Where Are Your Thoughts???
Today as I read in the book of Mark, there is one thing that really stood out to me. Jesus is conversing with His disciples, asking them who people say He is, and Peter boldly states, that Jesus is the Christ. and then just a few minutes later in the same conversation, Jesus and Peter's conversation takes a major change in direction. Read it with me...
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
It is amazing to me how one minute Peter is speaking words of truth, something that could only have been revealed to Him through the Holy Spirit...and within moments he makes the mistake of rebuking Jesus.
When I read Jesus' words, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” It hit me, this is an area we all struggle with! We worship and praise God with our lips, we declare who He is, and then when we find out His plan is different than how we think it should go, we quickly try to change His mind. We argue with God, trying to persuade Him that our way would be better. We very quickly go from Holy Spirit inspired, to speaking words contrary to God's will.
How do we make that switch? How do we go from inspired thinking, to contrary thinking? It's simple, we focus on the things of this world, on our own wants and desires, instead of on God's Word and God's ways.
If we want to make sure that we don't make the same mistake that Peter made, we must be mindful of the things of God, not mindful of the things of man!
So where are your thoughts today? Are you focusing on God's Word, God's promises, on things of God? Or have you allowed the things of this world to come in and distract you?
Let's pray!
Heavenly Father, We need Your help! We tend to so quickly loose our focus on You, and tend to focus on worldly things. It is our desire to please You, we want to think on Your Word and to see things from Your perspective. But we can't do it on our own. Father, please open our eyes, open our hearts...speak to us and show us your ways. Lead and guide our thoughts, our words, and our every decision. You are a great and might God! We put our trust in you completely! We lay down our own wants and desires, because we know that whatever you have planned for us will far exceed anything we can hope for or imagine!
Thank You Father!
We ask this in Jesus name! AMEN.
