by David Brenneman
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;" Colossians 2:8-10.
Anything that clashes with what is true is not of the Spirit. Therefore, to walk in the Spirit, we must get serious about
guarding our minds. - Dr. Charles Stanley.
We don't take this seriously enough in our days. Certainly, ever since the idea of parchments and the written language we have been derelict in our steadfastness of guarding our hearts and minds.
We don't realize how easy it is to sway our minds from one position to another. Oftentimes we do so so subtly that it easily escapes our notice.
What are you feeding your mind and heart? What do you absent-mindedly allow access to you?
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37.
"So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” Luke 8:18.
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:23.
"Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You." Psalms 119:11.
"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2.
Then there is: "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:5.
The battlefield is our minds and hearts. It is here where the enemy of God and our sin nature try to hamper our life in Christ.
We so easily dismiss the ads the commercials. We so easily dismiss what we listen to as 'entertainment'. We easily dismiss the seeds being planted within us by what we listen to and what we watch.
The worst thing we do in this context is to not use the standard of the Word of God but rather our own standard of what constitutes good and evil. What's right and acceptable and what is bad and should be avoided.
My Dear Reader it won't be by our standard that we give an account of our lives before Jesus. It will only be His standard of measurement.
Our thoughts and intentions of the heart will be hit with the fire of His Truth.
Take care how you listen and guard your mouth.
The Berean Church were those who certainly went over everything being taught to be sure it measured up to God's standards.
We do ourselves much harm in saying "It's not that bad" or "I am ok. I've got this".
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33.
The best Kings of the Old Testament were those who didn't rely on themselves but sought the Lord first. The best didn't throw gold n silver at a problem but went to the Lord about what to do.
We have so much trying to vie for our attention. We have so much temptation that it's honestly overwhelming at times.
We need to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Pray for His protection.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
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