But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
Wow, that verse sounds a lot like how I could be. I was conformed to the world, I was not a “doer” of the Word, and I was deceived and very unhappy.
As I’ve said in previous emails, I was living so differently from the precious lyrics in the following song. My circumstances had me living with sorrow and mourning. It seemed like God was totally against me. I may have been “saved” from hell fire, but my mind and emotions were far from being renewed.
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord
By Ruth Lake
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.
They shall obtain gladness and joy;
And sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
As the Lord helped me grow in Him (He’ll grow us in Him until we go to be with Him), little by little, He began to turn my sorrow and mourning into gladness and joy. I was stubborn and reluctant to change my attitudes until I saw a change in my circumstances – never good.
Even though my circumstances weren’t necessarily improving, Jesus was changing my reaction to my situation and circumstances. Even though I’d been redeemed from an eternity spent in hell by asking Jesus into my heart, I still had to let Him help me renew my mind to His Word. Without that happening, I was doomed to living a defeated Christian life – and Satan knew it.
Learning to thank and praise God in all things, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and believing that He was really able to work all things together for my good were key tools to renewing my mind.
Everlasting joy and getting rid of sorrow and mourning would not become realities in my life without learning to “do” these three things. That’s why I always encourage others to ask the Lord to show them how to renew their minds.
Praise Him in all things, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and believe that He’s working all things together for your good. It will change you and you’ll be redeemed from more than spending eternity separate from God in hell, you’ll obtain His gladness and joy, now, in this life.
Say “no” to the devil and get on the road to renewing your mind. Believe me, the longer you put off following God’s command to “do” these three things, the longer you prolong misery.
And be not conformed to this world: but (the great escape from this world and its ways) be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Isaiah 51:11
God bless,
Mark