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"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14.
The format of lessons 14-21 are to give you an inspired quote, and then some food for thought. The main goal is to carefully read the quote, and think about the things highlighted in the thought question. May God bless you in your journey today.
"Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life."
- THINK: Failure is not an option. Pessimistic thinking will only drive us into deeper despair.
"The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you cannot overcome.
- I must be willing, I and no one else must make the choice.
- If we do not do this, we CANNOT overcome!
"The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God."
Food for Thought
- Heart.... Can the heart think? No, the heart here means the mind.
- How can you access the mind?
- Vision: What you see with your eyes.
- Hearing: What you hear, music, words, etc.
- Smell: What you smell.
- Touch: What you touch, handle or want to touch.
- Taste: What you eat, what goes into the mouth.
Our departure from the original or from what is pure or correct, that is, being set apart for the service of God. This begins in the mind!
Food for Thought
- What is alluring you to depart?
- Do you really believe that you are part of God's royal family?
- Do you believe that when God pardons, he wipes your record clean?
- Are you guarding the avenues of the mind?
- Is all the music, or things that you listen to holy, set apart for God?
- Is all that you see approved by God as in Philippians 4:8?
- Is all that you smell, touch or taste for the edification of your body? Or is it destroying it?
- Do you find yourself glued to keyboard? How about your phone?
- Is the food that you eat healthy?
- Do you hang around people or places where the influence is not good?
- Do you touch that which you are not supposed to? Body parts from girlfriend or boyfriend? How about touching yourself?
Remember that corruption always starts out with something pure, then little by little (once a year is OK kind of mentality), allowing those things that are not right, will corrupt or defile your soul.
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
"Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little, because they attempt little."
- THINK: We must have high goals in life. • We need less talk and more action
- What goals do you have? If not, set one right now. Make it mighty and big! God is on your side!
"Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate to their works."
- THINK: We need to have a definite object for which to live for.
- We need to stop being put to sleep by Satan, and allow our chance to live in paradise, to escape us
- What is the object of your life? if not sure, please define them now.
Action Plan
Dealing with distractions
[ ] Make a list of things that Satan is using to allure you to depart from the ways of God.
[ ] Make a choice as to whom you are going to follow, God or Satan.
[ ] Now go over each of the items written before and make a choice on each one to surrender it to God.
[ ] Once you have done the step above, please destroy, cut off, eliminate whatever the item is as applicable
Guarding the avenues of the mind
[ ] Make a list of all the things that consume your time (in a day to day basis)
[ ] Review each item and answer the following for each one:
[ ] Is this necessary?
[ ] Is it helping me do what God has asked me to do?
[ ] Would Jesus do this?
[ ] Is this helping my spiritual life?
[ ] Is this item a time waster?
[ ] Is it corrupting, little by little any of the avenues of the soul?
[ ] Once you answer any of the questions above in the negative, please eliminate that item from your daily activities.
Setting high goals
[ ] Choose one long term goal that you would like to obtain with God's Help. Think big!
[ ] Create an actions plan which will help you achieve it, with God's help. Make it realistic.
[ ] Put those steps in a form of a daily schedule.
[ ] Put a completion date that is realistic.
[ ] Pray over this goal asking God for wisdom and if it is His will for you to do this. Ask Him to open the doors or close them as He sees fit.
[ ] Start today!