Ephesians 4:27

nor give place to the devil.

Distractions distractions distractions. . .

Lately it has been on my mind to do some casual writing, or at least to check in with some people I know on the web and read some of the things they've been working on, however I wasn't sure if getting in touch with them would be a good witnessing opportunity, being able to tell them about Potter's Field and how much God has touched me through my time here with Ignite, or a monumental distraction.

Seeing as I'm already finding my mind wondering towards the use of imagination, character contemplation and story creation of late, and that before looking at the verse for the IBS I am at this very moment writing and after praying to God to use this verse to give me revelation or guide me as He sees fit in someway I thought about my cravings for fantasy and adventure and decided to toss up a little extra prayer about how nice it would be if He used the verse to give me some advice on the matter. . .

I need to stay off the fiction and stay focused. Like anger, the devil is more than happy to use potential distractions to snag a place in our hearts and lives to use against us, and I shouldn't even be risking something that might distract me from Christ or detract from what little time I have left here at the ranch (free from the distractions of day to day life and the world at large now that I think about it) anyway.

When my mind starts wandering with that overactive imagination and I could be doing or thinking about other, better things of greater importance and/or value, I must take my thoughts to God; just like any other sinful or unholy thought, for what is sinful and unholy but that which separates us from God?

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Ephesians 4:26

"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,

When others try to claim an authority they do not have and tell me what to do or make demands it easily aggravates me, but rather than addressing it as I should I usually just do my best to shove it from my thoughts. However, I need to deal with it. I need to take my thoughts captive to God and, when the occasion calls for it and at the right time, take it to them calmly and with love so that there will be peace between us, even in the depths of my heart where I might otherwise bury the anger and taint my soul in trying to put it out of my mind.

Ephesians 4:25

Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. NKJV

The truth is not always at first pleasant; a 'kind' lie is not a 'good' lie nor any good at all; a lie told o avoid trouble is a trouble all it's own; and lying with a silent grin is lying just the same, spoken words or no.

When I pretend, act like or suggest that everything is fine when I am not, unbothered when I am, without opinion when I have, I may not be telling an outright lie, but twisting words to make them sound like something else, saying nothing when I know what will be assumed and speaking only a fraction of my mind so that my complete thought might be mistaken for something else is still lying.

Even if I do so not wanting to 'rock the boat' or stir up negative emotions, I am still not speaking truth with my neighbors and am at times dishonest.

I hate lying and dishonesty, and should make no exceptions for myself because I am afraid of others reaction or bearing my heart to them.

We are members of one another, of one body. When I am less than honest with my brothers and sisters, I am not only lying to them, I am lying to myself, and worse, Christ, of whom we are the body.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Ephesians 4:24

and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. NKJV

My old self is cast off and with a renewed mind I have been given a new man to put on, made like God in true righteousness and holiness; made set apart from the world in Christ and filled with life by his Spirit.

I have forgotten of late and regret it, but I want to once again pray for brokenness and continual renewal bringing me into a stronger and closer relationship with my Father and Christ.
(Preferably with minimum mental discomfort and bodily harm, but. . . His will be done and not my own.)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Ephesians 4:23

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, NKJV

I need to relax! Calm down! Take joy in Jesus and not worry the little things!

In working on being diligent I've lost sight of why I'm doing so, and what Pastor Craig said in chapel on Tuesday has brought me back. (Thinking about it in hindsight, there were a few things that happened throughout the day which I think God had been using to sort-of 'prep' me for the teaching.)

I was getting very stressed, trying to be diligent and do the work I needed to do, but feeling like the world was coming against me and trying to stop me from getting my work done. More than that, I felt extremely incapable personally of dealing with the workload despite knowing that it was at times difficult, but still very doable.

To steal a line from the pastors here at Potter's Field Ranch, "I don't have to. I GET to!"

---
What am I intending?

To do something great for God?

To be something great for God?

Or to have a great relationship with Jesus Christ?

---
Jesus does not NEED our effort.
But He WANTS it.

---
It's about being WITH Jesus.
Not working FOR Jesus.

---
These are a few of the notes I took on Tuesday, and I am wanting to kick myself for forgetting when I had learned something very similar to this after first coming to Potter's Field Ranch. However, I needed to learn this again and feel like I had been growing spiritually stagnant of late, just adapting to the changing environment here rather than interacting and engaging, so instead I'm just going to thank Him for continuing to break and mold me into the man He wants me to be, and growing as one of Christ's children that I might bear sweeter and sweeter fruit.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Ephesians 4:22

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, NKJV

I need to go back and read my previous blogs, and remember and pray more about the things God is showing me through them.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Romans 12:12

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; NKJV

Last night I had already resolved to begin waking up earlier for morning prayer, but this verse reconfirms the importance and value of my doing so.

Today was admittedly a failure, but I must also be patient and not become discouraged as I begin forming a habit of rising earlier, regardless of how difficult I find it in the beginning.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.