All The Way

It's amazing how important the last few steps can be. Our reluctance to follow things all the way through to completion can often negate what we've done to get to that point. We can expend a great deal of energy and still fall short of where we want to be if we don't follow all the way through. My desire to be a good husband and father won't be realized if I don't take the actions to be that man for my family. I can write down a lot of good ideas and even talk about how to make them happen, but fall short by not doing what needs to be done. I can't be partially obedient to a vision by ignoring the last few steps and hoping it all works out.

Believe It

What do you believe? Can you clearly articulate it? The key to our belief isn't so much in our ability to define those values. I feel certain that we can all speak fairly intelligently about a number of different topics and align ourselves with specific viewpoints. Even our most eloquent language doesn't necessarily indicate our true beliefs though. That is truly only indicated in our actions.

How is this seen in our lives? Where are we professing one thing and yet living another? If you are unsure about your belief system then take a careful look at what you are doing and it will be made obvious. We reveal our true level of belief by what we apply to our lives.

Think It Out

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, 

not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Philippians 4:8

God isn't just concerned with what we do, but is intimately invested in our thoughts. He understands the connection between the focus of our mental energies and our resulting actions. God isn't a punitive, dictatorial God however. He doesn't just tell us what we shouldn't be doing, but gives us directions to fill the gap once we've removed the negative behaviors. Focusing our thoughts in the area God deems best will protect us from ourselves & other negative influences. 

We either pollute our minds and poison the well that we draw from or choose a clear, refreshing source that runs purely through our lives.