Levels Of Obedience

Obedience comes from hearing, watching, and putting into practice the things the instructor has given us to do. There are 3 levels of obedience. The highest level is when obedience comes out of love. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." The highest form of obedience is when we want to obey out of love. This passionate love will cause us to obey at the highest level possible. We will want to please our Master and go above and beyond what is asked to please the Master. This kind of love will make us a better spouse, parent, employee, etc. But not always are we motivated out of passionate love. The second level is obedience is obeying because it is the right thing to do. Not too often do we wake up to the alarm with a passionate love for our job. But we get up and go to work because it is the right thing to do, and the consequences of not doing it are too high. Jesus prayed before the cross, that if there was any other way... but nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Hebrews says that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Jesus told the story of a man who had 2 sons. He told them both to go work in the vineyard. The first said that he would not go, and after regretted this, and went and worked. The second son said that he would go, but did not. Then Jesus asked the question, "Which one did the will of his father?" The first one, though he was disobedient, became obedient, not because he really wanted to, but because it was the right thing to do. The lowest level of obedience is when we are forced to obey and have no other option. Forced obedience is not obedience from the heart. Our goal is obedience, both because of passionate love, and because it is the right thing to do. Better to obey than to sacrifice. Obedience is the test we must strive to pass.

Obedience Begins In Thoughts

God wants our obedience to begin in our thoughts. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ is our goal, 2 Cor. 10:5. As a disciple of Christ, I have committed myself to following Christ and bringing my life into line with His will. First there must be a willingness and desire on my part to change my thinking and my heart to become like Christ. The word obedience is made up of two Greek words which are 'under' and 'to hear'. Obedience starts with being under the hearing of the instructor. I like to play guitar and learn how to play new things. I was watching some guitar lessons on the computer. I was watching the instructor, and listening to him, and then trying to put in practice what he was doing. I was becoming obedient as I listened, watched, and tried to do what the teacher did. This is a picture of obedience. As we listen to Christ, and watch Him in the Scriptures, and begin to put into practice the things we see and hear, we are becoming obedient to Him. Putting something into practice is very different than only hearing and watching. Watching someone else play the guitar, and understanding what they are doing, is very different than actually picking up the guitar and making your fingers obedient to what you have learned. It takes a lot of practice to do what you have seen others do. So it is with the Scriptures. We are not to be only hearers of the Word, but doers also. We are to look into the mirror of the Word, and make the adjustments necessary. We are to build our lives on the foundation of hearing and doing. If we only hear, and do not practice, we will have no strength at the time of testing.

Obedience = Hearing, Listening, and Practicing.

The Chief Cornerstone

As I was reading Matt. 21, I came upon the parable that Jesus told about the landowner and the vinedressers. The landowner prepared a business for himself, he hired others to run it, and he went into a far country. He sent servants to go to the vineyard and collect the fruit. But the workers beat them, killed them, and stoned them. Again he sent more servants, and again they were beaten and killed. Then he decided to send his son, thinking that the workers would respect his son. But when the workers saw the son, they decided to kill the son, thinking that the inheritance would be theirs. Then Jesus, quoting these famous words from Ps. 118:22-24, said to the chief priests and elders, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." The parable is the story of God's love and mercy to His people, in sending over and over again His servants and prophets to Israel, that there would be fruit in Israel for God. But again and again, Israel refused the prophets, and misused and abused them, and sometimes killed them. And finally, God sent His own Son, that His people would respect and hear Him. But again, Israel refused to hear the word, even though it was delivered by His own Son. They took the Son out of the city, and there at Golgotha they crucified Him. This is the stone which the builders rejected. As a cornerstone that is not perfect is rejected, so they found fault with Jesus, and rejected Him. But that same Stone has now been made the Chief Cornerstone. It is from Him that all the building is built and framed. When He comes into our lives, it is from Him that all the rest of our lives is to be measured and directed. When the Chief Cornerstone is laid in our hearts, He lays out the plan for all the rest of our lives. This is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection all wrapped up in these two statements; "The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone"! This wonderful message is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

The Ways Of God

God said of Israel that they were a people that always went astray in their hearts, and they did not know God's ways, Ps. 95. Though they saw the miracles, they did not follow God faithfully. Ps. 103:7 says, "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel." Moses knew the ways of God, and God desires that we would know His ways also. Many of the writers of the Bible cried out to God that they might know His ways. "Show me Your ways O Lord; Teach me Your paths." Ps. 25:4. We need to ask God to show us His ways, because our ways are not His ways. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. So here are 7 thoughts on the ways of God that all begin with the letter W:

1. Ways - Show me Your way, O Lord; Ps. 27:11. The way of man is not in himself; Jer. 10:23.
2. Word - God's Word is His way. 2 Sam. 22:31 "As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is proven..." "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Ps. 119:105. When we find God's Word, we find God's way.
3. Worship - "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool - His is holy." Ps. 99:5. Everything we learn about God should cause us to worship Him more. Knowledge can puff a person up in arrogance, but worship humbles us before God. It is worshippers that God is seeking - John 4:23,24.
4. Walk - Knowing God's ways changes the way we walk. "...I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." Ps. 101:2. "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." Isa. 30:21.
5. Work - God is at work in us to do His good pleasure. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:6. His work in us is to make us more like Christ. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Phil. 2:13
6. Wait - There is always a time of waiting between the sowing of the seed and the harvest, Gal. 6:7,8. Learning to wait on God is an essential part of the ways of God. "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps. 27:14
7. Wisdom - There is wisdom from God that leads us in the ways of God. There are 2 kinds of wisdom mentioned in Jam. 3:15-18. The wisdom of this world is earthly, sensual, and demonic. The wisdom that God gives is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, merciful, impartial, and genuine. Walking in God's wisdom is the way of God.

Likeness

God created man in His own image, and in His own likeness. God created everything to reproduce after its own kind, in its own likeness. So when Adam and Eve had a son in Gen. 5:1-3, it is not surprising that the son had the image and likeness of Adam. Everything follows the seed sowing principle, which says that whatever is planted brings forth a harvest after its own kind. Paul expands this principle into our everyday lives in Gal. 6:7,8, where he says that whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He applies this to sowing to our flesh nature which reaps destruction, and sowing to the Spirit, reaping life everlasting. Every thought and every action becomes a seed sown. Rom. 12:2 tells us that we need to renew our minds so we may find out the will of God. Renewing the mind is replacing the old mindset with the new thoughts of God. Jesus said that we should "Take no anxious thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?', or 'What shall we drink?', or 'What shall we wear?' " We are not to take those thoughts, and we are not to say them. We are to renew our minds to the Scripture, and say those promises. This is the transformation of the mind to live by faith, and not by doubt. The words we say are so powerful they have the power of life and death in them, Pro. 18:21. We must let God change our hearts and minds by receiving His thoughts and attitudes. Consider the beatitudes, how they display the attitudes that Christ had, and how each beatitude is also a principle of sowing and reaping. Paul said that he was confident that the good thing that God started in us, God would continue to complete until the day of His coming. What is it that God is wanting to do in us? What will we look like when He has completed His work? His work in us is to bring is into the image of His Son. He wants us to become like Jesus in every way. He wants our lives to bear the likeness of His Son.

Personal Attacks

There will be times in our growth that we receive personal attacks. These often come from unexpected sources. When an attack comes out of the blue, it is very important how we respond. David had an experience we can all learn from. He refers to it in Ps. 41:9, "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." David was talking about Ahithophel, his counselor who is mentioned in 2 Sam. 15:12. Ahithophel joined Absalom, David's son, in a revolt against David. Ahithophel was a close personal friend to David, and gave David counsel, so he knew David very well, and they had shared many meals together. David said, "O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." David did survive the treasonous act of Absalom, though it broke David's heart. As David and his men were on the move to stay away from Absalom, a man named Shimei came out to curse David in 2 Sam. 16:5-14. This man threw rocks at David, cursed continuously, and lied about David, accusing David of wrong motives. He said David was a bloodthirsty man, and that the Lord was bringing upon David all the blood of the house of Saul. He accused David of taking the reign away from Saul, and that the Lord was now giving the kingdom into the hand of Absalom because David was caught in his own evil. None of this was true! None of these things happened because David had wrong motives. This was the Lord's doing, but Shimei didn't see it that way. It is very hard to be accused of having wrong motives, and to be cursed by people that you thought would support you. But notice David's response in verse 12, "It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day." Wow, if we will respond with that kind of attitude, the Lord will repay us with good even though we've been cursed and accused. David kept his eyes on the Lord, his trust in the Lord, and his hope in the Lord, and was not detoured by the cursing of Shimei. Goodness and mercy did follow David all the days of his life. The blessing of the Lord came because of how he responded when cursed and falsely accused. Don't let accusations from others stop you or break you. Keep your eyes on Jesus, bless those who curse you, and you will walk as a true child of your Father in heaven.

The Secret Place

"He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty," Ps. 91:1 There is a secret place in God where we are invited to dwell. Abiding in that secret place assures us of the provision of El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One. The secret place is that place where we build personal intimate relationship with the Lord. It is the personal conversation and time spent together that builds a relationship. Marriage relationship is built when husband and wife are alone together. That is the time where intimacy of thoughts and emotions are shared and where the strength of relationship is built. The strength of the relationship will be seen in public, but it was built in private. Jesus told us that when we pray, we should enter into our private room, and shut the door, and there pray in secret to our Father, and our Father who sees in secret will reward us openly. It is the secret place that David longed for in Ps. 27:4,5. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His taberacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock." The secret place is the place where Jesus promised that He and the Father would come and make their home, John 14:21-23. It is the place of fellowship where Jesus said He would enter in, when we open the door, and He comes in to dine with us, Rev. 3:20. It is the cleft in the rock, where Moses waited for God's presence to pass by. God was saying to Moses that he could have as much of God's glory as he wanted, and as much as he could stand. When we pray, "Show me Your glory", we are praying to be brought into the secret place. Show me your glory Lord. I want to be in the secret place with You.

Follow, Seek, Set

When Jesus comes on the scene, His presence requires a response. When He met the fishermen, and He called them saying, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," it required a response from them. Would they follow Him or stay where they were? The same call is extended to you and I today. Will we follow Him? Once we have decided to follow, the next step is to seek Him. Paul says in Col. 3:1, "If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." The Christian life is one of seeking God. We are to seek Him diligently, Heb. 11:6. If you have lost your wallet, or your keys, you are on a diligent search to find the missing valuables. We are on a seeking mission to find all the valuable blessings of God provided for us through Christ. We must seek first this kingdom, before all the other things we need, Matt. 6:33. We are assured that when we seek, we will find, Matt. 7:7,8. Our seeking must be with all our heart, and then we will find God, Jer. 29:13. As we seek, Paul says in Col. 3:2, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." What we do with our mind is of great importance in our walk with God. We have specific instructions about what to do with our minds. Phil. 4:8 says that whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, these are the things to think and meditate on. We can choose our thoughts, and we can set our minds on what we choose. We must choose to fill our minds with these things in order to experience the peace of God in our lives. Isa. 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." When we trust the Lord, and we keep our minds set on Him and His Word, the result is that we will have peace, perfect peace, in our lives. I understand that this in Hebrew is a double "Shalom, Shalom." What a provision God has given us for walking in peace, for knowing Him in our walk. Follow, Seek, Set!

5 Smooth Stones

1 Sam. 17:40 says, "Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine." Saul had given his own armor to David to wear to go against the giant, but David refused them, saying that he could not walk with them, for he had not tested them. David could not wear someone else's armor, and we cannot walk with someone else's revelation. When we go out against a giant, we must know in our own hearts what God has told us, and what He wants us to do. David had to go out against Goliath with what he knew for himself. He put Saul's armor aside, and he chose for himself 5 smooth stones. Learning to throw stones and use a slingshot is a personal thing you must experiment with yourself. I remember learning how to skip stones on the creek. I had to experiment with different kinds of stones to find out which were the stones that worked the best for me. David chose for himself 5 smooth stones. He knew what he was looking for. He knew what stones worked for him the best. He chose 5 stones. Why did he choose 5? Firstly, I believe this is a lesson in being over prepared. David was ready, not just for Goliath, but for any other giant that would dare to face David that day. It is good for us to be over prepared in our battles. Know more Scripture than you have time to share. Pray longer than you need to. Show more love than you have to. Be over prepared, and you'll never be unprepared! It is also worth noting that Goliath did have 4 brothers. The details about them are in 2 Sam. 21:15-22. The first two mentioned are named as Ishbi-Benob and Saph. The next two are referred to as the brother of Goliath and a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. These were Goliath's brothers, and David was prepared for them too should they present themselves in the battle. The Scripture admonishes us to always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is within us. Be ready. Let us take a lesson from David. Be over prepared!

A Lion And A Bear

A pivitol point in the story of David and Goliath comes when David remembers how he experienced God's power in previous battles in his life. Even before David is able to go out against the giant, he first has to overcome the opposition he faces from his own people. First Eliab, the oldest brother of David, speaks demeaning belittling words to David, asking David with who he left those few sheep in the wilderness. But David rises up in faith and says, "Is there not a cause?" David does not let the negative words of an older brother sway him from the battle. Then the king, Saul, tries to discourage David by saying, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, seeing you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David had an answer for Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it." David refers to his previous experiences with God to show that he believed God would deliver him in this situation also. It is very important that we trust God in smaller experiences in life, for these become the foundation upon which we can stand, when we face a bigger giant. This was the turning point in the battle against Goliath. It was this confidence that David showed in his God in previous experiences that changed Saul's mind, to allow David to pursue the giant. If David had not had those previous faith encounters with God, he would not have been ready for this huge giant. Every day is an opportunity to trust God, and prove His power in our lives. And every one of these "smaller" miracles builds within us a confidence and faith that we will need when we face a Goliath like giant. Pro. 3:5,6 is our reminder to trust God everyday and in every stiuation, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Let us walk each day with faith in God for His power and provision, and position ourselves for our future battles.

Pulling Down Strongholds

A stronghold in the Old Testament was a place of refuge or a hideout, like a cave or den in the mountains, where people could hide from their enemy. The New Testament uses the word in 2 Cor. 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." The strongholds we battle against are thoughts in our minds that have taken a strong hold on our minds, that keep us in bondage to lies, and wrong thinking. The battlefield for the Christian is in the mind, where Satan rages against the work of God in our lives. The enemy works through deceiving thoughts, lies, and half truths to gain entrance and control in the life of the believer in Jesus. We can choose our thoughts. We must take responsibility for our thoughts. Just as I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of where I live, so I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of my mind. I can choose my thoughts, and I must choose my thoughts carefully, or else my mind will become a garbage pit for any thought. The renewing of the mind is a process that takes constant persistence in enforcing the truth of God's Word into our minds. We are told by the apostle Paul to choose our thoughts carefully. Phil. 4:8 says, "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." This is bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is pulling down strongholds. This is casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is not enough to simply reject and rebuke wrong thoughts, we must replace the wrong thoughts with the thoughts of the Word of God. This is when we will begin to experience the truth of Jesus' words to us, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32

How To Defeat A Giant

The story of David defeating Goliath is a story rich in revelation knowledge about our walk with God. The giant represents an enemy to our spiritual walk that stands as a domineering, controlling, merciless obstacle to spiritual growth. As long as the giant stood in defiance, Israel's progress was stopped. Israel could do nothing as long as the giant loomed over them. Goliath's challenge came to Israel for 40 days, every morning and every evening. He was a constant reminder in their face that they were under his control, and they could do nothing as long as he was there. The enemy of our walk is constantly standing against us, and trying to exert his control in our lives. We must defeat the giants that stand against us. But before David could even go against the giant, he had other things to deal with first. David's oldest brother, Eliab, came with words of ridicule and intimidation which were meant to belittle David. 1 Sam. 17:28 says, "Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, 'Why did you come down here? And with who have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle. ' " The oldest brother has influence over the younger siblings, and he is expected to encourage and support the younger ones in their battles. It can be very disheartening to have someone older in a place of influence speak words that hurt and discourage. But David did not fall under this negative influence. He rejected rejection! He could have quit at this moment, and said to himself, "I tried to help. I offered my service, but I was rejected, so I'm going back home." But David's heart rose up in faith and courage and said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" Eliab represents the nature of the flesh. Eliab responded with anger, and a cruel mean spirit toward David. The flesh is capable of every wicked thing in this life, and if we are going to rise up and defeat our giants, we are going to have to overcome the flesh. Paul admonished the church in Corinth to overcome their flesh when he said in 1 Cor. 3:3, "For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal, and behaving like mere men?" David overcame the rejection and criticism of Eliab before he came against Goliath. We too must rise up above the works of the flesh, to defeat the giants that stand against us.

The Natural Man

The familiar story of David and Goliath has an amazing lesson for each of us. The story is found in 1 Sam. 17. David was sent out by his father to take some bread and cheese to his brothers, and to see how they were doing, and to bring back a report. As David arrived, the Philistine giant presented himself and made his challenge for anyone from Israel to come and fight him. The giant is about 9'9" tall, fully dressed in battle armor, and has been a warrior since his youth. He is a formidable enemy and all the men of Israel are dreadfully afraid of him. David relies on God, and has had past experiences with a lion and a bear that strengthen his faith. He is willing and ready to go against this giant. He sees no reason whatsoever that this giant should be able to curse the God of Israel and remain in power over Israel. David believes God, and says, "Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." Here is where we learn something about walking with God. Saul relies on his own understanding, and on earthly weapons, and tells David to put on his armor. So David puts on Saul's armor, but he says, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." Saul is a representation of the natural man, who does not have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:14 tells us that the natural man does not recieve the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." Saul thinks only with the natural mind, and David says, "I cannot walk with these." We cannot walk for God with only the natural mind. Our walk with God is a supernatueral walk that is by faith, and in the Spirit, and is not a life of the flesh. David relies on God, and He takes out his sling and chooses 5 stones. He overcomes the giant, not by the weapons of war of the natural man, but by faith in God. Our weapons are not physical, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 2 Cor. 10:4. Saul's wisdom was earthly, sensual, and demonic, James 3:15. We have been called to live by a higher wisdom, the wisdom that comes down from above, the mind of Christ, Let us llive today by the spiritual armor from God, and not by the natural man of self reliance.

Overcoming Giants

The children of Israel were given a land to conquer. Moses instructed the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes to go into the land to spy it out and to bring back a report of what they saw. They came back with fruit from the land and gave their report. Though all 12 spies saw the same thing, they came back with 2 different conclusions. 10 of the spies said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." Joshua and Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are will able to overcome it." The people were swayed by the negative report and spent the night weeping, and wanted to select another leader and return to Egypt. Only Joshua and Caleb and those 20 years of age and younger were able to enter into the promised land. God has given us many promises. He has given us a "promised land" to enter into. The vastness of His love and presence and promises still awaits our possessing. Negativity is an enemy that needs to be discovered and defeated. Sometimes we have lived with negative thinking for so long that we don't even realize how negative our attitude is. We have accepted defeat too easily because something didn't work out right away. We haven't stayed in faith and believed that God has a thousand ways to answer a prayer. We need to remember that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. When we receive a word from God we will see how God can work in very simple ways. Usually His thoughts about a situation are thoughts that we had never considered, yet they will be so easy to accept. What does God require from us? Faith! He simply required faith from the children of Israel. They didn't have to know how to conquer the land, they simply needed to believe that God had given it to them, and therefore it was theirs to take. Whatever God has promised you, claim it by faith, and don't give up. God will be true to His Word. Don't let negative thinking stop you from moving forward into the land God has given you.

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

In Pro. 23:7 we read this phrase, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." God wants to change the way that we think. Our lives become a progression of thoughts, to words, to actions, to habits, to character. Long before our character or habits were formed, there were thoughts which gave birth to this progression in our lives. That's why we were given the Scriptures, which are inspired of God, for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction, 2 Tim. 3:16. Why do we need so much teaching, rebuking, correction, and instruction? Because God wants to change the way we think. Out whole way of thinking needs to be retrained. The source of the problem is found in Gen. 2:16,17. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in that day they would surely die. They did die that day, spiritually, and their minds began to think negative things they had never known before. Fear and shame and guilt entered in. In the next chapter, Gen. 4, we read of the murder of Abel by Cain. In Gen. 6:5 the thoughts of men's hearts had become evil continually. So God gave us His Word to retrain our minds so we would think God's thoughts. Heb. 4:12 says this Word is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and it divides between the soul and the spirit, and it discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We need to open ourselves to the Word of God, and like David, pray that God would search our hearts, and see if there is any wicked way in us, Ps. 139:23,24. We all need to have our thoughts retrained, because Isa. 55:8,9 tells us that our thoughts are not God's thoughts, and our ways are not His ways. Pro. 4:20-22 tells us that we can have God's Word in our hearts, as we give attention to it, we listen to it, and we keep it before our eyes. This is the process of transformation that Paul talked about in Rom. 12:2. Our lives are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we may come to know what God's will is for our lives. Take a step toward transformation today by giving attention to God's Word.