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NOT REALLY A CLEAN FREAK
Posted By:Justin Unger - 03-18-2010
I would consider myself a clean freak... kinda. I am the type of guy that can't function correctly at times when things are a mess. I feel like I am constantly having my children clean up their rooms, or the living room play area etc... I even catch myself cleaning the desk top of my computer every moment I can find. Believe it or not, my clothes are sorted by style and color in my closet! LOL! I do find it interesting however that sometimes I choose to bypass certain places like my car, the kitchen sink and my desk top at the office. But I am truly concerned as I read through Romans chapter 8 with another place in my life that is constantly a mess!
About a month ago our Lead Pastor at the Heights, "Lee Wiggins" challenged us all to read and ultimately memorize the 8th Chapter of Romans this year. Now that I have read through this chapter a few times already, I find myself camping on one specific message that Paul & the Lord are trying to get across me. We are told in verse 5, “those who are according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Whoa! So there it is! The mess that I am talking about is in my mind! It is a daily battle for me to keep my mind focused on things according to the Spirit. No matter what situation I am in throughout the day, I have one choice to make... FLESH or SPIRIT. It is actually quite simple, but we always complicate it because we are either lazy, unprepared, self absorbed or even just counterfeit! Phil. 4:8 says, 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.”
So as a Christ follower, it is so important to me to renew and clean out my mind on a daily basis, so that the Spirit is alive and visible through me. There is one way that I have learned to keep this in check and to deal with on even an hourly/moment by moment basis. A five word memory outline. CATCH your thought or attitude as sinful. (2 Cor. 10:5) CONFESS your thought or attitude as sinful. (1 John 1:9) CLAIM the Holy Spirit’s power to overcome the sinful thought or attitude. (Phil 4:13) FORCE your mind to change from the sinful thought or attitude to a Godly one. (Phil 4:8-9) REPEAT this outline when sinful thoughts or attitudes occur again. (Gal. 6:9)
Maybe this will help you in your journey to honor and bring glory to God in every area of your life. |
