What informs my thoughts? It’s a question I had to ask myself as I struggled to find sleep one night this week. I had simply scrolled my social long enough to reply to several comments and wish a few happy birthdays. There, in a birthday post, was a tiny tidbit of information I wished I could un-see and un-know. Now what? My answer was simple enough. Pray over the situation, giving it all to God, and close my eyes. Still the memory plagued me so I opened my Bible reading app and read another day of my read through the Bible in a year plan. Still, sleep was illusive.
The next couple of days gave me pause to think about how many times I am unsettled by thoughts which are not forced on me. Then I saw a post which read, “we used to only pick up the phone when it rang.” I’ve become accustomed to ignoring my phone while my children and grandchildren are with me, but when the house is empty and quiet, I’m more tempted to fill the void with scrolling. It’s not often, thankfully, but it’s a choice I must make.
“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.”
Check. Pray about everything. I’d done that, but still there was this unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach that persisted the next day and the next. I once read that worry is just thinking about something negative over and over again. Taking that same thought captive, giving it over to Jesus again and again, as often as necessary, becomes prayer. There are plenty of negatives in the world that are unavoidably thrust on me each day. I must choose not to invite more.
“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.”
Philippians 4:6-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.6-8.NLT
“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.
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.
But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.”
Romans 8:5-6, 12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.5-12.NLT
Because I am a child of God, I have God’s Spirit living inside me. I am therefore no longer under any obligation to my human nature. That nature is dead, crucified with Christ. (Galatians 2:20) I am under no obligation. I have a choice. Am I making the choice each day to surrender myself as a living and holy sacrifice to God as my spiritual act of worship? This is the kind of sacrifice God finds acceptable. (Romans 12:1-2)
Under the first covenant, God demanded a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” (Luke 22:20)
God had said, “The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them.
This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name.
They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me.
They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Malachi 2:5-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mal.2.5-7.NLT
But “you have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins?
From now on we will call the arrogant blessed.
For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said.
In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Malachi 3:14-16, 18 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mal.3.14-18.NLT
“They don’t know where to find peace or what it means to be just and good.
They have mapped out crooked roads, and no one who follows them knows a moment’s peace.
For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us.
Yes, we know what sinners we are.”
Isaiah 59:8, 12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.59.8-12.NLT
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.
God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.
When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.1.1-3.NLT
“I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.
Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share.
But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.
I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.
The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful.
And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged.
God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.
And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion.
Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.
In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.
But these people scoff at things they do not understand.
Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted.
They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.
These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you.
They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life.
In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.
Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!
Amen.”
Jude 1:1-8, 10, 17-25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jud.1.2-25.NLT
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.
Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.
Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.
You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free.
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.
Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.”
Colossians 3:1-15 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/col.3.1-15.NLT
“I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.”
Psalms 85:8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.85.8.NLT
“Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say.
My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.
Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.
And remember, my words are not my own.
What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:23-27 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.27.NLT
“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.”
Psalms 119:1, 165 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.1-165.NLT
“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.
Remember the great reward it brings you!
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.
Then you will receive all that he has promised.
For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.
And my righteous ones will live by faith.
But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.
But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction.
We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”
Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.10.35-39.NLT
Jesus is alive, and the same mighty power that God used to raise Him from death lives in me. (Ephesians 1:19-20) Am I availing myself of this power? Am I appropriating this gift of the Spirit in every circumstance, taking every thought captive, making it obey Christ? (II Corinthians 10:5) If not, I am squandering His most precious gift. May this Resurrection Day be the start of something new in me.
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