What's On Your Mind?But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.--Romans 12:2Your mind--the way you think--has a lot to do with the quality of yourlife. Proverbs 23:7 says: For as he thinks in his heart so is he. What you keepyour mind on will determine whether you will be at peace or whether you will befull of anxiety in this troubled world.Philippians 4:6-8 tell us:Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, withthanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, [If you do what this versesays, then the next verse will come into play.] And the peace of God, whichsurpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through ChristJesus. [And the way you keep from being anxious for nothing is by doing whatverse 8 says.] Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things arenoble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things arelovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if thereis anything praiseworthy - meditate [constantly think] on these things.So, what are you thinking about? The word think means "to consider, reflect,reason and ponder." What we think is what we become. Where we have kept ourminds is where we are. Our thoughts shape our behavior. In other words, what wedo is what we think. William Barkley, a Christian writer, says: "It is a law oflife that if a man thinks on something often enough and long enough, he willcome to the stage when he cannot stop thinking about it. His thoughts will bequite literally in a groove out of which he cannot jerk them." How many peoplehave gotten into bad situations because they just kept thinking and thinking andthinking about it until they found themselves in a mess. What are you thinkingabout? Are you thinking righteous or unrighteous thoughts? Are you thinking:(1) about the flesh and its lusts? Are you thinking about gratifying the fleshthrough such things as pride, self, greed, pleasure, sex, angry exchanges,jealousies, envies, desires, and negative attitudes?(2) about the lusts of the eyes through such things as immoral pornographicfilth flaunted in magazines, films, books, television, and clothes that revealtoo much of the body in a vulgar way?(3) about the desire for recognition, honor, position, and power? It is okay towant to be recognized, but not to the extent that you will do anything forrecognition, to the extent of committing a sin or hurting someone in to get whatyou want.A mind fixated on the world system and the flesh is what leads to anxiety,worry, emptiness, and restlessness.Colossians 3:1-2 tells us:If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, whereChrist is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, noton things on the earth.Setting your mind on things above means setting your mind on the things of God,and you find out about the things of God from His Word. You have to take controlof your mind and make it do what it should do by a determination of yourwill. Your will is in the mind area.Romans 12:1-2 tell us what to do with our minds and with our flesh.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present yourbody a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonableservice.And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing ofyour mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect willof God.I know we can renew our minds, but we have to be forever thinking about God andHis great love for mankind. Because if you don't, you will think more in linewith the world than with the things of God. You have to understand that the bodyalways wants to gratify the flesh. You have to train the body, make it do whatyour spirit wants, kill it, sacrifice it. And sacrifice is not fun, but it isthe joy of the Lord you want.Ephesians 4:21-24 tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. It is ourresponsibility to do something about our minds. Once a person has been convertedand becomes a new man, he is to focus his thoughts on God, as well as the goodthings of life. We, as Believers, should never dwell on immoral, fleshly,worldly, selfish, sinful or evil thoughts. Sinful and negative thoughts disruptand destroy our peace. The mind always goes down to the level of the flesh, butwe have to control it because we live in the flesh and that is the thing wegravitate to. And that is why we need to operate in the Word of God in order tocontrol our thinking, which will control our flesh.
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