I had the privilege of attending the church that my dad pastors yesterday. He preached a sermon entitled "How to Master your Mind." I must confess that the depths of the sin that travels in my own mind at times is harrowing. Filthy. Disgusting. Trash. Dad made a startling revelation yesterday as he ended his sermon with this fascinating statement..."if you want to win the battle of your mind then fill your mind with good things. If you are filling your mind with good things then there is no room for the bad." Pretty simple and makes alot of sense, but that's where the battle rages. How do I stay focused on just the good things when so many bad things fill our world?
I reopened a favorite book of mine this morning as I began my quiet time. It happens to be a book entitled "The Ragamuffin Gospel." I felt as though I needed to once again walk on a path that would lead to a renewed appreciation for the grace of God as I started focusing on winning the war of my own mind. Evelyn Underhill states, " Spiritual reading is, or at least can be, second only to prayer as a developer and support of the inner (spiritual) life."
As I contemplated that statement I realized that I really do enjoy reading, but I have allowed myself to become too busy with life. I realized that as my world has become more busy with things of life, my mind in essence has become more idle. Thus the old saying, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." (at least that's how i think it goes) I am the proud owner of numerous books, but sadly they are packed away in a storage building. My life has become so cluttered that I didn't have anywhere to keep them.
I guess now its time to do some rearranging and unpacking....
2 comments:
Great Post....You are my favorite oldest brother and I still look up to you.
Little D
Let me be the first to comment on your blog. What a great writer you are. I read these verses today in Ephesians one and prayed them for you...here they are in the Amplified:..v. 17 "for I always pray the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, that He may grant you (D.J.) a spirit of wisdom and revelation--of insight into mysteries and secrets--in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your (D.J.'s) heart flooded with light, so that you (D.J.) can know and understand the hope to which He has called you (D.J.) and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints--His set-apart ones...and so that you (D.J.)can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places..." great verses...great hope...great future...we love you! Mom and Dad
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