Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Think GODLY Thoughts

I've just read a post from one of my closest friends in Blogger, TBOO, entitled "My Mind Is Hurting Me!" You can go visit by clicking on it. So I must hand it out to her why I've remembered one of my most favorite articles by Max Lucado. A reminder of my mental struggles lately. As they say, "the mind is the battleground." TBOO, thank you for always being honest and courageous with your posts. You are such an anointed and humble young lady who is continuously growing in GOD. This post is inspired by her post. hehehe!

I am going to share an email devotional from Max Lucado sent last August 9, 2008. Yeah yeah yeah I'm just sharing it now. I believe that everyday, there is a spiritual warfare. Everyday, we can have mental struggles and Christians undergo so many trials but it is through articles like these that GOD is being shared and glorified. I am sharing this so you can carry the wonderful insights and sayings anywhere and anytime with you. If there are pocket Bibles, there are pocket words that we can carry in our hearts all the time in times of battle. I am sharing this because it hit my heart then and until now. I believe I am reminded of this again because of my mental struggles lately.

Thank GOD that HE uses people as HIS instruments such as TBOO and Max Lucado. Thank GOD that they're willing and available to be used by GOD.

Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions.
Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum.
Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime.
Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse.
Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery.
Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement.
Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.
Could that be why Paul writes, “Love … keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV)?
Some folks don’t know we have an option.
Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies.
It was for Jesus. Remember the thoughts that came his way courtesy of the mouth of Peter? Jesus had just prophesied his death, burial, and resurrection, but Peter couldn’t bear the thought of it. “Peter took Jesus aside and told him not to talk like that.… Jesus said to Peter, ‘Go away from me, Satan! You are not helping me! You don’t care about the things of God, but only about the things people think are important’” (Matt. 16:22–23).
See the decisiveness of Jesus?
What if you did that? What if you took every thought captive? What if you took the counsel of Solomon: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Prov. 4:23).
You are not a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote. You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. You can also exercise thought permission.
Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?
Paul says absolutely! It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We’ve got to let the good stuff in. It’s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings. The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase “keeps no list of wrongs” is used for think in Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (RSV). Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us.
Rather than store up the sour, store up the sweet.

If you wish to subscribe to his email devotionals, please just click on the image above.

I also would like to share one of my sister's post TWELVE TIPS TO CONQUER THE NEW YEAR

ALL THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD ALONE!!!

P.U.S.H.

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!!!

GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY! GOD IS ALWAYS WITH YOU - NO MATTER WHAT!

Make an impact. Make a difference. Make a ripple. Tip the scale. Be a blessing. Be different.

When you feel GOD's love, OVERFLOW WITH LOVELY AND GODLY THOUGHTS!

2 comments:

Karen said...

Great devotionals! Thanks for sharing...

Anonymous said...

Wow, I am very humbled by your amazingly kind words! It's ALL GOD!! Can't take credit for His Awesomeness!!!! love ya! :D