Hello Ladies --

I have just finished a study that I wanted to share with you. I was reading II Corinthians one day, when I ran across this verse, "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." (10:5) I began to think about how I could bring EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ. Also, the word "captivity" was interesting to me. This word implied that it was something to be held down against its will. My thoughts don't want to stay where they should be, but this is what the verse says.

I began to study on the thoughts and also on what the Bible says about "meditation". This study was a real blessing to me. Here are some of the verses that have encouraged me:

Psalms 1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night

Psalms 77:12: I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings (this was a good one to remember with the children to talk to them all day about the Lord)

Psalms 119:23: Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes (When others are against us, we should meditate on God's Word)

Psalms 19:14: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

These are just a few of the many verses that I found. I was surprised to find out how much God's Word has to say about where our thoughts should be. I was also surprised at how much more pleasant my every day tasks are when I am meditating on God's Word. It is so hard in today's society to really remember what our minds should be filled with. We usually spend so much time, filling our thoughts with things that really don't make a difference. Dad gave an example a couple of weeks ago in church. There is a couple that we know whose house burnt down after living there for 45 yrs. The man made the statement to his son that they had spent 45 years filling up that house and in 15 minutes, it was all gone. Dad used the analogy of the Judgement Seat of Christ. We have our whole lives to fill up, but at the Judgement, only what is done for Christ will last. What will we have to show for how we spent our time? We all know that what goes in will come out; therefore, what we think about will affect our actions.

I have started a list of ways to keep my thoughts on the Lord as I go through my day. I would love to hear if you have any other ideas.

1) Reading and memorizing Scripture (this is the obvious :-) )

2) I write down verses in the morning as I read and lay them on the bar so that I see them throughout the day

3) Spiritual songs (Last week in the car, we were listening to Christian music. There was a song that my girls really like. After it was over, Hannah said, "Mom, when I listen to songs about God and heaven, it makes me feel really special that God made me and died for me. Wow!)

4) Watch less TV (I would like to say no TV, but we'll work on less right now)

5) Philipians 4:8 -- Only putting into my mind things that are "true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report"

I hope that this is a blessing to you. It was a real blessing to me as I studied it!

In Him,
Stephanie