Monday, November 13 2017

Today's reading: Lamentations 1-2 Hebrews 10:1-18 M.O.M.: Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. V.O.D: 1 Peter 2:15-16 New King James Version For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Captivating

What do we think of when we hear the word captive or captor? These usually carry a negative feel.

From the same root comes the word captivate. This word usually brings a positive thought. The movie was captivating or the scenery was captivating, etc.

We talk about this passage a lot: 2 Corinthians 10:5 We tear down arguments, and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

What could captivate our thoughts? This is subject matter that really gets our attention and holds it and consumes our thoughts. This is the problem that this scripture addresses.

Strong ideas usually come with strong emotion and this can take root and stay in our minds. Bad ideas-thoughts of sin-these will take root but not if not given the chance.

One writer speaks of building a screen in our minds from divine sources-the scripture, good Biblical teaching, meditation, Godly community and activities. This screen filters all that comes to mind.

So, we all have filters. What makes up yours? This is further reason for daily study-daily meditation on divine subject matter. If we continually immerse our minds in the world, our screen or filter will be naturally let worldly stuff in-plain and simple. If we train our minds with Godly thought, our filter will catch the ungodly.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to train our mind to catch the ungodly, we will not be 'captivated' by the ungodly because we have taken the bad captive-we have chained it up and discarded it-sent it packing. This takes the everyday exercise.

Try going to the gym and working hard for 45 minutes a day without living a healthy lifestyle the rest of the time and see what happens.

Constant work-constant thought-you will get tired. So rest. When we bathe our minds in the divine, we will rest with God on our minds. Rest in Him. Relax. Be at peace. The Spirit of God stands guard. Philippians 4:7-6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Father, Teach me, oh God, to bring everything to You-to filter everything by Your Spirit-Your mind and Your heart so that I may rest in You. My Great God of Peace!! In Jesus' name, Amen

...because He loves us...