Defeating The Obstacles Against Centering Our Thinking On Jesus Christ

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Last LORD’s Day, we discussed how the focal point of the lives of the Children of Israel, according to Exodus 12 was to be changed to placing the Passover Lamb into place in the center of their lives by obedience to the command of God to sanctify themselves in this manner.

Likewise, we as the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. (The permanent and everlasting sacrificial Lamb of God; Jesus Christ) must make discipleship in Christ become central to our everyday life and practice.

This week let us consider the intended impact of this amazing strategy on just exactly why this is important for us to do, and just how to get it done, while still being human beings who are prone to wander like sheep.

Paul said that the entire OT was written for our instructions on how to think and behave!

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

(Pro 23:7 KJV)  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

1Corinthians 10:11 – 12 (KJV)

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

John 6:60 – 66 (KJV)

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Conclusions:

1) We don’t always say what we mean, but we tend to “white-wash” what we are saying to portray the person we want to be perceived as; but only when angered or provoked do we speak our minds on a subject; likewise, we show the person we want people to see; but not who we really are!

2) What we hear from ourselves and others, is not the same as what we “really think” many times, and we must realize that as we think within our hearts is the real deal on how we think and react in any given situation; therefore, we must study God’s Word, and practice how to execute it in thought and action!

3) We must learn to fully accept the written facts firstly about the Gospel, and then also about all the teachings of the Bible, so that we can apply the washing with  the water of the Truth to cleanse the way we really are to defeat the obstacles against centering our thinking on Jesus Christ!