Transform Your Thoughts

Romans 12:2, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

It amazes me how it is so easy to copy the behavior and customs of this world and we do not even realize how it impacts our lives and the ones around us. It is so easy to just coast along and DO all kinds of things and not really tap into the reason why God placed us in the world anyway.

To transform our thoughts, we have to spend time DAILY in the Word of God. We cannot just depend on church services to give us our dose for the week.

 Sunday I used the illustration of water, food coloring and bleach.

The water represented our minds/thoughts (these turn into actions).
The food coloring represented the bad influences of the world, hurtful things said to us by others, etc.
The bleach represented the Word of God.

I had the water and added the green food coloring. The more food coloring I poured into the water, the greener the water became. That is how it is with life. The more of the world's influence that we allow or sometimes things we don't allow (hurtful things by other, etc), the more we can become like the world.

That is why it is so important that we spend time DAILY in God's Word and meditate on His Word throughout the day.

Then, I poured the bleach, little by little, into the green water. As I did, the water began to get lighter and lighter. It took quite a bit of bleach to completely change the water back clear. I even had to let it sit for a few minutes while I talked through the illustration. It was cool because that is the way it is with the Word of God. Sometimes we have to read and read to get rid of those thoughts that keep trying to creep up and take over.

We even used a box with a brain on it (I made it) and we put hurtful thoughts into it. I illustrated how we can use specific Scriptures to combat those thoughts. I know these kids will remember several things when they move on out of the kid's group. Get in the Word EVERYDAY. Trash in, trash out. MEMORIZE Scripture. We actually spend a lot of time memorizing because I feel that it is super important.

Then, this morning in my Colossians Bible study, it seemed to relate to this post that I had already started, but not finished. I am amazed at God and how He reveals Himself to us.

My desire is to bring glory to His Name! I desire to know Him and make Him known to others. The only way I can do that is through time with Him allowing Him to work THROUGH me. WOW!