F4S: THINK biblically, it's so important!

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

THINK biblically, it's so important!

In a sense.. you're not really what you think, but what you think in a sense ..you really are.

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Think before you speak even. Yeah, THINK.. asking yourself: Is it True is it Helpful is it Inspiring Is it Necessary is it Kind?

So glad we each can pre-think and make wise decisions. We each can decide on what we allow to run through our minds, and who we will allow to become our close friends that can actually influence us.

Now this might sound really crazy.. but you really don't need a brain to continue thinking. A teacher would say that's ludicrous!

But think about it a bit further. Your white and gray brain matter.. is matter that will one day (fast or slowly) turn to ashes, but your soul in one of two locations will continue thinking and I would say probably a lot clearer than now. Yup, even outside the so called physical tent known as your body, and even be recognizing people, and recalling events that happened in your life while here on earth.

Sup with the white matter? It is found in the deeper tissues of your brain (subcortical). It contains nerve fibers (axons), which are extensions of your nerve cells (neurons). By comparison, the gray matter is simply tissue found on the surface of your brain (cortical). It contains the cell bodies of neurons, which give the gray matter its color. And you and I know what happens to matter. there will be a rapture, a snatching away suddenly where it's changed, or it'll be, in one way or another, perhaps buried. Not really an easy thing to do with loved ones you miss.

On the horizontal plane the one you want to listen to is the spiritual Bible believing person who helps you to ponder, to grow, to consider, to meditate upon, to pray and think wisely as you apply the words of God. Yep, so you can better walk in His will and help others to do so as well. 

I have a lot to learn, but am grateful for my brain. Becoming a Christian while living in this body we certainly don’t want to kill off our brains. No, no! I like to challenge believers saying, “Let all of God’s people think, let them obey Him, and let them all praise Him whole-heartedly. All this is more important that merely feeling or walking by feelings, because feelings come and go -- they can be fickle. We indeed are grateful for good emotions, but we don’t let them rule our lives like they are Lord.”

“The only Christian you want to listen to is the one who gives you more of a hunger for God.” ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer

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“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” nkjv

"Inevitably, we have to face the reality that God has given us the responsibility of cleansing the thoughts of our hearts. The Holy Spirit and God's Word are available to help us, but each person must decide for himself what he will think, and what he will imagine. Being created in God's image requires that we be responsible for our thoughts." ~  Carothers

Daily I am the air traffic controller responsible for what I allow, or not allow to land in my brain.

What are the most common things people think are in the Bible that are not actually in the Bible?

How can I learn to not to think badly or take offense at little things?

Why did Satan get so proud and think he could defeat God?

Why did Lamech think Noah would bring comfort (Genesis 5:29)?

What is apatheism? What is an apatheist?  Why are some people so apathetic about what they think about, about their belief in God and regarding other spiritual matters?

Is artificial intelligence (AI) biblically possible?

What does it mean that we should think on whatever is true (Philippians 4:8)?

What does it mean that we should think on whatever is right (yep in, 4:8)?

What does it mean that we should think on whatever is pure (also in 4:8)?

What does it mean that we should think on whatever is lovely (4:8)?

What does it mean that we should think on whatever is noble (4:8)?

So many say they are engaged while living together now. Isn’t that normal, appropriate, proper and pleasing to God? Uhh.. nope. Is it okay to have premarital sex if you think you are going to marry the person?

What do you think about colonialism and imperialism? And what does God think --  what’s the Bible say about colonialism and imperialism?

What do you think about the blab it grab it, name it claim it sort of teachings? Is “name it claim it” (so called word-faith) teaching really biblical?

Do you personally think that God is some sort of moral monster?

Why do you think that so many religious folk and religious leaders (like those back in Jesus’ day) are puffed up? What does it mean to have a holier-than-thou attitude?

What do you think about the Qur'an? Does it replace the Bible?

What does God think about the sad situation of craziness in our world? What does the Bible say about dealing with mental illness?

What do you think about toxic relationships? What does God in the Bible say about toxic relationships?

What do you think about Stoicism? What did the Greek Stoics teach?

Should a Christian think about and study philosophy?

What do you think about making or not making “provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14)?

 There’s a connection -- the human spirit, the person’s mind and their heart are linked an they affect each other.

The Bible makes it clear that our thinking and our hearts are inseparably linked. What we think affects our heart. How we think affects our heart. Likewise, the condition of our heart affects our thinking.

Many Bible passages support this idea. Before the flood, God described the condition of people's hearts in Genesis 6:5:

"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." niv

What we think in our hearts, in turn, affects our actions. Jesus Christ himself confirmed the connection in Matthew 15:19:

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander."

The sin of murder was a thought before it became an act. Theft also started as an idea before it evolved into a sinful selfish action. Humans often act out the condition of their hearts through their deeds. Our actions and our lives resemble what we think, and or the truth we meditate upon, memorize, apply, and or first pray about.

So, let’s all take full responsibility for our thoughts, our attitudes, our spirit. We must renew our minds in the word (all the counsels of God’s word) and cooperate with God’s Spirit to clean up our thinking: 

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“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~ Paul, Philippians 4:8 esv fish4souls.org