Dear Bros in Christ,

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Brothers in Christ, this monthly devotional is sent and meant to be an encouragement to
all and to build up and edify in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oikodome means "Builder". The Lord
has put this on my heart to send out a monthly Iron Man Oikodome {oy-kod-om-
ay'} to build up and encourage the men who love and follow Jesus Christ in their walk with
Him.
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none
of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
PRAYER REQUESTS: If you have any prayer requests please send them and I will send
them out to the bros for prayer, if privacy is needed I will send in a discreet way.

MARCH 2010

“THOUGHT CONTROL”
“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” (Philippians 4:8 NKJV).

Bros, do you find it amazing when you are; worshipping the Lord, reading the Bible, or even
at a Bible Study, Church service and or praying that your focused thoughts can get away
from you and you can find yourself thinking on something and you have no idea how your
thoughts got there on that subject. Your mind just runs with it and bam you are a million
miles- thought wise away from the things of the Lord you were focused on. It is like when
you cast out a fishing line and it keeps going and going just sailing really fast and you are
now cast way out there in your mind or thoughts… The enemy is shooting those fiery darts
into our minds and maybe the shield of faith is rusty and you forgot to put it on or to wear
it or get refitted with faith in your Morning Prayer time that never got under way, you got in
a big rush and forgot some key elements of armor. “But you, beloved, building yourselves
up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit…” (Jude 1:20 NKJV)
Or you might be *chillaxin (*chilling and relaxing) at a Starbubs having a latte deeply
submerged in reading the Word and just happen to glance up and right in your line of sight
there happens to be a gal who is not dressed modestly and you make the mistake of
lingering your glance and now maybe you are in sin- the thoughts you are having do not
honor God. But wait you were just deep in the Word of God, not a care about what is
around you and now maybe you are having ungodly sinful thoughts. Bros if this happens
immediately repent and ask Jesus to forgive you and cleanse your mind from these
thoughts and to help you have thought control- to meditate on this scripture memorize it
and use it, put it in your arsenal of Christian weaponry for protection against the wiles of
the enemy. “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” (Philippians 4:8
NKJV).
Oh bros you must arm yourselves for this battle don’t go out and about the front lines
without arming up, put on the armor call on the name of Jesus Christ because the enemy
satan will try anything to derail your Bible study time, your devotional and prayer time, he’s
a twisted killer of our relationship with Jesus Christ and will stop at nothing and try every
filthy, evil, dirty -devil trick he can muster. Set your mind on things above, not on
things on the earth (Colossians 3:2 NKJV). Take every thought captive immediately
into the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words if you can’t say your thoughts
out loud in public you should not be thinking them. Imagine if you uttered them out loud
what would the folks around you say or do, would they freak; if so, “Houston we got a
problem”! Submit them to the Lord, if you can’t say them to the Lord why would you allow
yourself to think them. Its trash bros, in your prayer time ask the Lord continuously to help
you have “thought control” to take the stinkin trash out before it rots your mind and totally
corrupts your thoughts. One bad apple rots the whole bunch… A little leaven, leavens the
whole loaf… A drop of poison in a pitcher of water makes the whole pitcher a deadly
weapon… it doesn’t take much to pollute the mind be careful what you put in front of it; a
few seconds of sinful thoughts can ruin a good Bible study or prayer time which is the goal
of the enemy.

“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…” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV).

Bros when you allow your mind to think a sinful lustful thought, Jesus said it’s the same
thing as doing it

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28 NKJV).

When you let your mind think on sinful or lustful thoughts, once that seed has been sowed
or planted in your mind it is just a matter of time before you will be doing it. When the
enemy shoots that fiery dart at your mind and you allow it to stick and you don’t block it
with your shield of faith- the sin has just been conceived. Just like a woman when she gets
pregnant a seed has been sowed or planted she conceives it and then she will give birth to
a baby. The same goes for our thoughts bros when we start desiring and thinking of
something and maybe we didn’t start out thinking about it intentionally, but it came into
our thoughts via fiery dart, drive by, walk by, visual or whatever method the enemy used
and we allowed our minds to dwell on it and mull it over, take it into deep thought for just a
second and now our desires and minds have conceived it and it will give birth to sin. It will
be just a matter of time and we will be acting that sin out in the physical flesh if we
continue on those types of thoughts and do not extinguish the fiery darts and repent
immediately, don’t go there bro, don’t allow your mind to control you, don’t let your mind
have that much free reign keep the leash drawn in real tight, keep that reel locked and
from being cast out and running away or getting away from thoughts that honor God and
are pure and lovely. Don’t let your mind imagine any ungodly thoughts and don’t take the
bait the enemy is forever throwing in front of your eyes or shooting into your mind. The
devil will stop at nothing to get into your mind and when he does he is like a termite that is
devouring and consuming your thoughts like a piece of wood until he has taken away the
integrity of your good intentions and turned them away from keeping your thoughts
captive into the obedience of Christ. Again stop your mind from thinking those thoughts
whatever they are if they do not honor God and are sin or lust thoughts stop that thought
habit right now and repent from those thoughts bro. And then turn to Him and meditate on
Him, His Word and His ways and take those thoughts captive before the sin thoughts give
birth to death, you know it’s coming Gods word says it, don’t go there. I know the world
teaches its OK to fantasize in your mind you are not hurting anyone- but that is a lie from
the pit of hell bro. Remember it all starts with a thought, the fiery dart is launched and if it
sticks or has a place to land- its then conceived and then gives birth to sin and then when it
is full grown it brings forth death. That’s full term sin, when it goes full term it delivers
death.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.14 But each one is tempted
when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15Then, when desire has
conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:13-17 NKJV).

Remember God is the giver of good gifts and thoughts too, meditate on Him and all His
ways the things that are from Him and are of Him. And use your mind to bless God and to
honor Him think on these things; don’t give the enemy a foothold in your mind or any
thoughts he will try to take you captive he is not satisfied with just one of your thoughts he
wants to dominate every thought and turn your thoughts and mind away from God. But you
take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ and Honor God and you can pull
down these strongholds the enemy wants to bring against you. Remember the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…. Use the
weaponry that God gave you, it’s the best, it’s mighty and its Gods gift to us for warfare.
God gave us the weapons we have to pick them up and use them so call on the Lord today
right now this second and ask Him to bring down the strongholds and give you thought
control so your mind can be fully given over to meditating on the things of God and help
you to stop letting the enemy rob your thoughts. We have Victory in Christ so use the
provisions He has supplied each one of us. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the
Lord and in the power of His might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the
heavenly [places].13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14Stand
therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of
peace;16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit”...(Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV).
Rest your mind in and on Jesus Christ, keeping your thoughts on the things that are from
the Lord pure and lovely and of good report. If and when those thoughts come repent
immediately for thinking them and turn to Gods Word read it or think on a memorized
scripture, or recite a scripture, sing a praise song to the Lord, pray, turn on a Christian
radio station or put a Christian CD on or listen to a message. The idea is to learn to turn
your thoughts to the Lord, train yourself to respond by seeking the Lord right away and
pray for Him to help you always to have Thought Control and He will. He is faithful even
when we are faithless.
If we are faithless, He remains faithful (2Timothy 2:13 NKJV)
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2 NKJV).
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God (Romans 12:2NKJV).
Let your thoughts honor God and fill your mind with the Word of God, now is the time to be
changed from the inside out ask the Lord for Thought Control to bring Him honor and glory.
Think on and in Jesus Christ take every thought captive into His obedience, He loves you
and is thinking of you why not do the same back…
Agape,
Daniel Wright
Iron Man Oikodome
Proverbs 27:17

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