After spending many years working in the county jail, I was confused why some very responsible dedicated family men -- committed some of the most heinous crimes.
I felt it was important to understand how these guys got from "point A" to "point B".
Mostly because I wanted to make sure I didn't follow in their steps.
Obviously this is a 500 word blog written by a small church pastor and not a Doctor of Psychiatry. My point, keep in mind this is written from a spiritual perspective.
I will start my train of thought there.
Most everyone understands that there is a physical world and a spiritual world.
I believe they are closely interlinked and the only way to effectively understand this, is to start with the spiritual -- which you can only understand in light of God's Word.
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" Proverbs 4:23
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2
Simply, you choose who you will be -- and your decision determines what you choose to put in your mind.
Ask yourself this, if you live at McDonalds -- all you eat for 3 meals a day -- 365 days a year, what kind of physical shape will you be in?
Ask yourself this, if you in front of the TV set 4+ hours a day -- what condition will your mind be in? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, in light of God's Word, what is the quality of entertainment I am feeding my mind?
"Fools laugh at sin..." Proverbs 14:9
"dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8
Every major sin that a person commits, is the result of a long process of evil thinking.
Even "impulsive" sin has a history of conditioning that prepared the person to act in a way that offends God.
My personal observation is that good upstanding Christian people that choose to sin, began by failing to understand that their temptation thrives in ISOLATION.
ISOLATION means that their sin doesn't want anyone to know about it.
"People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy" Proverbs 28:13
"God would surely have known it, for He knows the secrets of the heart" Psalm 44:21
"When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long." Psalm 32:3
My point is this, would you be comfortable allowing me, your blog pastor, to read your internet history? Your stack of bedside books?
This is important because sin thrives and grows in the dark -- in isolation.
"Gods light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil" John 3:19
Our spiritual take-away from this blog is this:
"In a 24 hour period, what information do you feed your mind?"
Does what you feed your mind, please God?
Or do you choose to feed your mind things that are shallow, temporary, full of empty calories and low of healthy nutrients?
Now to address the question I started with:
"How can responsible dedicated family men -- commit some of the most heinous crimes?"
I believe the answer is found in the decisions they make on what to feed their mind.
When they allow their mind to visit the playground of porn or the tantalizing menu of recreational sex outside of marriage. They have surrendered to a terrible master, a
master whose appetite will only increase and demand to be fed.
There is no satisfaction to be found being a slave to this master called sin.
I will take this half a step futher, half a step further than I anticipated.
Count on this, if sin is your master, it will drag you deeper than you ever wanted to go.
If sin is your master, what gave you a thrill today will loose its ability to excite you and your master will demand that you "chase the dragon" by taking a step deeper into its control, in search of the original thrill you experienced from sin.
James 1:14-15 teaches, "Tempation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death (eternal seperation from God)"
What are you going to feed your mind today????
Showing posts with label light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label light. Show all posts
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Christmas Lights
Yup, it's the Christmas season.
Love it or dread it, it still rolls around as regularly as Mondays.
My wife mentioned that we needed a Christmas tree this year. Since we haven't put one up in a decade, I glibly suggested that WalMart has 3 foot artificial trees on sale. My sweetie mentioned that a natural tree was needed. So I grabbed my trusty hatchet and wandered up the hill behind my house in search of the elusive Charlie Brown Christmas tree. After hacking down a small pine, I visited the WalMart for lights and tree stuff.
As is was doing my bit to boost China's economy by shopping at the WalMart, I realized Christmas tree lights reminded me of Genesis 1:3-4, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness".
Wrap your head around this, God didnt create the sun until 4 days later, after he created plant life. God provided everything plants needed to live before there was a sun. How cool is that?
God spoke and there was light. And the light pushed back darkness and sustained the new life.
One of my most favorite things to do, is get up about 3 in the morning, sit in my chair and watch the Christmas tree lights. The glowing lights push back the darkness and give me hope for a new year. A new beginning to right wrongs. A new beginning to learn from mistakes. A new beginning to reach out to those in need.
So as you look at your Christmas tree lights, remember the bright star over Bethleham that guided the wisemen to Jesus. Gods light providing direction.
John 8:12 "Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life"
Love it or dread it, it still rolls around as regularly as Mondays.
My wife mentioned that we needed a Christmas tree this year. Since we haven't put one up in a decade, I glibly suggested that WalMart has 3 foot artificial trees on sale. My sweetie mentioned that a natural tree was needed. So I grabbed my trusty hatchet and wandered up the hill behind my house in search of the elusive Charlie Brown Christmas tree. After hacking down a small pine, I visited the WalMart for lights and tree stuff.
As is was doing my bit to boost China's economy by shopping at the WalMart, I realized Christmas tree lights reminded me of Genesis 1:3-4, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness".
Wrap your head around this, God didnt create the sun until 4 days later, after he created plant life. God provided everything plants needed to live before there was a sun. How cool is that?
God spoke and there was light. And the light pushed back darkness and sustained the new life.
One of my most favorite things to do, is get up about 3 in the morning, sit in my chair and watch the Christmas tree lights. The glowing lights push back the darkness and give me hope for a new year. A new beginning to right wrongs. A new beginning to learn from mistakes. A new beginning to reach out to those in need.
So as you look at your Christmas tree lights, remember the bright star over Bethleham that guided the wisemen to Jesus. Gods light providing direction.
John 8:12 "Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life"
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