Thinkin'
Buon Giorno,
I know I said I'd probably start using the new email list this week, but I'm afraid that not everybody has replied to the message they should have gotten from Yahoo. So, this is your last chance (probably) to get a Thursday email or any email without joining the new more user friendly list. :)
Well, there are only a few more Thursdays left. Hasn't this semester flown by?! I hope that you can join us at the Union at 5:45 as we celebrate the 4th to the last Thursday of the Spring semester of 2001. I'm sure that good times and mediocre food will be had by all. I've got a pretty busy day tomorrow, but I'm hoping to get some "4th Thursday to the
Last" t-shirts printed up. If you want one please bring $40 with you when you come to the Union. Naw! I's jes kiddin'! It's just a regular Thursday like all the rest, but I hope you can come.
Additional reminders:
The softball team will be playing their first playoff game on Monday at 9:30. If you want to come to the golf scramble this Saturday, be at the student center at 7:30 in the morning, that's right, 7:30.
Alllll righty then. Tonight in class, a verse that stuck out to me was 2 Cor 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."
This, I think, is a verse that when applied to our lives stresses the importance of knowing God's Word so that we will always be able to explain why we believe what we believe, why we do what we do, and so that we will have scripture to back us up when we point out something that someone is doing wrong. When Paul speaks of taking captive every 'thought', I think he means every wrong idea that other people have about God's Word.
(Disclaimer: Just b/c I think something, that doesn't mean it's true. It's up to you to study and decide for yourself.)
While he may be speaking of ideas rather than inner thoughts, whenever I read "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ," I can't help but wonder if my thoughts are obedient to Christ. Over and over the Old Testament says that God is a jealous God. There are many pure and wonderful things that God has put on this earth that are perfectly fine to think about. Perhaps, however, it’s possible to think of good things too much. Perhaps even thinking about good things can distract us from thinking about God and thus make him jealous. I dunno. It's something to think about, but not too much. ;)
A challenge and prayer for myself and you is that all of my and your thoughts and ideas will be from God and have to do with glorifying Him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23,24
"On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night." Psalm 63:6
"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make know among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:1-4
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
"I will not enter my house or go to my bed—I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob." Psalm 132:4,5
"Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."
Phil 3:19-21
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phil 4:4-8
"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2
"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:1-6
Question(s): How do you go about making your thoughts obedient to Christ? What helps you to focus on God rather than the things of this earth? When thinking about good and pure things, how much is too much? What do you do to balance all the earthly and eternal duties you have on your plate? Can they be meshed together? How can one use the duties of this life for God's glory?
Maybe you've got some answers that could help me and others on the list out. I look forward to some good discussion both over email and around the table at lunch and dinner tomorrow.
Have a great day!
In Christ,
Mitch
I know I said I'd probably start using the new email list this week, but I'm afraid that not everybody has replied to the message they should have gotten from Yahoo. So, this is your last chance (probably) to get a Thursday email or any email without joining the new more user friendly list. :)
Well, there are only a few more Thursdays left. Hasn't this semester flown by?! I hope that you can join us at the Union at 5:45 as we celebrate the 4th to the last Thursday of the Spring semester of 2001. I'm sure that good times and mediocre food will be had by all. I've got a pretty busy day tomorrow, but I'm hoping to get some "4th Thursday to the
Last" t-shirts printed up. If you want one please bring $40 with you when you come to the Union. Naw! I's jes kiddin'! It's just a regular Thursday like all the rest, but I hope you can come.
Additional reminders:
The softball team will be playing their first playoff game on Monday at 9:30. If you want to come to the golf scramble this Saturday, be at the student center at 7:30 in the morning, that's right, 7:30.
Alllll righty then. Tonight in class, a verse that stuck out to me was 2 Cor 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."
This, I think, is a verse that when applied to our lives stresses the importance of knowing God's Word so that we will always be able to explain why we believe what we believe, why we do what we do, and so that we will have scripture to back us up when we point out something that someone is doing wrong. When Paul speaks of taking captive every 'thought', I think he means every wrong idea that other people have about God's Word.
(Disclaimer: Just b/c I think something, that doesn't mean it's true. It's up to you to study and decide for yourself.)
While he may be speaking of ideas rather than inner thoughts, whenever I read "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ," I can't help but wonder if my thoughts are obedient to Christ. Over and over the Old Testament says that God is a jealous God. There are many pure and wonderful things that God has put on this earth that are perfectly fine to think about. Perhaps, however, it’s possible to think of good things too much. Perhaps even thinking about good things can distract us from thinking about God and thus make him jealous. I dunno. It's something to think about, but not too much. ;)
A challenge and prayer for myself and you is that all of my and your thoughts and ideas will be from God and have to do with glorifying Him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23,24
"On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night." Psalm 63:6
"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make know among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:1-4
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
"I will not enter my house or go to my bed—I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob." Psalm 132:4,5
"Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."
Phil 3:19-21
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phil 4:4-8
"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2
"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:1-6
Question(s): How do you go about making your thoughts obedient to Christ? What helps you to focus on God rather than the things of this earth? When thinking about good and pure things, how much is too much? What do you do to balance all the earthly and eternal duties you have on your plate? Can they be meshed together? How can one use the duties of this life for God's glory?
Maybe you've got some answers that could help me and others on the list out. I look forward to some good discussion both over email and around the table at lunch and dinner tomorrow.
Have a great day!
In Christ,
Mitch
posted by mitch | 1:31 AM
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