Dwell

The Bible has a lot to say about what we do with our mind and where our thoughts dwell. What we dwell on each and every day is of much importance. Dwell can mean “to remain for a time”, “to keep one’s attention directed”, or “to live at specific place”. Consider for a moment, where do your thoughts dwell? What keeps your attention? Where does your mind rest and remain for chunks of your day? Dwell on these verses for a moment.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. -Romans 12:2, ESV

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. -Colossians 3:2, ESV

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, -2 Corinthians 10:5, ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. -Philippians 4:8, ESV

We should be intentional about what we are thinking about on a daily basis. The thoughts we allow to dwell in our mind affect both our feelings and our actions. Take stock of yourself. If your mind was a house, what sort of street would it be dwelling on? Are you living anxiety avenue or worry way? Or are you living on confidence court or peaceful place? You can’t choose every thought that comes knocking on your door, but you do get to choose what street you live on and which thoughts you invite in to stay for a while.

What would happen if each day you made a concerted effort to dwell on the things of God? How might it affect your attitudes and your actions? Make sure God has space to dwell in your thought life. Now remember,

Your mind is a garden.
Your thoughts are seeds.
You can grow flowers.
Or you can grow weeds.

Don't Fret About the Mess, Follow the Master

Some of the most meaningful and worthwhile things in life take work. Think about the things you appreciate and value most in life. Maybe you think of your kids that you have raised, a cherished pet, a person you invested in, or a project you have completed. What kind of effort did they require? If you think long enough, I bet you will remember that there were some messes along the way. Here is a bit of wisdom that reminds us of the perspective we ought to have when it comes to messes.

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.  -Proverbs 14:4 (ESV)

If you have animals, they’re going to have to be fed and if you feed them, you’re going to have to clean up the mess that inevitably follows. If it’s an ox that you have, the food and the mess are all the bigger. But what is the payoff of having oxen? You have the strength that is required to bring in an abundant harvest. In order to get an abundant harvest, there will be work and messes to clean up along the way. Of course, you could forgo the oxen and the mess altogether, but then there would be no harvest to look forward to.

There are lifechanging things that God asks us to pursue. There is a harvest that the Master wants us to be apart of, but we can’t be detoured by potential messes or be afraid to get our hands dirty. Think for a moment. Do you often fret about the mess? Have you ever missed out something good God had for you because it seemed like too much work? What are you focused on, the mess or the Master?

The best things in life take work and trust me they are worth it. God has given you the divine privilege of working with Him to help people find life, hope, and salvation in Jesus Christ. The people God wants you to reach will sometimes make a mess, but don’t fret about the mess just keep following the Master. There is a harvest that’s coming.

The Fine Print

Over the years, since grade school I have filled my brain with tons of nonsense and useless information. Things that I am never going to really use unless I was ever allowed on Jeopardy. In both grade school and high school while others were studying math, science, history, and all the other classes that one has to take in school, I was studying Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix, James Taylor, and many others. I would study everything about these bands and want to know all I could down to the most ridiculous things about them.

Which brings me to one of the greatest bands of all time Van Halen! One thing I know about the band is how particular they were with the “fine print” of their contracts. You see when bands sign up to do a concert at a venue, they have a contract and in said contract they put in it whatever they want. Van Halen put in theirs “A bowl of M&M’s in our dressing room but NO BROWN M&M’s in the bowl.” Yes, that happened and if they went in and saw brown ones, they wouldn’t play the concert!

Now I know what you’re think that’s ridiculous!!! But is it?? You see the venue missed the “fine print” so to the band that told them, “What else did the venue miss? Are out lights set up the right way? Is the stage put together correctly? Did they even read the thing?”

In scripture God has given us these things to follow. As a matter of fact, he gave them to Moses to share with us, The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 1-17)! Now these aren’t just something we gloss over because we deem them not important. If that were the case then they wouldn’t be called Commandments! How often does God looked at us and say “Did they even read it? How hard is this to follow? Why won’t they just listen?” Now I know there are times we struggle with following them but the great thing about our God is that he is loving, caring, and forgiving!

So maybe today it’s time to really dive into the scripture and read not just the fine print but everything that God has put down for us to not only read but to follow!

1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” -Exodus 20:1-17, ESV

My Heavenly Father

Three boys in the schoolyard were bragging about who had the highest paid father.
The first boy said, “My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, and they give him $100.”
The second boy said, “That’s nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, and they give him $1000.”
The third boy said, “My Dad is ever better than that. He scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, calls it a sermon, and it takes 6 or 8 men just to collect all the money!”

Young boys have a way of thinking that their dad is nine feet tall and bullet proof. They are filled with the belief that dad can do anything. They have a very high view of their dad. As we age our view of our dad may wax and wane, rise and fall. Maturity, perspective, and life experience can affect the way we view our earthly fathers. I want you to ponder another question though. What do you think of your Heavenly Father? Do you have a high view of Him?

Jesus gave us a framework of relating to God as Father. He taught us to pray by saying, “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). You may not have had a perfect earthly father, but you have a perfect Heavenly Father. He is someone that you can look up to. His power is beyond imagination. His words are lifegiving. His grace is free. His promises are true. His mercies are new every morning and His love is transformative.

When was the last time you pondered and dreamt about how truly amazing your Heavenly Father is? Take the demeanor of a young child and believe in Him today. Open your Bible, set your gaze on Him, and soak in who He is today.