The Power of Thought

"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 (NIV).

The pen is mightier than the sword. That phrase was coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 indicating that thoughts put into words were more powerful than physical actions. The power was generated by thought. Verse 4 says the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world; but weapons with divine power to tear down the strongholds within the mind and hearts of people. Not only in others, but also within ourselves. That's why Paul went on to say that we were to take captive every thought and make it obedient. When we don't control our thoughts, because we can, it's like giving a weapon to a child, who doesn't know how to use it. Who is in danger? You are. Joyce Meyers wrote Battlefield of the Mind saying your life won't change until your thinking does. As you think in your heart, so you become (Proverbs 23:7). How can you fight an external war, if you are fighting yourself internally? Do you see how Satan works? Control the power of your thoughts.

Live Like You Believe It

""Am I only a God nearby," declares the Lord, "and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" declares the Lord. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord""- Jeremiah 23:23-24 (NIV).

My mother never said, "Don't do anything you wouldn't do if I were right there with you" when I finally got old enough to go off on my own. Instead, she said, "Don't do anything you wouldn't do if Jesus were right there with you." That had a much more profound impact on my choices as a young person gaining independence from my parents and even now as a senior citizen. It's natural for a child to separate themselves from their parents as they become older; parents are no longer privy to all aspects of their child's life and have to trust that the foundation they provided will lead to a healthy lifestyle for their offspring. The relationship with Jesus, however, doesn't have a line drawn where He is waving good-bye as you drive away. No, He's omnipresent; always with you: from the highest heights, to the lowest depths, from the dawn to the far side of the sea..."even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 139:8-10). He fills heaven and earth and He fills you. Jesus is right there with you, guiding and holding you fast. May you live like you believe it. 

The End Result

"Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few"- Matthew 9:37 (NIV).

In the 1940's, Little Golden Books published and popularized a Russian folk story called The Little Red Hen. To summarize, a mother hen found a grain of wheat, planted it, harvested the wheat, threshed and milled the wheat, and then baked some lovely warm bread. At each process in the bread's creation she asked other barn animals who was willing to help her, and they each declined with a myriad of excuses, until the last question of who was willing to help her eat the bread. Each barn animal was quick to say they would help, but the little red hen told the lazy barn animals they couldn't enjoy the warm bread because they had not helped her in the process. Though not stated in the book this is Biblical: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Moral of the story: Those who do not contribute do not deserve to enjoy the end result. Heaven is our end result. Jesus is asking who is willing to help with His harvest. The harvest is huge, but few workers are showing up and the sad reality is they won't be enjoying the end result. Are you willing?

Holding Loosely

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight"- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).

We need to hang on to worldly things loosely. When we cling to anything tightly it becomes an object that fosters pride. Then, when the item is taken from us we form a committee of self-pity and we become its president. Loosely held things slip from our fingers easier and we can say along with Job: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21). Job trusted in the Lord, not on his own understanding. When we consider that all things belong to the Lord, only temporarily in our hands, we can let go of them when He takes them away without feeling He took away something that belonged to us. God will never leave us, nor forsake us. He does not loosely hold us. We belong to Him. He asks only that we trust in Him...even if we don't understand. Hold loosely to the things of this world and may the name of the Lord be praised.   

Let Them Eat Mud

"How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in You"- Psalm 31:19 (NIV).

Psalm 23 says God prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, He anoints our head with oil, our cup overflows (v.5). That's two verses that tell us that God will let the world know who His children are by showing them favor. Then why aren't all His children wealthy, healthy, with good jobs and intact families? True those are measurable blessings, but God has more intended for us, blessings that cannot be measured. There are earthly treasures we seek, but Heavenly treasures await God's children. Was Jesus well off and well to do while He walked among us? He could have been, but nothing on earth enticed Him like the heavenly treasures He was used to and was soon returning to. Earthly treasures held no luster that attracted Him; It would be like us desiring to eat mud after feasting on exotic delicacies. The watching world will one day see the abundance God has planned for His children. Let the world enjoy their mud. There are delicacies awaiting us.