January.  A new year.  Resolutions.  Sound familiar?  Most of us would like to change something about ourselves or our life.  So we vow to lose weight and start exercising, or quit smoking, or go back to school and get a degree.  How long before we get discouraged and give up?

Resolutions are good, but only as good as our commitment to keeping them.  And that begins with our thoughts.  So how do we stick with it?  Romans 12:2 says “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [changed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  That happens by being aware of the ideas, concepts, and perceptions we allow into our brains, where they take root and begin to grow.  Do you permit idle musings to permeate the inner sanctum of your intellect, or do you actively select what remains and what is discarded?  We control our destiny by the thoughts we allow to develop.

Negative or harmful thoughts lead to actions of that same nature.  Second Corinthians 10:5 tells us we should “Cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”  We would not be instructed to do it if it were not possible, so the excuse “I can’t help what I think about” just doesn’t cut it.  The remedy for this is to replace the erroneous thoughts with positive, more powerful ones.  This type of thinking is described in Philippians 4:8:  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  By planting positive seeds with edifying characteristics, we effectively weed out the damaging influences.

To aid in this process, Ephesians 5:26 reveals how Jesus carries out this mission: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”  The WORD.  Scriptures.  Read the Bible and meditate on it.  Daily.  Moment by moment.  Apply it to your job, school, relationships, attitudes, self image.  This is the only way to be transformed, to change what we don’t like about ourselves or our life into something and/or someone we can enjoy and be that light to the world.

One of the most powerful visuals I have seen that demonstrates this principle comes from a Sci Fi ad, “Bucket of Youth”, as seen on You Tube.  The water is the Word and we are the woman who is transformed by the continual stream of water/Word.

In a similar manner, the blood of Jesus covers us in a continual flow that cleanses us from ALL sin, past, present and future.  The blood and water that poured from his side at Calvary still covers us today.  We are simultaneously being cleansed and transformed, “line upon line and precept upon precept”.  Position yourself under the cascade of blood and water and enter into a life of joy and freedom like you have never known.