. Change the Music

Back in 1989 soon after we were married, Sean and I purchased our very first C.D. player. CD's were the new craze and initially, we bucked at the idea. Once we realized that only meant we would not be able to listen to our favorite music with our albums from the 70's and 80's, we decided we could grow into this new technological world. Being huge music fans, we investigated CD players until we found one in our very small budget that would also last us for awhile. One of the features we loved on the C.D. player was the "Repeat" function. If you wanted to listen to a song over and over, you just clicked "Repeat" and it would automatically play that song continuously. After repeatedly listening to a favorite song, the soundtrack was ingrained in our minds so that we knew every word and beat.

The Bible study I am revisiting has been addressing this very fact. Whatever soundtrack you and I have continuously playing in our minds is what we ultimately believe. That can be positive or negative. We've been seeing how meditating on truth is so very vital for our spiritual health and remembering our identity in Christ. A lot of people believe meditation is something "new age" and for other religions, but there are many places in scripture we are told to meditate on something. Matter of fact, there's at least 37 references to meditate in the Bible. It simply means, "To keep the mind in a state of contemplation; to dwell on anything in thought; to think seriously; to muse; to cogitate, to reflect. To contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study." (Webster's Unabridged Dictionary)

What soundtrack is playing in your mind? Is it things others have said? Things you have said to yourself? Things that you feel? Things that you know to be true, but hurtful? Our soundtracks are not reliable unless they are first taken captive by the Holy Spirit. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.." 2 Cor. 10:3-5

I've been guilty of believing so many lies of the enemy or others, and dwelling on painful memories of hurt and betrayal. By allowing that to become the soundtrack of my mind, negativity can steer my every emotion and eventually action. Do you ever even argue with yourself? Oh, how I have been there! Sometimes the enemy knows exactly when and how to speak to us, whether times of vulnerability, sickness, or trials, and especially in times when we have not taken up the FULL armor of God. It's very enlightening to stop and really hear the things you are saying to or about yourself. You may find there's simply no truth there.

Now insert God's soundtrack. Not sure what His sounds like? Try some of these:

"Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,

And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count." Psalm 40:5

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand." Psalm 139:17-18

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,'
declares the LORD.
'As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isa. 55:8-9

"'For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil; to give you a future and a hope.'" Jer. 29:11

Our truth to hide in our hearts this week comes from Psalm 19:14....

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer."

Did you know that the average human brain has 70,000 thoughts/day?! To even comprehend that is beyond me. So, the next time you are having a thought, aka "meditating," press pause, and see if there's truth in the track you're listening to. Is it "acceptable" in God's sight? Acceptable simply means "able to be agreed on; suitable." Would God agree with that meditation you think about yourself? Would it be suitable considering the One Who gave His life for you loves you more than anyone on this earth? Oh, that we would take every thought captive to Him and live our lives by the power of the Spirit Who brings truth to light in every soundtrack of our lives.

Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh, and take account of these things (fix your minds on them)." Phil. 4:6-8 (Amp)