Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
~ A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automatically by way of pressure when a target steps on it or drives over it, although other detonation mechanisms are also sometimes used.[1] A land mine may cause damage by direct blast effect, by fragments that are thrown by the blast, or by both.
The use of land mines is controversial because of their potential as indiscriminate weapons. They can remain dangerous many years after a conflict has ended, harming civilians and the economy. 78 countries are contaminated with land mines and 15,000–20,000 people are killed every year while countless more are maimed. Approximately 80% of land mine casualties are civilian, with children as the most affected age group. Most killings occur in times of peace
~ Landmines may be concisely defined as mass-produced, victim-operated, explosive traps.
Mike Croll, The History of Landmines
In May 1967 First Australian Task Force (1ATF) laid a minefield in Vietnam that epitomizes Australia's involvement in that war and, beyond that, the sense of fateful sacrifice that is fundamental to Australian military remembrance. 1ATF commander Brigadier Stuart Graham wanted the field, which he described as a "barrier minefield", to shield the Vietnamese villages in Phuoc Tuy province's south-western districts from incursions by regular units from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the local National Liberation Front for the Southern Region (NLF). The NLF called those south-western districts Long Dat.
The barrier also sought to cut those regular enemy forces off from the supplies and recruits they obtained in those villages of Long Dat and from the support of the NLF's irregular village guerrilla units there. To serve these purposes, the barrier would contain more than 21,000 powerful M16 landmines laid by 1 Field Squadron Royal Australian Engineers and run for 11 kilometers due south from the center of Long Dat to the coast. More than half of these mines were fitted with anti-lifting devices in order to deter any enemy who might attempt to breach the field. About one in four of the mines was fitted with trip wires, which provided an alternative means of detonation.
Yet this minefield defied reason. Graham laid it in an attempt to compensate for the insufficient troops the government had given him to deal with the situation he confronted in the province. His use of the anti-lifting devices was, in turn, an attempt to compensate for not having sufficient troops to guard the field. But his engineer adviser, Major Brian Florence, told him in no uncertain terms that anti-lifting devices would not secure the mines against a determined enemy. It was a principle of mine warfare that only protection by troops posted along the entire length of the field could do this. Graham's battalion commanders also warned him that the enemy would breach the field, steal the mines and turn them back against 1ATF, if he went ahead with his plan. But that is what he did.
A conservative calculation is that some 45 per cent of Australian casualties from mines and booby-traps were caused by "our own M16 mines".
It is also noted that more then 65% off landmines resulted in “friendly” injury.
~Renewing of the mind: It's like going to the Imax Theatre and watching a 3-dimensional movie. And you're thinking, "This isn't 3-dimensional. It's only 2-dimensional." Then someone nudges you and says, "You've got to put the glasses on." "Ohhh, now I see."
~Our memories are like a photo album and we're the ones who get to choose what goes into the album.
~The Bathtub Test: It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started. During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. "Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub." What would you use? "Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup." "No." said the director, "A normal person would just pull the plug. Do you want a bed near a window?"
~nIn war, captors often try to mess with the minds of captives. One method is to give them a shovel, point to a huge pile of dirt, and tell them to move it to another point. Once that is done, they tell them to move it back. The idea is to remove their sense of purpose.
~ The Foundation of All Strongholds lies in the mind!
~ A War is waging for control of your thought life. When you surrender to temptation, your thoughts become deeds, your deeds become habits, and your habits become strongholds.
~ The Devil would rather get you to think wrong then get you to do wrong. Why? Because if you do wrong, you might get right; but if you think wrong, you won’t see anything wrong that needs to be set right.
~ “Keep” means to fight with diligence
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Pro 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Pro 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Pro 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Pro 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
1. The Mind
2. The Eyes
3. The Mouth
4. The feet
Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
~Holy Living follows sanctified thinking. (Sanctification is the process of becoming Holy)
~In order to win the battle that is in this life you must get ahold of your mind.
1. God’s Word Shapes Our Mind
A. It exposes the sinfulness of what you are tempted to do
~ Gods’ Word leads us to repentance
~ Sin always comes in Camouflage so you don’t see it for what it really is
B. You Gain God’s Viewpoint
~The feelings we encounter are what often controls how we respond to something until we look at it through the Word of God
C. The Principle of Displacement
~Once a seductive thought enters your mind it is impossible not to think of it unless you purpose to turn your attention to something else.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
~When temptation enters your mind then quote scriptures out loud
D. You Express faith when you turn your attention to God’s Word
Psa 119:113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
Psa 119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Psa 119:115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
Psa 119:116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
Psa 119:117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
~ When you find yourself stumbling along its because you lack faith. The opposite is also true. When you are swift and steady it’s because you are secured by the faith in God you possess!
2. God’s Word Sharpens Your Mind
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
~ When your mind is not right you do hurtful things with your body; everything is a struggle for you, and the fight only gets more intense
~ The reason you don’t have victory is because you compartmentalize your life, so you are only a Christian at church and around church people
3. God’s Word Satisfies Your Mind
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
~How you live is certainly a choice, how will you choose to live?
Psa 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
~ Faith that cannot withstand testing, cannot be trusted.
An old black preacher put it this way: “If your faith fizzles before the finish, it was faulty from the first” (Author Unknown).
~ The best evidence that you have a mind is when you change it. Roger Scruton, philosopher