Devotional 180309

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. Thank God for a refreshing day. I felt like I am recovering from my cold. I felt hungry for breakfast and energetic to serve the Lord. Thanks for some of your prayer. I allowed my body to heal myself by drinking a lot of water, resting as much as I could, taking Vitamin C and eating healthily. In the same manner, we allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse or heal our inner being by seeking intimate relationship with Him each day. We may not see symptoms go away immediately. But if we keep on doing what is right, we will definitely see results or healing at the end.

"Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). "Since we have these promises…" I claim the fulfillment of God's promises, and rightly, but that is only the human side; the Divine side is that through the promises I recognize God's claim on me. For instance, am I realizing that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, or have I a habit of body that plainly will not bear the light of God on it? By sanctification the Son of God is formed in me, then I have to transform my natural life into a spiritual life by obedience to Him. God educates us down to the scruple. When He begins to check, do not confer with flesh and blood, cleanse yourself at once. Keep yourself cleansed in your daily walk.

I have to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit until both are in accord with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I insubordinate in intellect? Am I forming the mind of Christ, Who never spoke from His right to Himself, but maintained an inner watchfulness whereby He continually submitted His spirit to His Father? I have the responsibility of keeping my spirit in agreement with His Spirit, and by degrees Jesus lifts me up to where He lived - in perfect consecration to His Father's will, paying no attention to any other thing. Am I perfecting this type of holiness in the fear of God? Is God getting His freedom to do His work with me, and are other people beginning to see God in my life more and more?

Be serious with God and leave the rest casually alone. Put God first literally in your life. It was not by your wisdom and strength to perfect your holiness. If it was not the work of the Holy Spirit in you, you will not be able to resist temptations around you. Once you sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit to take captive of certain thinking or mindset, turn to Him in praise and pursue His joy and glory. You cannot attain holiness by discipline your mind NOT to think of negative and evil things alone. You need to replace your inner passion or desire by seeking the positive and godly thinking from Him. That’s why Paul educated the Philippians not just presenting their worries or negative thoughts to God. Moreover, He told them to think about, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy” (Phil 4:8). If a person always dwells in these kinds of thinking, he or she will be a joyful, charming, friendly, graceful and positive person. It is not wearing a mask to please others, but a daily discipline to pursue the ‘abundant mindset’ from inside out.

Let’s encourage one another in fellowship and small group to dwell in the word of God in a positive and appreciative manner. Let’s rejoice and count God’s blessings in our lives while the world perpetuates the negative and scary mindset by the bad news of our economy. Let your life shines and be the salt of the world during this difficult time in your world.

Love you by the love of our Triune God,
Lawrence