All Clear!

 

What does your mind dwell on? 

Over the past six weeks, I have been consumed with all things church! I take my responsibility at SMDCOG very seriously. I have been blessed by God to be appointed here. Yes, God is the one who appointed me here and each week I speak before his people in New Castle, I am in awe that he chose me. I cannot take credit for anything, the power of the Holy Spirit is at work. So, I think a lot about my next sermon, about plans for this congregation, meetings, prayer requests, upcoming events, and future planning. 

As I was reading 1 Timothy 1 today a particular word stuck out. It is mentioned three times in this chapter:

"The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith....

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked." (1 Timothy 1:5, 19, NLT, emphasis added)

Do you have a clear conscience? 

Do you think about the sin in your life, in your past? 

I had to stop and reflect on this when I read that phrase, three times within the scripture this morning. And as I stopped and thought about it, I really don't think about the wrongs I have done in the past. Trust me there have been plenty. If I take time to think about my past, the ugliness of my sin is easy to dwell upon. But, unless I deliberately stop to think about it, I don't give it a MOMENT of THOUGHT. 

That is the power of GRACE and MERCY in my life. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE when your past is filled with sin, is something that can only happen through the power of my RISEN SAVIOR. 

Do you have trouble getting your past sins out of your thoughts? Do you dwell on the people you have hurt, the sins you committed against both God and man? If anyone should think about their past, it was Paul. He was such a ruthless pharisee. He committed such heinous crimes against believers. But God freed his mind of those sins and he was not captive to them. 

Don't let your past destroy your life with JESUS today. He has forgotten those sins and so should you. I praise God every day for the peace and joy of a CLEAR CONSCIENCE!

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1:12-14)