Thick, black smoke billowed from the high rise building. Flames licked at the glass and clawed their way up, one window at a time. The structure weakened under the persistent assault of its load bearing members. A distant cry for help echoed from the penthouse floor. "It's me up there isn't it, Lord?", he reasoned. He splashed some water on his face, freeing beads of sweat to join others. Closing his eyes, he saw it again. "This is the kingdom I have built by my own efforts, isn't it Lord? And it's burning down one section at a time." Legs weakening, he leaned on the countertop and stared intently into the mirror. "Lord, I can't do this on my own anymore." This is the depiction of Matthew 7: 24-27: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Lamentations 3: 40 says "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.". The unexamined life is doomed to destruction. Secular in nature, it takes the crown away from God and places Man on the throne. Man, therefore, makes the rules, determines his own destiny, chooses his own morals, and believes he is intrinsically good. God calls us to live an examined life. One in which He is sovereign daily and active personally. He writes the standards and expects us to be responsible in abiding by them. The problem is that we might not take the time or choose not to examine our ways. We do not realize that there is an active battle for dominion over our minds. Matthew 22: 37: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" Daily, we must choose who we will serve, clothe ourselves in the armor of God, and commit our words, thoughts, and actions to the glory of God. We do this by applying Godly principles to our life's struggles instead of secular principles. It is our choice to make this our creed. First Kings 18: 21: "Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.'" By intensely studying the Bible and communicating in prayer, we can gain the skills needed to win the battle for our minds. In our closets are many outfits. Each represents a costume for the role we play at work, home, parties,recreation, and church. We have the ability to don a suitable social mask depending on which peer group we interact with at the time. Which one is the real you? The real you is the man God wants you to consistently be in every situation. With God as Captain of our life's ship, our thoughts, speech, and actions become transformed by His direction. We can hardly afford not to give Him the wheel! Mattew 23: 28 describes, "In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Revelation 3: 15-17 says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.". A decision is a byproduct of a thorough process requiring the input of time and thought, followed by action. Choosing between the Rat Race and God's Race might be the biggest decistion we make everyday. He has given us this life. It is up to us to choose who will be on our heart's throne. So let's take a time out; let God be God; examine our ways; experience the full and meaningful life He intended from the beginning.Consider Phillipians 1: 9-11: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." Next week: Biblical Christian or Cultural Christian?
