Christian Life

Can We Control Our Thoughts?

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Our Inner Sanctuary 

There is a special place in this world that only you have exclusive access to — a secret place where no one else can enter, and where you hold the power to decide what stays and what goes. The only other person who has access — and reigns supreme — is God. This place is your mind, your inner, mental world. It is precious, because it offers the freedom we all long for—a retreat from this world. We cannot control the world around us, but we can shape what happens within us. This inner sanctuary is very delicate: it can become a garden of light, love, peace, and joy—or a dungeon of fear, darkness, torment, loneliness and disease. Its condition is not random. It is formed, day by day, by the choices we make and the thoughts we allow to take root. As the saying goes, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” What we cultivate in our minds today will become the life we live tomorrow.

But do we have authority over what happens in our minds? Can we actually control our thoughts? Yes—we can, we should, and we must. Just as we are called to obey God with our hands, feet, eyes, and tongues—the visible, tangible parts of our bodies—so we are also commanded to obey Him with our thoughts, emotions, and intellect—the unseen, inner parts of who we are. Our mind is not neutral territory; it is ground to be claimed for Christ.

In this study, we’ll begin by looking at key Scriptures that show we can control our thoughts. Then we’ll explore two primary functions of the mind: imagination and reasoning. After that, we’ll consider why it is so vital to bring our minds under Christ’s rule. Finally, we’ll end with practical steps to help us walk in victory and live with minds that truly honor God.

We Can Control Our Thoughts 

Philippians 4:6-8 

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 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.”

The last part of these verses are the most explicit command I have found in the Bible on this topic. It says, “THINK ON THESE THINGS.” There are good things we can think about, and evil things, excellent things and distractions. We can decide to think about whatever we want to. Our obligation is to choose to think on the things that are pleasing to God and best for ourselves. We are even given a list of excellent thought topics in this passage. We’re also instructed something not to do with our minds as well: “Don’t worry about anything.” Worry is a sin of the mind. When our minds are bombarded with incomplete or unresolved things demanding our attention, we are to run to God in prayer and praise, and he will give us “mental grace” to help us do his will with our minds. 

Matthew 22:37-38

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Loving God is the highest calling of our lives. It’s not a feeling, but a choice, a daily choice to live for His pleasure—regardless of the cost. This love involves every part of who we are, including our minds. God, as our Creator, has full claim over our thought life. In His wisdom, He designed our minds to be relentless thought factories. Everything we create or pursue—language, art, relationships, worship—originates in the mind. To love God with all our mind means choosing thoughts that reflect His character, aligning our mental world with His will. It’s in this surrender that we begin to bear His image more clearly in how we live, speak, and think.

Mental idols

Most people would agree that we shouldn’t dwell on obviously sinful things—violence, lust, bitterness. Scripture makes this clear: God hates “a heart that devises wicked imaginations” (Proverbs 6:18). But there’s another danger—mental idols: anything we love or elevate in our thoughts more than God.

What fills your mind? Our thoughts should begin and end with God—He should be the source, substance, and aim of our inner world. Yet often, something else takes that central place. What dominates your thought life? What subtly frames your perspective or colors everything else you think about?

Mental idols aren’t always sinful in and of themselves. They can be good things we’ve given too much weight—relationships, possessions, goals, ideas, or ambitions. How can you tell if something has become an idol? Ask yourself: What does my mind return to again and again? What has a stronger grip on my thoughts than God? What do I naturally talk about most? As Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). What you dwell on in your mind will eventually overflow in your words—and reveal what truly sits on the throne of your heart.

Two Areas Of Our Thought World (imagination & reasoning)

Imagination 

In our quiet moments—when we’re resting, daydreaming, or just waiting—we often retreat into the theater of the mind. We imagine. We visualize. We create. This inner world is an extraordinary gift. What goes on in that mystical, mental world of yours? 

Whether we realize it or not, each of us is a full-time film producer—directing a mental movie that is filming all day, every day. Think of it this way: what we see and experience throughout the day is the filming. Our mediation is the editing and becomes the production. Scene by scene, thought by thought, we compile storylines that shape our inner world—and eventually, our outer life. Some plotlines last a moment; others span years or a lifetime. So the question is: what is your mental movie about?

If we played your mind’s movie on the church projector this coming Sunday morning, would the saints conclude that you love the Lord your God with all your mind?

It may feel like we’re simply the audience of this mental reel—but Scripture informs us that we’re in the director’s chair. We may not control every thought that auditions, but we do control which ones get the starring roles. We decide who and what gets screen time.

We must partner with the Holy Spirit to “edit” our mental content—filtering out violence, impurity, ungodly messages, and mental idols. Our goal isn’t just to have a clean script—it’s to produce something God would gladly sit through. Let your thoughts entertain the Lord with what delights Him. Don’t grieve Him with a film that nauseates him.  

Reasoning 

Another key way we use our minds is through reasoning. If imagination is like producing a movie in our minds, then reasoning is like holding a conversation there. We’re constantly talking to ourselves. Have you ever noticed that the dialogue in your head sometimes feels like it’s coming from someone else? That’s because we have a dual nature (flesh & Spirit) and there are spiritual voices that can suggest thoughts to us. Still, we are the ones who ultimately decide which conversations we allow to continue.

Sometimes we let certain lines of thinking play out just to see where they lead—but the question is, are these conversations pleasing to the Lord?

Every internal conversation is made up of simple statements—each one either true or false. Taken together, they form a storyline, and that storyline can either reflect reality accurately or distort it. For example, consider a mental script that says, “Why does everything go wrong for me? No one likes me. No one loves me. Nothing ever works out.” Thoughts like these are common—but none of those statements are actually true. And if we give them the microphone in our minds, we’re not just tolerating lies—we’re promoting them. What is always true is God’s Word, which says that God loves you more than you could ever imagine, that he will never leave you nor forsake you, that he prefers you (his thoughts towards you are more than the grains of sand on the sea, and that he is committed to making all things in your life ultimately work for your good. 

Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” That means we must learn to recognize worldly or faulty thinking, and train our minds to think the way God thinks. This is not a one-time fix—it’s a lifelong, often difficult process. But it’s essential. And it begins by saturating our minds with God’s Word, and daily applying it to the way we think, speak, and live.

4 Practical Steps to Help Us Gain Control of Our Thoughts

Like taming the tongue, we won’t gain control of our thoughts through sheer willpower. We need God’s wisdom and God’s strength.

1. Surrender Your Mind to God
The first step is full surrender. Romans 12:1 urges us to “present your bodies [including your mind] as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” Who truly rules your thought life? Who is the Master of your mind? Have you yielded your inner world to the Lord? Only you know the answer. If your mind belongs to God, you’ll feel conviction when your thoughts veer toward selfishness or sin. We desperately need God’s help, but he will only help us if our commitment is to please him. 

2. Train Your Discernment
 Next, we must learn what pleases God—and what doesn’t. Romans 12:2 tells us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This means we need to grow in discernment. Hebrews 5:14 says that mature believers “by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Don’t assume you already know what’s right in every situation. Real spiritual maturity means realizing how much we still need God’s Word to guide our judgments. It takes time, practice, and humility to let the Lord reshape our thinking.

3. Fill Your Mind with Truth
 Our minds are never idle—they are always thinking. So don’t just try to stop bad thoughts; replace them. Feed your mind Scripture. Read it. Copy it. Say it out loud. Memorize it. Let God’s truth sink deep. We will mostly dwell on the things we dwell on—Imagine that! Surround yourself with what is holy and true: music that honors Christ, media that inspires righteousness, conversations that cultivate godly thought. Like a plant thrives in the right conditions, so your mind is more likely to grow strong when it’s nourished by the right influences.

4. Fight Back Ruthlessly
 When ungodly thoughts sneak in—whether imagination, reasoning, or mental idols—don’t flirt with them. Fight! 2 Corinthians 10:5 commands us to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The thought itself isn’t sin—but entertaining it is. Seeing something isn’t sinful, but staring is. Thinking isn’t sin, but dwelling on it is. The moment you recognize an unclean thought, expose it. Sound the alarm and call on the Lord to arrest and kill it.
We must learn to hate sin. Refuse to let darkness camp in your mental sanctuary. Trust Christ to break mental strongholds, and invite the Holy Spirit to renew your mind with purity and power.

Prayer 

“Father, we confess that we have often defiled our minds by dwelling on things that do not please or honor you supremely. Forgive us, in the name of Jesus. Wash our minds clean. Take lordship over our thought lives. Help us to see how sacred and precious our inner man is.

Cultivate in us a deep hatred for sin, and a growing love for what is true, pure, and good. Transform our minds into workshops of truth, love, and praise. Give us wisdom and grace to guard what we see and hear. Teach us balance and discernment in every area of our thinking.

May our minds become fertile ground—where ideas are born that glorify You, and where every thought bows in obedience to Christ. Amen.”

The Wonderful Truth of Election

/ Lee A. Robinson / 13 Comments

Every teaching of the Bible is aimed at both the mind and the heart. Doctrine is meant to be contemplated and felt; to be discussed and also lived. Some subjects more than others quickly become intellectually heavy, abstruse and technical (and debatable). One such doctrine is the doctrine of Election. This is unfortunate, because it’s typical appearance in Scripture is couched between the warm pillows of hope and comfort. Election seems to pop up in the writers mind when he is deeply excited to encourage and strengthen the believer. So my goal here is to just take a few moments to revel in what the reality of election means for the believer…  

If you are a genuine believer and follower of Christ, the Bible is crystal clear that you have been chosen by God to be one of his very own: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved (greatly loved) of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation…” Your destiny has always been to belong to God, to know Jesus, follow him, represent him and to ultimately be raised from the dead and be given a glorified body like him. Praise God – what a destiny! You are one of those children of the promise (like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel) the Scriptures talk about!    

Before the earth was created God freely settled this decision that your destiny would be to become one of his chosen children: Ephesians 1:4-5, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated (pre-determined, foreordained) us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” You are a child of God! Your Father is the King of all the kings and Lord of all the lords. He is the supreme ruler of all things! The faithful love of a good father is secured towards you forever! Romans 8:33-34, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” No one and nothing will ever separate you from his love! 

Thankfully, God’s selection of you was not based on anything meritorious that he foresaw in you: 2 Timothy 1:9, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” Deuteronomy 7:6-8, “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you…” Romans 9:11, “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)” Among of all humanity that would be created, why did God set his love upon you to make you his very own child? We are told – mysteriously, but simply so – that the reason why God set his love upon you is because he loved you (Deuteronomy 7:8)! Also, because he has a special purpose in your life to showcase his mercy (2 Timothy 1:9)! All of this is completely undeserved. Yes, the fate of grace has fallen upon us. Thank you, Father. You deserve every ounce of praise and love from us! 

Election isn’t referring to the fact that God saves those who believe in him. God does save those who believe in him, but election is focused on what lies underneath our decision to believe (or the realities that precede our conversion). The ultimate reason behind why you developed a fear of God, was convicted of your sins, realized who Jesus was, understood the Gospel, and called upon Chist for salvation, was that you were chosen by God to have your eyes open to all of these things: Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained (appointed) to eternal life believed.” Everyone that day heard the same Gospel preaching by Paul. Why did some believe – because they were appointed to believe. It was their destiny.  

In John 10:26-28 Jesus said, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Everyone heard Jesus (the good shepherd) speak. Some yielded to his voice and some did not. Why? Because some were his sheep and others were not. I used to think that what made someone one of God’s sheep was that they believed in him. Sort of like faith being the door to the sheepfold. It seems to make sense, right? But I came to realize that the Lord classifies people as his sheep before they believe: John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Jesus had sheep that had not yet believed. They were still out wandering lost in the mountains somewhere. This passage in John 10 is revealing to us why the elect believe: because they are sheep. Only the sheep hear the voice of shepherd and come. You heard his voice and came to him when he called you because he had already chosen you as one of his sheep in eternity past. You love him. Why? Because he first loved you (1 John 4:19).  

We did not do anything to be elected by God. He did not stand on the precipice of eternity and scout through the corridors of time for all the faithful people and then stamp his seal on them. He foresaw all people as fallen, corrupted, degenerated sons and daughters of Adam. God’s justice, righteousness and good wrath was pleased to reserve many for judgment, but his goodness, kindness, grace, longsuffering, mercy and love yearned to make His-story a rescue mission. So he chose many to be redeemed through the precious work of Christ, in history. Why we were numbered among the sons and daughters of mercy is beyond our comprehension. But it is true, and it has come to pass. Hallelujah!   

How precious is all of this! Think about how differently your destiny could have been! God could have chosen you to just be an ant, but he made you a living, breathing, thinking, feeling, worshiping creature. But even then, God could have allowed you to run headlong into deserved everlasting destruction, but he didn’t. He chose you. He wanted you. 

1 Peter 2:9-10, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” You are not a believer today because karma is rewarding you for being noble in a past life. The fortune of good luck has not just happened to fall on you. You’re not a child of God because you were a Pastor’s child, grew up in a Christian home or went to a Christian school. You’re not a Christian because you were raised in western culture. You didn’t repent of your sins because you have a softer heart than others or because you are just naturally more good than others. You don’t understand and believe the Gospel because you have a high I.Q. There is nothing about you that is the ultimate cause for why you believed. Your faith is a gift from God. Philippians 1:29 “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” The same saving faith that was given you to start believing in Christ is the same faith that will continue to be given you forever. Jesus is the author and the finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12). God promises to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13). God’s everlasting kingdom is your home. He has many mansions and there is a room prepared for you (John 14). 

God has promised you “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:4-5). Do you think of this enough, how your life is going to end??? No matter the difficulties, struggles, tragedies of life – it is all going to end soon and glory will be born and you will be enveloped by it. Amen! 

God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t recall any of his elections, and praise God he doesn’t miscount them either! Believer, friend, brother: rejoice today rest in his unfailing love for you. Confess your sins. Renew your commitment to him. Strive to imitate the apostle Paul and work hard in God’s harvest field so the other elect children of God will come to know him as well: 2 Timothy 2:10 “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

On Sinning Less

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

I heard someone recently ask Elon Musk what he thought was the greatest piece of advice ever given him. After some deliberation he concluded that it was “to strive to be less wrong.” This struck me as a different and perhaps helpful way in approaching life. It is futile and frustrating to strive for perfection. However, to simply shave off a little bit of imperfection seems much more likely and encouraging of a goal. I could say, “I am never going to eat anything unhealthy ever again!” Wishful thinking. However, if I say, “If all else fails, I’m just not going to drink soda for a few months.” This is much, much more likely to be realistic and, if achieved, will push my health in a positive direction.

The ultimate goal for every person is to become more and more like Jesus Christ. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:28-29). We are born in the image of our fallen father Adam and it is the lifelong challenge for us all to be recreated and restored into the image of the perfect son of God. This is aiming at perfection. My thought at this moment though is not to think of it as, “I have to become perfect,” but rather, “Today the goal is just to remove something – even if it’s seemingly small – from what is unlike Christ. Sculptures start with a bland block and chisel away little by little until the desired image appears. 

Here are a few suggestions on how to effectively purge off imperfections of your life…

  1. Remember who God is and who you are. God made you. You did not exist eternally and then at one point create a god to worship. God always existed, then in time he made you, to worship him. God created the game, therefore he gets to set the rules. He embedded the rules in our hearts. We intuitively know what is right from wrong. We didn’t create our conscience, it was factory installed. Who put it there? God. This all means that our obligation is to obey the rules. Obey and live, disobey and die. Submit to God’s authority & rules and be happy, or rebel and be sad. Where is your heart right now? Is it resting under God’s authority? Are you content being a servant of God, or are you still longing to be the master of your own life? Positioning yourself gently under God is the first step to sinning less. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10)
  2. We must admit that we are sinful and that the true enemy is within. We are our own worst enemy. Of course, there is a devil, a corrupt world, difficult people, and severely challenging trials, but if we were like God (if we were holy) we still would not sin because we would be patient, merciful, forgiving and full of faith. I am the problem, not something or someone else. I have this part of me that doesn’t want to admit it. Why are we so quick to judge others, to point out their faults, to excuse our own and to think that we are better than others? Why does it seem so offensive when other people wrong us, but when we do wrong it doesn’t seem to bother us as much? This is our real nature manifesting itself. We are sinners. Admit it. If we don’t we will always be making excuses for ourselves, never actually growing spiritually. We must be quick to turn ourselves in to God. “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5) “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
  1. Meditate on the consequences of your sins until it hurts. Our sins displease God: our wise creator, benevolent provider, redeemer, savior and friend: the one who left heaven and was crucified for us. There is no one so gentle towards you; so kind, compassionate, merciful, longsuffering, encouraging, thoughtful, committed. Think of how loving God is to you. He only wants your good. He never makes fun of you, hurts you, lies to you, or abandons you. He is by far your best friend. When you choose to sin it breaks God’s heart because he loves you: he knows that in some way your joy and peace is going to be disturbed because of this. Do you see him? He’s not upset or mad, he’s broken. Honor him by doing what pleases him.  
  1. Our sins also displease and hurt others. Every time we sin, no matter what it is, we hurt other people. Sometimes it is directly, by saying or doing something wrong to that person. But think about the other people involved in your life. Those who witness your wrong doings are presented with an unpleasant thing to watch and the weak are encouraged to do the same. When we sin other people are inconvenienced by it. There has to be valuable time spent trying to deal with the sin until it is corrected. Life is not all about you. We know deep down that it is more honorable to put others’ needs and desires in front of our own. Love other people by choosing to sin less. Another thought on this is, every time you sin, you become less equipped to serve other people in the future, so people who could have benefitted from you now will not. “Consider one another” (Hebrews 10:24). 
  1. Sinning now conditions you to sin easier and more in the future. Most people don’t like smoking the first time they try, but many acquire a taste for it. The more you allow yourself to do the same wrong thing over and over and over again, the easier it is going to become and the more you will enjoy it. Drug addicts build up a tolerance to the chemicals. This means that the more their bodies become used to those chemicals, the more chemicals are needed in order to get the same effect. A person who started consistently smoking a couple cigarettes a day will be smoking a whole pack after some time. Do you want to enjoy sin more and need more extreme sins to get the same feeling? God forbid. If not, sin less. Be afraid of where you may end up. Ask any old person and they will tell you that time flies. Time flies. They say about things that happened 40, 50, 60, 70 years ago, “It seems like yesterday.” Don’t wake up tomorrow being deep in sin because you excused your “little sins” today. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Proverbs 8:13). 
  1. Sin robs you. Do you like being robbed or lied to? Of course not! But when you sin you are freely giving away the most precious treasures you have: your peace, your joy, your freedom! Think about it. When you sin you hide because you’re scared and ashamed. Sin never leads you to joy or confidence. It may feel good for a brief moment, but then you are plagued with worry: you start having to think of ways to not get caught or to get out of the consequences. All of this is dark. Sin is a shrewd liar: promising you freedom but only bringing you into bondage. It’s proven that little children are happier if they play in an area that has clear boundaries. If they have no boundaries and no rules then they get frustrated. Dealing with God’s rules and boundaries are hard to handle sometimes, but playing inside of them is unexpectedly the true path to freedom and joy. “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:21-23).
  1. You only have one life. If you break your pencil you can always go and get a new one. You can’t just go get a new one if you break you. You only have one opportunity to manage the life that you have. How many days old are you? Today, I am on exactly day 13,600. That’s a lot of days. I will never be able to live any of my past days, ever again. I only had one chance to either make good decisions or bad decisions. The person I am today is the culmination of all of those decisions. The more that I consistently do what is right the better my life will be. The more I abuse my body, soul, mind and spirit, the worse my life is going to become. Also, we have to live with this life for the rest of our lives. You will always carry your past decisions with you. Strive to live in a way that will preserve your life instead of destroying it. You are precious and valuable – there is only one you – so treat yourself as though you are. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
  1. Have faith. There are times in your life when you desperately wanted something and didn’t get it, but it was ok. For example, there was a night when you really wanted dessert, but your parents said, “No.” It hurt alot and it seemed in the moment like you couldn’t handle it. But the next morning you completely forgot about it never to think about it again. Recognize that temptations only last for a short while. If you overcome it in the moment it will go away. Whatever the sin is, it will try to convince you that you will never be happy without it, but this is a lie. The truth is that you need righteousness and holiness, because without them you truly will not ever be happy. Crave what is good, yield to holiness and it will satisfy you for real. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).
  1. Believe the Gospel: the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. You cannot sin less without Jesus. You have a fundamental problem: you are a sinner, you’ve sinned already and you will want to sin more in the future. Thankfully, Jesus died for all of your sins – past, present and future. Not only did he die for you, but also rose from the dead, for you. This means that he is the way for us to have power over the temptations of sin. Jesus came out of the grave: he can create life out of death. If he can do that, then he has the power and wisdom to be able to make you happy and content without that sin. You do need water and food to survive, but there is no sin that you need to survive or to prosper. You need the miraculous, creative power of Jesus to generate in you what is not there. This miracle happens as we internalize and obey the truth. Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free.” There is nothing in this world you can see or touch that will truly make you happy. Truth, righteousness and love makes you happy, and these are received only through the Gospel. So, confess your sins to God. Ask Jesus to forgive you. Thank God and rejoice in his forgiveness. Next time you are tempted to sin, run to Jesus and ask him to save you and do a miracle in your life. Ask him to give you contentment without having whatever sin it is you’re being tempted with. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).
  2. Meditate on God’s Word. Fill up your heart and mind with his Word. “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). God’s Word is alive and powerful. The Word will lead you to a better understanding of God, yourself and the world around you. It will make you wiser to understand good and evil. The more you learn and grow in knowledge and understanding, the more you will be able to identify sin and avoid it. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:9-11).

Don’t Quit (John Mark)

/ Lee A. Robinson / 1 Comment

John Mark (or simply Mark) is not a Bible character thought of much, but like most of the time, meditating in God’s Word draws out unapparent depth and richness. Mark’s story is one of a promising beginning, unfortunate fracturing of important relationships, and blessed reconciliation. If you’ve spent any time building important relationships only to see them destroyed then this article might be helpful. Also, if you’ve made decisions that have brought discouragement to yourself and other people and you’re struggling with the thought of giving up, then keep reading as well… 

I’d like to first paint a picture of Mark in the setting of the early church, then talk about the crucial moment in his life when he split from his missionary team, and end with the glorious story of how God redeemed this problem for his glory and the good of his people.

We first hear of Mark in Acts chapter 12 in the story when Peter was miraculously delivered from prison. The angel of the Lord led Peter out of the prison and then departed from him. At this moment Peter could have fled anywhere, but he chose a specific house to go to. The house he chose was “the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12). Up to this point in the book of Acts Luke was focused on the apostle Peter and the church in Jerusalem. Peter was definitely seen as the chief of the apostles and the foremost leader of the church in those early days. In other words, we’re talking about the most preeminent Christian leader of their time. At this critical moment this prominent leader decides to go to this particular house. Mark’s mother was most assuredly a very strong disciple and member of the church. We find that many were gathered praying, but most notably the other apostles probably were not present (Acts 12:17). So we get the feeling that Mark’s household was very special to Peter. Not only his household, but particularly Mark himself. Peter calls Mark “my son” in 1 Peter 5:13 indicating that he probably led Mark to Christ or discipled him, and/or could also could mean that he was a father figure to Mark (It seems as though Mark didn’t have a father, since the record describes his home only as his mothers home).  We also have a record from an early church writer named Papias that the Gospel of Mark was actually a compilation of accounts that Peter personally related to Mark. The point I’m trying to make is the unique, fortunate, spiritual experience Mark had as a young man. He’s witnessing a history altering revival; he has a strong Christian heritage; he’s rubbing shoulders with the giants of the Faith of his day; and he himself was already becoming known as a promising young man in the church. And this is literally just the beginning…

Around this time, Saul, the powerful persecutor of the church, was converted. Barnabas, the encourager, had to persuade the church (this will be important later) to give Saul a chance because they were suspicious of him. Saul (Paul) quickly became a powerful force in the church and it’s probably safe to say that outside of Jerusalem Paul had the most popular name as was the most critical Christian figure of their time (2 Corinthians 11:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10). Well, Paul and Barnabas had a specific mission they were fulfilling in Jerusalem and “when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark” (Acts 12:25). God called Mark to be a missionary, and he just happened to join the most formidable missionary “A-Team” in the world. Mark transitioned from being a sidekick of the great Peter, to be an apprentice of the great Paul – a truly unique position!  

Of all places they are heading to the city of Antioch, dubbed “the cradle of Christianity,” where the disciples were first called Christians; the church from which the first foreign missionaries were sent out; here to participate once again in a critical shift in history – the door to the gentiles being fully swung open wide for the Gospel. Mark was at the epicenter of all of this. 

Acts 13 tells how a specific calling was placed on Paul and Barnabas to become the first official foreign missionaries in the history of the church. As they were being sent away it says that “they also had John (Mark) as their assistant” (Acts 13:5). Being an assistant was a critical role. He was there basically to be their deacon, so they could focus on the major task of preaching and teaching. Anything else they needed Mark could handle – whether it be communications, lodging, food, ministry help, etc. Here goes Mark, setting sail with these two giants. Imagine yourself launching out on an important mission, getting on a plane with the likes of Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham in their prime, or Jonathan Edwards and DL Moody (you pick the team!). And to know that this is all in the perfect will and pleasure of God to do a great work for the Lord. 

The first stop was the island of Cyprus, where Mark witnessed some extraordinary things: Paul rebuked bar-Jesus the magician and false prophet, then cursed him with blindness that resulted in public humiliation. This in turn led to the conversion of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, the Roman leader of the whole Island. This was certainly a powerful beginning to the journey. From there they fully crossed over the Mediterranean and landed in Asia Minor. It was here – we don’t know why – but for whatever reason – Mark decided to abandon the mission. Something happened. Something pretty big somewhere along the road led up to this decision. Everything up to this point is just one glorious experience and great opportunity after another! Why just forsake it all now?! 

What happened? We don’t really know, but I think it would be helpful to think through some possible explanations…

Maybe young Mark jumped ship out of fear? Maybe he was troubled by the strange demonic activity and spectacular power of God in Cyprus? He may have been thinking, “This is too much for me.” Demonic forces are powerful and dark and can strike a terrible fear into you. Maybe he was afraid for his physical safety? There isn’t a record of their team being persecuted in Cyprus. He did see it in Jerusalem, and we know that later on this mission would prove to be excruciatingly painful (Paul was stoned to death basically), but Mark couldn’t have known for sure that would happen. If this is the case he chose to be ruled by fear over the power of God and the fear of God. 

Maybe it had something to do with his family? Mark didn’t go back to Antioch, but back to Jerusalem…back home. Maybe his mom was sick and needed him? This would certainly be a touchy situation based on the Lord’s teachings relevant to this: “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62), and, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). 

Maybe there was some kind of sin in his life? Perhaps he, like Demas, forsook the mission because he loved the present world? Or, maybe he was torn up internally because of some sin that he committed which drained him of spiritual fortitude and perseverance and just couldn’t hang in there any more. 

Maybe he was physically just worn out? It was definitely a supernatural work of God that kept Paul going through all of those missionary journeys over the years.  

Maybe Mark was confused and upset about how freely Paul was encouraging Gentiles to come into the Faith without meeting Jewish requirements first? The Jerusalem council was on the verge of happening. Mark was most likely Jewish. 

Maybe he was upset with Paul or Barnabas about something and there was tension between them? This very well could be- its hard to travel the way they did. Decisions could have been made by his superiors that jeopardized their safety, personal reputation, or the reputation of the Gospel. 

 In the end the Holy Spirit intentionally left the account vague. We fill in the blanks with our imagination and own circumstances. From everything I gather about who John Mark was, and whatever the reason why he left, I get the impression that it wasn’t a flippant decision. He probably wrestled hard over it and regretted very much that it happened. Perhaps this was even the hardest decision he had ever made in his life. I bet he felt like he was between a rock and a hard place, that no matter what he decided to do someone was going to get hurt. Maybe he didn’t even have confidence in the decision he was making, but made one because he felt he had to out of necessity. He may have lived with regret the whole voyage back home. He probably felt much embarrassment, having failed in this wonderful opportunity to travel with Paul and Barnabas and ashamed that he disappointed them, and left a great burden on them for the rest of the journey with no assistant. 

There’s some speculation on this next point, but I get the impression that when this decision was made, Mark hit a low point spiritually, maybe on the way back, maybe after he got back to Jerusalem and it really set in. “I blew it. This was my chance and I coward, or I yielded to my flesh, I gave up. What am I good for now? If I failed in this opportunity, what are the chances I’ll get another one like this?” 

Let’s start bringing home some applications. . . 

Maybe you’re the kind of person who had a wonderful initial experience with Christ. Maybe you had a great upbringing with some wonderful Christian friends and leaders, or maybe you came into that environment when you were converted. You jumped in, got involved, saw some amazing things happen, and you were promoted in the church because of your faithfulness. You rubbed shoulders with great saints and were a trusted servant to them. You got opportunities to serve alongside them. Then you got into the thick of the ministry in some way, or at least into the thick of deep, long-term relationships in the church. Then something happened. Something that brought you to a crossroads. Something that brought you to a decision that would disappoint other people and disappoint yourself. A decision that would break critical relationships, would rock the boat and have some negative fallout. The catalyst could have been anything – fear, sin, change in beliefs, doubt, exhaustion, etc. You rode on excitement for a while or on the original surge of your salvation, but now you’re wondering if you actually counted the cost or not. Whatever the reason behind the decision, the decision has been made. NOW, you are discouraged because of the effects of your decision. So what are you supposed to do now??? Let’s continue with the story . . . 

The next mention of Mark is as follows: “Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God” (Acts 15:35-40). 

A few things jump out at me here: 

#1 Mark is in Antioch serving in the church. The last we heard from him he went back home to Jerusalem, but now we see him back to the place where he left off serving the Lord: in the church, serving and available for the call to missions when it came. What should you do? Whatever has knocked you down spiritually, you must shake it off, and get back into the game. “A just man falls seven times, but he gets back up again” (Proverbs 24:16). I don’t know the exact time frame, but it was not very long after Mark departed that this new situation happened. Do whatever it takes to get back involved in whatever capacity you are able to, as quickly as possible. The longer you stay away from the church, from Christians and from the work of the ministry, the harder it is going to be to get back involved. 

# 2 Be thankful for Barnabas and don’t be discouraged by Paul. Neither Luke nor the Holy Spirit tells us who had the right position in the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. It makes sense knowing their personalities: Barnabas was an encourager and wanted to give Mark a second chance. Paul was an aggressive leader and didn’t want to involve anyone who would jeopardize the mission. Both sides had a point. I’m sure it hurt Mark knowing that the great Paul thought he was useless. Thankfully, there was another leader there willing to give him another chance. 

How about you? You may have been hurt badly by someone. Maybe a leader? Maybe someone you were totally blindsided by? Perhaps they didn’t handle their disagreement with you in a Biblical/Christ-like manner? Let me encourage you to not be so beat down by one, or a few individuals. Paul was wired by God to be the way he was. He was like a wise general who knew that victory in the field inevitably requires some casualties. Force your mind and heart to think the best of the people who have hurt you and mistreated you. Give them grace and mercy. I’m not saying to excuse their mistreatment of you, but I am saying to not allow their mistreatment of you to continue mistreating you through bitterness or discouragement. Mark continued with the mission, with the one who would give him a second chance. Instead of focusing on the people who have rejected you, focus on Jesus, who has fully and eternally welcomed you to himself and his mission. Find those people who do love you, understand you, and are willing to partner with you in the Gospel. 

#3 I see the providence of God at work here. Yes, there was unfortunate disagreement and tension. Yes, a great missionary unit was split. However, what this meant now, is that there were TWO teams going out, in opposite directions, to cover more ground for the Gospel! Two teams with seasoned veterans. Two teams with younger men who could now hold greater responsibility on the mission. God redeemed this disagreement and separation. 

Be encouraged my friend. Of course, God doesn’t want Christians to fight, be bitter and separate from each other. However, God doesn’t waste these situations either. He redeems them by using them to grow his children and to reposition them out in his field more effectively. If you let this take you out, that is definitely not the will of God. He wants you and still has a great plan for you. You may not see it now, but in time you’ll see more clearly how this heartbreaking situation is going to prove to be for the best in the end. 

Later On

This story really has a touching conclusion, namely, the reconciliation between Mark and Paul. It didn’t happen until about 10 years later, but it happened. Paul’s last years were spent in trials and imprisonment in Rome. Traveling, preaching and persecution was one kind of torture for Paul, but dwelling alone in a dungeon by himself was a whole different kind of torture for him. The book of 2 Timothy gives us a big glimpse into Paul’s heart in those times. He said, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me” (1 Timothy 4:16). In other words, the first time he gave a defense before the court in Rome, he had no one there as a support witness. Now Paul is writing to Timothy from prison, shortly before he was to die, and at the end of the letter he talks about how he has kept the faith and that he fought a good fight and that he was ready to depart this earth. He mentions how his close fellow workers had either deserted him or left him: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:10-11). It is here, in this place of loneliness and discouragement, where Paul requests of Timothy to “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.” Wow! Paul is actually proactively requesting for Mark to come help him. He said that Mark was profitable (valuable, useful) to him. We don’t know what happened a decade earlier that caused Paul to so mistrust Mark, but thankfully, whatever it was, Paul had a change of heart and mind. 

Let me encourage you – It may take a decade for you to be reunited with those who have abandoned you. It may take two decades, or three. Paul was on death row. It may not be until those people are on their deathbed before they have a change of heart towards you. But be encouraged by this. It may happen, it may not, but in this story it did. I pray that you will receive that phone call one day, text message or email. It may just be a friendly communication, there may be an apology, or there may even be words of affirmation or gratitude, or may even be a call to work together with you again. If it does, amen. If that call never comes, then know that no matter what happens the Lord is with you. Never give up and hope that in God’s good time he will reconcile you.  

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GRACE REIGNS

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Romans 5:19-21

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

From the time of the first man (Adam) sin and death has reigned among men. Sin and death are likened to a unified dominant king controlling men and their destinies. It’s almost as if we had no choice: we were made sinners by the disobedience of Adam. We were all born sinners into a kingdom of sin. Sin was natural and normal to us. There is such a power in the world, a universal law, that excuses and encourages sin. Sin reigned, and sin finishes its work by ultimately slaying the subjects of its kingdom. We are slaves, low born, disadvantaged, destined for this. 

But there came a new King into the world. One who evaded the natural way of conception through virgin birth. He was born righteous and pure into the world of sin. As the God-Man he triumphed over every temptation to sin. Ultimately he was lifted up, to receive in his body God’s judgment wrought by King Sin and Death, so as to set free those who were all their lives subject to his reign. He defeated Sin and Death and established a new kingdom.
In contrast to the former kingdom, the kingdom of Jesus is characterized by GRACE – favor, benevolence, help, beauty, gift-giving, kindness, compassion, etc. Through the new birth, our nature is changed – we are now naturally righteous and pure. We are also ushered into a new realm of living that is dominated and permeated with these qualities of grace. GRACE REIGNS in the life of a Christian. We are born as spiritual free men: privileged, high class, advantaged. We were made saints by the obedience of someone else – that’s very good news. Our lives are under the control, ownership and supervision of God’s Grace. Grace reigns. I am not the king of my life – Grace is, and because my King is so gracious I can find great comfort in knowing that he will defend me against every enemy in my life, including myself. The King of Sin and Death delighted in deceiving and destroying, but the King of Grace delights in teaching, encouraging, forgiving, restoring, redeeming and resurrecting. Grace is greater than all of my sin and will prevail. All hail King Grace!  

Has God Forsaken Me?

/ Lee A. Robinson / 1 Comment

Feelings of abandonment are not uncommon to Christians. Many heroes of the faith trudged through the deserts of desertion: Joseph’s unfortunes left him alone in a foreign dungeon, forgotten; David was driven into the wilderness, publicly defamed and barred from the house of God – just read the psalms; who did Job have? He struggled immensely with understanding what God was doing; and all we really need to say is…Jesus. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The one who did absolutely NO wrongdoing. There was every reason to believe that there would be continual open lines of communication between the Son and the Father; that there would always be evidence of the Father being with him in a favorable way. But, no, the Son of God himself entered into a spiritual black hole for a season – no evidence but the wrath and displeasure of the Father towards him. So if you are overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness – you’re not alone. 

If you truly are a child of God then GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN YOU!!! Here are a few reminders: 

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Psalms 37:25,28 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

There is a divine purpose for the feelings of “abandonment.” 

Why was Joseph undeservingly sold into slavery, falsely accused/imprisoned and forgotten by his friends? Because God had a plan to make Joseph (a Hebrew) the vizier of Egypt in order to save the world. 

Why did God allow Saul to hate David with raging jealousy? Why did God allow one of his most precious worshippers to be banned from his temple? Because God wanted the book of psalms to be written and to comfort untold billions of people throughout world history; because David learned that the way up is down; So Israel would realize how great of a king they had in their midst by David continuing to be faithful to God and his country through all of it. 

Why was Jesus forsaken? In short – the save the world from everlasting judgment in the lake of fire. 

Why have you been abandoned by your friends or family? Why has God not healed you from this unbearable sickness? Why does it seem like the more you try to do what’s right – the more you suffer? Why does it seem like God is not speaking to you or showing up powerfully like he used to? Maybe he is positioning you to save the world? That’s why God did it in the lives of your heroes, why not you? You may not become the catalyst that saves a whole nation or a whole town, but you may be the one who will save your marriage, or your family, or your church, or your town – and you may be the one that God will use to save the world we live in. 

We have the advantage of living on this side of Bible history. I believe Job was the first book of scripture written. What did he have to look to for encouragement through his suffering? He could recount how God was merciful to Adam & Eve, or how God preserved Noah through a dreadful generation. But how much more do we have?! 

Knowing what God did in the past should be of great encouragement to us. God will come through, just like he did in many other lives. 

Joseph may not have felt like God was with him in that dungeon, but the narrative states over and over “but God was with him.” Jesus said about David’s psalms that “the Spirit said” such and such. The point is that God was with David while he “wandered” alone. 

You’re never alone. 

We tend to focus on our problems and overlook our blessings. There may be an array of very deep and prolonged tragedies in your life, but are there really no blessings? Are you really without any friends? Is there really no word of promise from God for you? Are there really no deposits of God’s faithfulness in your life – special provisions? Divine encounters? Unexpected blessings? 

We are fallen creatures. It’s unfortunate but true – it’s easier for us to see our problems and to see them as larger than they are, and to overlook our blessings and to minimize them when we see them. Maybe take some time today to write out all of the reasons that make you feel like you are accepted, loved and not forgotten? Write out on a piece of paper all the things that are right about your life; all the things that are in proper order. Write out as many good things that other people have done for you. I guarantee that you will run out of time or your hand will begin to hurt. 

The LORD is your shepherd, comforter and friend. Like a good parent (but much more perfect), he is always there watching you. Sometimes he stands a little off or will stand around the corner and watch you struggle. He wants you to grow. He wants you to learn. Jesus “learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” He is providentially allowing difficulty with people and circumstances in order to position you in the exact place at the precise time in order to fulfill his perfect plan in and through your life. 

He wants you to trust him. Babies have their mothers over their faces constantly when they are young. The baby needs to hear mommy’s voice, feel her touch and her squeeze and be fed continually. But as the baby becomes a toddler, then a older child, then a teen, their independence from mommy increases more and more. When adulthood comes, there can be a permanent detachment from mommy. There seems to be a similar parallel in our spiritual life (although not perfectly, since we always need God every moment, and will forever): the more someone matures in their knowledge and experience of God, the more likely it is that God will lead you into ways that require greater levels of faith; longer amounts of time where it seems like you’re all alone. After all that Paul did he said, “at my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me…” Why was it, that at his greatest moment of need, God allowed it to be the case that no one was there for Paul. Well, Paul then said, “…but the Lord stood with me.”       

I hope something here is an encouragement to you. Be faithful. Trust God. Hope to the end. God has not changed. He knows you – through and through. He knows what you can handle. Put one foot in front of the other and trust that good will come in time. Continue to love God and others. “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28