The Bible Speaks - Words of Inspiration - Your Mind Matters

[00:00:00] Let us pray, pray together on our knees

[00:00:07] Let us pray, pray together on our knees

[00:00:14] When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun

[00:00:21] Oh Lord, never see all the knees

[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock

[00:00:30] The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of Harvest International

[00:00:33] Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's word

[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast

[00:00:44] And now, here's Elgin

[00:00:46] Residents and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus the Christ

[00:00:51] to another edition of Words of Inspiration

[00:00:56] And today we are going to discuss the fact that your mind matters

[00:01:04] and our spiritual inspiration comes from Romans chapter 12 verse 2

[00:01:11] which reads,

[00:01:41] In the chapter 12 verse 2 Corinthians 10 verse 5 talks about taking every thought captive to obey Christ indicating that the mind can harbor thoughts that rebel against God's way

[00:02:01] Managing the mind's thoughts and focus is crucial in maintaining spiritual integrity and obedience

[00:02:10] To conform to this world means to align one's beliefs, behaviors and lifestyles with the worldly things

[00:02:18] non-Christian ethos that often dominate social norms and cultural practices

[00:02:25] This might involve prioritizing material wealth, status and pleasure above spiritual and moral principles taught in the Bible

[00:02:36] This is not to say that God has a problem with you having goals and things that you desire

[00:02:42] But when those desires exceed your desire to please God, you have a problem

[00:02:49] One of the ways we can be conformed is what we watch and listen to

[00:02:54] Since we know the mind controls thinking, reasoning, problem solving, learning and memory

[00:03:01] If we allow too many things of the world to invade, we can get to the point where we don't believe it is harmful

[00:03:09] A person addicted to pornography may feel that they're not doing anything wrong because it's just them in the room

[00:03:17] But it can change the way they view and treat others as a result of the way they perceive pleasure and sexuality

[00:03:26] Satan is often described as the father of lies, such as in John 8.44

[00:03:33] One of his primary goals is to deceive and to obscure the truth of God's word

[00:03:40] By manipulating the mind, he attempts to distort a person's understanding of truth, leading them to question God's goodness, deny God's existence or reject God's command

[00:03:54] Was that not the case in The Garden of Eden?

[00:03:58] In Genesis 3, verse 1, it reads,

[00:04:04] Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made

[00:04:10] He said to the woman,

[00:04:12] Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?

[00:04:20] He came to Eve with reason and an alternative interpretation

[00:04:25] Remember, Satan doesn't have to get you to do his will, he just needs you not to do God's will

[00:04:32] In today's world, one of the tactics of Satan is to attack your mind with feelings of despair, unworthiness, hopelessness

[00:04:43] By breaking down your mental resilience and obscuring hope in Christ, Satan tries to incapacitate you, get you to feel ineffective and disconnected from God

[00:04:58] By renewing your mind, a believer fortifies themselves against deceptive thoughts and harmful patterns that lead to sin

[00:05:07] A mind saturated with the Word of God and enlightened by the Holy Spirit is better equipped to resist temptations and to live in purity and obedience

[00:05:18] The primary way to renew the mind is through regular, deliberate study of the Bible

[00:05:25] Scripture provides the truth about God, his will, his ways, serving as the ultimate standard against which all thoughts and behaviors should be measured

[00:05:37] Reading, studying and meditating on Scripture helps us to align our thoughts with God's thoughts

[00:05:45] Regular interaction with other Christians can also aid in renewing our mind

[00:05:51] Fellowship provides accountability, mutual encouragement and the sharing of insights that can help correct or refine our thinking

[00:06:01] Being part of a community that values spiritual growth will reinforce biblical values and attitudes

[00:06:09] Brothers and sisters, by having a Savior who put on humanity and walked among us, we have an advocate in heaven

[00:06:17] An advocate that understands what it's like to have thoughts invade your mind based on where you are and many times who you're with

[00:06:26] We see the children of Israel getting into trouble many times for conforming to the world around them

[00:06:32] So I challenge you to be sober and vigilant to avoid the adversary

[00:06:38] Allow the Holy Spirit to rest, rule and abide over all you say and do

[00:06:43] And it will become much easier to resist temptations of this world

[00:06:51] I thank you once again for joining me today in our discussion and I look forward to our discussion on tomorrow

[00:06:58] Until then, God bless

[00:07:07] This program is cared for by listeners who care

[00:07:13] Your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air

[00:07:19] We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at Harvest International, Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478

[00:07:30] Again, that's Harvest International, Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478