I never dreamed when I started working through Joyce's book several months ago that I would still be plugging away in the month of November!

But here we are on Wednesday, November 3rd, diving into the last two chapters on negative conditions of the mind.  I thought it might be good to go back and review all of the chapters we have studied so far in this journey.

Part One:  The Importance of the Mind

Chapter One: The Mind is the Battlefield

Chapter Two: A Vital Necessity

Chapter Three:  Don't Give Up!

Chapter Four:  Little by Little

Chapter FIve:  Be Positive

Chapter Six:  Mind-Binding Spirits

Chapter Seven:  Think About What You Are Thinking About

Part Two:  The Conditions of the Mind

Chapter Eight:  When is My Mind Normal?

Chapter Nine:  A Wandering, Wondering Mind

Chapter Ten:  A Confused Mind

Chapter Eleven:  A Doubtful and Unbelieving Mind

Chapter Twelve:  An Anxious and Worried Mind

Chapter Thirteen:  A Judgmental, Critical, and Suspicious Mind

Chapter Fourteen:  A Passive Mind

In Chapter Thirteen, Joyce makes it very clear that as we go through our daily lives we need to be focused on our own struggles, our own weakness, our own sins.......not those of the people around us.  She shares many verses that stress that importance of not judging, about not having too high an opinion of ourselves, and about helping to carry the burden of those around us.

She reminds us that the Bible clearly says that we will reap what we sow, and then she applies this to our mind.  If we sow negative, judgmental thoughts, we will reap those kinds of behaviors from people around us.

Ultimately, as Christians, we are called to love one another. We are also called to guard our hearts and to believe the best in every person.

She ends this chapter with Proverbs 16:23,24

The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips.  Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.

Chapter Fourteen deals with being passive.  She brings out the message of Ephesians 4:27 which says, Neither give place to the devil, and then makes this statement.

EMPTY SPACE IS A PLACE!

Basically, her point in this chapter is this:

When we sit back and do not fill our minds with "good" things and right thinking, then we are giving the devil the opportunity to fill up that empty space with bad things and wrong thinking.

God loves us passionately.

Jesus ministered passionately.

We are called to live passionate lives not lives of passivity.

Joyce ends the chapter by saying we must live a life that demonstrates the power of the resurrection....having a backbone not a wishbone.

Don't wish things we're different.

Make different choices and then live a different, active, positive life filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

For today, I am convicted and inspired.

I pray that your day is full of positive thinking and opportunities to love on those around you.

God bless you all!