Mind Control

Matthew 23:25-26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Training yourself to have a good “thought life” takes diligent work, teen girl. Can one actually control one’s mind? I believe we can! Temptation itself is not sin and God provides (I Corinthians 10:13) us with a way out when we are tempted. Therefore, controlling our thoughts, our actions, must be a possibility or this verse wouldn’t be in our bible! If we cannot train ourselves, then how can we as mothers train our children?

“Nurturing” sin in our thoughts and dwelling on them will cause us to sin. Therefore, it’s so important to train ourselves to push those thoughts out of our heads.

Psalms 66:18-20 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

As Noah Webster defines the word “regard,” one could read Psalm 66:18 as: If I love and esteem iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me! That’s exactly what we do when we “nurture” those sins in our thoughts! Do we or don’t we want our prayers to be answered? Do we want to be able to teach our children how to have control over their youthful lusts? How can we if we cannot even do this ourselves? Our children need to learn this – they need to know how to control their thoughts before they reach their teenage years. I can’t teach another to crochet if I don’t know how myself! I can’t teach another to bake a cake if I don’t know how myself!

Learn to live by Romans 8:5 and Philippians 4:8 – memorize it and turn to them when you are tempted to stray in your thought life. Fix your thoughts on the Lord, Jesus Christ. Think on those good things that He has blessed you with. When an evil thought crosses your mind, quickly change your thoughts to Jesus Christ! I Corinthians 10:13 is being applied when we do this!

When we can conquer this area, we can teach our children to do likewise

Don’t give up!

~Psalm 102:1-2 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. (1) Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. (2)

Praise the Lord that you are able to go to our Heavenly Father and cry to Him, teen girl! He stands ready to reach out to you, forgive you if that’s what is needed, and comfort you.

~Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We have a compassionate Heavenly Father who desires close fellowship with us. He did not just create us to leave us to our own lives. He created us so we could have a relationship with Him – He knows us intimately, like our own earthly parents.

~Psalm 103:13-17 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. (13) For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (14) As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. (15) For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. (16) But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; (17)

There are times that there’s nothing we can do about our situation except turn it over to the Lord. No amount of worry – no amount of effort on our part will change what’s happening. However, our Father knows all the details and is able to bring us comfort – even if the situation doesn’t change. Our circumstances may not change but our heart does.

~Psalm 121 A Song of degrees. (1) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (2) My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. (3) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (5) The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. (6) The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. (7) The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. (8) The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

It may feel as though we are all alone in the midst of our trial, but you can rest assured that the same God of these verses today is there for you!

Blessings

Psalm 103 A Psalm of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

This beautiful song is filled with encouragement! I see a list of blessings which the Lord has given. Each of these blessings applies to you as well, teen girl. I thought this would make a great check list for you and encourage you. I’ve listed the blessings below – just write down your own thoughts next to each one and how the benefit applies to you personally.

1. Forgave my iniquities
2. Healed my diseases
3. Redeemed my life
4. Crowned me with lovingkindness and tender mercies
5. Satisfied my mouth with good things
6. Executes righteousness and judgment
7. Is merciful and gracious
8. Is slow to anger
9. Is plenteous in mercy
10. He won’t stay angry forever
11. He has not dealt with me according to my sins
12. He has not rewarded me according to my sins
13. His mercy toward me is as high as Heaven
14. He has removed my sins from me as far as the east is from the west
15. He pities me
16. His mercy is everlasting
17. He has prepared His throne in Heaven and His kingdom rules over all

Is it any wonder that the Psalmist is blessing the Lord? He started the Psalm blessing the Lord and ends it in the same way! Should you not be doing exactly the same thing after reading all these blessings and how they are applied to you personally? Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Praising God!

Psalm 8 1 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

I can see the Psalmist, David, now – he’s laying in an open field at night and gazing at the skies! How can one do that without seeing God’s greatness in the heavens? Creation in its entirety reflects the nature of God! David recognized this and felt insignificant compared to what his eyes beheld! Haven’t you felt like that when you looked up at the night sky, teen girl? How can a wonderful and powerful Creator take time to be with me? How can He be interested in me? The Lord is interested even in the tiny baby! So much so, He has given us all of His creation to enjoy!

When I gaze into the skies at night, I feel what David felt at the moment he wrote this Psalm. I feel so small compared to all that is out there! It is a humbling feeling indeed! It keeps my thoughts focused on just who God is! I am so weak but He is so great. How can One so great take time to fellowship with me? This psalm puts me in my place before a mighty and Holy God! However, this psalm also shows me that as great as God is, He has time to be concerned for even the tiniest of babes!

Then David ends it all by praising the Lord! So, teen girl, sing with David:

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

What’s Your Reaction?

Psalm 4
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. 1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Picture if you will, King David, running from the battle rather than fighting a war with his own son! (Psalm 2) David’s own flesh and blood is waging war against him. What is a father to do? I try to put myself in David’s shoes and I can’t help but think that I would do the same thing. How can a parent enter a battle with his own child knowing that he could harm his child? I would rather run away from the situation than to chance killing my son! I can almost feel David’s pain as he penned these words, can’t you? What a broken heart David must have had!

~Psalm 34:18a The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;

I feel his pain and distress as he cries to his Heavenly Father! Can’t you feel it as well, teen girl? He’s pleading with every fiber of his being, “Oh God, hear me, have mercy on me!” But wait, look at what begins to happen after the first pause (Selah)! David begins to focus on God – he is remembering how the Lord has been there for him in the past and how God had never let him down. Notice his words: the Lord will hear when I call unto him! What confidence! What results this Selah/pause had on David’s attitude!

~Psalm 37:7a Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:

Do you immediately react to the situations in your life, teen girl? Or, like David, do you stop and remember how God has been there for you in the past?

It doesn’t stop there – next David’s meditations begin. It’s as if he is reminded just who God really is!  Stand in awe, David,  of your God and do not sin the sin of doubt. There is nothing like meditating on God’s Word, His works in my life, and His goodness when I am laying on my bed waiting to go to sleep. What a beautiful way to enter into rest for the night!  And here again, another rest is added in the Word (Selah). Hmmmm, I am beginning to see a pattern!

~Psalm 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

David recognizes that God wants the sacrifices of righteousness, not the sacrifices of animals. God wants the sacrifice of obedience (1 Samuel 15:22b). When I obey, I can confidently trust in the Lord and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will help me through… yes, even in the darkest of hours in my life. What can be darker than my own child turning against me?  Conflict in my family can easily take my thoughts where they should not go!  I can easily become overwhelmed!  How about you? This is the perfect time for me to get a hold of myself, lay on my bed of meditation and focus my thoughts on my God.  I must remember that my God is the same God who created the universe, after all.

As a result of his meditation on God’s goodness, David was able to say that God had put gladness into his heart and finally, David had that peace that only God can give. David finally found rest in his God! 

~Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What does this beautiful Psalm have for me today? Am I confused? Am I at a complete loss as to what to do? Is my path foggy instead of clearly lit? Can I say with David that I have found rest in God? When I lay on my bed at night, what consumes my thoughts? Are they thoughts filled with worry and anxiety or are they thoughts focusing on what God has done for me up until this point? God has always “come through” for me. It may not have been in the timing that I had hoped for but it was always perfect! Why should this time be any different? From this day forward, I will lay on my bed at night and focus my thoughts on only those where my Heavenly Father held me in His arms. I will see only those events where I felt as though I could not walk one more step without fainting and yet there was my Father bringing me comfort and assurance! This is where my worries will be turned into faith and I will have songs in the night!

~Psalm 77:6a I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart:

 

Thirst

Psalm 63 Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. 9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

Have you ever been so thirsty that you just couldn’t stand it? The inside of your mouth felt like a desert land! Or if you ate something that was too salty, you couldn’t get enough water to drink! Today’s Scriptures led me beside the still waters (Psalm 23) and fed my soul!

Can you imagine thirsting after God’s Word as much as thirsting after a salty meal? Salt has so many uses, not just for flavoring food! Salt was even used in Jesus’ teachings.

~Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

As a Christian, teen girl, you are to be like salt to the unsaved world. What can you glean from this? After eating a handful of potato chips, the first thing you need is a good drink of water, right? Too much salt causes one to be thirsty! The heart that is prepared is thirsting for a Christian to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel seed has been planted into that heart and the Water of Life received from that Christian will cause salvation to spring forth. Unbelievers should see your life and hear your testimony and thirst after what you have, teen girl. Do they?

~John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Salt can also have healing powers. When it’s sprinkled on a small wound, it burns like the dickens but it helps the wound to heal. When an unbeliever hears the Gospel and is drawn by the Holy Spirit, he becomes convicted of his sin. His sin grieves him and he is led to repentance. Just as salt stings on a wound, God’s Word stings the heart and conscience and draws one to repentance. The water of the Words of Life cleans the heart.

~Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Salt is also a preservative. In early America, before refrigeration, meats were salted to keep them from spoiling. The new believer who thirsts after salvation and repents of his sins now has a salvation which is preserved for all eternity.

~John 3:16-18, 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

So next time you pick up the salt shaker, think about what Christ was trying to teach you.

God’s Word

What does God’s Word do for you, teen girl? God’s Word saved you from eternal life in the Lake of Fire:

~1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

God’s Word should increase your faith:

~Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God’s Word cleanses you as you mature in Christ.  By this, I mean that His Word challenges you to live more righteously with each passing day:

~John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

God’s Word sanctifies you for His use. Through His Word, you are cleansed and regenerated by being born again. Christ’s righteousness now covers you and all the Father sees is His precious Son’s righteousness over you. That is the only way you can be found holy and without blemish because we are all sinners (Romans 3:10) in need of salvation.

~Ephesians 5:26-7 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

God’s Word is so important! It is necessary for salvation. It is necessary for the believer to grow more Christ like. It is necessary to encourage you, the believer, as you walk on your journey! Thank You, Lord, for Your Word!!!