A CLINKING IN THE THINKING #1

A college-age man, in explaining the reason he flunked out in college, stated it was because he had "a clinker in his thinker"! I presume probably about ninety-nine and nine tenths of the problems that confront people is because they have that same issue - "a clinker in their thinkers"! We can laugh this off as being merely funny rather than it actually being significant. God sees the way people think as being VERY important. Let's read and understand this Scriptural Proverb: "For as a person thinks within himself/herself, so is he/she" (Proverbs 23:7). This verse emphasizes that a person's true nature and character are revealed by their inner thoughts and motivations, not just by their outward words or actions. It means that our thoughts (thinking) shape our behavior and ultimately determine who we become. This proverb should be taken as a vital warning about the necessity of examining our heart and motivations, as well as being a stark reminder that our inner state of thinking influences our outward actions. For you see, a person's true essence is reflected in the thoughts of their hearts rather than just in their spoken words. Let's be aware of the fact that one's INNER being, including their thoughts, emotions and will do indeed shape their character, beliefs and conduct! It is true, to Master Your Mind is to Master your Life! Jesus taught that the thoughts of our heart truly matter! And we see in the Bible that God actually wiped out an entire civilization of people because of their THOUGHTS! "Then the LORD saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent or imgination of the THOUGHTS of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). "Then the LORD said, 'I will blot (erase) out man whom I have created from the face of the land. . . .' " (Genesis 6:7). So, He did! He sent a world-wide, devastating flood destroying everything and everyone, except for Noah, his family, and two of every species of animals which He saved. The Bible also tells us that before Jesus comes back again, people will be "as they were in Noah's day". How were they? Their "thoughts were only evil continually." What is your thought life? Is there a clinking in your thinking?

We all know there has always been evil in this world since the first couple (Adam and Eve) disobeyed God's command; took matters into their own hands and THOUGHT the alternative to God's direction was in their best interest. Oh, that sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? We also know evil in our world is constantly getting worse every day. Today, it seems that this world is literally going beserk! Why? For the same reason as back in Noah's day. WE ALL DO WRONG BECAUSE WE THINK WRONG! We need to remember, when Noah's generation "thought evil continually" no one could see the evil thoughts in people's minds, BUT GOD DID! Sadly, humanity is still thinking sinfully wrong! AND GOD SEES IT ALL!

Today, so many children, teenagers and adults are piping into their minds some of the most vile and corrupt content beyond the imaginable! They listen to songs, music, and attend concerts, watch videos, television, play video games and surf the internet that explicitly encourages them to engage in drug use, the occult, homosexuality, gender alternating values and conduct, violence, rebellion, crime and even suicide, etc. Why are they attracted to dark and evil things? Because once they expose their minds to evil, their minds run wild with wrong and sinful thinking and it ultimately captivates their behavior. We are told that the average teenager pipes this garbage into his/her mind at the rate of 10,500 hours between grades 1 and 12. That is only 500 hours less than they spend in the classrooms at school in the same 12 grades. We are told that the average child from grades 1 through 12 watches a minimum of 22,000 hours of videos or television, viewing at least 18,000 murders and countless, graphic unwholesome values and behavior. That's over twice the time spent in class in grades 1 through 12. People are raising a generation of children, allowing thousands of hours of some of the most ungodly things that could be pumped into the human brain, to be literally pumped into theirs! And the worst is yet to come! One day, their thoughts will cease to be thoughts only; those thoughts will become their deeds! Why? "for as one THINKS in his/her heart, so is he/she. . . ."

Now, for the main point! Scripture teaches that the followers of Jesus need THE MIND OF CHRIST! "Let this mind (way of thinking) be in you which was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). Speaking of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul goes on, "who, although He was God, did not regard equality with God the Father a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking on the role of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, being found as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God the Father highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW. . .and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father" (Philippians 2:6-11). Let me be clear, the ONLY thing that will keep our minds from running wild with sinful thinking, is that inner spiritual transformation brought to us through the Holy Spirit who is the agent of our spiritual new birth, by coming to personal faith in Jesus Christ! The ONLY way to have the same thoughts as Jesus ("The Mind Of Christ") is to personally know Him as Savior and Lord! It also means then that we earnestly seek to think and act His way and submit to His mind-set! To do this, we must saturate our minds with His Word!

The Philippian Passage tells us to seek to embody Christ's mind-set, emulate (copy) His humility, and live out our faith in Him in every practical way, reflecting His love, grace and mercy, We are called to manifest the Mind of Christ! This surely means we are to show forth the attitudes, thoughts, and perceptions that ruled the mind of Jesus. The Mind of Christ is a treasure chest of wisdom, love and humility. It is a wellspring of compassion, a beacon of righteousness, and a testament to the power of sacrificial love. To minifest the Mind of Christ is to strive to think, feel, and act as Christ. It is to align our thoughts, attitudes and perceptions with those of our Savior! Don't misunderstand me, this must be our spiritual purpose, direction, goal and aim, but we cannot accomplish it on our own! We must have the Presence and Power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to manifest the Mind of Christ! Thus, we can avoid having the "clinker in our thinker"!

Please join me for next week's blog for the 2nd installment on this subject!