Think Truth
"For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me..."
In The 7 Resolutions Karl identifies two primary kinds of wrong thinking.
Self-loathing: Thinking less of ourselves than God thinks of us.
Self-elevating: Thinking more of ourselves than we think of God.
I know for myself I’ve struggled with both of these, sometimes even on the same day. That’s why I find the story of the faithful centurion so encouraging.
“When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” (Matt 8:5-6)
This is already a remarkable start simply because this Roman officer asked an occupied subject for help, instead of demanding it by force.
“And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” (Matt 8:7-10)
The centurion was able to think truth because he didn’t think less of himself. He knew that he had power and influence in this life. We never need to make ourselves lesser to humble ourselves before God. Having an accurate assessment of who he was is actually what gave the centurion the eyes to see who Christ was.
By thinking truth the faithful centurion was able to Join God and experience His power. We may not have 80 Roman legionaries under our command, but the Bible is full of truths that teach us who we really are.
Here’s a list of them Karl described in his book The 7 Resolutions.
• I am loved as much as anyone has ever been loved. (1 John 4:10)
• I am officially one of God’s kids. (John 1:12)
• I am chosen by God. (John 15:16)
• I am inseparable from God. (1 Cor. 6:17)
• I am carrying the life of God inside me. (1 Cor. 6:19)
• I am a vital member of God’s bigger family. (1 Cor. 12:27)
• I am identified by God as a saint, not a sinner. (1 Cor. 1:2)
• I am free from any and all condemnation. (Rom. 8:1)
• I am a brand new creation. (2 Cor. 5:17)
• I am sealed and secured by the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor. 1:22)
• I can go straight to God with anything. (John 16:26–27)
• I am able to receive wisdom for any trial. (James 1:5)
• I am absolutely inseparable from God’s love. (Rom. 8:38–39)
Which of these truths do you need to hold on to most this week?
Shawn
Executive Director, T7R