In 2016, I began writing a series of ministry books on various subjects, which we published on Amazon, in both E-book and paperback. For the next few weeks, we will show an example of the contents in each of these 18 books. You might find these books helpful in reminding you of godly concepts used in following God. The E-books are priced at 99-cents each in USA. Paperback books vary in prices according to the number of pages. Free E-books are offered daily on selected books through Amazon. At the end of this writing, you will find a link which takes you directly to Amazon if you choose to order this book.
Joan Boney
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Book 1
Taking Thoughts Captive
Preface
When I was born again, in 1975, one of the first things God taught me was how we as Christians are to deal with destructive thoughts by Taking Thoughts Captive.
This is God's antidote to the poison of this world.
An example:
A woman I went to school with, sent me a note along with a birthday card. In her note, she told of her grandson who just got married a few months ago. She told of her plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas with her daughter and her son-in-law and her grandchildren. She told of her husband's activities.
I
have no grandson, nor daughter, nor son-in law ... nor did I have any
plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was alone ... with no plans at
all ...
IMMEDIATELY THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN SPEAKING THE FOLLOWING WORDS TO ME
...
"You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:3
"That's right" ... I cried out ...
When other people look at me, they see no life ... no husband, no children, no grandchildren
But the truth is ... I am dead, though I live on this earth ...
I
died to this world when I was born again to God ... now my life is hid
with Christ ... and they can't see it when they view me ...
I rejoiced in this truth from the Holy Spirit.
(Otherwise I think I would have been pulled down by the note in that birthday card.)
Colossians 3 ... 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with HIM in glory.
When we view life on this earth through God's eyes, we are resurrected from the thoughts which otherwise plague us.
This is the basic principle of Taking Thoughts Captive ... to bring those thoughts into obedience of Christ, THE WORD ...
As a result, we rejoice in HIM ...
Joan Boney
***
Chapter 1
The important thing when a negative
thought, a destructive thought, comes is to bring that thought into the
obedience of Christ, into the obedience of THE WORD, through prayer.
The apostle Paul said …
II Corinthians 10 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;
***
We purpose to build our lives on THE WORD OF GOD, ON WHAT GOD SAYS, rather than what the world and humans say.
For example: The world and the “intelligent” people of the world learn to plan for the future . But God has another way for HIS people, which sounds like foolishness to the people of this world.
Jesus teaches HIS people the following …
Matthew 6 … No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for
your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on.
Is not the life more than meat, and
the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for
they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly
Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can
add one cubit unto his stature? (Can
you make yourself an inch taller by thinking about it?
And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the
field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall HE not much
more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall
we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do
the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things.
But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
Take therefore no thought
for the morrow: for the
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.
***
One of the first things to free
ourselves from this world and the ways of this world is to learn to do that
which Jesus teaches us which goes against everything humans usually do, and
that is to provide for themselves by their own fleshly wisdom.
We have to learn another way to
follow God.
***
What is it Jesus said?
But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
Take therefore no thought
for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought
for the things of itself.
We start each day by asking God, “What
do YOU want me to do today? Please guide me and order my day today.”
(seek the kingdom of God.) "And please fill my day today."
Then we begin to learn to “take no thought for tomorrow”.
A great many thoughts will come to us
during the day concerning “tomorrow”.
To start learning this path presented by Jesus in Matthew 6, we need to be aware
throughout today when thoughts come about something that is scheduled for
tomorrow or of something that “might” happen tomorrow.
When that happens, we need to STOP … and begin praying about tomorrow … Let your requests concerning the matter be known unto God.
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
(Talk directly to God about tomorrow.)
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Basically we learn to take care of
TODAY through both prayer about what we are about to do and then by taking
action appropriate to today …
and concerning TOMORROW, we need to pray.
***
If we have dread about something
ahead, we need to turn to God and ask God to give us wisdom and help us. We
might need to cancel that appointment or we might need to approach it in another way.
Regardless, it needs our prayer… We might start to “day dream”, speculating
about something we think might happen tomorrow … We might even imagine
conversations we are going to have tomorrow with other people … Our mind can
get out of control concerning tomorrow.
We must rein our mind in through prayer and by turning to God for help.
***
When you start trying to “take no
thought for tomorrow”, you are likely to find a great many thoughts coming
to you concerning “tomorrow”.
Each time, you must pray
about “tomorrow” if you are to overcome in this.
It takes effort to enter into the
things of God. It takes faith that God
will uphold you as you purpose to honor The Word by doing the Word.
Few people
find the way of “life” and many people go in the way of “destruction.”, says
Jesus.
Mt. 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go
in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it.
***
Few who call themselves Christians
ever learn to rest in the way God shows in the Bible.
Start with prayer, asking God about those ideas that come to you … asking God
to show you HIS way for the various plans you have already made … Be willing to
make changes if needed … Confirm your way with both
prayer and the Bible.
***
Especially important: Pay close attention to any scripture called to your mind,
for that is likely the Holy Spirit speaking directly to you with a “special”
message to you from the heart of God.
***
I Corinthians 2 … Paul
explains to us:
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love HIM. But God hath revealed them
unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so
the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we
might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
***
Many examples will be given of
“Taking Thoughts Captive” as you continue in the following exhortations in
this book.
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All books in the Life in Christ series are available in E-book version and paperback from
Amazon.com
Type Joan Boney in the Amazon search box to purchase these books
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