Eyes on the Prize

Isaiah 60:2 for Behold The Darkness shall cover the Earth, and deep Darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.

When I read this scripture this morning it gave me hope. What I mean by that is you look at the world and you see all the crap going on. The fake news, the haters the total disdain for Christians. I need to focus on Rising above all this crap and what I've learned is it I can't do it on my own. In other words I need to set my mind on things from above.  At the same time it is so easy to get caught up in all the stuff that's going on around you

Col. 3:2 Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly (soul-ruled) realm. (“Set your minds upon the things that are above and not upon the things below!” RSV. Also note Romans 1:18, where the word katecho is used - to echo downwards is the opposite to anoche, to echo upwards - Romans 2:4 and Romans 3:26. Also 2 Corinthians 4:18 “We are not keeping any score of what seems so obvious to the senses in the natural realm, it is fleeting and irrelevant. It is the unseen, eternal realm within us which has our full attention and captivates our gaze!” A renewed mind conquers the space previously occupied by worthless pursuits and habits.)

 My prayer today is no matter what happens or what I hear that I keep my eyes focused on the prize

 Phi. 3:14 I have the prize of mankind’s redeemed innocence in full view; just like a champion athlete in the public games I refuse to be distracted by anything else. God has 1invited us in Christ, to lift up our eyes and realize our identity in him. 

The dripping well

This morning I am listening short video by Joseph Prince. It is called Breaking Point addiction through Grace it's 12 minutes long. I can say for myself it's good.  He touches on several scriptures and makes some very valid points that I'm going to share.  It is probably not anything that you have already heard, maybe a different twist.   The first one is 

1 Corinthians 6:18 flee sexual immorality.   every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

It has been proven that overtime long term viewing of pornography will actually put a groove in your brain. Picture one of those old hand cranking well heads from the 1800s that constantly drips over and over 50 or 60 years it actually wears a Groove in the concrete something as innocent as water.   

1 Cor 6:17 In our union with him we are one spirit with the Lord. 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sexual sin is a violation of the sacredness of the human body and scars the conscience of the individual like no other sin does. (The best way to escape temptation is to remember who you are.)

THE MIRROR

When I think about the scars........ I still have pornographic images in my mind from the 7th grade they just won't go away.  Certain scenes from pornography I viewed in the 80s that will not go away.  I have scars on my physical body that have gone away but the sexual sin is in your brain.  I have been prayed over and I prayed about this.  One day they won't be there but today they are,  so when they come back I have to take those thoughts captive.

Gen 39:10 — Gen 39:12

And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

As I look this scripture over she spoke to him every day about him sleeping with her.

He chose to not listen and finally when it got to the point where he could not take it anymore he ran!  He fled! He knew what he needed to do before the Ten Commandments were even written. And in his heart, he knew what was right and what was wrong.

So, I wonder did Joseph put confidence in his flesh? And when the Temptation got so strong he ran?

I believe that he knew the difference between wrong and right so well,  that he knew exactly where he stood.

When you make up your mind your unmade mind will not un-make you

Ice road truckers

So, I've been thinking this morning about the road of depravity. If you think about the road of depravity like the road up in Alaska that the Ice Road Truckers drive on it's a very slippery slope and there is no room for error. On this road you must be very careful. You have to drive down to very center of the road.  For myself if I was driving 80000 pounds down a sheet of ice I would have to totally rely on the Lord and the skills that he has taught me to navigate. There is absolutely no room for error.  the moment I decide to navigate my own way instead of relying on him is when the trouble begins.  When I start to veer off center I have two choices I can rely on Holy Spirit or I can put my confidence in my flesh that I can get back to Center. My Flesh says adjust quickly and jerk your steering wheel back over to Center.  If I do that, I’m probably going to slide off the road.   The other CHOICE is I can rely on Holy Spirit who says don't get in a hurry slow down follow me and get back to Center. I had a friend one time tell me don't get ahead of the one who leads.  For me I think many times I get ahead of the one who leads instead of just resting and listening. Everything today is so fast-paced and the I want it now mentality.

So how is your driving?

Phi. 3:2 Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly realm. THE MIRROR

Phi 3.3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh ESV

Phi. 3:5 Consider the members of your body as dead and buried towards everything related to the porn industry, sensual uncleanness, longing for forbidden things, lust and greed, which are just another form of idol worship. (Idol worship is worshipping a distorted image of yourself!) 3:6 These distorted expressions are in total contradiction to God’s design and desire for your life. 

THE MIRROR

I know some of you have the instincts to drive on Ice so it is just an analogy it is just where He took me this morning.