A Clear Conscience

Keep your conscience clear.  For some people have deliberately violated their conciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

1 Timothy 2:19

Reading this reminded me of the times when I have fallen into a pity party.  Those times when nothing seems to be going well for me and I tend to start feeling sorry for myself letting those feelings turn into a moment, or a day, of wallering in my self pity.  I let satan entertain me with his lies and I deliberately violate my concsience by letting him stay around convincing me of things that aren't true, noble and good.  These feelings can be dangerous when we let them entertain us.  We can fall into a deep rut, or worse, get way off track by letting satan convince us there is something better or easier.  

Friends, I'm not saying I have this under control but I am sharing my warning with you today because I see the danger one wrong thought can have in one's life.  I have looked upon my past and the ways in which I did let others entertain me with wrong thinking, and it didn't take long for me to believe it was truth.  I deliberately compromised my faith and found myself shipwrecked a time or two.  And I see now that if I continue violating my conscience with my complaining and doubting and my negative thoughts I will find myself putting my vessel back together again and again.  Think about your life and the thoughts you entertain.  

Friend, I am praying for you to keep your conscience clear and to stay clear of satan's lies and the lies of this world.  Keep your eyes on eternity and the things that God says and you will stay upright in a world that is falling all around you.  Cry out to God the moment you find yourself violating your conscience and "fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  (Philippines 4:8)