Showing posts with label Michael W Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael W Smith. Show all posts

Friday, January 14, 2011

God's Spiritual Diet Plan (Part 4 of 5)

Proverbs 4:20-27 (King James Version)

20My son, (my daughter) attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Ponder here means to prepare the way while path means course of action. So prepare the way of the course of action for your feet.
We are always in such a hurry to get on with our life that we fail to prepare. The best way to prepare your heart for any journey is with worship and digging in His Word. The Bible is not a quick read.
Isaiah 28:9-10 (New King James Version)

9 “ Whom will he teach knowledge?
And whom will he make to understand the message?
Those just weaned from milk?
Those just drawn from the breasts?
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.”
The preparation takes maturity. We cannot be running ahead of God. For years that was the way I did things. I would hear a part of a Word, and run with it. It is "precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little."
Rebellion wants the Full Meal Deal and we want it our way.
You will see this in all addictions. The addict thinks they are the exception or this one time won't matter.
In the previous post, I quoted Kathy Helou who said, "Anything that is an enemy to your body is an enemy to God's plan for your life."
I heard that a year ago. Now I am applying it to my life. Why did I take so long?
Again FEAR. Fear of failure, fear of change, fear of not being in control. Fear is a sin because it leaves no room for faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says, " But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Prepare the way by excising every vestige of fear out of your life AS HE REVEALS IT. You don't need to go on a witch hunt. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you areas of your life where fear reigns. Then be faithful to deal with it. Repent for entertaining it.
If you agree that your body is the temple of the Lord, it is time to evict these illegal squatters. Cast them out.
And if you blow it again, just repent and receive your forgiveness.
Prepare the way by filling the temple with Praise, Worship, Word and His Love. This is how you establish your ways.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
This is your responsibility. You have to choose not to stretch the parameters of what God is calling you to do. For instance, if God calls you to a 21 day Daniel Fast, don't say but I am going to have meat on Sundays. You see that is how an addict thinks. Always looking for an exception and up-sell. If He calls you to a season of eating low gylcemic foods for a season to
bring your body into align after years of a anything goes eating regimen, don't add until He says add.
Isaiah 1:18-20 says, "18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
God is not trying to deprive you of any good thing. His heart for you is an abundant life.
Let us prepare the way.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

God's Spiritual Diet Plan (Part 3 of 5)

Proverbs 4:20-27 (King James Version)

20My son, (my daughter) attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

4Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
That is just as we have to guard our heart, we must look at one of the gates to our heart, our mouth. Perverse means fraudulent and deceitful.
Proverbs 19:1 says, "Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool."
In the free online dictionary by Farlex it says, "A false representation of a matter of fact—whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of what should have been disclosed—that deceives and is intended to deceive another so that the individual will act upon it to her or his legal injury.
Fraud is commonly understood as dishonesty calculated for advantage. A person who is dishonest may be called a fraud."
God's Word is absolute. There are no white lies. Are you living a life of integrity or one of a fraud?
Matt 5:37 says. "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
Does your word mean anything or are you saying what you think people want to hear?
Let's bring it a little closer. Do you tell yourself the truth? Sometimes we live in a state of denial with an addiction. We say, "I can quit any time I want>'
Is that really the truth?
Show me. In reality it is that froward mouth.
Why do we boast, exaggerate, tell half truths, accuse? Very simply, it is fear. Fear of man-fear of rejection, fear of not fitting in,, fear of not meeting someone's expectations-. Shouldn't we speak each word as if Father God were listening? He is you know.
I have found that when I speak words that are not pleasing to Him, I have a need to put something sweet in my mouth. It is as if I think/believe that the bitterness of my words will be sweetened by sugar.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
I sometimes get into trouble spiritually because I am looking at others instead of my Father. Whether I am comparing myself to someone else to see if I measure up or critiquing someone else's behavior, it is all sin.
I was in abusive situations over 25 years of my life. I learned to be hyper-vigilant, always checking to see if I was safe. What resulted was that I became in charge of my safety. There was no need to trust God, I was in charge. Having to be in charge all of the time comes from fear. If I don't do, who will? If I don't do it, things will fall apart? If I don't do it, fill in the blank. When I was in that mode, I had become a god to myself.
It was very humbling to recognize that, even more humbling to recognize that even with all of the Word I knew in my head, there was a lack of trust in God to love me, take care of me and protect me.
During part of that that season, I lived in the Dallas, TX area. I was asked to do some interviews at a Christian concert. I don't remember all of the people I interviewed, but I remember the one with Michael W. Smith. When he walked into the room, he brought God with him. He was a vessel of His glory. During the interview, he said quite pointedly that we have a responsibility to take care of our bodies as temples of God. It was said in love and it pierced my heart, but I quickly dismissed it. I did not let my eyes look right on.
I chose not to take to take responsibility for my sin.
Nearly fifteen years later I would hear Mary Kay National Sales Director Kathy Helou say, "Anything that is an enemy to your body, is an enemy to God's plan for your life."
I have an addiction to carbs. I cannot quit without God's help.
I lift my eyes up to the source of my help.