Think About Such Things

I don't know about you, but my mind is a race car for most of the day and even into the night.  I constantly have thoughts floating around in my mind, but there are three that dominate my mindset: FAITH, FAMILY, and FINANCES.  I'm going to be as honest as I can with my words today, and I'm going to share my struggles with you.  Last night, I shared a truth at Celebrate Recovery that I believe we all need to understand.  Our greatest enemy in this life is Satan.  It's not me; it's not you; it's not a boss; it's not a co-worker; it's not an ex.  It is Satan.  Jesus describes our greatest enemy in John 8:44 as "a murderer from the beginning" and as "a liar and the father of lies."  Jesus goes on to describe our greatest enemy in John 10:10 as the "thief" who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy."  Peter describes our greatest enemy in 1 Peter as one who "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  Make no mistake about it: there is no one and nothing in this world who hates us more than Satan.  He is our greatest enemy.

So who is second?  Again, I don't know about you, but more often than not I find that I am my second worst enemy.  I beat myself up more than anyone or anything else in this world.  Let me try to explain.  I am competitive by nature.  I like to win.  I like to win in everything I do.  I want to be the best husband.  I want to be the best father.  In the past, I wanted to be the best teacher and the best coach.  Today, I want to be the best preacher.  I want to please my wife.  I want to please my children.  I want to please my church members.  And, yes, I want to please God.  As a husband and a father, I want to provide in every way for my wife and our children.  I want them to feel loved and safe and happy and successful.  I want them to have all the good things that they want and need in this life.  I want Marty to know that her husband is capable of taking care of everything, and I want our children to know that their father is capable of taking care of everything.  As a pastor, I want our church family to feel loved and safe and happy and successful.  I want to answer every phone call.  I want to make every visit.  I want to preach every passage.  I want our church family to know that their pastor is capable of taking care of everything.  I want to please God with all of my efforts, with all of my abilities and all of my strength.

What I've come to find out is that I have believed the liar, the father of lies.  I have tried to battle on my own with this lion that is roaring and prowling around, looking to devour me.  What I've come to find out is that I am not capable on my own of stopping my greatest enemy to steal and kill and destroy me.  Somewhere along this journey of life, I've surrendered and/or exchanged the peace and the joy that God has given me as His child.  Somewhere along this journey of life, I've valued WORKING for the Lord more than WORSHIPING the Lord.  I'm so tired.  I'm tired in my relationships.  I'm tired in my work.  I'm just tired.  I've struggled with my FAITH.  I've struggled with my FAMILY.  I've struggled with my FINANCES.  I've struggled because I've listened to the liar and the author of confusion more than I've listened to my Creator and my Heavenly Father.  Satan roars and screams loudly at me: "You are a failure!  You can't please and provide for your wife and kids!  You can't please and provide for your church family!  God doesn't love you!  God won't help you!  You have to do this yourself.  You have to work harder.  You have to do more. Quit!  Give up on God!  Give up on your family!  Give up on your finances!"  I could keep going with what Satan has been roaring and screaming at me.  I could fill up ten more pages with the things he has been planting in my mind.  He is my greatest enemy.  What's even worse, is that I have allowed him to do it.  I've continued to feed this hungry killer for far too long.  It has to stop!  I have to choose right now my next steps, even before I take them.

I know what the Bible says.  "God is love.  God first loved us.  God so loved us."  These words are found in 1 John 4:7-21.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  These words are found in John 3:16.  John 3:17-18 goes on to say, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned."  Jesus says to us in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."  These words are found in Acts 3:19.  Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-4, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."  Paul tells us in Philippians 2:13, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."  He goes on to say in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"  He says in verses 6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  
And in Philippians 4:8, Paul says these powerful and life-changing words: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS."

I do believe it is important to be a good husband to my wife, a good father to our children, and a good pastor to the church.  However, I must first and always be a faithful child of God.  Hebrews 11:6 reminds me, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  For far too long I have been thinking about earthly things.  For far too long I have been selfish.  For far too long I have been listening to the liar, the father of lies.  Today, I have choices to make.  I can REPENT of my sins.  I can TURN to God.  I can BELIEVE what He says to me and about me.  I can THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.  

 In his book, Don't Give Up, Pastor Kyle Idleman says, "There are times in life when the fog rolls in and we lose sight of the shore.  Someone we trusted takes advantage of us.  Someone we love stops loving us in return.  Good plans go off the rails.  Unexpected physical or financial hardships come fast and hard.  When the fog is thick, it's easy to lose perspective.  We think things are worse than they are.  Without realizing it, we start to feel sorry for ourselves.  We quit and then we blame the fog so we won't feel like a quitter."  He goes on to say that we need to trade our "PITY for PRAISE."  Instead of bathing in PITY (feeling sorry for self and wanting others to feel sorry for us), we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and PRAISE Him for who He is and what He has done, is doing, and will do!  Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him, who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I desperately need Jesus.  I can't live this life the way God created me to live on my own.  I will never be successful in anything I do apart from Jesus, and I will never have the peace of God apart from God.  What I know of God is right and true - the Bible tells me so.  What I know is more important than how I feel.  I choose to rejoice in the Lord...ALWAYS!  I choose to embrace His love for me...ALWAYS!  I trade my PITY for His PRAISE, and I am ready to be who He created me to be...for my wife, for our children, and for the church.  THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS!!!