Second Thoughts

Rise and Shine for Jesus! \O/

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

"Second Thoughts"

In thinking about the ocean, it is a body of water symbolic of instability. It is never the same from day to day... One minute it is gentle and rolling and the next it is filled with roaring, life threatening waves! It is a slave to the winds and the moon, which cause

the sea to behave in such a fickle fashion. How long do you stay the same, dear lady? By that I mean, how long after purposing in your heart to do things differently, in light of God's Word, do you remain constant in your commitment? What would you say causes men and women to conduct their lives in an unstable manner or be robbed of stability altogether? Proverbs 5:6 says of the strange woman that "her ways are moveable, that

thou canst not know them." This woman is of a slippery nature... Further down in verse 8, the Bible counsels us to remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of

her house. Yes, God warns us against instability in other's lives – as well as our own...

Proverbs 24:21-22

My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

A person with a tendency toward instability inflicts great misfortune upon themselves and those who know them. God says it is best not to be connected with or participate in their affairs. Like the ocean, you never know from one day to the next what you are dealing with and you could both end up shipwrecked!

James 1:7b-8

....For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Perhaps you know someone who is always experiencing "second thoughts" about certain issues going on in their life. Every circumstance that comes up leaves them tossed and tormented, confused and uncertain; their emotions and their decisions waver. Maybe that someone is you! Have you ever been ashamed of your unsteadiness? What causes one to be so anxious? What causes us to vacillate back and forth in an unsettled fashion? Perhaps as you read the Biblical account below the answer will occur to you…

John 6:57-69

[57] As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. [58] This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. [59] These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. [60] Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? [61] When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? [62] What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? [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. [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. [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. [66] From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. [67] Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? [68] Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. [69] And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Ladies, stability does not mean to be deficient in change, but rather moving with God in every circumstance! One reason people's lives are in such a mess is because men have been reluctant and even refused to depend upon the wisdom of God. Jesus teaching is not hard to understand but hard to accept once it is understood! Hence, people leave territory wide open for the enemy to come in and toss them in either one direction or the other. Those who have not wholly committed themselves to the Lord will find their unbelief in His Word leads to defection. In what state are you today, dear lady; will ye also go away?? Does His Word offend you or can you accept and go with what you have understood? The righteous person is one whose heart is fixed, and trusting in God...

(click picture for audio devotional)

Psalm 112:7

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

Is your heart rooted in the strength of your Maker? In the precise moment the conflict comes, the righteous man or woman is filled with confidence in the Lord, rather than "second thoughts" or fears and anxiety. Exactly what is a "second thought"? It is the one that follows the first thought - usually the one that fills you with doubt! If there are to be any "second thoughts", they must assist the first thought - especially if it was fixed upon God and leaning toward trusting in Him! Ladies, if your second thoughts are threatening your faith, then they have been placed in your mind by the enemy and are to be cast down!

Hebrews 13:9

Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace....

When you are tempted to return to old ways of dealing with issues, rather than tossing aside the grace you received when you first believed, continue in it, mature in it, establish yourself in grace and make stability a permanent part of your character! Stay with your first thought of God; stay with the Word of God! There is profit when it is mixed with faith… Determine to walk in the path of duty, not doubt…

Galatians 1:6

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel...

The Galatians spoken of here had captured Paul's attention and forced him to stop and wonder over their impulsive decision to abandon the grace of God for another gospel. Their departure from the Lord was a dangerous decision, to say the least! Unstable people do force us to pause and reflect curiously upon their fickle behaviors. Ladies, corrupt teachings produce corrupt living... Somewhere along the way the wrong advice was taken. Obey the Lord and stay away from people or materials that cause an inward commotion and shake your allegiance to Christ! You must even be suspicious of your own heart. If you want to avoid instability, then don't take a "second thought" against God's counsel...

Psalm 106:13

They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

It's incredible how soon man forgets the marvelous works of the Lord in his life! It's equally incredible how soon we turn our backs upon His counsel and give in to our own plans. Would that we were as quick to forget our desires, and ourselves, amen? In our haste, we willingly trade in God’s matchless grace for instability! Just as the waves are restless, we too, become restless in spirit. Unstable souls are easily beguiled... Opinions or thoughts contrary to the law of God must be forsaken!

Genesis 49:4a

Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel…

Ladies, if you want to stop being torn over what to do, ask God for wisdom, and trust that He will give it to you. Stay in His Word and obey it and you will excel! Don't wrestle with God’s guidance, just submit to His authority and avoid all the turmoil that accompanies a lack of faith. Then your decisions will be sure and solid - never having to give them a second thought!

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2001 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2003