Renewing Our Minds

While cleaning the bathtub this morning, a thought came to mind. I really didn't think the tub needed to be cleaned. I just cleaned it last Monday and you couldn't really see any grime on the surface. I knew if I did not clean it today, that by Wednesday or Thursday, it would be obvious that I did not clean on Monday. Sometime we are like that with our spiritual lives. We may think we don't need the Word today. We aren't doing that bad an hour or two into our day. The kids are playing,we've gotten a lot done,and we're feeling pretty good. As the day progresses it is evident we have not went before the Lord in prayer to ask for His grace,love,patience,and kindness today. I know, I have been there. It has happened to me before.

Or we may think, I cannot see any sin in myself so I must be doing pretty good. We're just blind to our own sins. We don't realize the little foxes can harm us badly. The "little" sins don't seem like much,but they are much. Any sin is detestable in God's eyes. It says in Romans 3:10  'that there none righteous no not one.' In Romans 3:23 it says,'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' I know at times I think I'm doing pretty good,but then I strike and I realize my heart is deceitful above all things. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9. God knows our hearts and that is why He wants us to be transformed by the renewing of the Word.

So how can we keep sin out of our lives? Well, I don't believe we will ever stop sinning until we are in heaven. I have heard many sermons on how Christians can be sinless. I don't believe we can. Only Jesus was sinless. We can and should certainly strive to sin less daily. So how can we be more keen on hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives so we can avoid sin?

Here are a few ways:

• read God's Word- There is nothing like being washed in the Word. His Word has all we need. Reproof,encouragement,correction,love,grace,and so much more. Getting into it daily will help our spirits to grow and help us to be more keen to the Holy Spirit's leading.
• pray daily and throughout the day- I think a time of focused prayer is needed. It doesn't have to be long,but take time before you start your day to thank God for the day,ask for wisdom,and to be aware of the Holy Spirits leading. Do it while you put on your clothes,make up,or while you are in the shower if that works for you.
• guard our hearts and minds- This begins with the Word and prayer. Doing those two things will make it easier to guard our hearts and minds. We should be careful what we dwell on daily and who we let influence us daily. Our hearts are deceitful about all else,so submitting it to God daily is the only way to do it.
• guard our eyes and ears- We should be careful what we listen too and what we watch. Those two things will affect our hearts,minds,and actions. Listen to Christian music,be careful not to watch t.v. shows/movies that condone sin and make light of it. That will only desensitize you to sin around you. This is so important as believers.
• have friends who encourage you in the Lord- You cannot hide from the world,but you don't have to dwell with them all the time. You may work with secular people who are not encouraging you,but you can choose who you spend your free time with outside of work. Be sure to have friends who will lift you up and keep you accountable. If you are married,find couples who encourage and challenge you.
• have friends who you can talk with when you do fail (same sex friends; women talk with women and men talk to men)- I would say that your number one friend should be your spouse. If they aren't a believer,make sure you don't cross the line with the opposite sex and be emotionally tied to someone else. I have a couple of ladies (some I have never met,but we have created a friendship online) that I talk too when I am down or I need direction. Some are older and some are younger than me. It's good to have someone to just get another perspective from as long as they don't have a worldly perspective.

We have to renew our minds. It's so important. If you have children,you are responsible for teaching them the ways of God. Our lives will speak the loudest to them. We will be held accountable for our actions by God Almighty. Be encouraged, the things I mentioned are easily attainable,it takes some dying to self and a desire to remain pure before God.