Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Day 2-Survey your thoughts!

“Many of you know more about your magazines and novels–than what God has written! Many of you will read a novel from the beginning to the end, and what have you got? A head full of froth when you are done! But you cannot read the Bible–that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect–while anything that man writes, a best-seller of the day–you greedily devour!”

- Charles
Spurgeon

Last week we spent a day talking about how the enemy constantly tries to inject thoughts into our minds. When the Holy Spirit began to show me this week's study and He gave me the word "Thoughts", I struggled. I instantly thought "Wait a minute Lord. We already talked about thoughts last week." But I trusted He would show me what He meant and today has been one of the most incredible lessons He has given me. He has opened my eyes to so much more about my thoughts than I ever imagined.

Over the last month or so, my almost seven year old son, has had a very difficult time concentrating on School work. Since I am homeschool him, there is plenty of free time during the day. All of which he begs to play his Nintendo Wii or games on the computer. This became such an issue that all he thought about was how to get to the next levels in the games. If allowed, he would spend hours on youtube watching other boys give step by step instructions on how to get to next level. His mind was filled with Indiana Jones Lego and Star Wars Lego instead of Math, consonant digraphs and spelling words. Even more frustrating was His inability to memorize scripture. Needless to say the Wii went in "timeout" and the computer was off limits. I began to grieve that I had allowed his thoughts to be centered on video games. As his parent, I allowed the enemy to come in and fill him with distractions! Worse than that, I allowed addiction to come in. If my son learns addiction now, how easy it will be for the enemy to open that door again in his life but in a much more serious area. It's our job as we train up our children in the Lord to CONTROL their environment. Yes, CONTROL! This is the biggest reason I homeschool my children. This is the ONE time the Lord has given me the green light to "CONTROL." I control who he spends time with, what he learns, what he hears and what he sees. This is my job. Not to isolate him but to protect him and train him up in the LORD. This is not meant to be a parenting post or a homeschooling post but the Lord spoke to me though Josiah and revealed so much to me about myself. While our children are addicted to a handheld Nintendo DS, we are addicted to our Blackberrys and iPhones! We have taught them it is okay to fill their minds with something that DOES NOT matter. It will leave them empty every single time. It is our responsibility to teach our kids limits. If you don't do it for yourself, you won't be able to do it for your children.

When the Twilight Book series came out, I did not read them. Then after all of the excitement I heard over the books and how my friends were unable to put them down, I took the bate and read all of them in about one month. Before I lose some of you let me first say that I AM NOT AGAINST THE TWILIGHT SERIES. I loved every single book and I am glad I read them. A battle I have faced for a very long time is Holiness vs legalism vs doing what everyone else thinks I should be doing. I finally feel like I have found a balance. But even in the balance, I still find myself convicted at times because I easily become addicted to tv shows.

The Charles Spurgeon quote above really hits the nail on the head for me. My thoughts for weeks centered around "Edward and Bella". So much that I dreamt of the characters and spent every free moment reading more. When I finished the series, I found myself depressed. Yes, depressed. What LIFE did those books lead me to? What was I left with? Sure I got to use my imagination and disconnect from the world a bit and there is NOTHING wrong with that. But while I was immersed in the love story of a teenage girl and a Vampire, I was far from His Word.

Books are not the only things we obsess over. We have many obsessions that consume our thought life. Sex, TV, facebook, twitter, movies, news, politics, etc. I can honestly say that until this Bible study, my thoughts were more obsessed with tv than His Word. I am sure my husband wishes my mind was consumed with sex but... :)

Look at this!

Romans 8:5-7 (Amplified Bible)

5For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and [a]pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and [b]seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

6Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that [c]comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

7[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot.


We are a flaky, wishy washy generation. We want change in our lives but we constantly fill our time with things that WILL NOT bring change and for sure not healing! Instead we fill our days with tv, media, books and tons of things that at the end of the day leave us with NOTHING. I once heard that our thought life is the barometer to show who we are in love with? Is it the things of this world or is it higher things? That's the survey we should all take!

Colossians 3:2 (Amplified Bible)

2And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.

Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible)

2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

DAY 2 Click here

LISTEN (Do not click here until you have completed Day 2. PLEASE!)


5 comments:

Unknown said...
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Deborah said...

Just what I needed to start my day today! I love how Jesus is using you with this study. I should probably take a lesson from your son and put my iPhone in "time out"...or even facebook.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Awesome......Tk you for allowing God to "direct your path" and in doing so, affecting others in such a positive way.

Love ya....bunches,
Wanda

Anonymous said...

It really hit me on how rarely my thoughts are fixed on what is pure, lovely, and admirable. I'm usually focused on what I should be getting done, what I've messed up on, worries about what's going to happen, etc. This is a real eye opener.

Thank You,

Julie

Wendy said...

One thing I've been thinking about lately is how I can go about my normal tasks, but I can do them in a way that is focusing on my self, or as an act of worship and as a blessing to others. The perspective and what I am thinking about/focusing on makes such a difference!

For example, having a clean house - is it to benefit me and make me look good, or is done to bless others and as an act of worship. I've been thinking about this in so many areas of life.

Thank you so much for doing this study! I've hadn't been spending much time in the word, and now I feel like the fire has been reignited. Today in the little free time that I had, I spent some time listening to a sermon, rather than reading blogs or on facebook.