We commit ourselves to God and desire that He remove patterns of sin from our lives.
Step # 7 --
We humbly ask God to renew our minds so that our sinful patterns can be transformed into patterns of righteousness.
In the twelve steps, steps six and seven carry on the "inside work" that has brought us from Step # 1. We begin a life long cooperation with the Holy Spirit of God, as He works to transform us. In Step 6 we read the phrase patterns of sin. As we continue to do things (behaviors) over and over, they become habits. An example would be the habit becoming a ditch. The more we act with the same behavior, the deeper the ditch is dug. Each time the rain comes, it follows the path of the ditch. The rain would be situations and circumstances that we face each day. Not knowing what to do or how to handle what we are facing, we resort to the old ditches we have dug, in other words, we continue in the old patterns of sinful behavior. God's desire if to fill up the old ditches and dig new ones that are a result of this new relationship I have with Him.
Step # 7 says we humbly ask God to renew our minds.....(Isn't this the place where all battles are played out? Our mind?). Romans 12:2 reads that we are no longer to be conformed this world (don't act or behave in the same manner as those who do not know Jesus) but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Let God show us the better way on how to deal with life.
I like how the Message Bible puts it: Don't be so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I guess you could say the key to today's posting is A solid, biblical belief system is the key to my healthy behavior.
As we near Christmas, I do want you to know how much I appreciate everyone who stops by Greene Street Letters. I pray that we all grow in Christ and that this upcoming year will be one of greater intimacy with Him and with us all growing in faith as we look forward to the return of Christ.
Merry Christmas from the Bynum's
Michael & Vicki
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