Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- October 23, 2011
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
Thoughts need to be taken into captivity. They are dangerous left alone to their own devices. Untamed thoughts can be alluring and illusive at the same time. They can lead you down the path of lies and destruction, or they can lead you into the open fields of truth and life. Left unattended and without boundaries, thoughts can become reckless and harmful. You become what you think, not unlike your body becomes what you eat.
There is a direct correlation between thinking and doing. Sloppy thinking leads to sloppy living. Disciplined thinking leads to disciplined living. The mind can be a beautiful agent of the Lord or a seductive siren of Satan. It is the beautiful mind of Christ that you seek above all else. But this will only happen with intentionality. Your mind must first pass through the “boot camp” of obedience. This is basic training in thinking.
The purpose of your thinking is obedience to Christ. If this outcome is not clear, then you are set up for failure. Obedience to God is the bottom line of Christian living. Without obedience to God, we have no authority or credibility. Hence, our understanding and application of truth becomes tainted and watered down. Obedience gives you the momentum to confront the enemies of truth.
Indeed, atheistic and agnostic arguments will assault and challenge your Christ-centered beliefs. Your biblical worldview will collide with worldviews diametrically opposed to grace and forgiveness. Your belief in absolutes will be ridiculed and roasted over the fires of relativism and humanism. Therefore, prepare your mind by understanding the nuances of your faith. Why do you believe what you believe? How is Christianity relevant? What historical facts point to the resurrection of Christ?
But captive thinking is more than an apologetic of the Christian faith. Captive thinking is pure thinking. Obedience to Christ can be expressed in an unadulterated commitment to Him. A pure mind is compelled by an intimate relationship with Jesus. He is the groom and we are the bride. The bride is enamored and in love with her new husband. She is captivated by her man. She wants to please and serve him like no other. It is a love relationship that won’t quit! It’s the same as we fall deeper in love with Jesus.
We want to think what He thinks, do what He does, go where He goes, listen to what He listens to and watch what He watches. Your eyes are the sentries to your mind. They stand on guard ready to act in a moment’s notice. Do not overwhelm your eyes with the self-inflicted wounds of lust and licentiousness. It is hard enough for them to guard your mind without your capitulation to sin’s exposure.
The Devil’s demons sit on your shoulder feeding you bad information, but they are powerless. They cannot make you do anything. The demons can speak lies, but they are impotent in their ability to make you behave badly. Learn to recognize the origin of these twisted thoughts, and then quarantine them into God’s hand. Thus, you give the captured thoughts of the enemy to God. God can handle these prisoners of pain.
In contrast, release the captured thoughts of truth and purity into your life. Wise and pure thoughts lead to wise and pure living. As a result, your obedience to Christ is alive and well. Sometimes taking thoughts captive is like herding cats, but stay on point. Do not drop your guard or relax your efforts. Your “Waterloo” is your mind. Stay vigilant to bring each thought into captivity. This is battle one!
Taken from Dose 71 in the 90-day devotional book, Infusion
Give the gift of wisdom and receive a gift of wisdom: Sign up five friends, click: http://bit.ly/q4217i for the free daily devotional. Then email rita@wisdomhunters.com to let her know and she will send you a link to download a complimentary copy of the new 90-day day devotional eBook Seeking God in the Psalms.
Additional Resource: eBooks- Wisdom for Fathers, Wisdom For Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, Infusion, Seeking Daily the Heart of God and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/jHlNX0 All titles also available from the iBook store for iPad
Additional Resource: Printed copy of the 365 day devotional: Seeking Daily the Heart of God and the 90-day devotional books Infusion and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/bQHNIE
Support Wisdom Hunters: Learn how you can help us reach other Wisdom Hunters with your monthly donation… click here: http://wisdomhunters.com/support-wh/
Comments are closed.
Taking thoughts captive is important to real life, prayer life, spiritual life. (Amazing how many applications that Scripture has!) I use these verses in training my kids, in my work as a counselor, and in my own growth.
You said it wonderfully!