August 5, 2009
“Boundaries"
Dear Friend,
Several years ago I read William Ury’s book, The Power of a Positive No. In this book Ury teaches how it is necessary for us to say no to some things so that we can say yes to better things. He then teaches the proper way of saying no. He makes a very important point when he says that by saying no to the wrong things and yes to the right things ”you are setting a clear limit, drawing a clean line, creating a firm boundary.”
In each of our souls we find wrong thoughts, desires and inclinations. This is the origin of our sinful behaviors. If we intend to learn to say no to these thoughts, desires and inclinations, we must learn how to say yes to better thoughts, better desires and better inclinations.
Will you ask yourself three questions?
- Am I setting clear and proper limits upon myself?
- Am I drawing clean lines in my own thinking between what will strengthen me
and what will ruin me? - Am I creating firm boundaries beyond which I will not pass for any reason?
The Scriptures teach us that Christ sent the Holy Spirit to help us create these limits, draw these lines and establish these boundaries. Without His divine help we cannot say no to that which is broken within ourselves and yes to that which God desires for us. But by the grace of Christ and through his strengthening ministry of the Holy Spirit, we have every hope of saying yes to the will of God and no to the ruinous passions of the flesh.
God bless you in your quest to become the noble soul of God’s making.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
