When I awakened this morning, I was hearing the voice of God inside continuing to speak to me about choosing LIFE. I realized that there was more that I wanted to say on the subject. My first impulse was to toss what I had written yesterday and start over. I knew that would require lots of work on my part. Then I remembered that I am choosing LIFE as I let God perform that which He has given me to do (Job 23:14), for
1Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
I can open my mouth and let Him fill it
(Psalms 81:10) [or, in my case, open the computer and let Him write it] OR I can attempt to do it myself and reap corruption
(Galatians 6:8) as I realize that much study is a weariness of the flesh
(Ecclesiastes 12:12) —hence my decision to write this part 2,
leaving the first contemplation as it was given to me.
I realized this morning that in that contemplation I hadn’t even mentioned the many ways we can choose LIFE when we are tempted to become worried or anxious about anything at all. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke much about taking no thought
for provision (Matthew 6:25) since our Father knows what we have need of even before we ask and does not respond to long prayers (much speaking
) (Matthew 6:7-8). And we learn from Isaiah that God has already answered our prayers even before we pray (Isaiah 65:24). Peter encourages us to cast all our care upon God, knowing that He cares for us (1Peter 5:7) —even, Jesus said, much more than we could ever care for our children (Matthew 7:11).
And Paul says it all:
Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication [remembering that prayer is not begging and beseeching God to give what He has already given, but rather a recognition of our heritage as sons (and daughters) of God] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
When tempted to think otherwise, we are to be
2Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Simply put, when we keep our minds stayed
on God, remembering His perfect love
(1John 4:18), thinking as Paul instructed us above, He keeps us in perfect peace
(Isaiah 26:3) because we have chosen LIFE.
Paul says it again in Romans:
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
While it is true that we cannot change evil into good by thinking, we do use our minds to become aware of that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
that is done in our earth
as it already is in heaven
(Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.) —as we bring it into visibility by our recognition of it. This is letting the mind of Christ
operate in us.
On the other hand, if we allow our minds to just wander as they will, they will take us where we don’t want to go —to that horrible pit
David talks about (Psalms 40:2), that place of death,
not LIFE. The carnal mind
(the spirit of the world
) cannot do otherwise. It takes the spirit which is of God
(the mind of Christ
) to know the things which are freely given to us of God
(1Corinthians 2:12).
I also want to discuss how we choose Life by abstaining from judgment and condemnation. This is closely connected to renewing our minds —because that is where the carnal mind
will always take us if we are not operating in the mind of Christ
which does not engage in that sort of thinking.
Jesus said that the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son
(John 5:22). And of course the Son does only what He sees the Father doing (John 5:19). God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn us, but to save us (John 3:17), as Jesus demonstrated when He said to the woman caught in adultery, Neither do I condemn thee
(John 8:11).
Jesus warns us:
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
And we would do well to heed that warning when we feel the urge to judge, condemn and be unforgiving, resentful and angry —because, as Jesus also said:
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Paul said it like this:
Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Yes, whatever we give, be it criticism and condemnation or gentleness and kindness, will come back to us pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.
If we really understood that we ourselves are determining how our world responds to us, we would never make the judgments that we do. We who call ourselves followers of Jesus are quick to condemn those who disagree with us doctrinally, politically, morally, socially. Then we wonder why others are so intolerant toward our views and behavior. I can think of no other area where we feel so justified
in ignoring the warnings of Jesus. It has to be the area where we are most like the Pharisees in our feelings of self-righteousness.
This doesn’t mean that if we are following Jesus’ admonitions we will never suffer persecution. We can cite any number of biblical characters (including Jesus, Joseph and Paul) who did. But there is a big difference between suffering affliction or persecution for the word’s sake
(Mark 4:17) and reaping the corruption
which comes from choosing death
through our judgments and condemnation. When we have sown only to the Spirit, the persecution does us no harm (Luke 10:19); we can walk through the fire without being burned (Isaiah 43:2). All that is meant for evil
works together for our good (Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good; Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.).
When I stop to think about it, the entire Bible is a record of what it means to choose Life.
But I think we have enough here to meditate upon for a good while. If we can just learn to not be anxious about anything and give out only what we would like to have returned to us, we would be well on our way to experiencing God’s LIFE living us —because we have chosen LIFE!