captive.

I think that's my word for the day.

I am still tracking along with the scripture memory challenge and this morning when I was drying my hair (cause that's when I work most on it ... I mean what else are you gonna do with the hairdryer on) I was meditating on the different parts of my current memory verse.  It's 2 Corinthains 10:5 which says,

"We destroy arguments

and every lofty opinion

raised against the knowledge of God

and take every thought captive

to obey Christ."

I picked those verses because of the study I've been doing that looks at our thoughts.  Because my biggest struggle with "arguments against the knowledge of Christ" don't come from outside conversations, but from my inner thoughts.  It's there that I will find myself thinking or believing things that I'd never dare say outside ... about myself and about God.  That's where I find myself wondering some days if God really does love me.  That's where I find those doubts about His ability or desire to use me or answer my prayers.  And that's where we have to do warfare against those arguments. In our thoughts.  The arguments are not against those who claim not to know or believe God, but against our own hearts. 

And in a world where we are so intent on being FREE we have to learn to take CAPTIVE those thoughts and arguments that are simply not true to live in that FREEDOM we desire.  We've been looking some at that in this study (Me, Myself and Lies) ... the Holy Spirit is our TRUTH teller.  Scripture bears out truth.  But we've also got to learn to speak truth to ourselves and to identify and demolish lies.  That's the harder part.  There's a reason Satan's called the father of lies.  He knows he can keep us sidelined if he can tell us lies.  And he does a really good job at it. 

I"m encouraged though at the definitve nature of this verse.  It doesn't say we try or we want to ... it says we do it.  We can take captive our thoughts to obey Christ.  Doesn't mean it's easy or not work, but we can do it.  We CAN walk in truth and obedience.  And that's encouraging.  I like how the message puts the end of that verse ...

... fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ ...