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Are You Thinking About What You're Thinking About?

Man thinking on a train journey.
That was the topic and title of a sermon I listened to Saturday afternoon on the Internet by a Pastor who I am fond of named Mike Dodson. As usual, his message was timely for me.

In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable. -Philippians 4:8 (GNT)

When I got sober, it was [first and foremost] because I was ready and willing to do so and asked God for help. It began (as everything does) with a thought. Often in my life, bad things began with thoughts like "one more time" or "this time will be different." Sometimes, near the end, it was more like "I just can't control myself and don't care anymore. I am what I am."

It is true that God does not control thoughts. We have been given free will--which means we have the freedom of our thoughts from which we may act on. Obviously, if God did control thoughts, we would not have thoughts of wanting or planning sin. Our thoughts would be of God and His will for us all the time. I can't see how it would have been necessary for Jesus to be born into a robotic world where nobody sinned because they never thought to do so and were in constant obedience. Free will would not exist.

So what do we do? How do we control our thoughts? The answer lies in the Word of God. The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ. -2 Cor. 10:4-5 (GNT)

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