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by Dennis Wheeler
Well, for the past few weeks, in The Central Point, we have been examining how to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to our Holy God. We have talked about offering our ears, our eyes and last week, our mouth.
Today let's take a look at our 'thoughts'!
Thoughts??!!
I know that your thoughts are not physical parts of your body. But they are inseparable from your body. Your thoughts reflect and direct what you do with your eyes, your ears, and your mouth.
Review these Scriptures about how to offer your thoughts to God as an act of worship...
"Whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)
"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2)
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled." (1 Peter 1:13)
"Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Romans 13:14)
That last Scripture - Romans 13:14 - what exactly are 'the desires of the sinful nature'? The desires of the sinful nature include lust, seeking revenge, selfish ambition, envy, conceit, pride and jealousy.
So the question for each of us today is...What am I doing with my thought-life?
2 Corinthians 10:5 encourages us to ..."Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Are you taking your thoughts captive to Christ or are your thoughts imprisoning you? Do you dwell on hurtful memories? Are you keeping a record of wrongs committed against you? Do you let your mind wander into the mine fields of anger or revenge or lust? Do you allow your imagination to run wild after elaborate schemes and selfish ambitions? Are your desires & yearnings driven by human will or are they in pursuit of God's will?
Are you thinking the way the world thinks or are you thinking with the mind of Christ?
Each of us needs to ask God every day to protect our mind and to direct our thoughts. If you find yourself thinking in ways that are offensive to God...immediately ask for His forgiveness and call out to Him to purify your heart and mind. Invite the Holy Spirit to take control of your thoughts and to teach you to think with the mind of Christ.
He serves as the Senior Pastor with southwest Virginia church... a loving church family in Abingdon.
He and his wife Sharon have been married for over 27 years and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, one son-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, the second arrived arrived on the scene in September 2004!!
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