What things do you ponder on and wonder about? Whatever it is, God has an answer for you. As you mature in your faith, God helps you to understand the world around you, as well as who you are as a human being. He helps you face reality. When you go to Him with an inquisitive heart to know truth, God reveals things to help you to abide in His Son more deeply and to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice as He helps you to become more like Christ.
Those who choose to ignore godly wisdom and live life trusting their own thinking, chaos and tension ensue. Pay attention to how people think through challenges they face personally or what their opinions are on hot topics. Darkness has enshrouded their thinking. Watch the news, read people’s comments on social media, see how government leaders handle societal issues. It is abundantly clear, living outside the parameters of God opens the door to every kind of evil and shortsightedness.
Ephesians 4:18-19 says, “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.”
But, for those who allow God to show them reality, He leads them out of the darkness and away from evil (in thought and action). This wonderful exchange that takes place is because 1. God is The Creator of heaven and earth and everything in it; read Genesis 1-2. 2. God sent Jesus, His Son, down to live like us while remaining sinless. He became The Sacrificial Lamb. He took your place and mine when it comes to sin, see Romans 3:23, and He resurrected from the dead! 3. This means that when you receive Jesus into your heart, He removes your sins and transforms your identity from dead in sin and evil to alive in Christ, goodness, and truth forevermore!
Look at what Ephesians 4:20-24 says about Jesus, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.”
Today is a glorious day for you and I have an understanding God!
Whatever you find trying, hard, disappointing, tiring perhaps, God can clear away all confusion. He will eradicate any lies that you have been believing. He will fill you with His presence and His truth. You begin to live a whole new way. He will help you to find hope in whatever season you find yourself in. His hope propels you forward as you live from glory to glory.
In Ephesians 5:6-10, God gives clear instructions when you exchange your carnal thinking for biblical thinking rooted in love, grace, mercy, and truth. “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins (sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscene stories, foolish talk, coarse jokes; see 5:3-4), for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once your heart were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.”
Go to God. Ask much from Him as you confess your wrongdoings and wrong thoughts. He will forgive and move you forward as His child. You will receive no condemnation, see Romans 8:1-2, while also receiving unconditional love. God clears your path and opens doors of opportunity where you can show others what Christ had done for you and through you.
You will make this world a brighter place when you abide and follow Jesus, the most understanding ‘person’ ever to live on earth. He happens to be God who loves you more than words can say. He walks with you, talks with you, and listens to you. What more do you need?
Carol J German 