Happy Friday! It’s July 29th, 2022. I can’t believe that the next time we share devotions on Monday, it will be a new month … August 1st! Anyway, today we meet with Peter as he talks about the kinds of inner conversations we have. These exchanges are much more important than we will ever realize. And although we are prone to it, we cannot allow internal conversations to run aimlessly. Even Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 10 to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Peter echoes that sentiment, and so should we! Read on …
Today's Reading:
Isaiah 57,58,59; Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3
Scripture
"Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.” (2 Peter 3:1-2)
Observation
Peter exhorts us to "wholesome thinking." I love that phrase. It promotes a kind of thinking that factors in the words of Scripture and principles of old.
The story is told of a man who visited the farm of a self-proclaimed expert in archery. When he arrived, everywhere he looked, he found targets — on the barn door, on haystacks, on trees. And smack in the bulls-eye of every target was an arrow! Convinced that this man must indeed be the best archer, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Looking around, he made his way to the back of the barn. There he saw the self-proclaimed expert archer about to shoot his bow. He let the arrow fly, and it stuck fast in the side of the barn. He then dipped a paintbrush into a bucket of paint and drew a target, placing the arrow in the middle of the bull's-eye!
How often do we have our own predisposed ideas and intentions and look for Scriptures that will reinforce them? The Bible then begins to revolve around us rather than the other way around.
Application
I want to learn to be a person of wholesome thinking who makes decisions based on God's Word without compromise. I want to factor in His principles that will result in wise decisions for my faith, family, and future. I want to be sure that God's purpose for my life is fulfilled, so to do this, I will write them down, study them, and plan my days accordingly. I will then keep them ever before me to be sure that all my actions, investments, and plans match those purposes. Wholesome thinking is based on "the command given by the Lord." This is the target I must adjust my aim to match, not adjust His command to match my agenda. Wholesome thinking includes common sense and practical wisdom in equal amounts. It's not too "religious" but has many biblical principles with several helpings of refreshing simplicity.
Prayer
Dear Father, I don't want to shoot aimlessly and hope that I can draw Scripture around it. Instead, I will do my best to discern Your will and aim my life to hit the center of the mark.
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