Do you remember Flip Wilson's TV show? How about his catch phrase when his character got in trouble..."The Devil made me do it."? Then there are all those images of someone in the midst of temptation, with the little angel on one shoulder, and the little demon on the other, each trying to convince the poor guy which way to act.
But the 'poor guy' still has a choice, and it is his (or her) decision. For though we live in the world...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. From 2 Corinthians 10:3 & 5
...Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15
James is saying that temptation comes when we are vulnerable, and we are vulnerable because of our own evil thoughts. It is as if Satan recognizes, [by an expression, or words, or actions, he cannot read our minds] that we are prime to be tempted. Hear it again: Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
So then, how do we get rid of that desire?
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Upon first reading, that might seem impossible. How can we control our thoughts? Don't some things just pop into our minds? When we inadvertently see or hear something improper, how can we control our thinking about it?
Pray without ceasing. (1Thessalonians. 5:17)
Pray without ceasing! I do not mean spending every minute on your knees, but spending every moment aware that Christ is with you...Lo, I am with you always. And in recognition of His constant presence, we submit our thoughts to Him. So the taking captive every thought, the controlling of our thoughts, is not about our supreme effort, it is a decision to submit to the supremacy of Christ.
Many large aircraft have a system similar to power steering in automobiles. The difference is, it can be turned on and off. The decision to work without it, is the decision to work harder and without a powerful assistance. Jesus said Lo, I am with you always, and He cannot lie! Your decision, then, to fly your own plane without His help is the decision to work harder and without the most powerful assistance!
When the improper image pops up on the TV or computer screen, cry out to Jesus.
When there is something you want, and no one is watching, cry out to Jesus.
Whenever anger, lust, jealousy, or any other thought begins to rise inside, before you expose yourself to the damage Satan wants so badly to do to and through you, cry out to Jesus!
Be in control by turning the reins over to the only one who can handle them. Think of an airplane again, you decide on a travel date, you buy the ticket, but you let the pilot do the flying!
God wants your all, but He will not take you by force. But what a life of joy awaits when you let God be God. When you have a thought that will expose you to the supernatural schemes of Satan, why would you do less than let the King of Heaven, who desires to be your protector, protect you?
The battle belongs to the Lord!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What does it mean to you, to pray without ceasing?
2. What would help you remember that you are always in God's presence?
3. What effect would that have on your life?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thoughts on thoughts:
"The neglected heart will soon be a heart overrun with worldly thoughts; the neglected life will soon become a moral chaos; the church that is not jealously protected by mighty intercession and sacrificial labors will before long become the abode of every evil bird and the hiding place for unsuspected corruption. The creeping wilderness will soon take over that church that trusts in its own strength and forgets to watch and pray." A.W. Tozer
"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." E.M. Bounds
"If you read history you will find out that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next." C.S. Lewis
"God hath my daily petitions, for I am at peace with all men, and He is at peace with me, and this witness makes the thoughts of death joyful." Richard Hooker
"There is mention of a sword turning every way: parallel whereto is the Word of God in a wounded conscience. Man's heart is full of windings, turnings, and doublings, to shift and shun the stroke thereof, if possible: but this sword meets them wheresoever they move; it fetches and finds them out; it haunts and hunts them, forbidding them, during their agony, any entrance into the paradise of one comfortable thought." Thomas Fuller Fuller
But the 'poor guy' still has a choice, and it is his (or her) decision. For though we live in the world...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. From 2 Corinthians 10:3 & 5
...Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15
James is saying that temptation comes when we are vulnerable, and we are vulnerable because of our own evil thoughts. It is as if Satan recognizes, [by an expression, or words, or actions, he cannot read our minds] that we are prime to be tempted. Hear it again: Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
So then, how do we get rid of that desire?
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Upon first reading, that might seem impossible. How can we control our thoughts? Don't some things just pop into our minds? When we inadvertently see or hear something improper, how can we control our thinking about it?
Pray without ceasing. (1Thessalonians. 5:17)
Pray without ceasing! I do not mean spending every minute on your knees, but spending every moment aware that Christ is with you...Lo, I am with you always. And in recognition of His constant presence, we submit our thoughts to Him. So the taking captive every thought, the controlling of our thoughts, is not about our supreme effort, it is a decision to submit to the supremacy of Christ.
Many large aircraft have a system similar to power steering in automobiles. The difference is, it can be turned on and off. The decision to work without it, is the decision to work harder and without a powerful assistance. Jesus said Lo, I am with you always, and He cannot lie! Your decision, then, to fly your own plane without His help is the decision to work harder and without the most powerful assistance!
When the improper image pops up on the TV or computer screen, cry out to Jesus.
When there is something you want, and no one is watching, cry out to Jesus.
Whenever anger, lust, jealousy, or any other thought begins to rise inside, before you expose yourself to the damage Satan wants so badly to do to and through you, cry out to Jesus!
Be in control by turning the reins over to the only one who can handle them. Think of an airplane again, you decide on a travel date, you buy the ticket, but you let the pilot do the flying!
God wants your all, but He will not take you by force. But what a life of joy awaits when you let God be God. When you have a thought that will expose you to the supernatural schemes of Satan, why would you do less than let the King of Heaven, who desires to be your protector, protect you?
The battle belongs to the Lord!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What does it mean to you, to pray without ceasing?
2. What would help you remember that you are always in God's presence?
3. What effect would that have on your life?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thoughts on thoughts:
"The neglected heart will soon be a heart overrun with worldly thoughts; the neglected life will soon become a moral chaos; the church that is not jealously protected by mighty intercession and sacrificial labors will before long become the abode of every evil bird and the hiding place for unsuspected corruption. The creeping wilderness will soon take over that church that trusts in its own strength and forgets to watch and pray." A.W. Tozer
"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." E.M. Bounds
"If you read history you will find out that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next." C.S. Lewis
"God hath my daily petitions, for I am at peace with all men, and He is at peace with me, and this witness makes the thoughts of death joyful." Richard Hooker
"There is mention of a sword turning every way: parallel whereto is the Word of God in a wounded conscience. Man's heart is full of windings, turnings, and doublings, to shift and shun the stroke thereof, if possible: but this sword meets them wheresoever they move; it fetches and finds them out; it haunts and hunts them, forbidding them, during their agony, any entrance into the paradise of one comfortable thought." Thomas Fuller Fuller
No comments:
Post a Comment