Apicontent

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

(Psalm 139:23-24)

What’s something you do every morning before you leave the house? You probably check your appearance in the mirror to make sure that you look appropriate before you go out. If you find a blemish or your hair is messy, you take care of it before you leave. You would not consider leaving without a check in the mirror! How about your soul? Do you stop and check that? 

The verses above from the Psalms give us an example of how God wants us to open our hearts to His careful examination. Why should we do that? God gives us many warnings and directions to live a sin-free life that is pleasing to him and a blessing to ourselves and those around us. In the scriptures below list some of the other reasons we need a soul check:

In the same way that weeds grow up and eventually strangle the good crop that is growing, sin in our hearts will produce a bad crop of things like anger and unforgiveness. A soul check literally goes in and pulls out the weeds on a regular basis, before they can damage the crop. Sin in our hearts not only hurts us but it affects all of our relationships. Looking in a mirror may not be easy because we don’t always like what we see. Using the Bible as a mirror for our soul can be equally hard, but absolutely necessary. Since man looks at the outward appearance and God looks at the heart, it is vital to our spiritual growth that we take care of the inside as much as the outside. 

Put a reminder note on your bathroom mirror that says, “Did you check your soul today?” Make a point of sitting down with God every morning before you leave your house. Ask Him to search your heart and show you sin that is hiding even from your awareness. Give him a little time to show you. Ask Him if there is anything you need to get rid of like anger, wrath, or filthy language (Colossians 3:8-9). Then ask Him to clothe you in all the things listed in Colossians 3:12-13 like kindness, humility, and patience. You are not really dressed to go out until you do.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:8-10, NKJV))

We don’t have to look far to find examples of people blaming someone else for their trouble. Children blame each other for the spill, spouses blame their mates for the marital problem, and drivers blame the other person for the accident. Who or what is really to blame? How can I find relief from my pain? 

We can blame our circumstances for our behavior, or we can even blame our background and the way our parents raised us. Is that really the reason for our rage, hostility, resentment, and hate? 

We can remove ourselves from a bad situation, leave the people who hurt us, or find relief in a multitude of distractions this world offers. But remember that is relief, not healing. It is like taking a pain pill for a problem that needs surgery. You find temporary relief but not healing. Healing happens when you go to the source of the pain and cure it. 

Where you turn for help, when you are hurting, will determine whether you find relief or healing for your pain. You can go to a counselor with either a humanist or a biblical perspective. A humanist counselor will tell you that anger and bitterness is caused by the way you’ve been treated. A biblical counselor says that these characteristics are caused by sin. If you fail to deal with the sin, any relief you experience is like taking a pain pill for a toothache without fixing the tooth. 

The questions really is: Do you want someone to blame so you can find some temporary relief or are you ready to find the real cause of your pain? Go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to guide you to a cure. Your prayer might be:

“Lord, I’ve spent my whole life blaming someone else for the way I react to situations. I admit that I react negatively when I do not get my own way. Give me the courage to look deep within myself for the cause of my reactions. Show me the sin that lies within so that I may confess it, give it to you, and accept your forgiveness as healing. Give me your healing and not the world’s relief.” Amen.

“What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean’. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’.” (Mark 7:20-23) 

There are only two groups of people. You either fit into one group or the other. There is no middle ground. 

One group of people believes that there is no God, there is no Creator. To them God isn’t. These people believe that our personalities are formed by society and culture. If a person is hostile, rebellious, selfish, dishonest, or angry it is because their needs have not been met by the world somewhere in their past or they’ve been hurt. This group of people does not believe in the concept of sin. 

This first group of people believes that in order to help someone who is struggling, you need to unravel their life like a tangled web of memories trying to find the root of when all the problems began. That process can take years. Because this group believes there is no God, they think there is no one to save them and they need to save themselves. 

The second group of people believes that there is a God and that He is the Creator of all things. To them God IS. They agree with the first group that there is a dark side to human behavior. What they disagree with is the origin of that dark behavior. They use the Bible as their guidebook. The Bible puts all the words used to describe the dark side of human behavior into one heading. That heading is sin. 

In the Mark passage above Jesus tells us that what comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. What comes out of a person originates in that person. Paul describes what our sin nature looks like in Galatians 5:19-21: The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

Society only reveals what is already inside of us. There is no human remedy for sin. We need a Savior. If what is inside of us is sin, and our undesirable behavior is sin, that’s good news! Sin is the simplest thing in the world to deal with. Jesus Christ is our Savior and died to cleanse us from all sin. 

Where are you? Do you believe that God is the Creator of all things or do you believe that He isn’t God at all? You will need to decide for yourself. Did everything just fall into place or is there a Person who is indescribable in human terms that made us and has the power to save us from our natural dark side. What you decide will affect how you live. Ask God to reveal himself to you through his Word. Read Job Chapter 38 and read how God speaks of Himself as Creator.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Ever wish you could make someone do the right thing? Parents often watch their children make bad decisions and feel powerless to do anything about it. Unfortunately, many just give in and put a “band-aid” on a situation by giving money instead of time, ignoring a situation instead of disciplining, or trying to be their child’s friend instead of their parent. The best way to love your child is to care enough to correct them when they need it. 

God, who is the perfect Father, gives us His thoughts on correction and discipline in the following verses:

Proverbs 3:12 The Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul. 

Proverbs 29:15 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

You can’t change your child’s heart, but you can correct their behavior. If you love your children you need to do what is necessary to enforce righteousness. If you know your child is headed in the wrong direction, do something about it. Don’t be afraid they will run away and you will lose them. If they are in rebellion, you have already lost them. Go after them and get them back. Don’t try to make your children happy; it’s God job to be their joy. Your home is a training ground and you should be the one doing the training. In too many homes the children are training their parents by having a good attitude if they get their way, and a bad attitude if they don’t. Correct your child with firm, loving discipline, not abuse. Look to God for the fruit of the Spirit and find your peace and joy in him and not in your children. Then you will be a parent with power! 

When you do this you will teach your children to look to God to be the source of peace and joy in their lives. God wants the best for us and knows that sin hurts us. Keep your heart clean by confessing to God and being a righteous parent. Be a role-model by confessing to your children. Ask for forgiveness when you “blow it” with them. It will open the doors of communication and your relationship and will teach them to confess to God and you later on. Never underestimate the power of God when someone wants to be restored and renewed. When God gets involved, it’s a real transformation!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV) 

When confronted with a problem, many people sit down and try to figure out how to fix it. If you call a friend for advice, they will try to fix it for you. At what point do you turn it over to God? It’s been said that there is not a problem that the Bible does not have an answer for. Do you believe that? God will allow trials to come our way so we can strengthen our faith, learn perseverance, and deepen our prayer lives. (James 1:2-7). 

God gives us a promise in Proverbs 3:5-6 that He will direct our path. However, there are conditions that we have to meet in order to receive the promise.

• Trust in the LORD with all your heart. The word “trust” means to lay helpless, facedown, like a servant waiting to obey his master’s command.

• Lean not on your own understanding. Human insight is never to replace the need for full trust in God’s superior ways. Do not be wise in your own eyes.

• In all your ways acknowledge Him. In the easy and the hard situations we must know God well enough to know that He is in control. Everything comes from Him, through Him, and we can trust Him. We acknowledge that He is the One whom we can lean on. 

The Bible also tells us in Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

God will direct our paths by guiding us, removing obstacles, and bringing us to the appointed goal. God directs us through the Bible, prayer, and sometimes through other people. When we seek counsel from others we need to make sure that it does not contradict what God has told us in His Word. God never changes and will not tell you to do something He has stated not to do in His Word. 

The next time you have a problem, who are you going to call? Don’t reach for the phone, reach for God in prayer and in His written Word. It is His desire. 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22) 

“I could be very calm if I didn’t have to deal with all of these irritating people, especially my family!” Ever say that before? Because we live in a fallen world and each one of us has our own sin nature, when we get together there is going to be a rub. Put those multiple sin natures under the same roof and there will definitely be friction. Because your family is human, count on the fact that they are going to let you down or hurt you over time. How can you make things right? Take out the trash! Repent and confess! The only way to stop carrying the burden of those damaged relationships is to take them and give them to God. It is not about what they did to you. It is about how you have responded to them. What is your heart full of? Is it love, joy, and peace; or bitterness and anger? It is exhausting living with sin day after day. Anger and bitterness can leave you more fatigued than running a race. 

God tells us when we are weary and burdened to come to Him and He will give us rest. He wants us to cast our cares on Him and let Him sustain us. How fast can that change take place? In the time it takes to pray a simple prayer of confession. After you have confessed you will find your heart softened toward the other person and you will want to make things right between the two of you. With a clean heart you will be able to go in gentleness and humility and restore the relationship. Don’t go until you have taken out the trash.

In the New Testament, Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:1, Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 

Is there someone in your life with whom you are experiencing conflict? Maybe it’s a friend or a family member? Stop and pray right now. Ask God to show you the sin in your life. When He does, clean out your heart by confessing your sin to God. Then go to the other person and apologize for your part in the clash. Make your motive to please God not to make the other person apologize too. Casting your cares on God is between you and Him.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

“I’m so worried.” “I am stressed out.” “I’m so unhappy.” “I’m afraid.” 

Why are Christians not in the least embarrassed over the absence of peace and rest in their lives? Too many have adopted the world’s thinking that they must find their peace in the world instead of Jesus. They think if they can just get on that long overdue vacation then they will be just fine. Or maybe if they just lived somewhere else where it didn’t rain so much, or it wasn’t so hot, then they would be happy. Or maybe they just need a different job, or a different family! Others try to keep their lives busy with activities so they won’t notice the emptiness in their hearts. 

Jesus gives us the formula for peace and points out where we often go wrong. He states that our peace is in Him. Jesus warns us that we will have trouble in this world; so why are we so surprised when we do? The kind of peace Jesus gives us is different from the peace the world gives. The world gives a temporary peace that can be destroyed by going home from vacation, or moving, or even staying busy. Jesus’ peace is not dependent on a location, a state of mind, an activity, or a circumstance because it comes from Him. He says, “My peace I give you.” That means if Jesus gives you His peace, there is not one person and not one thing that can take it away. Why? Because He has overcome the world. His peace is the only true peace. 

Are you content right where you are? Or do you feel that you need to be somewhere else to experience peace? Are you too busy to sit and spend time with God? What is the source of your peace? Take a moment ask God to give you His peace in the midst of your circumstances. Take a moment to look up the following verses and see Who is the source of peace and what it can do for you. 

Isaiah 26:3-4 

Philippians 4:6-7

Colossians 3:15

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man enquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:16-22)

Have you ever met a rich miserable person? Have you ever met a person who has the finest house, car, clothes, and country club membership that money can buy, yet is still not happy? Many of us get pulled into the lie that we need to continue to acquire bigger and better things to be happy. Look around and you can see that it doesn’t work. Some of the unhappiest people are the wealthy. We might find a temporary thrill in the moment of purchase, but how long does that last? Is the joy still there when the new car has a dent? 

Jesus knew that money and possessions would be a stumbling block to us and gives us a story to learn by. His words to a rich young man to sell all and give it to the poor was to show that this particular young man had a problem with loving money. It had become his god, and Jesus was shedding light on this young man’s idol. Unfortunately, like many, the young man held on to the money and walked away from Jesus. 

What place do money and possessions hold in your life? Do you shop when you are mad? Do you eat when you are sad? Do you feel like you have to have more or are you content with what you have? How much is enough for you to be satisfied? Prayerfully ask God to show you if “things” have become an idol in your life. If they have, hand each one of them over to Jesus and exchange them for His peace. Don’t hang onto something that can be broken, lost, or stolen; those items just aren’t worth it!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Can you think of a person who has a calming influence in your life? Would you say they give you peace? What would happen if that person moved away or died? Would you lose your peace? It is very easy to find relief from our problems by talking things out with another person. We all know people that are a real pleasure to be around. We feel peaceful in their presence. People naturally gravitate to those people that make them feel good. Friendships can be deeply gratifying. So, what is wrong with finding our peace in people? The answer to that question is, “People are human and will fail you.” No matter how hard they try, people are not perfect and they cannot be there for you all the time. When we look to others to be the source of something only God can give, undue pressure is placed on that relationship. People are a god-given gift, but they are not designed to be the source of our peace. 

Where can we find a lasting peace? In God, the perfect source of peace. The peace that we are talking about is best defined as, “The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God is content with its earthly state, whatever that is.” The apostle Paul tells us that “God gives peace at all times and in every way.” God is the author and giver of peace through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is always available and will never run out of peace. He has all we need. When we look to Him to be our source of peace, we can approach all other relationships with joy and peace. We can ask for their needs to be revealed since our own need has already been met by our faithful God. 

Are you dependent on another person for your peace? Maybe it’s your spouse, children, parents, or friends. Have you tried to be someone else’s source of peace? Get rid of the unjust expectations you have of people who simply do not have what you need. Ask yourself, “Do I really believe that peace comes from God?” Trust God today and you will overflow with hope, joy, and His perfect peace.

Blessed is the man…(whose) delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)

You are in a crisis. You need to make a decision, and fast. The question pops into your mind from the WWJD bracelet you are wearing…What Would Jesus Do? How can you know what Jesus would do when you don’t have time to go look for your Bible and research the issue? 

When a crisis hits and you need to make a wise decision, you need to have God’s Word in your heart. Only then will you have a godly reservoir of information to pull from to make the right choice. You can’t pull any information out that you don’t put in. If you want to make wise godly decisions then you need to be filling your mind with wise godly words and thoughts at the beginning of each day. We call that meditating on the Word of God. One way to meditate on God’s Word is by memorizing it. 

Many godly men and women from the past have said that what has helped them most in their lives has been meditating upon and memorizing scripture. Dr. Brandt states in his book Heart of the Problem, “Even now, forty years later, I still consider Bible memorization the single most important aid in my Christian life and in my counseling.” 

If you want to follow God’s guidelines for your life, then you need those guidelines in your head. Waiting until you are in a crisis is not the time to start memorizing scripture. 

Start today by picking one scripture verse that has meaning to you. Write it out on a 3×5 card and carry it with you. Office supply stores often have 3×5 cards in a spiral-bound pack that you can use to keep your verses together. Look up words that you don’t understand. Discuss the verse with others. Read the verse out loud until you can say it from memory. Put it aside for a few days and see if you still remember it. Review your cards regularly and you are on your way to having a mind that is filled with the wisdom you need to make godly decisions in a crisis!