Thoughts – Praying Pint

37.e. ” I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds”

Genesis 24:62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Joshua 1:8    This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalms 1:2     but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalms 77:11-12    I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.  I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Psalms 104:34   May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

Psalms 119:15     I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

Psalms 139:17    How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalms 143:5  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

To meditate; think, pray, remember, reflect, weigh, ponder, consider, deliberate, be in a thoughtful state – think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence – to think deeply or carefully about (something). Isaac went out into the field away from what might distract him to meditate, on what we are not told. Was it about the loss of his mother, the servants mission for a wife for him, God’s supplying a sacrifice, what his father Abraham had told him about God and God’s promises, God’s creation, etc….. we do not know. He went to the field to meditate away from that which should distract him. There were no city lights dimming the ability to see the stars, sounds of cars and trucks on nearby roads, no city night sounds – he set himself in a place without distraction so he could meditate.

We, very seldom, can get away from distractions. Children, spouse, lights, noise, phones, computers, TV, radio, neighbors, etc….. Most of the time our only time to meditate is when our head hits the pillow and we soon fall fast asleep. If we are honest many times our meditation is about worry, fear, anger, pride, greed, lust, confusion, projects, timelines, family, finances, sickness, etc…. Things of this world that overwhelm, consume, and distract us. Why is this? Why do we find it almost impossible to meditate on the things of God? Why is this concept so hard to grasp? It is the busyness of life and it consumes our hearts and minds. It distracts us from the things of God. Test me on this. See if this is not true. Shut off your computer, phone, or tablet, and for the next 10 minutes meditating on the things of God and His Word.

Where did your mind want to wander too? Were there thoughts other than the things of God and His Word grabbing your attention? It is not impossible, it just takes training. To start;

Try praising God and worshiping His greatness.
Try to picture His leading throughout the day.
Give thanks for who He is, what He has given, and what He has promised.
Thank Him for His Word
Think about His Word
Confess and repent
Place your burdens in His hands
Seek His discernment for your tomorrow
Ask Him to lead you in all you say, think, and do so that Jesus Christ is honored and glorified

It is not so much about finding time, but rather making time for meditation on God and things of God. I am not talking about a minute here or there throughout the day (though this should happen). I am talking about time set aside and purposed for meditation on God and things of God. Whatever is prioritized will find the time. Do me this favor. For one week (7 days straight) prioritize 10 minutes for meditating on God and things of God. Do not do this in bed. Go to the basement, garage, bathroom, back deck, wherever, and set your mind to this. I am more than confident that after 7 days you will find value, benefit, comfort, joy, faith, hope, and peace growing more and more each day. It will be a time of refuge and refreshing for your soul.

35.m. “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Job 34:21-22  “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Psalms 139:1-12 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Proverbs 15:3   The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Job 34:22  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Jeremiah 23:24   Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

Romans 2:15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

Hebrews 4:13   And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Adam and Eve knew that their attempt to cover themselves failed. They didn’t proudly show off their fig-leaf outfits; they knew their own covering was completely inadequate, and they were embarrassed before God. “Where are you?” Obviously God knew where Adam and Eve were. Could the question have been asked to arouse their sense of being lost, or to confess sin, or to show God seeks after man, or to show that that we have accountability before God on the choices we make?

God’s question demanded an answer. They couldn’t refuse to answer God the way a criminal might keep silent when questioned. “In our courts of law, we do not require men to answer questions which would incriminate them, but God does; and, at the last great day, the ungodly will be condemned on their own confession of guilt” (Spurgeon).

Upon this first sin man no longer was looking for God or with expectant hope of seeing and talking with God. They would not seek Him out, but God sought them out.

Observe the steps of the transgression: not steps upward, but downward toward the pit. 1. She saw. A great deal of sin comes in at the eye. Let us not look on that which we are in danger of lusting after, Mt 5:28. 2. She took. It was her own act and deed. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down, Mt 4:6. 3. She did eat. When she looked perhaps she did not intend to take; or when she took, not to eat: but it ended in that. It is wisdom to stop the first motions of sin, and to leave it off before it be meddled with. 4. She gave it also to her husband with her. Those that have done ill, are willing to draw in others to do the same. 5. He did eat. In neglecting the tree of life, of which he was allowed to eat, and eating of the tree of knowledge, which was forbidden, Adam plainly showed a contempt of what God had bestowed on him, and a desire for what God did not see fit to give him. He would have what he pleased, and do what he pleased. His sin was, in one word, disobedience, Ro 5:19; disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command. He had no corrupt nature within, to betray him; but had a freedom of will, in full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. He drew all his posterity into sin and ruin. Who then can say that Adam’s sin had but little harm in it? When too late, Adam and Eve saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness they fell from, and the misery they were fallen into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and favour forfeited. See her what dishonour and trouble sin is; it makes mischief wherever it gets in, and destroys all comfort. Sooner or later it will bring shame; either the shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting contempt, to which the wicked shall rise at the great day. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned. They have more care to save their credit before men, than to obtain their pardon from God. The excuses men make to cover and lessen their sins, are vain and frivolous; like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter never the better: yet we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam. Before they sinned, they would have welcomed God’s gracious visits with humble joy; but now he was become a terror to them. No marvel that they became a terror to themselves, and full of confusion. This shows the falsehood of the tempter, and the frauds of his temptations. Satan promised they should be safe, but they cannot so much as think themselves so! Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters to each other! (Henry)

The sinful conscience flees God’s presence, at least tries to. Man will try to hide their sin, shame, and guilt by any means possible. They will even try to deny it or justify it. How far has man continued to fall away from God in their justification of sinful acts of disobedience? Nothing is hidden from God no matter how hard a person tries to hide it or deny it.

35.j. “So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs”

Genesis 3:2 He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Genesis 2:16-17   And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Job 19:21   Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!

John 8:44    You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Psalms 10:11   He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

2 Corinthians 2:11     so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

2 Corinthians 11:3  But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Acts 26:18   to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Demonic spirits evidently have the ability, under certain circumstances, to indwell human or animal bodies (Luke 8:33). On this occasion, Satan chose to indwell the body of a pre-curse serpent. “An immaterial spirit must be invisible; and therefore he must embody himself in some way or other before he can be seen. That Satan has power to enter into living bodies is clear, for he did so upon a very large scale with regard to men in the days of Christ…(Spurgeon)

Satan will often attack a chain at its weakest link, so he gets at Adam by tempting Eve. The stronger ones in a “chain” must expect an attack against weaker links and support them against those attacks. Satan’s first attack was leveled against the Word of God. If he could make Eve confused about what God said, or to doubt what God said, then his battle was partially won. From the beginning, Satan has tried to undermine God’s people by undermining God’s Word. He can undermine just as effectively by getting us to neglect God’s Word as by getting us to doubt it. (Guzik)

When Satan attacks we are not to have a discussion with him about it, but rather say, “The Lord rebuke you”. He is cunning and crafty in his speech and thoughts. When the Holy Spirit gives you discernment about such an attack then it is prudent to not have a discussion about it but rather rebuke it immediately. Why is it when we hear and know what God says about certain sins and temptations to avoid, that we want to get close enough to it to touch it and even eat of it? All of these will be exploited by Satan for sure, and only those grounded in His Word and that have a desire to wholly honor and glorify Him will be able, through the leading and strengthening of the Holy Spirit, to discern it and turn away from it. Satan’s attacks come at us through our minds. It is here where the battle begins. Fiery darts shot singly or in multiples are flung at us from every possible angle. They can come in the form of lust, greed, pride, etc… They can be subtle or obvious. They can come from within our minds or planted there by another person being used by Satan. This is why we must always be on guard. Having an overwhelming desire for God’s Word and feeding upon it with an equally deep desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do, and with a heart seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit, and with ears open to the quiet whispers of leading, it is then we will have the discernment to see all of the cunning and crafty attacks of Satan in our lives. It is good for us to have a Christian community with other believers, for where we might be deaf and blind they hear and see the fiery darts of temptation and strengthen us in our resolve to fight it off. No one is immune to these attacks, and for certain no one in their own power is able to stand against them. It is only through the indwelling Holy Spirit and our openness to listen and obey that we are able to stop the attacks. Oh, that we would have hearts and minds like David when he said; thoughts: “Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the everlasting way.”

31.j. “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

2 Corinthians 11:3    But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Ephesians 4:18    They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

Ephesians 5:8    for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Isaiah 5:20-21    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!

Jeremiah 4:22   “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

Revelation 3:17   For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Either our eye is directed at heavenly things (and therefore full of light) or it is directed at earthly things (and therefore full of darkness). It is all about the intentional choices we make every day. What is the first thought that comes to mind when we wake up each morning? What is the last thought in our mind when we go to bed? What fills our thoughts throughout the day? Do we wake up with the thoughts of praise, worship, and rejoicing to and in Jesus Christ? Do we walk up ready and willing to be led by the Holy Spirit? Do we wake up with a desire that wants to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do? Do we awake in hunger and thirst for His Word? Are we desiring to see the day the Lord has made? I know answering these questions seems easier or harder than others days, but it is a learned and practiced discipline of our own choice(s). When our heart is divided between the cares of this world and those heavenly we are in darkness. It is in this darkness that nothing seems to make sense. Confusion, anger, hate, fear, conflict, and despair are their byproducts. How foolish does it sound to say; “I intentionally choose to think and live like this”? We choose to live in darkness, a place void of an intentional choice to honor, glorify, worship, and praise Jesus Christ. We sometimes think we can give lip service toward this goal but in fact, it is just words of our mouth and not from our heart and soul. We intentionally choose to be in darkness rather than humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance in Jesus Christ. This humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance on Jesus Christ. It is not a one-and-done decision from sometime in the past, it is an intentional way of life, moment by moment each and every day. Look around, read and listen to news outlets and other media sources and you will see and experience the life of darkness. They would have you believe this is how life is. It is not meant to be this way for the believer. No, our life should be filled with love, grace, mercy, kindness, peace, joy, and hope which can only be found in the light of Jesus Christ and humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance.

Intentionally choose to wake each morning with a desire and expectation (for every moment of that day) to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

27.d. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”

Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Nehemiah 9:17  They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

Psalms 51:1   Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Isaiah 55:6-8    “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;  let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

Psalms 103:8-11   The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Romans 5:8    but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 3:24    and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

“As they were corrupt in their nature, and sinful in their practice, they could possess no merit, nor have any claim upon God; and it required much mercy to remove so much misery, and to pardon such transgressions.” (Clarke) Every reason for God’s mercy and love is found in Him. We give Him no reason to love us, yet in the greatness of His love, He loves us with that great love anyway. Therefore, we must stop trying to make ourselves lovable to God, and simply receive His great love while recognizing that we are unworthy of it. This is the grace secret of the Christian life. (Guzik) He did not wait until we were lovable. He loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, providing nothing lovable to Him. The work of God’s grace, in no way involving man’s merit. Our salvation – our rescue – from spiritual death is God’s work done for the undeserving.

Stop trying to earn God’s love and grace. You never can and never will. Stop keeping a ledger book of all your good and bad deeds in your head hoping the good will outweigh the bad, but rather confess them, repent from them, and lean on Jesus Christ alone. When we willfully choose to disobey God, (knowingly sin), there is no other way to erase it but through trusting in Him alone and resting on His forgiveness, grace, and love. One way to see the greatness of the grace of God is to see how He begs man to receive it. When we offer a gift to someone and they refuse it, we are likely to allow them to refuse and leave them alone. God does not do this with us; even when we refuse His mercy He reaches into His storehouse of grace and persists with us, begging us to receive the free gift. He pursues us. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks asking to be let in. It is in the rejection of God’s grace and mercy whereby people will spend eternity in Hell.

22.o. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Psalms 56:5   All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

Psalms 119:71     It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.

Romans 8:28     And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

When something bad happens in the life of a new Christian, they will often say, “Lord, why is this happening to me?” When something bad happens in the life of a mature Christian, they will often say, “Lord, why is this happening to me?” Same question, but different motivations. The new Christian may think it unreasonable that a bad thing happened. But the mature Christian knows problems are part of life in a fallen world. His “Why?” question is to discern from God what he can learn from the difficult situation—how he might grow in faith. When the teenage Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery, he no doubt asked the “Why?” question. At first, he may have thought, “What did I do to deserve this?” But later, his “Why?” likely turned into, “Oh, now I see why!” He realized God had sent him to Egypt to prepare a place for Jacob’s family to escape the famine in Canaan. When you experience difficulties in life, it’s not wrong to ask “Why?” Just make sure you’re asking for the right reason.

22.c. “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom”

1 Corinthians 2:6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

Do you ever wonder who the “among the mature” is referring to? Some may argue that it is related to age. Others would say saved and unsaved or mature and immature believers. Paul did use mature in Ephesians and Philippians as believers who had grown from the elementary concepts of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness to personal application and food for everyday growth, understanding, and knowledge in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These mature would grow in discernment (wisdom) and understanding. In this, the mature would understand the world and culture they lived in and how it was always trying to draw them away from honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ. They would clearly see the separation from things of God and things of this world. They would discern what was proper and right for their soul. The immature (baby) Christian would put anything into its mouth and would follow after anything that was pleasing to the flesh. The immature would be easily swayed toward things that were not God-honoring. Ignorance does not exempt them from the expectation of growth in their life.

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the end of wisdom but rather the beginning of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, power, grace, love, mercy, courage, strength, joy, and peace.

19.o. “So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”

Romans 6:13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

Colossians 3:5    Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

James 4:1   What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Romans 7:5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.

Isaiah 55:7   let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2 Peter 2:13-15   suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.  They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!  Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

2 Chronicles 30:8    Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

1 Corinthians 6:20     for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Peter 4:2     so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

A person can be “officially” set free, yet still imprisoned. If a person lives in prison for years, and then is set free, they often still think and act like a prisoner. The habits of freedom aren’t ingrained in their life yet. In the fourteenth century two brothers fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium. The elder brother’s name was Raynald, but he was commonly called “Crassus,” a Latin nickname meaning “fat,” for he was horribly obese. After a heated battle, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title of Duke over his lands. But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment. He had a room in the castle built around “Crassus,” a room with only one door. The door was not locked, the windows were not barred, and Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title any time that he wanted to. All he would have to do is leave the room. The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or the windows, but with Raynald himself. Being grossly overweight, he could not fit through the door, even though it was of near-normal size. All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size, then walk out a free man, with all he had before his fall. However, his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods, and Raynald’s desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat. Some would accuse Duke Edward of being cruel to his older brother, but he would simply reply, “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.” But Raynald stayed in that room for ten years.

This accurately illustrates the experience of many Christians. Jesus set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose. But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement, and imprisonment. This accurately illustrates the experience of many Christians. Jesus set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose. But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement, and imprisonment. Your members are the parts of your body – your ears, lips, eyes, hands, mind, and so forth. The idea is very practical: “You have eyes. Do not put them in the service of sin. You have ears. Do not put them in the service of sin.” The parts of our body are weapons in the battle for right living. When the parts of our body are given over to righteousness, they are weapons for good. When they are given over to sin, they are weapons for evil. (Guzik)

It is a test of our claim to be Christians. Does anger have dominion over you? Does murmuring and complaining? Does covetousness have dominion over you? Does pride? Does laziness have dominion over you? If sin has dominion over us, we should seriously ask if we are really converted. It is a promise of victory. It doesn’t say that “sin will not be present in us,” because that will only be fulfilled when we are resurrected in glory. But it does promise that sin will not have dominion over us because of the great work Jesus did in us when we were born again. It is an encouragement for hope and strength in the battle against sin. God has set you free in Jesus. This is encouragement for the Christian struggling against sin, for the new Christian, and for the backslider. (Spurgeon)

19.g. “O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;”

John 21:25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

John 20:30-31    Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Psalms 71:15   My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

Job 26:14   Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Psalms 40:5    You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

If it were possible to write volumes of books that contained the works of Jesus, the world could not contain them. The righteous acts of God and His deeds of salvation exceed our knowledge. Though we have been given God’s Word, it appears to be a vast writing with unlimited knowledge of God. We could spend a lifetime reading it and our understanding of God would still be but a whisper of who and what God is, let alone His power, might, strength, grace, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, ……….. Understanding of God can not be something that is read and understood, it must be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. “To whom will he teach knowledge,

and to whom will he explain the message? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

God has given deep in our hearts a beginning knowledge of Himself. He has revealed Himself to us through creation. He has revealed Himself through His Word. He has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. He has revealed Himself through mighty and wondrous works of His power. He has revealed His grace, mercy, and love through Jesus. When we think of the limitlessness of God, then His Word and what we can see of His Creation speak but a whisper to our minds. What He has revealed should not be considered a whisper though. It should be considered a SHOUT, a thunderous SHOUT to each and every soul. It is a SHOUT of love and of warning. It is a SHOUT of eternal life and eternal torment and hell. It is a Shout of the Heavenly and worldly. It is a SHOUT of righteousness and wickedness, good and bad, faithful and unfaithful, truth and lies. It is a SHOUT of hope, refuge, power, strength, and courage, and of fear, anger, hate, and confusion. It is a SHOUT of redemption, salvation, and forgiveness, and of judgment, condemnation, and rejection.

It is a loud thunderous SHOUT to every soul. On judgment day no one will be able to say I didn’t know or I never heard for it will be clear to them than just how many times in their lives they rejected and denied the thunderous SHOUTS of God’s warnings and love.

14.x. “But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

John 1:48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

John 5:42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me.

John 6:61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this,

Matthew 9:4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

Matthew 9:25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them

Psalms 44:21    would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Psalms 33:13-15    The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;  from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,  he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Proverbs 15:3     The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

1 Chronicles 28:9   for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

If we truly believed what these verses are proclaiming would our thoughts, words, and actions be different? How would people treat you if they knew some of the thoughts that you harbored in your mind about them? How would people look at you and judge you if they knew the thoughts you allowed to anchor in your mind? Greed, lust, pride, hate, worry, fear, etc…. If these were exposed for all to see would you even want to leave your house? We know what these private thoughts are and we hide them. We may not let others know of them because we would be greatly embarrassed were they exposed for all to see. The thing that we don’t think about is the fact that when these thoughts are in our minds, God knows. He knows the root of the thought and the purpose and intent your heart is taking thinking about it. He sees it clearly as if your thought was spoken or written out or the action taken. He Knows!!! Nothing is hidden from Him. What we think is hidden within the dark privacy of our mind is fully and clearly seen by Him.

Because of our sinful nature, we cannot stop wicked and evil thoughts from popping up in our head but we certainly can recognize them, take them captive, and discard them as fast as they came in.

The problem is we don’t recognize them or we choose to recognize but we explain them away. We just grab a hold of a thought and allow it to run its course over and over again in our minds. It can soon become an endless loop and at some point what we think has been just a thought becomes action. Words spill out of our mouth or we take action. This will happen when we do not believe Jesus sees and knows all of our thoughts and what we allow to take root. Scripture, God’s Word, will expose thoughts, intents, and actions that are not honoring to Jesus Christ. His Word will expose the areas in our thought life that need to be confessed and turned away from. His Word is a light into our hearts, mind, and soul. We will do well by spending more and more time in His Word so that we can recognize and take captive those thoughts that are not honoring or in obedience to Jesus Christ.