Today, is 9-11-11 the 10th anniversary of a tragic day in America. This day will not be forgotten! This day, this post is for you who live in the States, and do not conform to this world!

There was a time when I began to think of how my life wasn’t making an impact on very many people. I felt as though I kept doing the same ol’ routine just to survive. Tired of how I couldn’t break habits and lived in conviction, even though I preached, “Do not conform to this world!” I’ve been a follower of Christ, but felt as though I really wasn’t following, but instead I was just getting by. Expecting, when I die that I would go to heaven, which I’m sure I would have even in my current state. Though, I was letting my flesh win to many battles. It was at this time that I realized something had to change.

Not long after I realized I needed to make a change, I read something that said “If you think the way you’ve always thought, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got”. “Now, of course this is true” I said. Though, how do I change my life by changing my thoughts?…How would I change my attitude? Is it possible to change my way of thinking? The question kept ringing in my head but only questioned in different ways.

I also realized at this time that my thoughts brought me to where I am today. For every action there is a thought. It all the sudden clicked for me. I could radically change my life, by simply changing the way I think. An amazingly simple concept had really taken a hold me. I began to study verses on “thinking” and “words we say”. For the first time I was truly seeking God’s Word. I wanted to know HOW to change. I wanted to KNOW who to be, and how I should THINK. I REALLY wanted God to transform me into His image. Of course I’ve always been passionate about God after I found Him, but I still wanted to serve God in my own way. I wanted to please God with my own abilities on my own terms.

By The Renewing of Your Mind

The Holy Spirit has always been talking to me. It’s just so many times I choose to ignore His voice, and try it my own way. I had an experience that impacted me in a dramatic way. I was driving past an old friends house one day who once was a strong man of God. One who loved God, who witnessed a dead child be raised from the dead in Africa, all because he listened and prayed. A women dragged her child into the African Church. Brought the little girl to my friend and his buddy. Then they prayed over her in a back room for 3 hours. She ended up coming back to life after she was thrown against the wall a few times. Can you imagine going to a funeral and God telling you to throw the dead person against the wall?

This same man was going through a very hard time a few years after returning from Africa. He turned back to his old ways of thinking. He turned back to indulging himself in getting high on weed. He was defeated in his own mind.

I was a good friend of his, and we shared many discussions about Christ years before. Even shared many beers and joints with him. To say the least, we had our ups and downs. Despite our pasts we always managed to be friends. We also had a lot in common as well. He used to be a drummer for a church as well as me. We both are tall guys, and enjoyed the same music. If I had a twin, this was him.

Do Not Conform To Worldly Friends

As I was driving past this old friends house. A voice was telling me to stop in his house to see how things are going. I did not stop. I told myself I was too tired. That I just got off a 12hr shift, and that I need to go home and relax. I had just worked 4 days in a row each with 12hr shifts and an hour commute one way. I had a plausible case. There was definitely logic behind my way of thinking. Though now I realize not everything God asks will be easy. He may ask me to miss some sleep or drive out of my way, which it wasn’t.

I ended up driving past his house, and went straight to mine. I got my warm meal, and plenty of rest. Though the next week he died in a car wreck a mile away from my house. I felt so ashamed as I may have been his helping hand. He could have been praying for a real friend to help him out of his trouble. Though, his real friend chose to ignore God’s still voice, and keep on driving. This wasn’t just a regular feeling of guilt, but instead a feeling like its my fault. May he rest in peace, and I hope I get to see him in heaven one day. To say the least, this hit home with me. I blamed myself because of what I didn’t say.

We have a choice to choose God; life. Or to pretend we’ve said a simple Americanized prayer that says “I’m sorry please take me to heaven when I die”. But behind many American eyes we still choose to live life the way we want to because we think its best. As if God would really know what is best for us? I know America isn’t the only country that thinks like this.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:27-31

If we were but wise we would realize how many similarities we have with sheep. Instead of listening to the Shepard we choose to follow the crowd. One sheep goes over the cliff, and the rest follow. Oh, how stupid we really are! It is not the fear of man, or the fear of loss in one way or another that we should be concerned about. But instead the fear of God as He is in control of everything!

Transformed By The Renewing

If God is able to take your soul, and keep it safe in heaven after you die, then why do you concern yourself money and other worries? Is not what I say true? Are the Words of the Bible not true? Is not God in control of everything?

“Unless you are faithful in small matters you won’t be faithful in large ones” Luke 16:10

“If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve!” Joshua 24:14-15

Does tending to your worries ever fix anything? Well does it?! If not then its time for a change. Its time to change your thinking. Pray first for help or answers, then focus on the positive things. You may even be what the Bible describes as a goat. You may look like a sheep, you may even sound like one, but you do not know the Shepard’s voice as you are still a goat. You are indeed independent, you try to live away from the flock and the Shepard. Your life does not produce good fruit, and the path leads towards destruction, because this lifestyle of sin has been made. You will have to pay for the consequences, unless you repent and ask God to forgive you as you forgive others, then walk the walk.

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:32-39

As many of you know I’ve decided to obey this calling, and lose my life. Though it may seem as if I’ll lose it after I leave the States on September 19th 2011 to spread God’s Message overseas, but I tell you I’ve already lost it. I made the choice long ago to yield to His voice and change my way of thinking. The biggest secret that I stashed under my belt for changing my way of thinking is realizing the power of “words”. The words we speak contain blessings and curses.

“Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not so to be.” James 3:10

I had to train myself to hold my tongue. It wasn’t easy by any means. Though, I knew that it was something I needed to do for myself. From the front of the Bible to the back, it talks about our “words” and how we should think. I learned from Romans 12 that I had to be careful what I feed myself. Think about this.. If all I feed myself were donuts, then I’d turn into one. Likewise, it works the same for our words.

I’m going to let the Words of God speak to you. After you read these verses I challenge you to go through Proverbs and highlight all the verses that talk about “words” and the things we “say”.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the man speaks” Matthew 12:34

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matt 4:4

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32

“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” James 1:21-24

Feel free to comment and tell me what you think of our “words”. Also, if you’d like to share some Scripture or a quick story then be my guest. God bless!