Wanted: Your Thoughts

I had a Bible verse hit me between the eyes today!  Has that ever happened to you?  I began to throw myself a little pitty party and began to think negatively about certain things.  As I was murmuring and complaining (in my mind) I heard that still, small voice say,

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"  2 Corinthians 10:5 

I don't suppose that I've ever thought of my mind as a prison before, but the Bible states that I am to be in control of my thoughts...ALL of my thoughts.  Now, sometimes I feel like saying, "I can't help it!  It's just the way I feel."  But I CAN help it!  God never commands us to do things that are impossible, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 9:26 b.  It is so easy to just let my thoughts roam free over the grassy meadows of indifference, or trudge through the valley of despair, or climb the mountains of self-will.  But that should not be!

I.  Cast down imaginations.

   As a young girl I was very much a day-dreamer and my school-work definitely suffered because of it.  I would much rather spent time in an imaginary world of fairy-tales and make-believe than to think about cold-hard facts.  On into my single years I still loved to day-dream about the future and imagine what I wanted my life to be like.  You know, this has been a very hard lesson for me to learn in my married life.  I have arrived!  This is it!  This IS what I always dreamed of for my life.  I should no longer be day-dreaming about un-obtainable goals or wishing for things that are different.  I need to be content with what I've been given, focus on today, and keep my eyes on the Prize, which is Jesus Christ.

II.  Cast down high things.

   I think that high things are anything that takes the place of godly thoughts.  Our minds should be filled with Scripture. 

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."  Joshua 1:8

Have you ever gone a whole day and realize that you have not once thought of the Lord or His Word?  Ouch!  I know I have!  Let's try to fill our mind with Scripture!

III.  Put your thoughts in prison.

   A.  Take command!  You are the warden and You are in charge!  Why are our thoughts so important?  Because God sees our thoughts!

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."  I Chronicles 28:9

   B.  Reform your thougths.  It is always a wonderful thing to see a prison inmate get out jail and begin to live his life for God.  It is also a wonderful thing to take a bad thought and turn it around into a good thought!  I know that we cannot always keep ourselves from thinking negatively, but if we find ourselves thinking critically about someone, we should stop ourselves and replace the critical thought with a positive one.  I have found that this helps me to keep my heart soft and loving!  If you start to feel self-pity about different circumstances in your life, start counting your blessings and you will find that you have SO MUCH to be thankful for!  I know that I do!

   C.  Obey Christ!  Did you know God tells us EXACTLY what we are to think about?



"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."  Philippians 4:8

Use this verse as a filter and run all of your thoughts through it!  Pure thoughts make a pure mind.

There are so many more great verses on thoughts.  Why not do a word study on thoughts?  It has surely helped me!