We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:5 (GW)  Have you ever played racquetball? I rarely win because I can never tell where the ball will go. By the time I think it’s headed in one direction, it has already bounced off two walls and is somewhere else!  Many people’s thought lives are like that, going in a thousand different directions at once. However, to meditate and allow God’s Word to sink in, we need to shut out distractions and focus. How do we do that? We follow the wisdom found in today’s verse and discipline our minds by taking distracting thoughts captive.   Now, that involves work and isn’t always easy. It reminds me of videos I’ve watched of …

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.”  Mark 4:3–4 (NLT)  Satan’s worst fear is that you get God’s Word rooted into your heart where it can begin to grow and produce a harvest. There is no greater threat to the enemy than a believer who knows who they are in Christ and isn’t afraid to pursue God’s plans for their life. The enemy uses several tactics to keep that from happening.   One way he tries to steal God’s Word from you is through distraction. If he can keep you busy, entertained or focused on anything else, he can keep you from spending …

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.  Proverbs 4:20–21 (AMPC)  Have you been feeling washed out lately? Feeling like your prayers aren’t going anywhere or that you’re running low on love and joy?   Although life has its ups and downs, Solomon points out that an important way to help us stay full of God’s life is to meditate consistently on His Word. That’s what Solomon meant by keeping it in our eyes, ears and centre of our hearts. Why is meditating important?   Because your heart is like a garden, and meditation prepares your heart’s soil. It removes misbeliefs about your identity, rips out misguided ideas about …

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.  Mark 4:24 (AMPC)  I remember watching an old show where a husband was reading a newspaper while his wife tried talking to him. He kept saying, “Uh-huh… uh-huh….” The wife could tell he wasn’t paying attention. Suddenly, he smelled something burning and realized she had lit his paper on fire!   Some of us are like that husband and treat Holy Spirit’s attempts to talk to us the same way. We read the Word or listen to Biblical teaching and think, …

My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; open your ears to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.  Proverbs 4:20–21 (AMP)  Have you ever wondered why new believers often get phenomenal miracles? One reason is that their hearts are so open—when they hear God’s promises on healing, they believe it’s theirs in Christ Jesus and quickly get what they expect.   The trouble for some long-time believers is that the soil of their hearts has become hard-packed, and their attitudes have turned negative. Instead of recognizing what’s hindering their growth, they mistakenly think that God lets new believers receive more miracles, compared to mature Christians.  Nowhere in the New Testament can …