Break Thought Patterns

 Break Thought Patterns

1 Corinthians 8: ⁷ But not everyone knows this truth. Some people have been so used to idols that to this day when they eat such food they still think of it as food that belongs to an idol; their conscience is weak, and they feel they are defiled by the food. ⁸ Food, however, will not improve our relation with God; we shall not lose anything if we do not eat, nor shall we gain anything if we do eat.

 

============

 

“Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Step on a line, break your mother’s spine” were the superstitious rhymes told to me that I quickly believed. I didn’t want to hurt my mother so I avoided stepping on cracks and lines in the sidewalk at all cost. But one dreaded day, I stepped on a crack! I went home later that day and saw she was fine.

 

• There were times when I let superstitions guide my actions.
• There were times when I let old sayings determine my outcomes.
• There were times when I let idols provide me with my path, even though they were powerless.

 

Paul continues addressing an issue that people were concerned about. He lets people know that food does not “belong” to an idol because an idol is powerless. He says “their conscience is weak.” Then he provides the real solution, GOD.

 

• GOD wants me to drop my superstitions, and place my trust in HIM.
• GOD wants me to drop my control, and place my faith in HIM.
• GOD wants me to drop my fears, doubts and worries, and place my confidence in HIM.

 

Thinking I can control outcomes is a huge problem. I mean, when I subject my thinking to superstitions and hearsay, I can get tossed around by life very easily. I wind up following something that leads me to a dead end where I cannot answer the question “now what?” when a problem arises.

 

BUT GOD provides the solution. HE gave me the HOLY SPIRIT, who loves me and is concerned about me. I am led by HIM to the truth, which sets me free. I may sin, but I am freed from the bondage of my sins. I am glad I do not have to let fear, doubt and worry rule when I know GOD is for me.

 

• Are you following superstitions?
• Does your thought pattern automatically begin with negative versus trust in GOD?
• Will you break your natural thinking and ask GOD for the faith, love and hope you need so you can grow in HIM today to bear HIS fruit of the Spirit?

Yuck Mouth

Matthew 15: ¹⁰ Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. ¹¹ What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

============

Wanting to fit in, I started using foul language. I did it wrong at first, but like a fine wine, over time I got better. Now that I had the crowds laughing, it was time to graduate to lewd comments about people. Soon after that, I moved on to body part discussions. “Now I fit in! But to what end?”

• Fitting in feels great only for a moment.
• Fitting in dullens my senses.
• Fitting in causes me to do like the crowd, act like the crowd and please the crowd.

I then placed complaints on my cursing, foul tongue and topped it off with slander. Now it was complete. I was no longer a witness for GOD, but I had a nice sized crowd! Blame, bragging and criticism were soon to follow. BUT GOD wanted me to act differently.

• GOD wants me to encourage versus curse.
• GOD wants me to praise versus complain.
• GOD wants me to teach versus rip apart.

When I cleaned up my mouth, I lost a lot of “friends.” Soon I was encouraging people and speaking peace in folks lives. GOD delivered more and more to me. My crowd grew and I did not have to please them, GOD did.

• Are you trying to make yourself look good by slandering someone else?
• Do you use foul or suggestive language so you can fit in with the crowd?
• Can you stop your filth and change your words to praise GOD and HIS people?

Garments of the Soul

Zechariah 3: ³ Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴ The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

============

Greeted with smiling faces I proceeded into the church. Songs played, people clapped but I felt rotten inside. The preacher preached on a bunch of stuff I was doing wrong then we all got up sang again and walked out the door with the same smiling faces. 

• There have been times when my outside did not match my inside.
• There have been times when smiling faces was not enough to crack open my tough exterior.
• There have been times when my sin was hidden and I wore filthy clothes on my soul.

After reading this passage I could easily think that I would have to clean myself up in order to be loved by GOD. The problem with that kind of thinking is I can never “clean” myself up. The more I try the filthier my soul garments get. I drop off an obvious sin to society and trade it in for a larger sin to GOD, namely piety. What am I to do?

• GOD says to me “In the middle of your sin, I saved you.”
• GOD says to me “I saw you before the foundations of the world.”
• GOD says to me “I have taken away your sin.”

I had to reread the passage a few times in order to see the timing. GOD says “Take off his filthy clothes”. Then I noticed HE says “See, I have taken away your sin” meaning HE died in my place and the act of cleansing was complete. All I have to do is believe in the ONE who cleansed me and then my filthy garments will be taken off for me.

Cleansing is not my job. I cannot clean myself up by trading sin. I need GOD in my life through JESUS who died and was raised from the dead. Now I can cry in church and smile. I can bring in my anger and leave with joy. My filthy garments of the soul can be replaced with GOD’s garments!

• Are you hiding something?
• Does the thing you are hiding eat away at you?
• Are you lying to yourself in order to feel more comfortable?
• Can you stop hiding your sins and allow GOD to take off your filthy soul garments by confessing to HIM?

Having Resolve

Daniel 1: ⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, ¹⁰ but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

¹¹ Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹² “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” ¹⁴ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

¹⁵ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

============

“No” was my answer when the fella’s decided to go out “drinking and clubbing plus, plus.” My resolute statement made them look at me strangely. They did not say much to me from that point on. I could not read their mind but the looks on their face seemed to mark me as a betrayer to their confidence. I was no longer in the “club.” “Maybe I should have gone with them” I thought to myself

• Sometimes I questioned standing up for GOD.
• Sometimes I wondered what it would have been like if I folded to my resolve.
• Sometimes I wanted to quit following GOD because it seemed like everyone else was having more “fun.”

Blinded by “success” I questioned GOD. I mean these people seemed to be doing extremely “well” while I seemed to be getting kicked out of inner circles. GOD had to speak to me about my question.

• GOD said to me “I AM the way the truth and the life. Do not be afraid of humans and their lack of resolve.”
• GOD said to me “There is no other GOD but ME. Follow ME with all your heart, mind and soul.”
• GOD said to me “I WILL bless you abundantly for following ME.

Despite my flawed thinking, I continued. I mean who was I to go against GOD? After a while those people who asked me to hang out with them, vanished one by one and soon I was put in their place. GOD took his time but it was better to wait on HIM.

• Are you afraid of taking a public stance for following JESUS?
• Are you ashamed of declaring you follow GOD because the people around you will ostracize you?
• Can you agree to have add some resolve to follow GOD’s ways to your daily walk little by little?