Hosanna Restoration Church

When you think, what do you think about? Most of us would say something like, “I think about a lot things and sometimes I just don’t think at all.” And what about exercise? There is a lot of talk about exercise because we hear more and more about how we should exercise. I read recently about the concerns over healthcare costs in the future and how it could ruin our economy. Let’s face it, there are lots of things to think about and if the devil has his way, he will turn our thinking in to long worry sessions. Fortunately, God was giving us the key to putting everything in the proper perspective.

He said to think clearly and exercise self-control. When God speaks to us of clear thinking, He is referring to the only thinking that is always true. Thinking clearly causes us to measure things by the word of God. The word of God is pure and it is really clear to those who will exercise self-control and take things to God first. We all have many opportunities each day to practice applying God’s Word to our lives. Consequently we also have many opportunities to learn the hard way what happens when we fail to think clearly and exercise self-control.

Because He knows us, the Lord threw another little thing in this verse that we surely don’t want to overlook. He knows that clear thinking and self-control are not things that come naturally to our old man. These things are natural fruits of His Spirit, but it is up to us to apply them. He knew it would help us if we would look forward to His special blessings that come with the presence Jesus. I like to think of this in terms of His current presence, and not just on that final day when He comes and brings everything as we know it today to an end.

I know that when I am thinking clearly and exercising self-control that God is right there with me. I also know that I can just as easily push Him aside and think anyway I want to and do anything I want to. Oh how I wish that were not the case, but it is. How many times have I done just that without any good reason to do so? How many times have I stopped God from getting His special blessing to me because I pushed Him aside? How many times has this happened to you?

I really don’t want to do this anymore. I am sure you feel the same way. How can we bring ourselves to the place where we will simply trust God? I think Paul was going through this when he agonized over doing the things he did not want to do and not doing the things he really wanted to do. His solution was to stand on the fact that with Christ he could do all things, because He always causes us to triumph. Yes, we are being built into temples and construction sometimes takes a little tweaking. Clear thinking and self-control will cause us to present ourselves to the Master Builder saying, “Change me Lord.”