"We are what we Think"

WE ARE WHAT WE THINK
          Our “minds” include that non-physical part of us that truly makes us humans who are created in the image of God. If we are truly more, much more, than super computers that respond accordingly to specific input and more than physical brains whose response is automatically determined by stimuli, then we need to understand why we talk, feel, decide, act, and think the way we do. What makes “me”… “me?”
          Much of our external conversation, plans, decisions, actions, and emotions are predetermined by our thoughts. And those thoughts are often guided by our beliefs (not necessarily spiritual “faith” but our way of seeing the world). Everyone has “faith” in something. Something deeper must guide each individual’s decisions and relationships and plans and actions and his/her way of seeing the world and his/her life in general.
          As Christians, we place our faith in God through Jesus Christ above any other opposing ideal or view of the world, including faith in our own selves. This certainly implies that we are expected (and should be more than willing) to see the world and life and death as God sees the1m.
          Our prime example for this series, the Corinthian Church members, did initially accept Christ as their Savior and Lord, but they did not continue the process of the transformation of their minds, hearts, and emotions. The reason most Christians throughout the world do not talk like, act like, feel like, or see the world like Christ is because they do not think like Christ.
          This is the reason our number one goal in life and “reason for being” is to glorify God and love Him with all of our heart, mind, strength, and soul. But how can we love a God we do not know? And how can we know a God we do not seek or spend time with? Therefore, many of us are in a “catch 22” situation or “between a rock and a hard place.” We need to bust out of this predicament…forcefully. Matthew 11:12 (NKJV) says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
 
MIND CONTROL
          When we determine to follow Christ, it means that we willingly surrender to His plans for the world, His will for my life, His heart and emotions, and His thoughts. But our old, selfish, sinful nature is not always so willing to surrender peacefully. Essentially, there remains this apparent paradox – we must fight in order to surrender. We must fight against our own sinful, self-seeking, self-gratifying, self-glorifying natures and purposefully surrender to and seek Christ’s thoughts, mind, will, and emotions. This is a constant process. Our transformation should take place continually, daily. 
          You might have observed t-shirts or bumper stickers with the phrases “work in progress,” or “I’m not perfect; just forgiven,” or “God is my co-pilot.” These all summarize our attempt to yield control of our own lives to Christ. We desire “mind control;” we desire God’s mind to control or infiltrate our minds. We willingly surrender to God’s ways. We actively pursue Him. If we do not, then we will continue our own carnal, selfish thinking like the Corinthian Church members.
 
RESPONSE TO GOD
          Continue to recall that our actions, beliefs, feelings, plans, decisions, lifestyles, and conversations all sprout from the seed of our minds/hearts/souls. Within our minds and hearts we willingly by choice (preferred) or forcibly by the world system (most often) develop some basic assumptions about life, the world, and spiritual things. Everyone has certain theories and traditions and cultural norms and family upbringing and life experiences and instruction that have shaped his/her attitudes and world view.
          For example, some of us might have been raised (some for better, some for worse) to work hard for a living, get all we can out of this world, don’t take no stuff from anyone, play fair, money talks, take care of “me” because no one else will, have fun, God is important…on Sundays, respect your elders, an eye for an eye, and on and on. Some of these are “Christ thoughts” and some are, clearly, not.
          We have already established the fact that the mind of Christ is far, far better than our own carnal, worldly, self-preserving minds and hearts. We categorically want the mind of Christ! We must determine to focus our attention, our priorities, and our energy on spiritual matters and not merely worldly pursuits. We have a higher calling.
We should never be caught pursuing the same objectives as a world without Christ. We should never have the same lifestyles as an unredeemed world. Christians should speak, act, live, and think differently. If not, then we are in the same category as the carnal, worldly Corinthian Christians. We, as followers of Christ, should do just that…follow Christ. In order to accomplish that feat, we must continually surrender our minds/hearts to God’s mind/heart.
How do we do that? God is constantly wooing us to Him…every day…every hour…every minute through the Holy Spirit in a multitude of ways (e.g. this sermon). At some point (hopefully sooner than later) it is up to us to respond to His advances. But that always remains our daily choice. I could devote an entire sermon (several to be honest) to examples of how God “speaks” to us and how we may or may not respond. Let me share just a couple examples briefly.