This was my devotional this morning by Joyce Meyer:

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5 NKJV)”

As Vital as Your Heartbeat

As believers, right thinking is something that is so important we simply can’t live without it. Just like our heartbeat, it’s vital because many of the problems we deal with in our lives are rooted in wrong thinking patterns, which are not based on the truth.

Right thinking is a result of regular, personal fellowship with God through prayer and the Word. It is important for us to come to grips with the fact that our lives will not get straightened out until our thinking gets straightened out. Thoughts bear fruit. When you and I think good thoughts, our lives produce good fruit. When we think bad thoughts, our lives produce bad fruit.

The longer I serve God and study His Word, the more I realize how important it is for me to be aware of what’s going on in my mind. Where the mind goes, the man follows. Continually watching over our thoughts is the only way we will ever be able to keep them in line with God’s Word and win our battle against the enemy.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, You have shown me that right thinking is absolutely vital. I will seek You regularly so that I can think the right thoughts. Joyce Meyer
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After a day of overcast skies and snow and rain, the heavens cleared last night. When I went out with my dog at 11 pm, I looked up and the heavens were breathtaking! I recommend you watch the video “How Great is our God” by Louie Giglio. You can watch it on YouTube at http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iCrvibgo1LM. It is an amazing DVD to help get our perspective in order. Last night the heavens were brilliant, the night sky awesome.

Sometimes, when our thinking gets cloudy, we succumb to live there. It is so easy to forget the promises of God during such times. We get caught up in our doom and gloom and soon find ourselves deep in “stinkin’ thinkin'”! I hate that this is an easy place to dwell and I am guilty of this phenomenon.

The heavens last night caught my attention. This morning, I am struck by the brilliance of the new day. It is a morning dawned bright and blue, with a wispy wash of white clouds, as if the God of my life had dipped His Hand into white paint and then pressed it to the canvas of a new day and swiped it lightly from west to east. The trees stand tall, not a breath of wind. There is a robin sitting on a high branch of one tree outside my window.

I hear the calling of my Lord. “See this new day I’ve brought forth! It is my gift to you. Do not waste it by allowing the enemy of your soul to have access to your thoughts any longer. Take a deep breath of my new day! Clear your mind. Breath. Do you see? The cloudiness was necessary in order for you to witness the contrast of my hope.”

The contrast of His hope. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV)”

This new day I will think on the things of God. Yesterday was not a good representation of obedience in me; I fell to the thoughts of my own making. Today I will follow Paul and his very clear, very specific instruction. This new day I choose to take my mind off of my own flesh and it’s skewed way of thinking and I will think on the things from above. It’s a new day…thank God!