Who or what do you serve?

My daily devotional "From faith to faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, has an interesting and thought provoking entry today. The headline is: Don't serve the problem.

I have for a long time been interested in how my mind (my mind = my thoughts, will, and emotions) function as a "roadmap" for my life, and today's devotional gave more insight into the question. I will use it in my own words here in todays entry.

Some time ago I heard Terri Savelle Foi say something interesting about thoughts: Your life goes in the direction of your most dominant thought!

Have you ever thought about how your thoughts stear you along life's path? If you think about doughnuts, pretty soon you have bought a box full and are eating half a dozen before you know it, even though you know that you shouldn't.

Point taken, I guess. Doughnuts is one thing, life's big problems is something quite different and much more serious.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24-25: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life."

Right after Jesus said that we cannot serve God and mammon (which includes our physical lives, material possessions and money), He said: Take no thought... The connection is clear: We serve our thoughts! If I have a problem, and I'm constantly thinking about this problem and how it will make life difficult for me and how difficult it will be to get out of this situation, that thought is my master.

No wonder the Bible is full of clues as to how we should master our thoughts, and not let our thoughts master us.

Here are a few of these Scriptures: Isaiah 55:7 says that the wicked shall forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. To forsake means to let go, not keep on to, let loose (my definitions). To forsake my thoughts means that I don't hold on to them, but let them go, and then replace them with other thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says: "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."

The important thing here is that ungodly and unhealthy arguments (thoughts) that are not in line with God's Word, must be taken captive. That means we throw them out and make our thoughts obedient to Christ. What does the Word say about my situation? Will God let the righteous suffer loss? No, He satisfies the righteous with good things.

"The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing (Psalm 34:11) and

"... for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things" (Psalm 107:9).

To learn to do this and to be good at it, you should practice. Start with small, minor thoughts that "pop up" uninvited, kick them out and replace them with God's Word on the matter. Then when you have practiced a while, "attack" the major thoughts that usually almost chokes you. Tell them to go, tell them that you don't allow those thoughts in your mind, and fill yourself with God's Word in stead.

You will be amazed at what a difference it will make in your life!