Triggered by Doublemindedness & God’s Gift of Peace – A Mindful of Christ Encouragement - Purity 126

To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.org or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning! Today's photo of a boardwalk pathway to Treasure Island Sunset Beach comes to us from yours truly as I reach back into my phone's photo archive this morning to share this scene from my honeymoon trip to Tampa back on February 21st, 2022. Well, it's Thursday and I share this as a visual reminder, uh, to my friends to get on or to stay on the path of Christian discipleship, as is my fairly regular habit on Thursdays, but I also share it because I have Florida on the mind this morning, because I am a week and a wake-up away from getting on a plane to Orlando and Disney World. As excited as I am for the trip, I have to admit that I have some anxiety about the trip, because some of the details of my reservations have me wondering what exactly it is— what exactly is included in my vacation package. And just how much I will have to pay in addition to what I've already paid to meet my family's needs while in the Magic Kingdom. I'm a simple guy and I just prefer to pay one cost for everything. The all-inclusive option is preferred. But upon examining the details of my reservation and, uh, my reservation and the Disney Dining Plan, I'm thoroughly confused about whether or not whether, you know, about how things work, uh, will work, and that caused me to lament, why do things have to be so complicated? Or why do things have to be this way? Uh, but I back off on asking that question because it leads to discontentment and complaining, the antithesis to a life in the Spirit. So I plan on being the annoying guest and calling later today to unapologetically ask all my questions so so I can know what I have signed myself up for in Orlando for 6 nights and 7 days. We perish for a lack of knowledge, and at this point I need to know what the deal is. I want to know what the deal is and to arrange my plans in a way that will meet my family's needs, or to prepare me for those extras that are not included. Once I know what I'm in for, I can deal with it and be content. Speaking of knowing what we signed up for and what the deal is and being content, I will try not to come across as too angry in my inquiries because I don't want to complain. Last night I got a stark example of what being angry and discontented looks like, and I realize that those emotions are grounded in irrationality or selfishness, as one of the participants of Celebrate Freedom seemed to be having a bad day. And seemed to be back to square one of their recovery journey because they were being double-minded. After hearing about how this— let's see— after hearing about how they were angry about the fact that they have to work and support their family, and how life got to be difficult after having children, and how they love booze and how they couldn't live in alcoholic bliss was troubling and revealed that this person might be coming, be coming to a recovery meeting, but their heart and mind is torn in two as they are holding on to a life they can't have anymore. This person was angry about life in general. For those who hate work or don't like their jobs, let me console you. By saying, "Suck it up, buttercup! God's plan for us was always to work." Genesis 1:28 tells us, "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on earth.'" Adam was given a job before the fall, okay? Responsible people work and benefit from it. So focus on the positive. Plan to get a different job if you must, but know this, know this: work, no matter what you do, will always be a challenge. And our peace comes not from what we do, but how we perceive it, how we think about it. If we focus on the negative aspects of work, we will be unhappy. If we are thankful for the pay, benefits, opportunities, and people we encounter at work, we can be content. So change your mind, because you are going to have to work anyway, and we can do it bitter, or we can do it better by having peace about our lot in life, knowing God approves of us working and it provides for ourselves and our families. And as for drunkenness, I like the way the NLT puts it in Ephesians 5:18, where it says, don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Drunkenness will ruin your life, and in this person's life, that biblical truth has come to pass because their drunkenness has caused disharmony in their marriage to, to the point where they can— they have a choice to sober up or to find themselves divorced and separated from their children. This person is still holding on to the lie that drunkenness is okay. A good thing that they are being denied, when in fact it is poison that causes pain to themselves and their family. Our group shows people the pathway to peace, but we can't make you believe it, and we can't make you walk it out. Our friend is living a double-minded life and hasn't committed to changing his relationship to booze by ending it. They love it when they should hate it. They want to keep it when they should let it go. They say they believe what God's Word says, but they deny it with what they say and do. They believe but don't follow. In trying to encourage this person, we were thoroughly frustrated. Not only was that— not only what was— let's see, not only at what was said, at what was said. Oh wait, or, you know, oh boy. Anyway, not only at what was said and that they were being irrational, what they were saying was, was irrational and selfish, but it wasn't the first time we heard it. We covered this ground before and they cycled back, back to it because they obviously dismissed what we have said. And still believe that they can have life both ways when they can't. In their parting words, they spoke disdainfully regarding whether or not they could have peace in following the Lord, which is sad because it betrays their lack of faith and their failure to see that their current actions and attitudes are what are stealing their peace. And that staying the same isn't an option anymore. Things will get better or things will get worse, but they won't stay the same. They won't. They won't stay the same. No, they won't. Anyway, I know that following the Lord might be tough at first, but I know that God is the one who gives us the gift of peace, which brings me to sharing Mindful of Christ Lauren Roskillie's word for Wednesday from this week, which is based on John 14:27, which says, I'm leaving you you with a gift, peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. Those are the words of Jesus. He's the one who gives you peace, and the world can't give it. That's what he says anyway. Uh, Shoren Lauren's short message is God's Gift of Peace Is for You. And she writes, do you experience an almighty sense of peace whatever trouble you go through? Do you know that it is possible? Jesus himself in this verse says that we can, we can. It is through Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit that you can. Whatever trouble, stressful situations, anxiety, worry, or fear you go through, if you turn your attention, focus, and focus your thoughts over to Jesus in God's presence, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you, you can know and be filled with this awesome gift of peace. Regularly turn to Jesus and meditate on him and his word and discover for yourself your stress levels drop and this awesome peace increases. That's what, uh, Lauren Ross Kelly had to write. It's a simple instruction: meditate on Jesus and God's word and you will discover peace. If you are angry and discontented, stop being double-minded and agree with and live by the truth of God's word, and the peace that goes beyond all understanding will be yours. Today's Bible verse comes to us from the Quick Scripture for, uh, the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Crews. This morning's meditation verse comes from the section on communication, gossip, and lying., and today's verse is Proverbs 19:9: A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish. Today's verse falls under the 10th point of our Counseling Reference Guides resource section on communication, gossip, and lying, and that 10th point is: Lying will be punished. Today's verse tells us that the liar will perish. And because I'm short on time, I'll cut to the chase by sharing Revelation 21:8 that tells us, "But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worship, and all liars, their fate is the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." All liars whose sins have not been covered by the blood of Jesus are fated to go into the lake of fire with Satan. So repent, tell the truth, and make sure you put your faith in Jesus. So your lies will be forgiven and you won't perish because of them. As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians who— and counselors who assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament by Stephen F. Alford, a collection of devotional journals from 1940 and '41. And, uh, today Stephen Alford, uh, basically encourages us to read Mark chapter 1. And from Mark chapter 1, he shares verse 7, which says, 'There comes one after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.' And those are the words of John the Baptist. Anyway, Stephen F. Alford writes, 'The stooping to unloose the strap of a sandal was the meanest job for the lowest servant. Yet John the Baptist says, 'I am not worthy even to do that.' He says that he was not worthy even to stoop down. Stooping down was humility itself, but John says that he was not worthy to take such a high place through humanly— though humanly speaking it was the lowest place. Here surely was real humility. And because of it, the Lord exalted John the Baptist to the highest place of honor, for he said concerning him that John was the greatest born of women in Matthew 11:11. Notice also, whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted from Matthew 23:12. And Alford ends his devotional entry by sharing the simple prayer, or Well, actually sharing James 4:10, which says, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up." Well, that concludes Alfred's sharing from Mark and from the Word of God. He's telling us to be humble. And when you sin and, you know, destroy your family through your sin of drunkenness, you should humble yourself. And surrender and, you know, and declare alcohol is not something you love but something you hate, something that's destroying your family and destroying you. And we encourage you to repent. Overcoming addiction isn't easy, but through the Lord, he'll give you the strength to overcome anything that you bring to him. So we, uh, we encourage that. We were very frustrated over our friend, you know, basically denying his progress, denying everything, and just, you know, not committing to the new life that you can have in Christ. And we understand, we've been there. But there's no, you know, being angry and discontented, there's no end in sight. So we encourage you to find the peace that's available through comes from faith in Jesus Christ and living a discipled life. You know, he actually questioned, you know, like, oh, I'm gonna have peace by believing in God? Like, no, by following him. That's how you find peace. You know, an empty belief in, you know, a heavenly Savior won't do much unless you actually listen to his word and renew your mind through it and change your life through it. That's how it works. It's It's not magically delicious one moment, you know. Oh, please, Lord, bless me. Oh, I have peace now. Um, yeah, not quite. It's from repenting, turning from the world's ways that don't give you peace to his ways that do. So that's what we're all about here at mt4christ.org, is hope, good news, and the peace that the Lord can give you. And even in the most broken circumstances, he can turn it around. Can he save all your relationships? Probably not. But you know what, he can give you peace to walk through anything you do go through. Can't control other people, but you know, basically when we surrender to the Lord's will for our lives, his peace can fill us even if it can't pour out into the things that we've already broken. Ask me how I know, but you can find a new peace in the new life, um, you know, through Jesus. So anyway, I gotta find some peace and go to work. Um, you know, which isn't always easy, but when you're thankful and grateful for what you have, it's— you find it to be very easy. So let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you so much for the peace you've given us, to be, to be content with what we have, to give thanks for what you've done for us and what you've provided and what we can accomplish. And we don't focus on the negative And we try to figure things out and know what the deal is, and we follow, follow that. And we don't deny the truth. We try not to be selfish, and we try not to be irrational, um, because you've shown us the way. And that you've shown us that we, um, you know, we don't have a spirit of fear but love and a sound mind when we have Christ. And that's what we need to activate. So we pray for anyone who's listening, Lord, you know, to come alongside them in their prayer request and their walk of faith. Because maybe they're angry, maybe they're discontented, and they don't know how to find peace. So Lord, we just pray for your Holy Spirit to be with them, to encourage them to read the word and follow you, because they'll find it when they seek you and follow you with all their heart. Um, I've discovered that, Lord, and we still need your help. So help me to stay positive and, and contented with what I come into today. And through the confusion of trying to figure out what my vacation actually includes and what it doesn't, um, dealing with, with that, uh, the best I can. Um, Lord, we just want you to go before us today, open our eyes to things we need to see, and lead us in the way we should go, because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, and we love you. We pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.