Killing My Old Man

Romans 13:13-14

Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Lord, you don't just want me to live a decent life for all to see. Lots of people who don't even know you do that. You expect more from me because I am your child and I have your Holy Spirit living in me. You want me to live a holy thought life as well.

Those evil thoughts will come. I'm so glad that having those thoughts is not the sin. It's when I indulge them that is the sin.

Even last night I found myself thinking thoughts that to a non-Christian would probably be considered tame. But for me they were starting to get a bit racy. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit helped me to see what was happening and derail that thought process. I blamed it on my "stupid sinful nature" which really wanted to indulge that evil desire. With your help, I was able to put to death the deeds of my sinful nature and move on to purer thoughts. 

I'm thrilled that I am gaining more and more victory in this area. You are training me. I'm finding that it is easier to recognize those little foxes and to catch them when I am spending time in your word, digging deep for the treasures. I love having your word memorized too. That gives me yet more ammunition in my battle to put to death the deeds of my sinful nature.

I love that this says, "And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." That tells me that there is a choice to be made. I can't help when or if the thoughts come. But it is totally my choice to indulge them or not.

Thank you, Lord, that you love me so much that you train me to be holy. That is the only way I can have a relationship with you because you can not abide any evil in your presence. Please keep on teaching me! In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

God Has a Purpose

John 10:10

The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

John 10:10

God Has a Purpose

God Has a Purpose

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Philippians 4:6-7
God Has a Purpose

Think On These Things

John 16:33

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

I praise you, Jesus, for the peace you give me. There are indeed many trials and sorrows here on this earth. But if I keep my focus on you, then I can continue to have sweet peace.

It's interesting to me that the world is constantly searching for peace of mind, yet it can only be found in you, who they are rejecting.

Isaiah 26:3-4

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the LORD always,

for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

Jesus, help me to keep my thoughts fixed on you. Help me to not worry about anything, but instead, pray about everything. Let me trust in you always, for you are the eternal Rock.

Philippians 4:6-8

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I need to be intentional and proactive about this. Worry will come. When it does, I must have a plan of attack. That plan is to bring it to God, tell him what I need, thank him for what he has already done, and then put the matter out of my mind. I can do this because I trust the One who is the eternal Rock.

In addition to this, I need to fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I need to only think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

If I am to do this, I need to be careful about what I allow into my mind. If I am always watching or listening to things that are full of this world's lies and hypocrisies, then I will find it very difficult to keep my thoughts on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. In fact, you tell us to get rid of all the filth and evil in our lives. I'm sure this is part of the reason you told us to do that.

James 1:21

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Lord, help me to be wise about what I watch and listen to. I want to keep my thoughts fixed on you. I make that harder for myself if I feed garbage into my mind. It may not always appear as garbage on the surface. Help me to use discernment when choosing. Help me to get rid of all the filth and evil in my life. Help me to see the things I entertain myself with the way YOU see them. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

James 1:19-21

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. You must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

John 12:49-50

"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."

John 12:49-50

Take My Thoughts Captive

John 6:68-69

Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know that you are the Holy One of God."

Lord Jesus, I want only you. You are my only source of life and peace.

Proverbs 11:19

Godly people find life; evil people find death.

James 1:14-15

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Lord, you know my thoughts. You know how these evil thoughts sometimes invade my mind. I don't want to think them, but they keep coming anyway. Please don't let these evil thoughts/desires drag me away. Help me to take my every thought captive to make it obedient to you, Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

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.

MEMORY VERSES

James 1:14-15

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. Those desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

James 1:14-15

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Speak Life

John 5:14

But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."

Lord, how many times did you offer forgiveness of sins before you gave physical healing. Yet in this instance, you didn't even offer. Instead, you told this man to stop sinning. It must have been obvious to you that he was not ready to repent. This is so sad to me. This man may have been healed, but he was still dead.

John 5:25-26

"And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice - the voice of the Son of Man. And those who will listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.

Lord, speak your words through me to share that life-giving power with the dead around me. I have the power to speak life because I have your power within me. It's your word that saves, not my words. That's why I want to memorize as much of your word as I can. Help your words to be constantly coming out of my mouth. 

For that to happen, I need to be intentional. I need to be thinking about the verses I'm learning and reviewing them in my mind. Lord, that doesn't come naturally to me. I tend to get caught up in the details and minutia of my life. Please remind me to think about my verses when my mind is free of other demands. Help this to become a habit so that I automatically meditate on and review my verses every chance I get. I want to be so steeped in your word that it seems to exude from my very pores and I can't help speaking your words to everyone I meet. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Take Every Thought Captive

Hosea 6:6

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Matthew 15:18-20

"But the words you speak come from the heart -- that's what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you."

Jesus, help me to take every thought captive to make it obedient to you.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the power to demolish strongholds. 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.

Lord, I know that the things I think about become my actions. Help me to only think about things that please and honor you. Help me to let you transform me into a new person by changing the way I think. Only then can I manage to control my tongue.

Romans 12:2

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

Romans 8:5-7 & 11

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you!

James 3:2

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

Proverbs 21:23

Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.

Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I love these pictures on this post: http://www.claresmith.me/train-your-thoughts/. She also has a great video with her kids giving an illustration of how Jesus can help us clean up our thoughts. 

This image was borrowed from http://www.claresmith.me/train-your-thoughts/. 

This image was borrowed from http://www.claresmith.me/train-your-thoughts/.