As preached by Pastor Mark Finley.
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Father in heaven. Our topic this morning is a critical one in the life of each one of us, living on the knife’s edge of eternity on the verge of the kingdom of God. We sense that the greatest battle ever waged in the universe is the battle for the human mind. And since Lucifer is fall in heaven, and Adam and Eve’s sin in Eden, there has been a battle for the minds of men and women and father, teach us to guard our thoughts. We pray that this message would draw us closer to you, and that we’d learn principles that we can apply to our lives on a daily basis to guard our thoughts from the evil one in Christ’s name. Amen.
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Now, the average person has approximately 48 thoughts a minute that computes to 70,000 Thoughts a day, or 25,000,550 thoughts a year? Can you believe that 25 million thoughts every single year. Now the brain is about three pounds of rubbery gray substance. They’re lodged in your cranium. The brain has 100 billion brain cells, 100 billion. Now the brain cells are the longest living cells in the body. In fact, they don’t die they usually live until a person dies. Now the thoughts in the brain are powered. They are powered by neuro transmitters, which in turn are powered by copious quantities of blood.
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Now these neuro transmitters develop pathways in the brain, based on our thinking process. So what are the neural pathways? neurotransmitters do everyone? what do they develop in the brain? pathways in the brain. Now, just as water forms a river by repeating the same path, our thoughts create a reality by going down the same frequency in the brain over and over again. Now our thoughts carry electrical impulses that fire repeated messages down a pathway in our brains. Now, here’s the key. The more you think, a certain thought, the deeper the electrical pathway becomes. So when you have repeated thoughts in your brain, the more you think that thought over and over again, the deeper the pathway becomes, here’s a vital truth that impacts our thinking. The human brain is so constructed that are always set itself upon something. It’s a lot of Life, that if you think about something often enough, you think about something long enough, will come to the stage where you cannot stop thinking about it.
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So if you think about something long enough, if you think about something often enough, the electrical impulses in your brain are going to create a pathway where you have to think about that thing, even if you don’t want to. In fact, our thoughts literally become in a groove. Our thoughts are locked in a groove and our attitude and actions follow. It’s important Paramount that we we understand how to guard our minds. Now the wise man in Proverbs 4:34, puts it this way. So if you have your Bibles, I invite you to take them in turn to Proverbs chapter four. And we’re going to look there at verse 23. Proverbs chapter four, verse 23. The scripture puts it this way. Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring, the issues of life. Keep your what everybody? your heart with all diligence. Now the new English Bible puts it this way, guard your heart more than any treasure for it’s the source of life. So the picture here is the Israeli army in the ancient Old Testament, guarding the most precious treasures of Israel. And what Solomon is saying is, guard your heart more than any treasure, for it is the source of life.
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Helen Spiro wrote a literal translation of this passage from the ancient Hebrew and this is the way she translates it, and I really like it, with all watchfulness guard your heart, for out of it flow the actions of life. With all watchfulness, guard your heart. Now you might think that expression heart is a strange expression. In the Old Testament, the heart refers to the mind. It refers to the intellect, it refers to the emotions and the thoughts. So guard your mind, guard your thought patterns, guard your emotional life, guard your attitude. In other words, if I were translating it loosely, I’d put it this way. guard your mind, watch what you think, be conscious of the thoughts that pass through your brain. Because the thoughts that pass through your brain are going to create a groove in the brain. They’re going to create an electrical pathway in the brain. those thoughts are going to develop attitudes, those attitudes are going to lead to actions and those actions they’re going to determine your eternal destiny. Remember, if you think about something long enough, it’ll impact your actions and your attitudes. now this morning, We’re going to face, we’re going to look at seven practical steps to guard your thoughts, seven eternal biblical principles, and I’ve listed them in your sermon booklet and you might want to follow along in that booklet. If you’re looking in your sermon booklets this morning, I’m beginning now on page four.
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We’re going to look at seven, seven very specific things you can do to guard your thoughts. Remember what it says in Philippians 2: 5, Let this mind be what? in you that is where in Christ Jesus, Let this mind be in you. So seven guiding principles, seven eternal laws of the mind, that will enable you to guard your mind in the battle for the mind in the last days of verse history.
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Number one, thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained. Can you say that with me Again? thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained once again, thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained. Now what is the word ingrained mean? The word ingrained means firmly fixed. It means established. They become indelibly written on our mental or moral constitution. We become like what we think this is why the Apostle Paul says, Take your text Colossian 3: 1, thoughts, when we think something on and have thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained. Colossians, the third chapter, first verse, guarding our thoughts. Colossians chapter 1 there are two particular verbs in Colossian chapter 1 that we want to take a look at. Colossians chapter 3 rather and verse 1. Let’s read it together. If you have the text, Colossians three verse one reading together, and then verse two, if then you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on Earth. Now the two key words there in first one is the word seek. And in verse two is the word set. Notice what it says seek those things that are above, set your mind on things that are above.
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If you want to change your thought patterns, make a conscious choice to change your focus, so you change your thoughts by changing your focus, change what you’re paying attention to. You cannot expect to think heavenly thoughts if you’re filling your mind with the junk on the internet, you cannot expect to think heavenly thoughts, If you’re watching Hollywood dramas on TV, you cannot expect to think heavenly thoughts if you’re attracted by the latest production at the cinema. If you want to change your thoughts, change your focus change what you’re paying attention to. Paul emphasizes this in 1Corinthians 3:18. First Corinthians chapter 3, verse 18. How do you guard your thoughts? You change your focus, thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained. Notice we’re looking at the text of Scripture. We’re looking at the first Corinthians. And the text of Scripture is clear as the Lord speaks to us.
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The Lord tells us, in the text itself. It’s 2Corinthians 3:18, Second Corinthians chapter three, verse 18. I know we’re in right book, but wrong section of that book. Second Corinthians chapter three, verse 18. Here we go. But we all with unveiled face. What’s that mean? With unveiled face? It means you’re paying attention. It means you’re seeing the text clearly. We all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror of the glory of the Lord. What’s the mirror? it’s the Word of God are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, for as by the Spirit of the Lord. So as we behold the glory of God in Scripture, we are changed into the image of God by the Spirit of the Lord. You cannot change your own thought patterns. You cannot change the way you think. But as you come to the Word of God, as you behold the divine principles in God’s Word, the Spirit of God takes the inspired Word of God and changes your thought patterns. Look at this marvelous statement in the book patriarchs and prophets. It’s there in your booklet. Let’s read it together. We’ll read the first sentence I put in your book together, then I’ll read the rest of the paragraph reading together. It is a what? law of the mind. what’s what’s the law? What’s, what’s the law, everybody? A law is what is a universal principle.
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So if I’m not paying attention, and I’m walking in this direction. If I’m not, if I’m not paying attention, I fall off the platform. Am I going to go up? I’m only going up if Jesus comes God, right. But there’s a law called the law of what gravity and the law of gravity does what puts you down you don’t go up. So a law is something that is universal in time, an eternal application so if is a law of the what everybody? mind that it does what? gradually what’s gradually mean? Was that mean gradual? Does it’s so in perceptive, you don’t know it’s happening. So you feed your mind on the Word of God. And gradually the Holy Spirit is changing you inside you don’t realize it, or you feed your mind and some of that garbage, it’s coming off media, and you’re being changed gradually, you don’t realize it. It’s a law of the mind that gradually adapts itself upon the subjects that it’s trained to dwell.
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I continue the reading, If occupied with commonplace matters only it’ll become dwarfed and enfeebled. If never required to grapple I’m continuing to read which you don’t have in your booklet. If never required to grapple with difficult problems, it will after a time lose the power of growth. As an educating power the Bible is without rival in the Word of God. The mind find subjects for the deepest thought and loftiest aspiration. Before I became a Christian. I was an average student I went to, I went to a very difficult High School in Norwich, Connecticut wasn’t an Adventist, Christian. My grades were B and C, because my mind was occupied with, occupy with commonplace things. But I committed my life to Christ at 17 years old, I began pouring my mind over the Word of God, memorizing scores and texts, my grades jumped from C’s and B’s to A’s, I went from an average student to a superior student, because there’s nothing as great as the Word of God to expand your mind. There’s nothing as great as the Word of God to deepen your thoughts. And as you wrestle with the word, and as you read the word, it changes not only your character, but it changes your mental ability, where you become much more, much sharper, much clearer in You’re thinking much more perceptive; Principle number one in changing your thoughts, thoughts repeated become thoughts what everybody? ingrained.. if you want to change your thoughts change your focus. Repeated actions become ingrained thoughts.
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now second principle and changing your thoughts is this. This is going to blow you away, this one. Don’t accept every thought that passes through your mind is true. merely because you think something does not make what you think reality. The Bible is clear that simply because we think negative thoughts about ourselves or about others, about our circumstances, do not make those things a reality. Now First, let’s look at thoughts about ourselves. Let me give you the Bible evidence of this. 1 John 3: 20, Merely because you think about negative thoughts about yourself does not make those negative thoughts that you are thinking true. First john chapter three, verse 20. We’re going to look at three passages in John thoughts about ourselves, thoughts about others, thoughts about circumstances. do not accept every thought that passes through your mind. First john, chapter three, verse 20. Here we go. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart. It knows all things, who can say praise God here? If our heart condemns us, what’s the heart the mind? When the devil tells you you are a guilty sinner? Tell him that Jesus is a mighty savior and child of God. When the devil tells you, you’re too weak to overcome some cherries, see and tell him he is right. But Jesus is a mighty conquer, and in his name, you’ll be victorious. When the devil tells you that your family is falling apart and there’s little hope. Tell him that Jesus is a mighty healer. And that in Christ, there is hope.
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Don’t listen to the devil’s lies about yourself. Because the Bible says, John 8:44, The devil is a liar and what? and what? The father of lies, merely because you think something about yourself does not make the thing you think true. You are a child of God. Christ is given you the gift of eternal life, live in your sonship, live in your daughter ship, live in a heritage that God has redeemed you in Christ.
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Now secondly, often the devil plants in our minds thoughts about others. What is the devil do everybody? What does he do? He plants in our minds thoughts about what? thoughts about others, merely because you think something about somebody else. And that thought passes into your mind does not mean that the thing you think about somebody else is true. Our perceptions of others are not always reality. Here’s the Bible basis for that. First John chapter four. You’re looking there at verses six through eight. Often the thoughts we think about ourself are inaccurate. The devil plants them in our minds. Often the thoughts we think about others are inaccurate. The devil plants them in our minds. First john chapter four, you’re looking at verses six through eight.
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We are of God; He who knows God hears us, but he was not if God does not hear us. Now notice, verse seven and eight. Beloved, Let us love one another, for love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love, does not know God, for God is love. Now notice, the Bible says that God is of love. So if somebody puts thoughts in your mind about another person, that are not loving thoughts, when you don’t wish the best for them, where are those thoughts coming from? If the devil puts negative critical thoughts in your mind about another, where are those thoughts coming from? They’re certainly not coming from God. See, the Bible says here by we know, the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. See, there is a spirit of truth and there’s a spirit of error, and the spirit of error can be infiltrating our mind. So as thoughts pass into our mind, it’s vital that we ask this question, Lord help me to distinguish between truth and error.
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We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don’t know all their circumstances, we don’t know their motives. Only God who is aware of all the facts can judge righteously. The thoughts that we have toward others are not always true. John Wesley tells an amazing story. You know, Wesley was this great preacher in the period of the post reformation area. And Wesley tells the story of a man who made a very miserly, meager offering after Wesley’s offering appeal. And so Wesley was really concerned because he said, You know what? this guy is kind of cheap, and he’s a miser. And you know, Miser is one that doesn’t give much and Wesley actually criticizes the guy publicly. The person came to John Wesley privately He said, Pastor Wesley, I’ve been living on parsnips. You know what parsnips are?, they’re like turnips. I’ve been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. And he said, Let me explain to you why, before my conversion, I ran up many, many different bills, but skimping on everything, not buying anything for myself, I’m going to pay my creditors off one by one. And here’s what he says to Wesley. Christ is made me an honest man. And so with all these debts to pay, I can only give a few offerings above my tithe, I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest. Wesley was so embarrassed by that, because the devil had put negative thoughts in his mind about another person and they weren’t loving thoughts. He criticizes the guy publicly, but then he finds out the guys living on water and parsnips because he wants to pay off his debts and Wesley gets up and publicly apologises.
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The thoughts that you think about yourself are not always true? The thoughts that you think about others are not always true. If the thoughts that I have toward others are not loving, kind, compassionate thoughts. I want to get on my knees and begin seeking God and say, God, what’s the origin of that thought? Is the origin of that thought the evil one that wants to divide us and break that relationship? Now, its often we have thoughts about life circumstances, and here’s how the devil tempts us with with life circumstances. The devil often tempts us with thoughts like this, this situation is impossible. Life is so unfair. Why did this happen to me? I don’t deserve this. When the thought dominates our minds that life has treated us unfairly, it’s easy to doubt God’s loving intentions toward us. Or worse yet, to become angry with God. This leads us to become anxious, worried and fearful.
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1 John 4: 18 & 19, You’re going to love it. First john chapter four, verse 18, and 19. Notice what the scripture says. There is no fear in love. For perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment, but he who fears is not made perfect in love. So if indeed, I take my life out of God’s hands, if indeed I’m complaining about the circumstances of life, if indeed I’m saying life is so unfair, so unjust, if my life is filled with fear and worry, intention and anxiety, that is torment. And what’s the ultimate solution? To ask God to help me to trust him more deeply? Because there is no fear in love. There are many things in life that we fully do not understand. There are a lot of things about the circumstances of life that perplex or confuse us. But we know this for certain. When life seems out of control, God is still in control. In Christ, life circumstances do not overwhelm us. Because Jesus has cast out the fear of the fact that our life will be a failure. We know that the one that loves us most holds us in his hands. Remember your thoughts about yourself, your thoughts about others, your thoughts about the circumstances of life are not always genuinely true. Guard your thoughts and fill your mind with the reality of God’s divine presence.
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Now number three; If you want to change your thoughts, replace the old thoughts with new ones. Now the idea; Listen to me church, the idea of going to some place of meditation and emptying your mind is Eastern mysticism, and that is not Christianity. Christianity is not about emptying your mind, Christianity is about filling your mind, In the Christian faith. See, there’s no such thing as the mind being empty. No such thing not in the Bible. The truth is, the mind can never be emptied. The Bible does not talk about the empty mind. It talks about the renewed mind. Romans 12:2, So you want to change your thought patterns. It is not emptying your mind. It is filling your mind with the Word of God, It is meditating on the goodness of God. So all Christian meditation is not focused on emptying my mind, So I can go to some cosmic center in my being to develop the spark of goodness. The Bible says the heart is deceptive and evil. So Christian meditation always focuses outside of myself. It focuses on the bigness of God, the greatness of God, the glory of God. It focuses on God’s works in nature. It focuses on the Word of God. Romans 12, verse two, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God.
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Do you remember the story about Jesus casting out the demons from a man? And what happened when that house was empty? What happened? Seven more demons came back. What is Jesus saying in that story to the Church today? Here’s what he’s saying; If you cast an evil thought out of your mind, and do not replace it with a good thought seven more evil thoughts are going to come flooding into your mind. fill your mind with good thoughts and you’ll drive out the evil thoughts. If good thoughts do not fill the empty spaces, evil thoughts will. All empty spaces are going to be filled with something, Can you say that with me today? all empty spaces are going to be filled with something. Again, all empty spaces are going to be filled with something, our minds are renewed when we fill them with eternal truths. The scripture urges us to bring every thought into captivity to Christ, our scripture reading in the morning 2 Corinthians 10:15, turning over to it. Second Corinthians, chapter 10. You’re looking there at verse 15. Notice what Scripture says, and how do we do this, Second Corinthians chapter 10. We’re going to look there actually, let’s Go to verse five. Second Corinthians chapter 10. We’re going to go to verse five,
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Casting down arguments, Second Corinthians 10, five, casting down arguments in every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So when my mind begins to wander, and I think negative thoughts to myself, I repeat the text of Scripture, you are a son of God. When I begin to think of negative thoughts about others, I repeat the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for that person. God helped me to love them like you love them. When I begin to think negative thoughts about the circumstance in my life, I say, God, you’re still sovereign God, you’re still on the throne. So bringing every thought into captivity to Christ. Look at the statement there in your booklet from my life today. My life today page 25. Read it with me please. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart. The wheel is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with his mind. The thoughts are brought into captivity to him, we live his life. When we submit ourselves to Christ, we say, Lord, I want my heart united to your heart. I want my wheel merged in your will. I want my mind one with your mind. fill your mind with eternal truth in the principles of the kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit’s going to drive away unwanted thoughts, unholy desires, and in Christ like attitudes.
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Now, number four, if you want up the mind to Christ, analyze your thoughts. We find that in James chapter three, analyze your thoughts, ask yourself, where is this thought coming from? Too often we accept our thoughts without analyzing our thoughts. Too often we accept everything that just goes through the mind. Analyze the source of your thoughts, discern the ability to analyze those thoughts. Notice, you’re looking there James 3 : 14-18. But if you have bitter envy and self seeking in your hearts do not boast and lie against the truth. So if I’m feeling bitter toward another person, if I’m feeling envious, toward another person, right away, I know that that’s not the truth. This wisdom does not the same from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic for envy and self seeking exists confusion, every living thing is there, but the wisdom that’s from above, so if God is giving me these thoughts, it’s pure. It’s peaceable, it’s gentle, it’s willing to yield my will. It’s full of mercy. It has the good fruits without partiality without hypocrisy. That’s the fruit of righteousness. So analyze your thoughts, Just ask yourself, what’s the origin of this thought? Is this thought from above or beneath? Is this thought, Who’s inspiring this thought? Is Christ inspiring this thought? Or is Satan inspiring this thought? Is this thought uplifting? Or is this thought depressing? If I follow this thought to its logical conclusion, where’s it going to lead me? Stop and analyze what’s going on in your head? Where are these thoughts coming from? And if they’re not leading you closer to Christ, if they’re not uplifting thoughts, if they’re not making you a better person, renounce the thought in the name of Jesus. Thoughts placed in our mind by the Holy Spirit are uplifting, inspiring thoughts that lead us to positive relationships with Christ and others.
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So number five, remember this, that thoughts not only lead to actions but action lead to thoughts. You got to see this Proverb 16:3, What are we remembering everybody? What are we remembering? Thoughts not only lead to what? actions, but actions lead to what? thoughts. So, Proverbs 16:3. If you have King James Version or New King James, the text is really clear other translations don’t make it quite as clear. Acts chapter, rather proverbs 16 verse three. Who’s got King James Version of the Bible? Who’s got New King James? All right, let’s read it all together. King James people New King James, read it with me, the others of you hang on there for a minute. All right, Proverbs 16 verse three, commit your what to the Lord? commit your what to the Lord? works, Lord and what’s going to happen church? Ah, commit your what? works to the Lord and your thoughts going to be established. Now. If you look at psychological charts 50 years ago, Here’s the way that psychological charts were 50 years ago, you’d see a person’s brain here, that it’s a thoughts here than a straight line with an arrow and actions here. So the idea 50 years ago in psychological thought was, if you want a person to act a certain way, get them to think a certain way. Those charts are passe today, we know that those charts are inaccurate. Here’s why. Now we know that it’s circular thoughts lead to actions, but actions lead to thoughts. So the more you act a certain way, the more you’re going to think the way you act.
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In a best selling business book called blink, B-L-I-N-K. There was an interesting experiment done in the business community. And they were studying emotions, and the emotions of people; and how these people respond and they took three groups. You’ll see it there in your page in your booklet. They took three groups, and they said we are going to give you something to act out. Whether you feel the way of the action or not, we want you to act this out as as intensely and as passionately as it can. So the first group of people, they took about eight to 10 people, they said, We want you to act out sadness. And when you get in this room tell every sad story that you know, if you end up bawling and crying, that’s fine, because we’re going to measure your emotional response to sadness. That was the first group. The second group, we want you to act out anger to one another. You may be the closest friends. We want you to shout at one another and we’re going to measure that we’re going to measure the anger response as you yell and scream at one another. The third group is you’re gonna, we want you to act out happiness and joy, third group. This is the problem. They did that but here’s what happened. The people that acted out sadness was sad for three weeks. The people that acted out and Anger became angry with one another and friendships were broken. The people that acted out joy were joyous. And what the research said was this. If you want to change your thinking process, begin to change the way that you act. If you want to change your thinking change your actions.
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Our thoughts not only lead to actions, but our actions lead to thoughts. If you want to think spiritual thoughts, don’t miss this, change your behavior. act on the spiritual impressions God places in your heart. set a time apart from prayer and act differently, have a regular devotional time, participate in prayer meeting, attend the outreach programs of the church. In other words, get actively involved in spiritual things, and your thoughts will follow your actions by taking action making changes through the power of the Holy Spirit, I thought change. positive actions produce positive thoughts.
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All right, here’s the sixth. If you want to change your thoughts, it often requires asking God to give us his power to change our lifestyle habits. Remember the four S’s of sour thoughts? Alright, the four essence of what everybody? Sour thoughts. Now I’m going to give you the biblical background, then I’m going to talk about the four S’s as sour thoughts. I don’t want to think sour thoughts, do you? I think sweets thoughts. All right, here’s here’s your text. Its 1 Thessalonians 5. What are the four essence of sour thoughts? This text launches us into that discussion. First Thessalonians chapter five. And we’re looking here at verse 23. The Bible talks about human beings as an indivisible unit. It talks about human beings as physical, mental, social, emotional units. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, now may the God of peace. He’s the God of what? peace; Himself sanctify you, what’s that mean? sanctify you, that is transform your life make your holy; Can you make yourself holy? But who, who makes us holy? the God does that, sanctify you completely. The complete person, that your whole spirit, that your mental attitude, your soul, that your spiritual faculties your body, that’s the physical faculties, be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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So here are the four essence of sour thoughts. There a physical lifestyle habits that impact our brain. First, there are The two-two littles in the two-two muches. Four S’s of sour thoughts. The two-two littles and the two-two Muches. First, if you get too little sleep, a lack of sleep affects our nervous system and that’s going to affect our thoughts. Have you ever noticed that we don’t get sleep? You’re often Moody, impatient and on edge. Have you ever noticed that? If you want to think how positive thoughts Be careful to get adequate sleep, you won’t do it on four hours of sleep at night, you’re pushing yourself. Secondly, the first too much, too much sugar. If you get inadequate nutrition, it’s gonna affect your thinking. excessive amounts of sugar neutralize the impact of thymine and the B vitamins on the brain. And that helps stabilize the nervous system. If you had too much sugar and you neutralize those B vitamins there in whole wheat bread, whole grains, it’s going to lead to worry anxiety and fear. So if you want to guard your thoughts, be sure to eat the most nutritious diet possible. Now the second too little, too little exercise a sedentary lifestyle. lack of oxygen to the brain negatively impacts the way we think. When our thoughts, when we have thoughts of inferiority thoughts of negativity, inadequacy, that when they rush into your brain, get out in the fresh air. Take a good walk, breathe deeply ask God to give you a sense of common, peace. It’ll do wonders for you. Too little sleep, The first S. Too much sugar The second S. Too little exercise. Sedentary lifestyle, third S. fourth, too much stress. You got the two littles the too little to do too muches.
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Stress – When we feel stressed and overwhelmed. Our thoughts are often negative. Stress often comes when we lose focus, and the immediate problem is more than we can handle. So when you feel overwhelmed claiming the promises of God, that will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Thee, because trusts in Thee. When we lack sleep, when we have inadequate nutrition, when we fail to exercise, when we’re consumed with stress, the devil takes advantage of our condition plays havoc with our minds and brings in all kinds of negative thoughts. Keep on guard, Be alert, Watch out for the four S’s of sour thoughts.
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Now seven, places screen on your mind. It’s summertime, Any mosquitoes in Virginia? No. Any truthful people in this audience? Any mosquitoes in Virginia? How many of you last night, you didn’t do us I was too hot. But how many of you would open your windows after a gentle Virginia rain? You folk and barrel and we included you too. And in the middle of mosquito season, have you ever tried to go to sleep and some mosquitoes buzzing around your head? Yeah, bad. I got this mosquito. give myself a black guy isn’t your weapon those things? What about five mosquitoes coming around your head? You have to have that girl? It’s terrible, isn’t it? You can’t sleep all night, you’re putting your pillow on top of your head. Right? Right? You sweat those things. Man, if that happens to me, I turn on the light and get some magazine that I wasn’t gonna read anyway and fold that thing and have it go swap those things, right?
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God gives us a screen in Scripture to keep the bugs out of our mind. We’re going to read that screen. We’re going to study it for a moment. Philippians 4:8, See, here’s the screen that God gives to you. Just like you put a screen to keep those mosquitoes out, God gives us a screen. Philippians four, verse eight, will read the text and then I’m going to go over the seven filters. Phillipians four eight is a filter for the brain. So you filter what’s coming into your mind, in the light of Philippians four, eight. So here’s some Philippians four eight says Finally, Brethren, whatever things are, what? 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’s any what? virtue; if there’s any thing praiseworthy meditate or think upon these things. Now let’s look at them. Because there are some nuances in these words you may not have seen, first whatever is true. That is true as opposed to false. The world promises what it cannot deliver. the promises of God are true. If you fill your mind with what is false, and you substitute the false in the artificial for the real, if you are filling your mind, with a fictitious dramas of Hollywood production, The true is going to seem unreal and the real is going to seem true. And what’s going to take place for you is that Bible studies can become boring. Because the devil pours millions of dollars into those productions to capture your mind. That’s what he wants to do, That’s his ultimate goal. So the eternal truths often have little appeal to a mind filled with falsen, fill your mind for what’s true, firebrand whatever is true, what’s the next one, wherever is what? Honest. Now a better translation for honest much better translation and the original language is honorable rather than honest, reverent or worthy of dignity. One translators translates it this way. He says, finally, Brethren, whatever is true and not artificial, whatever is real, genuine, authentic, and whatever has the dignity of holiness. I like that translation for honest, the dignity of holiness as opposed to to what is cheap sensation and artificial, fill your mind with the high and holy thoughts and heaven.
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The next one is whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is what? just; justice has to do with righteousness in the Bible, Greek word is has to do with díkaios, the righteousness, justice, and it says ask yourself this question when you’re reading something, is this leading me to righteousness and righteousness or right actions? Is this leading me to write actions? Then? Whatever is true, honest, just What’s the next one? Pure; purity is something so clean, that it’s fit to be brought into the presence of God. Something so clean. And so I have to ask when I’m sitting there in front of the TV, I have to ask when I’m reading this book, I have to ask when I’m looking at this YouTube thing, can I bring this safely into the presence of God, lovely Whatever is true honest, just pure, Lovely. Lovely is something that brings forth love. It brings forth kindness. Can I sit there and watch some murder mystery and honestly say it’s going to make me a kinder sympathetic more forbearing person. Whatever is a good report, something’s good report is fit for God to hear. It’s not ugly, false, cheap, or impure. Whatever is virtue, that’s excellence, it raises me to the best I can be. See, think God wants you to be the best you can be. God wants you to, doesn’t want you to dumb you down. You young people. You give your mind to Christ. You give your mind to Christ and you let pure thoughts enter into your mind and God is going to do something for your life that you cannot believe. God wants you to be excellent. He wants you to go to the top of your profession. He does not want lukewarm mediocrity. God wants you to be the best. And if you fill your mind with the truth of God’s word, you fill your mind with the Scripture. You think Your mind with thoughts that are noble and holy and honest and true. You read biographies of great people, you understand nature and its background. When you do that, you become the person that God wants you to be.
45:14
It’s impossible to achieve this on our own. Our minds tend to be focused on the carnal. I love what it says and steps to Christ page 47. The power of choice, God is given to men, it’s theirs to exercise, you cannot change your heart. You cannot have yourself give to God, its affections. But you can choose to serve him. You can give him your will. He will then work in you to will and do his good pleasure. Your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ. Your affections will be centered on him, your thoughts will be in harmony with him. Will you do that right now? You say Jesus, I’m gonna give you my will. There have been some things entering in my mind they becoming ingrained in there. But Jesus, you who created the brain can change the pathways of the brain. You can renew my mind so I can have the mind of Christ. Lord, I want to reprogram my brain. And just like a computer can be reprogrammed, your brain can be reprogrammed by the Holy Spirit. You can say Jesus, I’ve had thoughts of inferiority about myself. And I’ve had thoughts that have really made me feel quite discouraged at times. But Lord, you can you can reprogram my brain. I can send some a son of God. I can send some a daughter of the king. I can sense who I am and your destiny. I’ve been thoughts about others that have been flooding my brain that are not in harmony with your will Lord, I want Go on. I’ve been thoughts about the circumstances of my life that have been hopeless, what I want them going, what I want to fill my mind with what’s pure and true, and honest and upright and noble. Lord, just now, I want to give you my will. And where I’ve been filling my mind with things that are less than divine and less than holy, when the earthly has crowded out the eternal.
47:32
Lord, I want to commit my mind to be renewed by the Spirit. And I want to put a screen on my mind so only those things that are pure and true and honest and upright can enter into it. Lord, I want you to glorify my thoughts. Would you like to say to Jesus just now, Lord, Lord, I want to glorify you in my thought process. is would you just raise your hand? you may put your hands down, we’re going to pray.
48:07
Is there somebody here that you know that you need a major change in your life? that there have been thoughts of negativity entering into your mind? Is there somebody here today that you know, that you need this dramatic, powerful change? that you’ve been filling your mind with things that are less than holy? And you say, Pastor, as you pray, pray that the Spirit of God will come down upon me, and that God will sanctify my thoughts, maybe that negative thoughts about other people, you’re asking God to change those thoughts, to give you thoughts of love toward that person? Maybe there have been thoughts that you’ve been beating yourself up day after day with thoughts of inferiority. You say, God help me to see who I am in Christ. Maybe your devotional life has been week, spent more time with worldly thoughts and heavenly thoughts. You know that the Spirit of God is speaking to you, and that you need to change? Would you just raise your hand that I want to pray?
49:08
Oh my father. You love us with an everlasting love. Where your sons and your daughters with children of the kingdom, my father changed the thought patterns of our mind. Help us fill our mind with that which is righteous and true. Send us from this place knowing that the Lord who created our mind in the brains of these hundred billion brain cells, through His Holy Spirit can change the neuro transmitters and give us new pathways to the brain. And we thank you that you’re all we need and everything that we asked for. in Christ’s name, Amen.
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Disclaimer:
This sermon is generated out of AI-Powered assistant tool and further edited word for word manually, hence in your reading you might find some miss pronunciation and other unintended errors. I would really appreciate if you can help to point out such case, so that I can work to fix it for the greater good of our community. Thanks
