| It has been said that our
mind could be compared to a piece of rich,
fertile soil which was sown with good seed from
the innocense of our youth. And, **IF** it is
closely guarded, nurtured and cared for, it will
produce an abundance of good things. On the other
hand, if it is neglected, abused or left to stand
idle, it will produce an equal abundance of
mediocrity, at best, or out right evil, at worse.
As a child, you and I started off uncomplicated,
trusting, with very simple faith and innocense.
But, in too many cases, somewhere along the way
we become complicated. And, that faith and
innocense gets polluted, or even robbed, by
someone whose mind has been overrun with weeds
and vines and all sorts of unproductive and
ungodly stuff. This is why it is so important to
train up a child in the way he should go ... to
build upon a solid foundation. That way, it is
probably harder for a person to, later, choose to
forsake, and go against, the way of righteousness,
than it is for a person who has never known the
right way to begin with. I say this because 2
Peter 2:21 warns us that it is better that they
had not known the way of righteousness, than,
after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them. At any rate, you
are I are on a journey to the destination of our
own choosing whether we ever realize it ... or
admit it. And, I will explain a little more about
what I mean concerning our own choosing in a
minute. But, whatever our destination may be, it
requires a made up mind. In our own midst, our
saintly elder Sister Bonnie Martin has as her
testimony that of having a made up mind (determination)
ever since she received the Holy Ghost in January
1952. And, just last Wednesday night, Brother
Roberson preached about the trial of Job’s
faith, and asked all of us how much we could
endure without throwing in the towel and quitting.
In everyone’s mind they like to think of
themselves as having what it takes to endure to
the end. Some, who haven’t really been on
the battlefield of life, go so far as to boast of
their faith and commitment. But, 1 Kings 20:11
admonishes us ... Let not him that girdeth on his
harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
Therefore, while we should be confident, we
shouldn’t be over confident ... or leave
"by the help and grace of God" out of
the equation. Any how, the carnal side of us does
not ever want to admit weakness, being wrong,
that of being guilty or failing. However, many
have never had to weather any real storms of life
in order to test whether or not they, indeed,
have what it takes to endure to the end.
Furthermore, **IF** a person has a breaking point,
or a price that they would sell out for, I am
convinced that the adversary of our soul will
most definitely find out precisely what it is,
and use it to ship wreck us on our journey. Soooo,
it would behoove every one of us to, first off,
settle some things in our own mind AND to have a
made up mind to choose death over dishonor. In
other words, to choose going down fighting rather
than rolling over and quitting.
Now, to the
destiny of our choosing: Contrary to popular
belief, nobody is going to effortlessly glide
through Heaven’s Gate. 1 Peter 4:18 asks
this question: if the righteous scarcely be saved,
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
There are three different types of people
mentioned here ... the righteous, the ungodly,
and the sinner. And, I am convinced that the
righteous are clothed in "HIS"
righteousness, but still have to endure unto the
end; the ungodly "profess" to be godly,
but aren’t; and the sinner knows they are
lost, and makes no profession of faith. Let me
quickly add that I am NOT asserting the notion
that it is possible to "earn" or "work"
your way to Heaven ... it is NOT. For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9-10).
However, too many people are trying to use this
as an excuse for them not doing the things they,
deep down inside, know they really need to be
doing. The long and short of it is: For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also. (James 2:26) ... Now faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained
a good report. (Hebrews 11:1-2) AND Without faith
it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Getting back to
the destiny of our choosing: **IF** a person
makes it to Heaven, it will be by a conscious
choice ... and effort. However, **IF** a person
spends eternity in hell, it will be for failing
to make a conscious choice or effort to make
Heaven their destination. The reason I say that
is because ... The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) ... There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to
be tempted above that ye are able; but will with
the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye
may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Now,
let me add that I am NOT asserting the notion
that a conscious choice is all that it takes to
make it to Heaven. Instead, the conscious choice
is just the beginning of the journey. Whereas,
failing to make a conscious choice is an entirely
different journey ... with an entirely different
destination, altogether. Soooo, I understand the
three different types of people of 1 Peter 4:18
... 1) the righteous, 2) the ungodly and 3) the
sinner ... , and would agree with me that "indecision"
actually is a decision not to make a decision ...
which is just as deadly as making the wrong
decision altogether.
King David’s
advice to his son and successor, King Solomon:
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of
thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart
and with a willing mind: for the LORD
searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the
imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him,
he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him,
he will cast thee off for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:19)
Determination to
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after its
destruction: So built we the wall; and all the
wall was joined together unto the half thereof:
for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah
4:6)
The key to
personal victory: Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
The right
relationship with God AND man: Jesus said unto
him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew
22:37-40)
True deliverance
witnessed ... and rejected: And they that fed the
swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the
country. And they went out to see what it was
that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see
him that was possessed with the devil, and had
the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his
right mind: and they were afraid. And they
that saw it told them how it befell to him that
was possessed with the devil, and also concerning
the swine. And they began to pray him to depart
out of their coasts. (Mark 5:14-17)
A promise and an
admonition: Consider the lilies how they grow:
they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto
you, that Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe
the grass, which is to day in the field, and to
morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will
he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not
ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all
these things do the nations of the world seek
after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need
of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom
of God; and all these things shall be added unto
you. (Luke 12:27-31) (or as Matthew puts it,
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.)
The advantage of
the Bereans: And the brethren immediately sent
away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who
coming thither went into the synagogue of the
Jews. These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with
all readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts
17:10-11)
Paul’s
testimony, along with some stern warnings and
admonitions:
1) And when they
were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know,
from the first day that I came into Asia, after
what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind,
and with many tears, and temptations, which
befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And
how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto
you, but have shewed you, and have taught you
publickly, and from house to house, Testifying
both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the
spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy
Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds
and afflictions abide me. But none of these
things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy,
and the ministry, which I have received of the
Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of
God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among
whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God,
shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you
to record this day, that I am pure from the blood
of all men. For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the church of God, which he
hath purchased with his own blood. For I know
this, that after my departing shall grievous
wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after
them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the
space of three years I ceased not to warn every
one night and day with tears. And now, brethren,
I commend you to God, and to the word of his
grace, which is able to build you up, and to give
you an inheritance among all them which are
sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or
gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities,
and to them that were with me. I have shewed you
all things, how that so labouring ye ought to
support the weak, and to remember the words of
the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed
to give than to receive. And when he had thus
spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck,
and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the
words which he spake, that they should see his
face no more. And they accompanied him unto the
ship. (Acts 20:18-38)
2) For the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold
the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which
may be known of God is manifest in them; for God
hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so
that they are without excuse: Because that, when
they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools, And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also
gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of
their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies
between themselves: Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator, who is blessed
for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up
unto vile affections: for even their women did
change the natural use into that which is against
nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the
natural use of the woman, burned in their lust
one toward another; men with men working that
which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves
that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not
convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of
evil things, disobedient to parents, Without
understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:
18-32)
There is so much
we need to understand about our mind, and the
battles which are fought and won ... or lost ...,
there. So, I hope to pick back up with this
subject in our next Bible study. Thanks ... and
God bless!
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