By Albert Friend
There is a place in God that we must find. When we find it and work it into our spirit, we are ready to trust Him with a brave trust. He invites us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. -Casting all our cares on Him” is a covenant that God has with us. He wants us to do that. He wants to have faith that “all” means “all.”
He loves us and wants us to succeed. He wants us to have faith in His word so strong that we reach a place of strong trust in Him. It is a place where we realize we have done all we must do. Then, having done all we must do, we stand, letting Him alone to finish our cares. We release our cares to His covenant. We take the risk. We take the risk because God is well able to handle our problem. It is wise to cast all our cares on Him.
The wise man Solomon spoke these words: “And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? Even that which hath been already done. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.” Ecclesiastes 2:12-14.
The one event that happens to everyone is death. After death comes judgment. The wise man will live with his life totally in covenant with God.
Correct Your Spirit with Wise Words
“The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.” Ecclesiastes 12:11.
Fasten your convictions like a nail bent over that will not be pulled out.
A goad is a sharp pointed stick used for urging oxen ahead when they were stubborn. The words of the wise will correct your spirit. Let these scriptures goad you.
Ecclesiastes 12:11 teaches us that wise words are goads that urge us to obey.
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
The verse in Proverbs 15:1 goads us to “turn away wrath with a soft answer.”
Learn to give soft answers when everything in you wants to fight back.
That’s smart. If a soft answer doesn’t turn away their wrath, hang in there. Stand. Get Quiet!
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” Proverbs 26:20
No Wood—No Fire! Goad your spirit with those wise words.
Look at these “Goads”
“All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” Ecclesiastes 1:8
“I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Ecclesiastes 1:14
“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold. this also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 2:1
Ecclesiastes 2:4-1 1 :
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24
“Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.” Ecclesiastes 5:9
“When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?” Ecclesiastes 5:11
Look at these “Nails Fastners”
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Titus 1:2
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ So that we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’ Hebrews 13:5-6
“For ever, 0 LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
All the above “Goads” and “Nail Fastners” will correct your attitude.
Bound in Grave Clothes
A bad conviction is like being bound in grave clothes.
Jesus said in John 11:11: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.”
Then in John 11:43-44: “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.”
John 11:43-44
When you are bound with a false conviction that is hard to throw off, you are like Lazarus in his grave clothes. You need to be loosed and set free. Let me cut you free from the grave clothes that have you bound with a false belief. With the right attitude you can be free. A wise word from the Bible will do it. The word of God is sharper than a two edged sword. It will cut you free of a bad attitude.
Here is a starter
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
God has you in His thoughts. He imagines you in a peaceful setting coming to His expected success. If you will hear His voice and obey His word you will become His expected end.
A strong belief is an imagination, a picture, an intention, a plan. As a man has faith in his convictions so is he. Have faith in God’s word. Thoughts are the rules of life in everything. You are only able do what you imagine to do. The hands do what the mind sees.
You need to store in your mind thoughts that will energize you in your bad times. With the right resources you are able to block destructive thoughts from entering you mind.
This is the whole purposes of this book.
The above article, “Correct Your Spirit,” was excerpted from chapter 9 of Albert Friend’s book Attitude of Hope, which was published in 2006.
The material is most likely copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.
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