(SDA Sermon) Mark Finley - "Guarding Your Thoughts"

Father in heaven our topic this morning is a critical one in the life of each one of us living on the knife 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's fall in heaven and Adam and Eve's sin in Eden there's been a battle for the minds of men and women and father teach us to guard our thoughts we pray that this message will 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 now the average person has approximately 48 thoughts a minute that computes to 70,000 thoughts a day or 25 million 550 thoughts a year can you believe that 25 million thoughts every single year now the brain is about 3 pounds of rubbery grey substance they're lodged in your cranium the brain has a hundred 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 neurotransmitters which in turn are powered by copious quantities of blood now these neurotransmitters develop pathways in the brain based on our thinking process so what are the neuro 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 because 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 will always set itself upon something it's the law of life that if you think about something often enough you think about something long enough we'll come to the stage where you cannot stop thinking about it 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 well 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 verse 34 puts it this way so if you have your Bible so I invite you to take them and turn to proverbs chapter 4 and we're going to look there at verse 23 proverbs chapter 4 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 Helen Sparrow 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 gonna 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 and 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 verse 5 let this mind be what in you that is we're 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 Earth's history 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 ingrain now what is the word ingrained mean the word in grey 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 Colossians three verse one thoughts when we think something long enough thoughts repeated become thoughts ingrained Colossians the third chapter first verse guarding our thoughts Colossians chapter one there are two particular verbs in Colossians chapter one that we want to take a look at Colossians chapter three rather and verse one let's read it together if you have the text Colossians three verse one reading together and then verse two if then you were 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 therein 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 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 television 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 first Corinthians 3 and verse 18 first Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 how do you guard your thoughts you change your focus thoughts repeated become thoughts engrained 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 the Lord tells us in the text itself it's 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 verse 89 or in the right book but wrong section of that book 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 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 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 veterans 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 booklet together then I'll add read the rest of the paragraph reading together it is say what law of the mite what what's a law what's what's the law everybody a law is what a universal principle so if I'm not paying attention and I'm walking in this direction wow I'm a supreme angle if I'm now 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 court right but there's a law called the law of what gravity and the law of gravity does what push it down you don't go up so a law is something that is universal in time and eternal in application so it is a law of the what everybody mind that it does what gradually what's gradually mean what's 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 loss of mind that gradually adapts itself upon the subjects that it's trained to dwell 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 mine finds subject for the deepest thought in lofty us aspiration before I became a Christian I was an average student I went to well 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 pie 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 of 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 your thinking much more perceptive principal number one in changing your thoughts thoughts repeated become thoughts what everybody in get ingrained if you want to change your thoughts change your focus repeated actions become ingrained thoughts no second principle in changing your thoughts is this this is gonna 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 first John chapter 3 verse 20 first John chapter 3 verse 20 merely because you think about negative thoughts about yourself does not make those negative thoughts that you are thinking true first John chapter 3 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 3 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 them that Jesus is a mighty Savior in your child of God when the devil tells you you're too weak to overcome some cherished sin tell me is right but Jesus is a mighty Conqueror 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 them that Jesus is a mighty healer and that in Christ there is hope don't listen to the devil's lies about yourself because the Bible says John 8 verse 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 has given you the gift of eternal life live in your sonship live in your daughter ship live in the heritage that God has redeemed you in Christ now secondly often the devil plants in our minds thoughts about others what does 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 youth 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 4 first John chapter 4 you're looking there at verses 6 through 8 often the thoughts we think about ourselves 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 4 you're looking at verses 6 through eight we are of God he who knows God hears us but he was not of 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 we 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 hereby 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 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 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 you know mice are one it doesn't give much and Wesley actually criticizes the guy publicly the person came to John Wesley privately and 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 say 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 gonna pay my creditors off one by one and here's what he says - Wesley Christ has 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 on water and parsnips because he wants to pay off his debts and Wesley gets up and publicly apologizes 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 that often we have thoughts about life circumstances here's how the devil tempts us with with life circumstances the devil often attempts 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 first John chapter 4 verse 18 and 19 you're gonna love it first John chapter 4 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 and tension and anxiety that is torment and what's the ultimate solution to ask God they 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's 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 now number three if you want to change your thoughts replace old thoughts with new ones now the idea listen to me Church the idea of going to some place of meditation in emptying your mind is Eastern mysticism and that is not Christianity Christianity it's not about emptying your mind Christianity is about filling your mind in the Christian faith see there's no such thing the mind being empty no such thing not in the Bible the truth is the mind can never be emptied the Bible it does not talk about the empty mind it talks about the renewed mind Romans chapter 12 verse 2 Romans 12 verse 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 2 be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the what renewing of your mind that you may prove what is good in an acceptable and the perfect will of God 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 gonna 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 gonna be one filled with something again all empty spaces are gonna 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 2nd Corinthians 10 verse 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 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 we're going to look there at actually let's go to verse 5 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 we're gonna go to verse 5 casting down arguments 2nd Corinthians 10:5 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 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 what I begin to think of negative thoughts about others I repeat the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for that person god help 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 for my life today page 25 read it with me please when we submit ourselves to Christ the heart is united with his heart the will 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 will merged in your will I want my mind one with your mind fill your mind with eternal truths in the principles of the kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit's going to drive away unwanted thoughts unholy desires under christ-like attitudes 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 in all eyes the source of your thoughts discern the ability to analyze those thoughts notice you're looking there James chapter 3 verse 14 to 18 but if you have bitter envying self seeking in your hearts do not boast in 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 descend from above but is earthly sensual demonic for we're envy and self seeking this 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 our uplifting inspiring thoughts that lead us to positive relationships with Christ and others now number five remember this that thoughts not only lead to actions but actions lead to thoughts you got to see this proverbs 16 verse 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 verse 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 whether proverbs 16 verse 3 who's got King James Version of the Bible who's got new King James alright 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 alright proverbs 16 verse 3 commit your what to the Lord commit your what to the Lord works the Lord and what's going to happen church ah commit sure what works to the Lord and your thoughts are gonna be established now if you look at psychological charts 50 years ago here's the way that psychological charts were fifty years ago you'd see a person's brain here then it's a thoughts here then 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 him to think a certain way those charts of 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 in a best-selling business book called blink bli n/k there was an interesting experiment on in the business community 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 the page in your booklet they took three groups and they said we are going to give you something to act out and whether you feel the way of the action or not we want you to act this out as as intensely and as passionately a can so the first group of people they took about 8 to 10 people they said we want you to act out sadness and you when you get in this room tell every sad story that you know if you end up bullying crying that's fine because we're gonna 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 enjoy 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 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 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 for 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 thoughts change positive actions produce positive thoughts 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 SS of sour thoughts all right the four SS of what everybody sour thoughts now I'm going to give you the biblical background then I'm going to talk to you about the four SS of sour thoughts I don't want to think sour thoughts to you though I think sweet thoughts alright here's here's your texts its first Thessalonians chapter five what are the four SS 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 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 23 now may the God of peace he's the God of what peace he himself sanctify you what's that mean sanctify you that is transform your life make you 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 so here are the four SS of sour thoughts there are physical lifestyle habits that impact our brain first there are the two two littles in the two two much's 4s is a sour thoughts the two two littles and the two too much is first if you get too little sleep a lack of sleep affects our nervous system and that's gonna affect our thoughts have you ever noticed that we don't get sleep you're often moody impatient in on edge have you ever noticed that if you want to think 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 thiamine and the B vitamins on the brain and they that help stabilize the nervous system if you have 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 won't you 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 calm and 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 two two littles and two too much 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 claim the promises of God that will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee because he trusts in thee when we lack sleep well we have inadequate nutrition what 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 kind of negative thoughts keep on guard be alert watch out for the 4s is of sour thoughts now seven place a screen on your mind it's summertime any mosquitos info jigna no any truthful people in this audience any mosquitoes in Virginia how many of you last night you didn't do last I was too hot but how many of you would open your windows after a gentle Virginia rain you folk in Maryland we included you too and in the middle of mosquito season if you ever try to go to sleep and some mosquitoes blessing around your head yeah yeah bad that your wacko oh man I miss a mosquito give myself a black eye is they you lapping those things what about five mosquitoes coming around your head you ever have that girl it's terrible isn't it you can't sleep all night you put your pillow on top your head right all right you sweatin 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 goes SWAT those things right God gives us a screen in scripture to keep the bugs out of our mind we're gonna read that screen we're gonna study it for a moment Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 see here's the screen that God gives to you just like you put a screen to keep those mosquitos out God gives us a screen Philippians 4 verse 8 we'll read the text and then I'm going to go over the seven filters Philippians 4:8 is a filter for the brain so you filter what's coming into your mind in the light of Philippians 4:8 so here's the Philippians 4:8 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 praise where they 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 real if you are filling your mind with the 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 he eternal truths often have little appeal to a mind filled with falsehood fill your mind for what's true vibrant whatever is true what's the next one where is what honest now a better translation for honest much better translation in 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 it's real genuine authentic and whatever has the dignity of holiness I like that translation for honest the dignity of holiness as opposed to what cheap sensational and artificial fill your mind with the high and holy thoughts of heaven the next one is whatever is true whatever is honest whatever is what just justice has to do with righteousness in the Bible Greek Werner's has to do with dhikr sooo that 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 right 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 well I have to ask what 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 gonna make me a kinder sympathetic more forbearing person what errors of good report something's good report it's fit for God to hear it's not ugly false cheap or impure whatever it's virtue that's excellence it raises me to the best I can be see see 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 and you give your mind to Christ and you let pure thoughts enter into your mind and God is gonna 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 feel your mind with the truth of God's Word you fill your mind with the scripture you fill your mind with thoughts that are Noble and holy and honest and true you read biographies and great people you understand nature in its background when you do that you become the person that God wants you to be it's impossible to achieve this on our own our minds tend to be focused on the carnal I love what it says in steps to Christ page 47 the power of choice God has given to men it's theirs to exercise you cannot change your heart you cannot of 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 want to give you my will there's 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 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 son of God I can sense I'm a daughter of the king I can sense Who I am in 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 them go on I've had 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 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 and my thought processes would you just raise your hand you may put your hands down we're gonna pray 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 you've had negative thoughts about other people and you're asking God to change those thoughts to give your 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 said god help me to see Who I am in Christ maybe your devotional life has been weak it's spent more time with worldly thoughts and heavenly thoughts and you know that the Spirit of God is speaking to you and that you need a change would you just raise your hand that I want to pray oh my father you love us with an everlasting love we're your sons and your daughters which children of the kingdom of my father change 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 neurotransmitters 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 you

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Keywords: sda, seventh day adventist, seventh-day adventist, who are seventh-day adventist, what do seventh day adventhist believe, 7th day adventist, mark finley, hopelives365, hope lives 365, christian, christianity, Ellen White, seventh day adventist church

Id: O9e-PXLRni8

Length: 50min 3sec (3003 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 09 2019