Take 2 Focused Thinking

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 New Living Translation

It was a bit serendipitous that the Pastor of our church chose to speak on the Thankful Mind yesterday. I had just written about meditating on God’s Word in my last chapter. What made it disturbing is the translation used and the focus that was created on the word “think.” That focus I left off the whole reality of what I want to write about today.

The pastor emphasized how we must change the way we think but did not offer any methodology for making the change. He used the same verse I used to close the last chapter as part of his reference, Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 NAS95

I made the point of meditation and thinking about the word of God, but I never said here is how you reformat your thinking. Too often preachers and others talk about creating a positive mental attitude, or you should think about the good stuff, or confess a certain phrase, or…you have no doubt heard it all before.

We have a burgeoning field of medicine today and it has been around for a while, the counseling practitioner. Whether psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor, they have become a staple of our society. The practice is relatively young as far as human existence goes, just over 100 years. In the past 100 years the professional counselor has replaced the minister as the source of advice. This being the case, how did people ever function without them? How did people change their ways without the help of therapy? Was there a miracle every time someone accepted Christ? Or was there something else going on in the church world?

Make note of these verses it is important:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. Ephesians 5:22-30 NAS95 (Underline mine)

Notice verse 26, it is the underlined verse: so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. What a strange place for this verse, in the middle of a discussion about loving your husband and/or wife.

Here we are talking about the family and suddenly the discussion changes to the church collective. How are we supposed to wash the church with the water of the Word when the Word is text? It isn’t even soap… or is that what it really is?

If we are going to change our thinking, we need to wash out the old thinking. If we are going to be successful in meditating on the Word, we need to wash out the stuff that keeps us from meditating on the Word of God.

There is only one cleaner I know that will do the job; it is the Water of The Word. Strangely it is more than ordinary water, it is cleansing water. Have you ever taken a hose to your car and watched the dirt get wet? How about taking a pressure-driven water hose to the dirt at the car wash? A totally different effect. One cleanses the other just gets it wet. Think of the Word of God when read it gets us wet, but when we meditate it becomes pressurized and changes us from within.

If you are going to change the way you think you will need to meditate on the Word of God and allow its pressure-driven cleansing water to wash you from within. No amount of counseling, sermons, or just listening will affect huge change (and that is not to say they won’t help, because it will). Focused study and thought will change us. (Add focused study to good counsel and you have a powerful agent for bringing about change. I am a proponent of both, and when done together there will be lasting results.)

What does this meditation thing look like? Here are a few ideas:

Ø Read the Word

Ø Read it again.

Ø Ask

· How does this impact my life?

· How should I change my life to be in accord with this Word?

· Write it down.

· What will I do if I fail to make the change?

· Write this down, too for when you falter or fail.

Ø Read the Word again.

Ø Pray for the strength and grace to make the change today.

Ø Repeat daily until the change is affected in you.

This is not an absolute foolproof plan, but it will give you a starting place to begin to change your thinking.

A long time ago a friend asked if I thought you could worship while you slept. I did not know the answer at that time. Today I would answer yes. If you have spent time meditating on God’s Word, have followed the guidelines of Philippians 4:8, and have been “thinking on these things” then verse 9 will be your portion. Check out this passage and especially the underlined verse 9:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 NAS95

Have a blessed day in the Word today.