TAKING IT CAPTIVE

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4  (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 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.

When a person commits a crime, the law goes after them to bring them into captivity.  In these verses, this is what Paul is saying to us.  We have to cast down imaginations that do not line up with the Word of God, and take every thought captive.  We need to keep getting to a place in our lives where we think God's thoughts, and not the thoughts of the secular news.

“Oh Pastor,” you might say, “that is a tall order,” and you know what, it is!  But I have found that if I spend a good portion of my day listening to the news and checking every website to see what is going on, it brings no edification whatsoever.  However, if I think God's thoughts, and make a conscience decision to let His Word stay in my life, it lifts me up and helps me throughout the day.

Paul states here that though we walk in the flesh, our battle is not with people, but with ourselves.  We do not like to hear that, but it is the truth.  Most of my battles are in my mind, and if I am just putting more junk in there, how am I ever going to win this battle and be victorious in life?

So today, take those thoughts captive that have been pulling you down.  Put them in jail, and do not give them a “Get Out of Jail Free Card.”  Bind them up, hold them down, and let God's Word fill your mind and heart in Christ Jesus!

Confession:  Today, I am taking control of my thoughts.  This is my mind, and I do not have to fill it with trash.  I can fill it with the good Word of God, and with things that build me up.  Today, I am taking the trash out, and bringing good stuff in!

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THINK ON THESE THINGS

Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 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.

Sometimes we catch ourselves wondering what we should think about.  It seems like our minds can go off in so many directions.  The Bible tells us what to think about, and we find it in this verse.  I have found that our minds seem to want to go to the negative, so when we see here the different things to think on, it helps us to correct our “stinking thinking.”

The Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, says that we should think on things that are TRUE, HONEST, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT, VIRTUOUS, AND FULL OF PRAISE.  Now, for many of us, this will take an adjustment, but the Bible would never tell us to do something unless God has put within us the ability to do it.  It does take effort, but the rewards are so great.  Instead of being down and out, you will have joy and peace.

Making decisions in our lives to do it God's way, and not ours, can really bring us from the lows to the highs in our lives.   Many wonder why they are down, or seem to be so bummed.  I would venture to say that many times it is what we are thinking about.  We have to make a decision to look at bad thoughts, or even just down thoughts, like garbage.  I do not know about you, but when there is garbage in the house, I take it out.

So today, if you have garbage thoughts, go ahead and take them out, and fill your house (your mind) with the thoughts found here.  Think thoughts that are TRUE, HONEST, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT, VIRTUOUS, AND FULL OF PRAISE!

Confession:  Today, I am taking the garbage out.  I am taking out the negative thoughts, and filling my mind with God's Word.  His Word is spirit and life, and that is exactly what I need; His life!

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ONE THING

Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

What is the one thing that we need to do in our lives?  What is the most important decision that we can make?  These verses tell us what it is.  It is a decision that will last throughout all eternity.  We need to set ourselves to go after one thing, and that one thing is Jesus!

This world can offer us so much, but here the Apostle Paul says that all that he did in the past is nothing.   What is really important is to press to the goal of our call in Jesus.

When we think of this, it is so true!  I can gain the whole world (I can gain the wealth, the power, and the fame) but it is all going to pass away.  If I gain Christ in this world, He will last me for all eternity!

I remember when Diane and I were dating, we went to a meeting and the minister said, “I am not looking to get my name put up on a billboard like you see on Broadway.  Instead, like the Apostle Paul, I want my name in the spirit realm where demons tremble.”  We should want our names in the most special place, and that is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

So today, I challenge you with this: What is the one thing that is the most important thing in your life?  If it is not Jesus, then everything else is worthless.  But if you put Jesus as the main thing, then everything else that you do in life will be blessed.

Confession: Today, I choose the one thing that is the most important thing, and that is Jesus.   As I choose Him, He helps me to succeed in all that I do in life.  Jesus is the prize of my life!

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GOOD NEWS

Romans 1:16-17 (NLT) For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

What Good News God our Father has given us, that through the cross of Jesus Christ, all those that have accepted this amazing gift are made right with Him!  When I think of the fact that at one time I was totally separated from God with no hope, and without any chance of getting to Him, I am amazed!

Now, by what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, I am forgiven, restored, and set in His family.  I like the way the second part of this verse states this: "This is accomplished from start to finish by faith.”  I now have to accept what Christ has done, not by how I feel about it, but by what His Word states as truth.  God's Word, the Bible, is a legal document, and if He says that He has set me right, then I am set right.

What freedom this gives me, to know that because of what Jesus did on the cross, I am in right standing with God!  Too many believe this will happen when we get to heaven, and thank God we will have it in heaven.  But these verses say the Good News is that we have it now, in full!

I will not be any more righteous than I am the moment that I ask Jesus to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.  He, at that moment, made me the righteousness of God in Himself.  Let me tell you, that is Good News!

So today, no matter what your mind tries to tell you, say, “I am justified in God's sight, not because of what I have done, but because of all that my beloved Jesus has done for me.”  This is truly Good News!

Confession:  I declare, today, that I have been made right with God through the Good News of the Gospel.  I have been set in this great position, not by my accomplishments, but through what Jesus has done on the cross!

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LET’S GROW UP

1 Peter 2:2-3 (NKJV) …as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Each of us, when we come into the kingdom of heaven, is what the Bible calls: "born again."  So, just as a baby is born into this world and has to grow up, we, when we are born again, have to grow up.

This verse makes it pretty clear how we are to grow up in God: We need to desire the milk of God's Word, get hungry for the Word of God, make it our delight, mediate on it, chew on it, drink deeply of it, and as we do these things, we will see that we will grow.  I have watched in my own life that as I stay hungry for the Word, and the things of God, I grow!

I believe, just like in the natural, that we have to grow from a baby, to a toddler, to a child, to a teenager, and then to an adult.  That is also how we grow up as Christians.  We do not become a mature Christian overnight; it happens in steps.  Too many times, people try to rush this, and they become freaks.

So take it one day at a time.  I like how it says it in Isaiah 28:10: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”  Grow a little today.  Read a little, listen to a teaching, get faithful in your church, and you will see, after a while, a good solid growth.

Do not get discouraged and say, “It seems like I am not growing.”  It might have taken you a while to learn how to tie your shoes, but once you did, no one had to teach you that again.  So go ahead and enjoy the ride of growth.  You only get to do this once!

Confession:  I am growing today, as I read this devotional and eat of His Word.  God's Word in me is like milk and meat, and I am enjoying this meal every day.  God's Word is good!

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STOP THE FLOW

Proverbs 17:14 (AMPC) The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out.

Oh, how true this is!  We all know it.  When we say, “Man, I wish that never came out of my mouth,” but it is too late.  We just had to give him or her a piece of our mind.  We let it flow, and then it was like a crack in a dam, and we cannot get it back.

This verse is talking about more than just what we say, but it does seem like what we say causes a lot of issues.  James says it like this in James 3:6: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

We let things out of our mouths that cause explosions, and then we say, “What caused that?”  Well, here it says that it is our tongue.  Let us watch what comes out of our mouths.  Let us be people that close cracks, and not ones that make the cracks bigger.  Jesus said that it is the peacemakers that are blessed; the ones that will walk the extra mile, or turn the other cheek.  That is the kind of person I want to be.  How about you?

Another good scripture for watching what comes out of our mouth is in Proverbs 21:23.  The Complete Jewish Bible says it like this: "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble."

Let us make a decision today to slow down the flow of strife, and let peace rule our lives and our mouths.  Let us strive to be ones that bring peace and love to situations.  It is all up to us.  What we will do with it is in our hand, or should I say, our mouth.  Today is a new day!  Let us make it a good day!

Confession:  I am making a decision, today, to walk in love, to stop the strife, and to let peace rule in my heart.  I am going to share that goodness with others.  Today, I choose to be the peacemaker and the peace-giver.

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GOD’S EYES

2 Chronicles 16:9a (NKJV) “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

God has eyes?  Well, according to this verse, He does.  What does He do with them?   He looks.  What does He look for?  Is He looking for me to make a mistake?  No, He looks for those who love Him, and whose heart is towards Him.  He looks for those He can pour out His blessings on.

Our Heavenly Father is a good God Who loves us and wants to bless us.  However, He can only do this when our hearts are right.  If our hearts are full of pride, fear, and hurt, it is hard for God to pour out His blessings.  Someone who is keeping his heart right before Him, or as this verse says, “…whose heart is loyal to Him,” He can bless abundantly. 

That is the kind of heart I want and I endeavor to have.  How about you?  Make the decision today to have a pure heart, because Jesus said in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Do you want God to see you, and do you want to see God?  Then keep a right heart.  When you mess up, ‘fess up!  Do not let it sit there for days, and weeks, and months.  Make a decision to keep your life pure before your Father who loves you and is looking out for you.  Never let pride, or hurts, hold you back.  Look deep within today.  Talk to God, and let Him know when it hurts or when it is difficult.  He knows, yet Jesus said to ask Him and talk to Him.  So no matter what is going on today, or what someone has done to you today, LET IT GO AND LET GOD!

Confession: Today I look within.  I look at my heart, and I am going to be truthful.  I am not going to cover it up and say, “Well, that is just me.”  No, I want a heart that God, my Father, can bless.  So today, I start a new a day, in a new way!

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