Willing to yield or conform. Willing to learn and be taught. Respectful of the authority put over us. Honor those in leadership.
Impartial – when we don’t show partiality. When asking - What’s in it for me? That’s showing partiality. Jesus was not partial with us. Him being on the cross was very impartial. It’s a free gift given to all.
Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father – Thank You for History, for us remembering and applying the lessons. Help us to always keep history in mind. World history, Church history, personal history so that we don’t repeat mistakes that happened. We pray in Jesus Name - Amen