God Cares What We Think

“The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.” (Pr 15:26 AV)

In our study, preaching, and teaching, I feel we neglect the topic of our thought life to our own detriment.  Years ago, I got in some heated debates with fellow believers by asking the question:  can thoughts be sinful, and if so, must they be controlled?  It is amazing how many believe we are not accountable for the things that enter our brains and the lack of discipline that would keep them out.  Many believe we are hopeless victims to our brains and we cannot control them.  So, we are not accountable for what our brains think.  If that is so, then the first part of the above proverb is a lie.  How can God detest our thoughts if we cannot control them?  The fact of the matter is, we can.  Paul the apostle tells us just how to do that.  “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2Co 10:5 AV)  If we cannot control our thought life, then why would Paul command us to bring them into captivity and thrust them down?  The fact it, we can.  And must!

When we moved into our current home, it hadn’t been occupied for years.  It was also in the process of being remodeled from top to bottom.  We had a battle on our hands with a small little creature that made its presence known.  The common field mouse had been used to using our abode as his private little winter retreat.  Before it was all done, we had trapped and killed eight mice in the manner of four months.  We could have succumbed to the mice and simply stated there was nothing we could do to keep them from getting into the house.  Therefore, we lay victim to the little vermin.  Or, we could look around and see where they were entering and what was drawing them.  We increased our dumpster pickups to remove food sources.  We patched holes in the outside foundation of the house.  We poisoned where we thought they might be coming in.  We sealed any holes on the inside of the house.  In other words, we looked for the entry points of these unwelcome guests and cut them off before they had the ability to enter.

There are triggers for thoughts.  They do not happen on their own.  The brain is stimulated by something.  It needs nutrients.  It needs stimuli.  What we allow in through our eyes and ears plays a large part in what we think.  Our emotional state can also play a part in the thoughts we entertain.  Envy, anger, malice, lust, etc. all play a part in what we think.  Smells of cinnamon can conjure up images of Christmas.  Certain odors, like a certain perfume, can bring to mind a long lost relative.  In short, that which bombards us from the outside plays a large part in what we think on the inside.  Knowing what the triggers are, and managing those triggers, is the key to a disciplined thought life.  Once we have managed the triggers, we need to develop new triggers that result in a holy thought life.  Filling our eyes, ears, and minds with that which glorifies God is what turns an abominable thought life into a holy thought life.  It can and must be controlled.

Just Take Your Medicine

“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.” (Zep 1:7 AV)

The preacher, Zephaniah, was sent to the tribe of Judah during the reign of Josiah.  His warning is not only to the erring tribe of Judah, but eventually he turns his warning to the whole world.  The verse above is just such a case.  His command to hold peace as the presence of the LORD is said to all, but in particular, the erring heathen.  This is clearly as statement of silence before a judge.  I can understand this!  The LORD saw fit to ask me to serve on a jury.  The opening day of the trial, during the opening statements of the prosecutor, the defendant spouted off regarding how unfair everyone was.  Repeatedly, the judge attempted to silence him.  He wouldn’t listen.  The jury was dismissed.  We arrived back in the courtroom with the judge requiring the defendant to remain quiet.  Again, when the prosecutor began calling his witnesses, the defendant piped up, claiming his innocence and the unfairness of the world.  We were dismissed again.  He pled out. This is the understanding here.  When God judges, unless He asks for our response, we are to hold our peace.  But there is another, similar, way in which to apply this.  It is during the times of chastening from the LORD.

Spanking a child for the disobedience of which he is guilty can be pretty interesting.  Most begin to weep even before a strike is leveled.  As the paddle increases its count, tears, sobbing, and even screaming increase.  These outbursts are not equal to the chastening received.  The chastening is much less than the child lets on.  He believes the more he screams and cries, the less the chastening might be.  Solomon, in his wisdom, warns us of such a ploy.  He instructs us not to let the screaming and crying of a child dissuade us from reasonable correction.  But there is more to it than that.  There is respect for authority at issue here as well.  By screaming and crying, the child is rejecting the right of the authority to apply correction.  His temper tantrum is a tool to strike back at what he considers to be unreasonable punishment.  The more he screams and the louder he gets, he is venting that rebellion as a way to make the experience just as uncomfortable for the authority figure as it is for him.  He lashes out with is reaction as a way to voice his objection over what he rightly deserves.

We use the phrase, “Just take your medicine” to mean that we need to bear down and accept unpleasantness as a means to making us a better person.  This was before the days of flavored cough syrups or easy swallow gel caps.  Taking medicine was not a fun thing.  This was the day when a scraped knee meant a healthy dose of hydrogen peroxide and that awful orange stuff thy put on afterwards.  Now, we simply wash it off with soap and water, place a liberal amount of antibacterial cream, and patch it up.  No sting.  This was before the invention of tear free baby shampoo!  Before the day when the gave away Novocain for a dental procedure.  Just take your medicine.  We live in generation that has to be comfortable and happy all the time.  If any kind of correction comes our way, we wilt like a summer flower at the first frost.  Just take your medicine.  If the LORD is to correct, we have no response other than remorse and repentance that would be worthy of the King of Kings!  Just be quiet and take your medicine.

Satisfaction Guaranteed, or Not

“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.” (Pr 13:19 AV)

This proverb is understood in two ways.  The first manner in which it is expounded is to make the first part of the proverb equal to the second.  The second part is seen as the other side of the coin.  In other words, the desire of the wicked is sweet to his soul, but if he departs from those desires, it becomes an abomination to him.  I don’t agree with this explanation because the word ‘but’ would more correctly be ‘and’.  The second manner is which it is expounded is the desire of the righteous is sweet to his soul, but the absence of evil is an abomination to the wicked.  I believe that is the proper way in which to understand this proverb and explains the different between desire and lust.  This is further supported by the definition of ‘desire’ which means longing or delight.  As compared to a lust or obsession.  This proverb is all about how the wicked and righteous perceive and experience pleasure.  To the first, it is a lust or obsession that can never be satisfied.  To the later, pleasure is a blessing of provided by the goodness of God’s grace and is grateful and completely satisfied with any and all of God’s lovingkindness show towards him.

Have you ever observed two children playing with the same set of toys?  Perhaps a set of Legos or a tea set?  Some times they share and play nice, cooperating is the theme of the play.  Other times, they go their separate ways and ignore the other.  Then there are the times they both fight over all the toys until one has conquered the other or a grown-up breaks up the fight.  Then there is the rare occasion where one child tries to amass as many toys as he can while the other is content with whatever is left over.  Invariably, the hoarder only wants the toys the other finds enjoyable.  As play continues, the hoarder is gathering as many Legos as he can because he wants them and thinks he needs them.  The other would be content with whatever is left over.  The first is never satisfied and sees this lack of satisfaction and disagreeable thing.  The other is satisfied with whatever is available and because of his contented spirit, is satisfied no matter what.

This is how we process our desire for pleasure.  We are either the first who is never satisfied and sees this dissatisfaction as a hateful thing.  Not just an uncomfortable thing, but rather, a great evil.  We have to have what we want.  If we do not get what we want, it is a vexation of soul.  Or, we are the second type of person.  If there is a longing or delight for which we pine for, and the LORD grants us that desire, there is a sweetness and peace to the soul the wicked will never understand.  When I think of these things, I think of the simpler things of life.  Like sitting in my recliner during our recent winter storm, watching the snow wisp off our neighbor’s roof with a cup of hot coffee in my hand and the word of God on my lap.  There isn’t a greater delight than to walk with God in the simplest of ways.  The more we are like those who delight in the simple desires of life, the more grateful we are for our good and merciful God.  The more we appreciate the benevolence of God, the more at peace we are with what life brings.  However, if we are more like the wicked who considers it an abomination when lust is not satisfied, then we will always be discontented and at war with life and God.

Small Pants, Big Problem

“Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?” (Na 3:8 AV)

The warning goes out the to the capital city of the Assyrian empire, Nineveh.  They are warned judgment is eminent because of their captivity of Israel.  Because Assyria pillaged eastern Israel’s two and a half tribes, then conquered disobedient Israel, God would destroy them.  This capital city of Nineveh had a false sense of security.  Like other capitals of its day like No and Babylon, Nineveh thought itself safe and impenetrable. But Nineveh, and vast as it was, could not hold a candle to No.  The word of God calls No a populous city.  Indeed, it was.  At 52 miles long, it was a third bigger than Nineveh.  The population of No was 7.5 million people. The city of No could boast a standing army of 750,000.  The capital of northern Egypt, No sat among several rivers and numerous ports to which worldwide trade was common.  The city contained one hundred palaces capable of sending 10,000-20,000 armed men to protect the city at any one time.  However, the city no lays in complete ruins and is a fraction of what it once was.  Conquered by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Romans, No is reduced to a sand dune.  The Assyrians whose capital was Nineveh, being the first of its conquerors, had a false sense of security.  If they could topple the largest and most powerful city of its day, then there remained no real threat the world could rise.  The problem is, God is much bigger than any earthly threat.  Nineveh had experienced unparalleled success and thought itself too big to fail.

Putting it another way, Paul so succinctly stated. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1Co 10:12 AV) We notice this in our children.  We may use the term, “too big for their britches.”  The child begins to be a bit presumptuous.  He deliberately disobeys because he has become calloused to correction.  Once this happens, he becomes an authority to himself.  Perhaps he has his own car and can has the ability to come and go.  Still a minor, he unfortunately things a little autonomy means complete autonomy.  Once he has a bit of autonomy, lack of respect soon follows.  This is when we might describe that child as being too big for their britches.  He believes he has conquered the power of parental authority, and therefore, he is free from all authority.  Unfortunately for him, he will discover there are authority figures far more potent then parents.  There is the employer, the school, and the government.  Ultimately, there is God.

Be not deceived.  Success in a little rebellion will not ensure success in all rebellion.  Nineveh believed because it has beaten the largest of all competitors, and they were the largest one standing, there were no other forces on earth that could win.  This is the motive behind their cruel treatment of God’s people.  If their God could not save them, they were not threat.  What they did not realize was their place in the divine plan.  They were an instrument in God’s hand for the chastisement of God’s people.  Not because they were more righteous.  Rather, because they were larger.  We can get this same attitude.  We can think we have gotten to the point that God cannot, or probably would not, bring us to our knees.  Once we have been successful in life an conquered many enemies, we can begin to think the LORD is not concerned with our minor sins or indulgences.  Just because we have matured and walked with God does not mean we are too big to chasten.  As Mama might have said, “You are never too big to spank!”

Too Tired Of God?

“O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.” (Mic 6:3 AV)

We have all been there.  Most are there still.  The LORD is speaking to His people.  They became weary of the expectations placed upon them by God.  So, they went after the world.  God reminds them from where they were rescued and compares His expectations with the demands of our wicked world.  Liberty in God under the law He has provided is far more blessed than liberty to sin.  We get into trouble when we forget how binding sin can become.  When we begin to think the expectations from God are worse than living outside those expectations, this is when we get tired of God.  When we stop and think of the point of the statement above, it borders on the absurd.

This reminds me of growing pains.  There was a time when we were tired of our parents.  As very young children, we may have been wearied of the rules, but in order to eat and sleep and have clothes and be taken care of, we submitted to those rules.  Then we began to grow up, get a job, and become a bit more independent.  We saw the freedom others enjoyed.  Or so it seemed.  Our peers didn’t have as many rules as we had, so, we became weary of the rules of our parents.  We followed after friends and their household rules because we were tired of the expectations placed upon us.  The trouble is, we forget on which side our bread is buttered.  We forget all that our parents have done for us and continue to do so because we are weary of the rules and expectations.  We also fail to realize the rules and expectations exist for a reason.  They are not there just because our parents can have rules.  They are there for our own good.  These rules keep us out of trouble.  The expectations prepare us to be successful.  In the long run, it makes us better and happier people.

There is too much individual opinion and liberty within the body of Christ.  Too much selfish and childish self-centeredness.  As a preacher, it is difficult to preach rules, standards, and expectations because the moment this topic is breached, the immature among us think it to be unreasonable.  As a body of Christ, we have become weary of God.  We don’t like holy living.  We don’t like separation.  We don’t like identifying something as displeasing to God, or worse, sin.  There are no more absolutes.  Every man is doing that which is right in his own eyes.  Why?  Because we are wearied with God.  We are tired of the restrictions.  We are embarrassed to be called the child of God.  We cannot put up with the mockery any more.  The world is taking its toll on us and we are tired.  The cure for this weariness is to remember the pit from which we were dug.  Personally, I don’t want to go back there!  I’d rather have the rules, standards, and expectations than to have the liberty to satisfy the flesh.

Brain Maintenance

“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.” (Mic 2:1 AV)

The last thoughts one has before slumber falls upon the mind and the first thoughts one has when the mind awakes are important.  They often shape the choices for the day.  Guarding one’s thoughts at the most vulnerable of times keeps the soul from engaging in things the body should not.  It is in those twilight and dawning hours of the day when we are least vigilant with out thought life.  It is exactly when our guard should be completely up.

I read recently of the activities of the brain and the need for sleep.  Without getting too technical (mostly because I cannot remember), the brain needs rest.  It needs to be cleansed of toxins that have built up over the day.  These toxins are waste material created by the electrical activity of the brain during our waking hours.  As the body rest and sleeps, the brain must go into its own sleep mode.  It is when all higher functions of the brain shut down and only the auto-response portions remain active.  It is during these hours the brain releases these toxins beyond the brain/blood barrier and into our system.  There, these toxins are released like all toxins.  It is sort of like a virus scan or defrag on your computer.  There needs to be maintenance to rid the computer of redundant or harmful data so that when called upon, the computer can operate at maximum speed and efficiency.  If the brain is not cleansed, over time, it will lose function.  Night time is a time where the brain is cleansed.  Not a time when the brain is entertaining higher functions.

A good practice is to fall asleep and awake in the spirit of prayer.  Once can fall asleep beginning the process which will automatically kick in once we slumber.  We can begin the process of emptying the trash.  We can pray and confess our sins of the day.  We can fall to sleep thanking God for all that He has done for the saint that day.  We can ask the LORD to overcome our faults.  We can seek the LORD’s guidance for our spiritual maturity.  When day breaks, it is good to ask the LORD to help in service and testimony for Him.  Counting our blessings as we begin the day and thanking God for who and what He is will reduce the chance of falling.  Waking to the thoughts of how blessed we are keeps us grateful no matter how the day unfolds.  What we think of before we fall asleep and what we dwell on as sleep escapes our eyes will shape exactly what we entertain during the day.  So, let us guard our minds in the most vulnerable times of the day.  Let us empty the trash and night and fill our cups with the greatness and mercy of God in the morning.

Revival Fires From Fish

“So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jon 3:3-4 AV)

It is often said the revival of Nineveh, numerically speaking, was the greatest single event revival to ever be recorded in the word of God.  At least to this point.  We learn there were 120,000 infants or toddlers by chapter four.  If that is the case, the population could have easily been north of 500,000.  We know the breadth of the city was such that it took three days to walk it.  If the average pace is five miles and hour and one walked for eight hours, that would mean the city and its surrounding suburbs was 120 miles in breadth.  Even if by three days journey the word of God meant Jonah would zig-zag all streets, we are still talking a significant city of size.  The word of God never says exactly how long Jonah walked or preached.   What we do know is that it only took one day of preaching for the revival to take hold in a city three times the size of the effort of Jonah.  Jonah only covered one-third of the city, yet the word of God out paced him.  The word of God spread faster than the ability of the evangelist.  This goes to show the power of the word of God is greater than man’s efforts or abilities.

One has to wonder how the ground was prepared for such a great event.  We know almost nothing of it except for the events of Jonah’s experiences in the first two chapters.  We know nothing of what might have happened prior to Jonah’s call to go there.  We don’t know if the LORD prepared the city by some tragedy or event like an earthquake, famine, or pestilence.  What we also don’t know is the conditions upon which Jonah might have arrived if he was willingly obedient to begin with.  What we do know is Jonah arrived at the gates of Nineveh by being regurgitated by a whale at the shores of Nineveh.  What we do know is if this event was observed, and it most likely was, word of it would have spread like wild-fire throughout the city.  Never before had man witnessed a whale regurgitating a man.  And, it would never be witnessed again.  In short, Jonah’s experience in the belly of the whale may just have provided the match that lit the fires of revival.

Which brings us to our point.  If we want revival, we have to be willing to be used in ways that may be a bit uncomfortable.  We are not stating we should run from the LORD in the hopes He will chasten us unto a revival.  Not at all.  But Jonah had a deep prayer meeting in that belly.  Not only did he repent of his prejudice and hatred for the Ninevites, but he recommitted himself to the calling which God placed upon Him, He prayed for faithfulness.  He prayer for forgiveness.  He prayed and vowed that he would be faithful because it is in that faithfulness God reveals His mercy.  We want revival.  But are we willing to pay any price to be an instrument to bring it about?  Jonah could have refused.  He could have become more defiant in the belly of the whale.  He could have made the argument that if he dies, then who would preach in Israel.  He could have made the argument that if he refuses to go, God would send someone more willing.  He didn’t.  He accepted His role in the revival and faithfully discharged his duties.  Jonah was the example of a God who will bring judgment on the disobedient.  The Ninevites were not going to truffle with a God who is able to prepare a fish to swallow the disobedient.