The mind is what the brain does! Every human drawing a breath takes in facts, experiences, and the events of life and then assigns meaning to them with the use of thinking. The older I get, the more I study scripture and the more intimate my relationship with Christ becomes, the more I am amazed at how much His word is science.
Thank God for technology such as the MRI and other advances in medicine. Because of these advances, we now have so much more accurate information about the body and how it is amazingly created by our Creator, God. I read and study much more now than I ever have before about the body. I find books written by experts, M.D.’s and Ph.D.’S who have devoted their whole lives to the study of science and in particular the body and the brain, to be intriguing. I am utterly amazed (and I really shouldn’t be) at how, if we follow God’s Word, it instructs us on how to lead a prosperous, significant and purposeful life.
For example, it says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” Today we know from countless studies by experts the fatal impact toxic thinking has on our lives. Basically, it means not applying the scripture you just read. It would make for a very long post if I tried to share all that I have read and studied, but one great resource for learning more is “Switch on Your Brain” by Dr. Caroline Leaf.
Our most dominate thoughts are what drive the direction of our lives. Not many people pay attention to what they think about or what they allow to influence them. We allow “poops” in our mind…which are toxic. We choose not to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” I have adopted this principle over the last five years and let me just say, it is the hardest, most intense undertaking I have ever chosen to do.
Key word here is “chosen”. I have made the choice to take God at His Word. smile emoticon Result? Amazing, amazing things have happened in my life. Obeying these simple but powerful scriptures have reshaped me from the inside out to the point that I simply do not at all think the way I have been accustomed to thinking for most of my adult/married life.
Our five senses are there for a purpose and given to us by God…but oh how we don’t protect them simply because we don’t believe it affects our minds thus, our thought life. What we allow in–see, hear, taste, feel, and smell–affects our subconscious in ways we cannot fathom. You must read, learn and study… and mostly CARE…about obeying God…all of which lead to a life of significance and impact.
With God as our Creator, there is a strong reason why Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Let me just camp here for today.
The reading and studying I have been doing over the last four years about the brain and how it works is fascinating. To me, the information we now have at our disposal is amazing. Science has proven what the brain produces and does not produce when we worry. If we allow our kids to adopt our worrying, sinful behavior, it can truly affect their development and shape their thinking. God knew this when He created us!
That is why we have His Word and He instructs us on what to do….TO PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. Our problem as humans is that we lack faith and patience (a fruit of the spirit). “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1). We want it here and now and if we don’t see it right off the bat then….well…we give up. We stop praying or we don’t trust God and His timing. We fail to really read and apply daily, and continually apply, God’s holy Word and what it instructs us to do.
As I continue to share all that God is doing and teaching me, I hope it helps someone else. The last point I want to make is based on Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart so he is……”
The way we think,
what we allow,
what we believe,
watch,
listen to,
read…
affects our thinking thus, affects who and what we become.
The most powerful created computer in the universe is the human brain. God gifted us all with one. He also gave us His Word which is a guide on how to feed the brain in order to produce a fruitful and meaningful life. I was guilty for so long of not valuing or paying more attention to or using the filter God gave me in His Word…to enable me to reject the toxic stuff that Satan bombarded me with…through others.
Yes, we are all sinners…of which I am one of the worst…but today I protect, feed, and discipline myself on what I allow and who I allow to speak truth to me. I have learned to walk away….dismiss and delete the lies…that are all around. As long as we live and breathe, and Satan is the prince of the world, he will continue to try and find a way to creep into our minds…through our five senses. He can own your thoughts which leads to owning your choices.
I encourage you today to think about HOW YOU choose to think. Ask God to direct you away from wrong thinking…away from influences who think wrong…and reveal HIS TRUTH to you. God tells us in His Word to test the spirits to see if they are from God. I leave you with a few scriptures to implement into your life.
Philippians 1:9-11, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ– to the glory and praise of God.”
Proverbs 15:14, “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.”
Proverbs 17:24, “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”
Proverbs 18:15, “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.”
Proverbs 28:7, “He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.”
Proverbs 3:21, “My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;”
Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is– his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you– unless, of course, you fail the test?”
Galatians 6:4, “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,”
1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”
Matthew 7:15-20 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
SEEK God’s Word today…start to feed your mind with the truth of God’s Word so that you may resist the devil’s schemes. God gave you a mind. Develop it the way His Word teaches. This and only this is the way you will lead a significant and impactful life.