YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN NOT HIDE

Hugh, your mind and mine must be getting in sink.  I, the other day blogged about secret sin.  This is exciting to me, even though I still have a lot to learn from you and others.  Nothing that we do can ever hide anything from our Lord.  God knows our thoughts before we do.  God knows us better than we know ourselves.  God understands us better than we do.  If we don't turn over bad or false thoughts over to God immediately, they will start to grow in our mind, thus giving way to sin.  It isn't a sin to glance at someone and say they look attractive, but it is in keeping that thought in our mind and allowing it to grow, that we sin.  It is where is our focus.  What are we allowing our mind to rest on, allowing to reside in us? 

I was driving down the road yesterday and turned on my turn signal and made a lane change.  I guess the person didn't like that I did that, and raced up beside me and started to swerve at me.  The male ego kicked in and I looked over at him and said "WHAT!"  but right than I stopped and gave it over to God.  (in the past, I would have done some gesture, or chased him down)  I immediately appolgized to God, "If I did something wrong to him, Lord, I am sorry.  If not, I am sorry for allowing human nature to kick in.  I pray that he goes and has a great day.  I pray blessing for him.  Be with us both Lord, today."  I was instantly in a different frame.  I, in the past, would have allowed that to ruin my whole day and told everyone about it.  I would have made that my focus, and not God.  But God is doing a great work in and through me,(and boy, does He have His hands full)  THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET SIN.  GOD KNOWS ALL!  Thank you for the blog.  Be blessed, my friend and brother.

Hugh, WOW!  you are right, what examples are we?  The world is watching us to see if we really are different, even when we think they are not.  People know us by who we act like and hang around.  "Bad associations spoil useful habits."  Are we trying to walk the fence, so that we are not too different?  Are we trying to be liked by all?  Whose approval are we really wanting?  I only care about God's "well done good and faithful servant."  Praises from others will not get me to live in God's presence for eternity. 

Nick, I don't think Hugh was going there.  I think he knows that thoughts will come, but it is how quickly we take these and release them back to God, and fill that spot with toughts of Him and His will for us.  God didn't take away temptation from us, but does give us a way out through Him.  He does give us the strength to sustain.    YOu are both on the same page.  We all just have different ways of saying things.  Thank God for that.  Many of you may not understand the things I say, but we are all here to try and help furthur each other in God and His will for us.

Side note, my pastor last night made an interesting,yet sad statement.  He got his numbers from s survey conducted by and in serveral churches.  He said that 58% of men, going to church, visited porn sites regularly, and that 40 % of women, going to church.  I found this alarming!!!  We have to safeguard our hearts and minds, and not allow these to infiltrate us.  God bless you both, my brothers.

There is one major difference between us and Christ, (ok really many)  But Christ was God in man's form.  He was perfect and without sin.  Christ didn't have those thoughts, because He didn't know sin.  Satan walked with Him, trying to entice Him and plant seeds of temptation.  Even then, Christ quoted the Bible.  If Christ did that, how important is it for us to really become on with God's word, so that when we are tempted, which we will be, we can answer from His Word.  Through Christ, we have been released from the power of sin.  We still have it, but are not imprisioned by it.  When a thought comes, due to our sinful nature, we must, immediately, turn to God and release it to Him.  Press into Him and trust completely in Christ's Blood covering us.  Satan knows man, and He can see our weaknesses and our passions, and he will try to use these to draw us away from our Father. 

Hugh I love how this blog is going and the teaching and learning that is going on.  May God continue to guide you and bless you, my dear brother.