Thursday, September 13, 2012

Take No Thought about Anything, Even Your Thoughts

As I grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), I was still finding myself afflicted with doubts, fears, resentments, unbeliefs.

I knew and believed that His blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7), but as soon as a bad or wrong thought would spring up, I still felt compelled to “do something” about it.

Yet in attempting to work away these thoughts, I was not working out my salvation (Philippians 2: 12), the saving life which God is working in my life.

The blood of Jesus continuously cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7). That includes every thought,word, and deed -- but especially stray thoughts.

Pastor Joseph Prince cited one passage in the Song of Solomon:

"As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks." (Song of Solomon 6: 7)

A Pomegranate represents the head of the believer, filled with red juice, which symbolizes Jesus' blood. The seeds inside a pomegranate are white. This picture illustrates that we have Jesus' blood cleansing us of all sin, even our thoughts, and making them holy.

The new revelation for me, though, has included combining the awareness of our new identity in Christ, that as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4: 17) Bitter, angry, depressive thoughts are not ours, anymore, but a function of our flesh trying to "working something out."

The more that we rest in His blood not only continuously cleansing us from all sin, but that He keeps on blessings us, even when we sin in our thoughts, the more that we reign in life, no longer hindered by perverse, bitter, or depressive thinking.

Even in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus counseled His listeners to "take no thought" five times!

Instead, what does He ask us to do?:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)

Our thoughts cannot separate us from the love of God, from God Himself (Romans 8: 37) We receive His kingdom through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (Romans 14: 17), who makes us kings and priests with God the Father (1 Peter 2: 9; Revelation 1: 5)

Let us not make the mistake of the Corinthians, trusting in our flesh, living carnally,  but let us walk in the Spirit, trusting God’s Word that He loves us, lives in us, and lavishes us with His Goodness in all things, even when our thoughts stray.

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