Be Mindful of Your Thoughts

Welcome to Part 2 of our series titled "Humble Yourself." This message focuses on how to genuinely humble yourself, avoiding false humility by being aware of your thoughts.

We read this in The Word.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Let us pray. “Heavenly Father, Lord God, Yours is the Kingdom and Glory forever. We thank You, and give You praise for everything that we see, hear, touch, and taste. We give you thanks for our lives from birth to life everlasting and all things in between. As we enter Your Word, we pray that You give us understanding on the renewing of our minds, so that we can grow to be more like the children of God You wish us to be. We ask this in Your precious name. Amen.”

Last time, we discussed the company you keep and how having bad company in your life corrupts good morals. You are no longer the same person you once were. Now, you must also be mindful of your thoughts. They can and will betray you. You are not that person anymore. Christ has set you free.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

Have you ever been sitting there, lying down to sleep, or walking somewhere, and all of a sudden, a thought pops into your head? You see something you know you should not want, yet all these thoughts start coming about how good it would be. How is just one more time is no big deal? How would just once not change anything? Or you just have a thought that has nothing to do with anything important pop into your head and you wonder where that came from? That is not you. That is the old you. That is the flesh of you. Do not entertain it. Do not dwell on it. Most definitely do not act on it.

Paul gives us this encouragement in his letter to the church at Philippi.

“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.” Philippians 4:8

The flesh will think of and desire the things of the flesh. This is human nature. Turn to Romans 8, starting at verse

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8

It is completely impossible. They are opposite and opposed to one another. Turn if you wish to Galatians 5:16-21

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The works of the flesh manifest, which means the thoughts you are having become actions. Those actions become sins. That sin keeps you from the promises of God. But if you allow your thoughts to be on good things, these are manifested into good things. Continuing in this same passage, verses 22-26

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

Just like feeding your body, the principle of "garbage in, garbage out" applies to your mind and spirit as well. Consider what you're feeding them. The input you allow shapes what you will receive in return. If you plant tomato seeds, you cannot expect to grow watermelons. Similarly, if you consume a lot of candy, you cannot expect to be healthy. If you feed your spirit and mind with drugs, alcohol, pornography, and negativity, you can’t expect to grow in the faith of a holy God.

I have heard it said that people go through certain things in their lives because God is testing them. Remember what James said?

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:13-15

As a child of God, you have a choice that others in the world do not have. The world is opposed to God and does not belong to Him; as a result, its people follow the desires of the flesh and manifest those works, not knowing any better. However, you are different. You are a new creation. Through the Holy Spirit, you can overcome the negative thoughts and images that may enter your mind. You can resist the devil. As a child of God, you need not be burdened by the same worries that consume the rest of the world. Turn back to Philippians 4:7-9.

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

The way of the world is worry and fear. The way of God is peace and love. Which do you choose?

One effective way to renew your mind and humble yourself, which we will discuss in Part 3, is to immerse yourself in Scripture. Remember the saying: "garbage in, garbage out." It’s easy to forget that you are a child of God if you fill your mind with worldly distractions such as politics, the news, television, and internet content. Attending church for an hour and a half each week, even if you feel inclined to go, is not sufficient to counteract the influence of the other 166.5 hours you spend in the world each week.

Of course, if you have not yet decided to allow God to send the Spirit of adoption into your life and start molding you into the person He wants you to be, then the world is all you can or will ever know. If you have heard enough to make that decision, say this prayer with me right now.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!