Personal rules of practice

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We all hate rules.  I grew up thinking they were all so …onerous and unnecessary.  So limiting!

Well-thought-through rules
Well-thought-through rules, however, can be our personal checklist for living the way we really want to live, instead of falling for traps along the way.  After all, what we want is what is desirable and right. We can more easily avoid missteps along the way if we take time to inspect our ways and aim to live sensibly.

If we establish our own guidelines… they can help us avoid what so easily whacks us ^{Hebrews 12:1}.  We take what we foresee as “dangerous” for us… and on purpose avoid problems down the road.

“A wise man suspects danger
and cautiously avoids evil,
But the fool
is arrogant and careless.”
– Proverbs 14:16

Avoiding Evil.  How to be a more righteous man…

A Swift proverb (based on the various translations of Job 11:12):

Don’t be an empty-headed wild ass who thinks he knows it all. You’re so vain! You were never “born free”.  Don’t be a stupid person who can’t tame himself!  If you are a fool — forget about it! You’ll never become wise.  It’s more likely that a wild donkey will give birth to a human!

See: Proverbs 27:12, Proverbs 14:16, Proverbs 16:6

Fuhgeddaboutit!  ¹=

What “leads to sin and enslaves the soul”
The Good Life is all about not letting anything lead you to sin, and not becoming enslaved by sin.  The Bible shows us what “leads to sin and enslaves the soul”.  Read, for example 1 Corinthians 10:9-14.

What are your general practices in life?  Have you created “rules” for yourself, what you will do, what you will not do, generally?  I found this especially helpful while young and trying to rein-in my wild and crazy stallion heart. And it helps now that I am older also.

The wild and crazy stallion heart
looks so free his head raised high
he kicks his heels and races freely down the field (YouTube)
but who can ride him, use him, love him
with no restraints the rebel races on

Only God
can break
my wild and crazy
stallion heart
I want to be
gentle, kind and useful
not some wicked
wild and crazy
stallion heart.

– Source: My wild and crazy stallion heart

Habits of Love.
Love is a choice.  I am developing “habits of love”. How are you doing with your “love quotient?

What’s Your Excuse? …famous failures

I’m working on these:

• Instead of suspecting bad things in that person – I will choose to forgive on-the-spot.
• What I “suspect” …will be shut-down on-the-spot.  I will not allow myself to get caught-up with bad thoughts.
• Instead of condemning thoughts, I will favor that person, in spite of my suspicious negative thoughts.
• I will shut-down my suspicious negative thoughts.
• I will not allow myself to suspect a wrong, and think ill of that person.
• I will not allow my mind to go over and over a supposed slight committed by that person against me.
• I will forgive that thoughtless comment, that arrogance exuded, that selfish act that hurt my pride.
• I will shut-down thinking evil of that person, and choose to accept him or her.
• I will think of that person’s needs as more important than my self-interests (Philippians 2:3-4)
• I choose not to be self-absorbed, where everything is about me and my preferences, my ways, my rules.
• I choose to be non-judgemental, not condemning, not criticizing.
• I choose to be nice.
• I choose to be loving.
• I choose to forgive instead.

– Source:  Habits of Love

The enemies of our soul put the full spectrum of sin before us – of things we love to fall for.

What “leads to sin and enslaves the soul”
Few things are evil “in-and-of-themselves”.  Maybe you love to quote 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful….”  But if you read the Bible, you soon recognize what “leads to sin and enslaves the soul”.  Make your list.

Here is one possible list (maybe not for you, maybe yes):

going to dances, raves, bars; partying, going out with certain friends, dating, being totally alone in your car or lying down with your soulmate (boyfriend or girlfriend), certain types of music, movie theaters, some TV channels, particular video games, YouTube, attending particular protests,  casual drinking,  sleaze-filled books or programs. Have you made rules of practice for yourself, to avoid enslavement?

Elsewhere God says that if a person persists and persists and persists… in his/her sin, He Himself may eventually give them full rein (like dropping the reins that guide a galloping horse and letting the horse go willy-nilly where IT wants).  God is patient and kind, “not willing that any should perish”, but don’t test God in this, this

I’m still “a work in progress” (as we all are).

I’m a’ workin’ more on myself. (I know.  It says: I am a working moron myself.)  Sometimes I am a moron!  I do exactly NOT what I wanted to do, just as the Apostle Paul admitted in Romans 7: verse 15.  How foolish is that!?

I want to be always right, and always righteous.  But I’m not.

I’m working at it.

– Source: Admitting I was wrong

Personal standards of conduct are based on what God wants from us, and what Jesus stood for.

Who you stand with shows.  It shows with how you live your life, with how you habitually act, with “the thoughts and intentions of your heart….”

– Source: What is good and what is not

We have everything we need – to succeed in our Christian life.  It’s all about Him – in us.

If you are seeking God, get ready for good to overflow from inside you – to others!  In Christ, by His Spirit “…you have enough of everything in every way at all times…” ^{2 Corinthians 9:8}.

Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness ²³ gentleness,
and self-control….

We have everything necessary for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3; see more).  This is natural for us – so put it on.  To mature in our faith, we need to get it together.  Reset our mind.

2 Corinthians 9:8
“And God is able to
make all grace overflow to you
so that because you have enough
of everything in every way at all times,
you will overflow
in every good work.”

– Source:  Pleasure and Bad Behaviors we love to fall for

FOR MORE:

How to be more righteous – that is the Christian’s goal: To not let anything lead you into sin. To not become enslaved by sin. What have you set-up to guide you more into righteousness?
__________

My wild and crazy stallion heart

What is good and what is not

Don’t be like Hophni and Phinehas

Bein’ Bad or Good

Pleasure and Bad Behaviors we love to fall for

What’s Your Excuse? …famous failures

The progressive nature of evilness

About past sins and being forgiven now

Being Wrong

The reality of incompleteness on earth

Degrees of Sin

Fighting the Good Fight

Waiting for “the real real”

Admitting I was wrong

The Righteous Person

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

Rely on the Spirit of God in you

Extreme to the nth degree

This is natural for us so put it on

Who You Are In Christ

God is able to keep you from stumbling

How then should we live now… believing the Rapture is just around the corner?

Let not

Don’t Let It

Streaming from my soul…from inside you   Excerpt: Our “inner self, … heart, …conscience,” can be empty of light, dominated by darkness – because the light of God’s truths are not in us “[devoid of God’s precepts]”. What a horrible, horrible condition.

Like gold dust streaming from my heart…God produces gold dust in us to touch others. Got gold!?

Got social justice flowing – from your insides?…from inside my insides

What God Wants

What Jesus stands for

What Jesus wants to see in me

Habits of love

Living daily with gentleness and respect

How to treat people

Growing into our natural new life in Christ

Living the good life – with courage and confident hope

Before a good cup a Joe

1. 
   Job 11:12 in various translations: