GIGO

2^nd Corinthians 10:5

“We destroy arguments and every lofty

opinion raised against the knowledge of God,

and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”

Doug touched on this a lot this week. Our thought life is what leads to action. There was a quote I tried to scribble down but I probably hacked it, here's what I remember of it. “Sow a thought and you'll reap an action, sow an action and you'll reap a habit, sow a habit and you'll reap a character, sow a character and you'll reap a destiny.” My thought life is important. It's easy for my mind to wander to to extremes, temptation to sin, or feeling insecure and guilty. It's a destructive circle. This thought life leads to sin and isolation, because when I'm isolated from God, I become Isolated from everyone else. However I don't have to live in that circle. This verse says we can destroy those arguments and lofty opinions. How? Take every thought captive.

Yeah I have heard it a thousand times but what does it really mean to take every thought captive? Being intentional is something that has been brought to my attention by Meghan earlier this week. And the more I think about it, the more that seems to be the answer. What are some ways I can be intentional in my thought life?

If I am tired and hungry I am already setting myself up for failure. When I'm tired and hungry my mind wanders, I zone out a lot more in this state than at other times. If I can avoid being tired and hungry that will help. If I can't avoid it I can pray. And it truly does help a lot to just spend a few moments in prayer.

What am I dwelling on when I'm not zoning out? What am I putting in? We have heard the term GIGO a lot while we've been here can you guess what it means? Garbage In Garbage Out. Whatever I dwell on or put in I will get out. If I dwell on romantic fantasy, I will probably end up with the first guy that looks my way. If I dwell on my failures I will likely get depressed. If I dwell on God's presence, I will be convicted, repentant, cleansed, healed, at peace, full of love, and overjoyed.

I might say it is not that simple, I might make excuses for myself. Excuses like “there's no way I could remember to do that all day,” or like “That's not really possible, every thought, trying to do that would be setting myself up for failure.” I still don't know about every thought. However by being intentional with my thoughts I can become more intentional with my actions. I want to be more intentional in knowing God is present. I want to spend more time just soaking Him up.

But how do I do this?

Application.

Practice being in God's presence

How?

Today I will write on my wrist “Worship Him, He is present.”