Michael Koelling: Chaos in my mind

Chaos-complete disorder:state of utter confusion.

• If there's one thing we all know and have experienced in personal and corporate ways is that chaos is never very far away.

• From an office, purse, car, or home, to a global chaos like a flood, fire, explosion, tsunami, or the most unnerving death.

• Chaos is always lurking around the corner, prowling and sneaking around looking for an opportunity to throw our lives into disarray and confusion.

• It never stops.

• It never tires.

• It's incessant!

Isaiah 45:18 (NLT)

"For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. "I am the Lord," he says, "and there is no other."

1. People make decisions in their mind based upon what they feel, what they have been taught, or what they have seen, to be right or wrong, good or bad, beneficial or worthless.

• Your mind is the command center for all that you are and do.

• Lives have been through success and lives have been through failure all because of what first...transpired...in the mind.

• I have watched them lay down and refuse to make decisions in the chaos thinking that has exempted them from failure when as a matter of fact it was the very decision that launched it.

• So many times you see winners or losers all being developed and created in the mind.

• You can point them out just based upon the words they speak.

Romans 12:2(NLT)

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

• Want to know the will of God, need direction, line yourself up with His Word.

2. God is the author of clarity not confusion!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

• God has not given us the spirit of fear, negativity, weakness, He has given us power, courage, resolution, giving us strength to meet difficulties and dangers with opposition and not embrace.

• Sound mind, quietness of mind. Peace in chaos.

• When you have decisions to make go to His Word, His roadmap for you.

• The Spirit of God will make you stand up for what is right, speak out against what is wrong, and help you flesh that out moment by moment that you rife makes eternal impact.

3. We have to guard our minds.

Ephesians 6:13, 17 (NLT)

"Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm."

[17] Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

• I want to do, have chosen to do the right thing.

• Righteousness actually constitutes the right actions towards those around me.

• And unrighteousness is not doing the right thing toward my neighbor.

• Godliness is doing the right thing towards God.

• Ungodliness is the wrong relationship with God.

• Take the helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17),

• Salvation as a helmet?

• Why?

• Because God wants control of our mind.

• The mind controls the body.

• If God controlled the mind then He will truly lead us in a righteous manner body, soul, and spirit.

• It seems that everywhere I go people are having a tough time of it. Life.

• The list is long: work issues; interpersonal conflicts; school issues; family issues; poor choices made and the consequences; illness; loss; grief; relationships; a sense of betrayal; were only some of the things I hear.

• It seems that chaos has the upper hand.

• I don't know how chaos has made it's way into your life right now; perhaps in a manner I've suggested or some other way.

• But know this, that our awesome creator God, through his only Son Jesus Christ, can even use the raw material of chaos to create hope; purpose; new insights and wisdom; a rekindled love; a second chance; the promise of a future.

• In the beginning the Creator shaped chaos into goodness.

• God created order in chaos.

• He spoke it into being, into place.

• Clarity in chaos.

• So whatever you are dealing with right now the creator of the heavens and earth can say to it, "peace be still."

December Series