Sock Lint
SCRIPTURE: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (NASB)
Recently I had purchased some socks, which after one day proved to be the kind that retains an unbelievable amount of lint—lint from the floor, cat hair (and dander), dust bunnies—seen and unseen! (Dyson vacuum cleaner sale, anyone)? Since I was in no hurry, I sought to remove the unspeakable lint balls off of those socks with the use of my trusty lint roller. Mission impossible—at least not without some time and patient effort! It occurred to me that unedifying thoughts should be similarly regarded as deliberately extracted sock lint! Such thoughts may not always be ousted from our minds as quickly as we’d like; and it’s highly probable that you have no clue as to why those thoughts keep resurfacing.
Yes—as are some thoughts we unwittingly recycle, some socks seem to have been specially designed to be more dirt and dust magnets than sock! When it comes to negative, unedifying, or even toxic thoughts, over which you SEEM to have little or no control, quickly obey God’s Spirit—don’t dawdle and dwell on them; in fact, assertively and decidedly REPLACE them by lifting fervent praises and specific petitions heavenward-- BELIEVING God’s Word about His infinite care about ALL that touches you and me.
Someone has said that the enemy is “allergic” to a saint’s praises to God! From experience, many of us know this to be true. For instance, in Psalm 34:1-8 we find strong counsel on how to intercept toxic or defeatist thoughts. In essence, it reminds us of the need to take time to praise the Lord, no matter what our circumstances, to count one’s blessings, to not avoid corporate praise. It challenges the believer to recall past instances of God’s timely deliverance and grace. It’s sound theology for individuals, as well as an entire culture, to cease and desist from mental regurgitations of the past—especially when they get you no further than another round of “the blame game!” Learn from the past, and then MOVE On Prayer and sacrifices of praise change US, that is, our perspective, if not the situation at hand.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for blessing us, Your kingdom people, with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; consequently, we can indeed take every thought captive to the obedience of our blessed Lord and Savior. In His name we pray and give thanks—AMEN!
By Denise Diggs
Yes—as are some thoughts we unwittingly recycle, some socks seem to have been specially designed to be more dirt and dust magnets than sock! When it comes to negative, unedifying, or even toxic thoughts, over which you SEEM to have little or no control, quickly obey God’s Spirit—don’t dawdle and dwell on them; in fact, assertively and decidedly REPLACE them by lifting fervent praises and specific petitions heavenward-- BELIEVING God’s Word about His infinite care about ALL that touches you and me.
Someone has said that the enemy is “allergic” to a saint’s praises to God! From experience, many of us know this to be true. For instance, in Psalm 34:1-8 we find strong counsel on how to intercept toxic or defeatist thoughts. In essence, it reminds us of the need to take time to praise the Lord, no matter what our circumstances, to count one’s blessings, to not avoid corporate praise. It challenges the believer to recall past instances of God’s timely deliverance and grace. It’s sound theology for individuals, as well as an entire culture, to cease and desist from mental regurgitations of the past—especially when they get you no further than another round of “the blame game!” Learn from the past, and then MOVE On Prayer and sacrifices of praise change US, that is, our perspective, if not the situation at hand.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for blessing us, Your kingdom people, with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; consequently, we can indeed take every thought captive to the obedience of our blessed Lord and Savior. In His name we pray and give thanks—AMEN!
By Denise Diggs
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
3 Comments
Boy, how many times have we had to recite Phil 4:8 to intervene and to stop our negative thinking in its tracks. Thanks Sis. Denise.
Amen.
Amen!