A Beautiful Mind
I Am Jesus – part 23
John 7:37-39 (slowly type onto screen…)
Then The River Video (Sermon Spice)
2,000 years ago God the Son – emptied himself… put on human flesh, left all the glories of heaven and walked the dusty streets of first century Palestine… AND UNDERSTAND – Jesus came not only to be the sacrifice for our many sins… WHICH – is a VERY big deal by the way! A big enough deal to put a little bounce in our step, smile on our face and a shout on our lips…
21You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. 22But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. – Colossians 1:21-22
LIKE – I said, what Jesus did about your sin and mine is a really big deal… BUT – Jesus came not only to pay the penalty for our sins but to make available a new life… The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – John 10:10
WHEN – the angel broke the apostles out of prison he told them; Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
WHEN – Paul wrote to the church in Corinth telling about the power of the Gospel he said; What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
YES – Jesus came so that you and I can live a new life!!! A LIFE – that the N.T. describes as having (among many other things); a peace beyond understanding; contentment in every situation, hope that is living and a joy that inexpressible and glorious.
BUT - for a lot of us, the reality of our life is something that falls way short of this kind of language. YOU SEE – there is this gap between the life that is promised and the life that many of us experience. AND – last we talked about how different people take different approaches to deal with this gap…. (from a message by John Ortberg)
A lot of people take the I’ll just try harder approach…
“I’ll close the gap by my own power and strength. I’ll get up earlier. I’ll pray longer. I’ll read another book. I’ll listen to another tape. I’ll learn new disciplines. I’ll serve more. I’ll work harder. I’ll try to be nicer to people in my life.”
Others take the;
I if I can’t make I’ll just fake it approach…
AND - they pretend that there is no gap. THEY – act and talk as if they are living this new life… BUT - they know they’re not… AND THEY – find this faking to be about as satisfying a hungry person sitting at a table pretending they are eating…
AND - still others take;
The musical church approach….
NOW - people who take this approach think that the reason there is a gap between the promised new life and reality is because of the church that they go do. AND – they think “that if I just went to another church…” A church that did some things a little differently… then this gap would close… BUT – the don’t realize that gap is not in the church it is them.
BUT – the truth is; that working harder, pretending and changing churches never really closes the gap… SO - eventually, most people just give up because after awhile that gap is just too painful. AND - when they hear the stuff that we have been talking not just today but for the last several weeks… (new life, living hope, inexpressible and glorious joy) they feel discouraged or hopeless. BECAUSE - inwardly they decide that this promise of new life (at least for them) is not even possible.
BUT REMEMBER – we said last week… WHAT IF – Jesus really meant what he said about rivers of living water flowing out of the core of your being? WHAT IF - such a life really is possible? WHAT IF – you really can live in the kingdom of God now?
YES – there is a gap between the promised new life and reality… BUT – a river runs through it! A river of God’s grace, power and Spirit…
UNDERSTAND [Tim, Laurie…] - the Spirit of God is like a river and He is flowing all the time? All the time. AND - your job as a believer in Jesus is not to try harder or run faster or get up earlier or pretend like everything is okay OR try yet another church? INSTEAD - your job is to simply jump in the river? Your job is to figure out from one moment to the next HOW to flow with the waves of the Spirit so that He can carry you to the new and better life!
God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. – Eph 3:20 (Msg)
Prayer…
OKAY THIS MORNING – in our time remaining… we are going to look at the primary place where this river of living water, where the Spirit of God intersects with your life and mine… NOW - Paul talks about this intersection in the 8th chapter of His letter to the church at Rome. IF - you would go ahead and turn there.
(IN – chapter 7 of Romans Paul talks about the gap between reality and the promised life… BETWEEN – the things He wants to do and actually does… THEN = in chapter 8 he talks about how to bridge the gap).
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. – Romans 8:5-8
UNDERSTAND – the place where the living waters of the Spirit intersect with your life and mine is in our mind (is in our thoughts)… AND – today June 19, 2005 I want to talk about how to have a Beautiful mind… I want to talk about how to have a mind that becomes a place where the rivers of God can flow and take us to a new life…
AND – I want to do that by making some observations about our minds… (And let me mention that I got a lot of help for this talk from; a chapter in John Ortberg’s book ‘God Is Closer Than You Think’ and from a book called ‘FLOW’ that I just started reading by the former head of the department of psychology at The University Of Chicago, Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi (chick-sent-me-high) …MC…
OKAY – observation #1;
Your Mind Is Always Flowing…
UNDERSTAND – your mind is a series of thoughts that never cease. Your mind is never still… it is always going somewhere.
I MEAN – you’re sitting in your chair filling out your notes… YOU - look down at your paper. AND - you notice your hands, and then you think, “Look at my nails. I’m still biting my nails. That’s a bad habit. I hope nobody sees this…” And these thoughts just keep flowing.
“I bit my nails at work this week, because I think my boss is ticked at me, and I’m worried about that. But you know what, He kind of ticks me off too. On Monday I ought to go and tell him what I think... YEAH - would really be fun to let Him have it.. Hey, there’s a guy over there who has on a braves hat. I HAVEN’T – been to a game in awhile… I SURE - wish they would go all the way this year. Oh man, I forget to wear a Hawaiian shirt today. Hawaii I’d sure like to go their for vacation… Man that vacation at the beach in Destin was awesome last year. We sure ate good, but I think I ate too much. I still need to drop a few pounds. Maybe I’ll try that carb diet again. YOU KNOW - that ice carb ice cream isn’t so bad… BUT – not it’s not as good as Ben & Jerry’s… AND – wow, that new flavor ‘The Gobfather’ was incredible! Hey look that couple sitting in front of us. They’re holding hands. Why don’t we hold hands anymore? They look happier than us. I think their marriage is better than ours. Oh there’s guy up on stage talking again. Did he just say the word ‘butt?’ I think he just said the word ‘butt.’”
YES - your mind is always flowing, it is never still, you’re ALWAYS having thoughts, observations, perceptions, ideas…. IN FACT – you’re having them at such a staggering rate that you don’t even remember the vast majority of them. YES - your mind is a ceaselessly flowing stream out of which comes your life. WHICH – leads me to my second observation about the mind;
You Are What You Think…
Psychologist Archibald Hart writes, “Research has shown that one’s thought life influences every aspect of one’s being.” [repeat] he’s right…. LISTEN - whether you are filled with confidence or fear, depends on the kind of thoughts that occupy your mind on a regular basis. QUESTION – what kind of thoughts occupy your mind.
Over the last 30 years or so, the most dominant movement in American psychology has been what is known as cognitive psychology. AND - Cognitive psychology is built around the truth that the way you think determines much about you… THE WAY YOU THINK - creates attitudes; shapes emotions; governs your behavior… AND - even effects your immune system and your ability to fight off illness. LISTEN - everything about your life flows out of the way you think… In His book ‘Flow’ M.C. (Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi (chick-sent-me-high) writes;
How we feel about ourselves, the joy we get from living, ultimately depend directly on how the mind filters and interprets everyday experiences. Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony not on the controls we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe.
YOU KNOW – MC is right it’s not the stuff that happens to us… that determines the quality of our life… BUT – it’s how we choose to filter and interpret those experiences in our minds.
• 2 people suffer from cancer. One becomes bitter and depressed the other becomes a source of strength and hope to those around them. Their cancer is the same. The difference is in their minds.
• 2 people are struggling financially. One of them is consumed with envy and discontentment; the other just glows with gratitude and servant hood. Their net worth is the same. The difference is in their minds.
• 2 people are betrayed by someone close to them. One lives a life immersed in anger, malice, hatred and thoughts of revenge. And vows to never get close to anyone ever again. The other has chosen the way of forgiveness and peace. AND – has used this experience to build deeper and more godly relationships. The hurt is the same. The difference is in their minds.
UNDERSTAND - everything about your life flows out of the way you think… AND - the way we like to summarize that truth here at Central is; that they way you think, determines how you feel, and the way you feel, determines how you act… HEY – checkout these words from a guy who was struggling with his thought life; “When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body…” Job 21:6
[Job had a lot of stuff to think about. I MEAN - this guy literally had troubles coming at him from every direction. NOW - the context for Job 21:6, is Job thinking about how wicked people always seem to have everything go their way… AND when Job thinks about this – he is terrified and trembling seizes his body…] QUESTION – has that ever happened to you? HAVE – your thoughts ever terrified you, to the point that your body literally trembled? Have your thoughts ever taken you to a place you’d rather not be?
I think you know what I’m talking about. You start thinking angry thoughts – you keep feeding that anger and before you know it, you are in a rage… OR - you start thinking depressing thoughts – (no body cares, I’m all alone, it will never get any better, I can’t do anything, I’m no good to anyone, ) and before you know it, you are on anti-depressant’s or you’re ready to slice your wrists… LISTEN – this kind of negative self-talk can be very destructive…
In 1 Samuel chapter 17 we read of David’s great battle with Goliath…(what an awesome story. David’s faith enabling God’s power to move and kill a powerful enemy). BUT I can guarantee you, that David’s faith was not the only thinking taking place that day among God’s people, UNDERSTAND - there was a lot of negative self-talk going on, up in that mountain… (‘he’s so big, he’s killed so many, look at the size of that spear, if I go out their I’m dead…’) Scripture says in 1 Samuel 17 that whenever the Israelites saw Goliath they ran in fear… Why because what they thought – determined who they became. AND – their thoughts led to fear and defeat. WHILE – David’s positive thoughts about God and trust in God led to courage, confidence, faith and victory.
Your Mind Is Always Flowing…
You Are What You Think…
AND – the 3rd observation I want to make about the mind is that;
You Think About, What You Are Exposed To The Most…
Imagine getting the greatest performance car in the world and deciding that you are going to take a serious run at the Indy 500 and dedicate yourself to winning it. What are the odds you will fill the tank with unleaded, low-octane gasoline from a run down thrifty discount service station?
OR - imagine that you were serious about competing in the marathon in the next Olympics. I mean this goal becomes an all consuming passion in your life. How likely would it be, that you would go on an all-chocolate diet, between now and the games?
OR – imagine that you are a brand new parent. You’ve just brought you new born son or daughter home from the hospital. What are the chances that you would just grab anything from the frig or pantry to feed them? (moldy-mystery-Tupperware)
OKAY – I think you get the idea, we all tend to be very serious about what we put into the things that matter to us. People are very careful about what they fed their cars, their kids, their bodies, even their pets… AND THAT - is why it so amazing, so insane, that in the most important area of our lives – (our minds) - we pay no attention whatsoever, to what we put in to it.
“your life is shaped by your thoughts,” Pr 4:23 (GN)
‘my life is shaped…’
SO [Tim, Laurie…] - what have you been thinking?
Some people call this the law of exposure… UNDERSTAND - what repeatedly enters your mind – will occupy your mind – and what occupies your mind will eventually shape your mind – and what shapes your mind will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become.
AND LISTEN – the law of exposure is as unyielding as the law of gravity. Now no one is surprised by the law of gravity… “Woe, I pushed that glass plate over the edge of the table and it fell, hit the ground and broke, how did that happen… I walked off the roof of a 6 story building and fell to the ground – why did that happen?’ NO ONE - would do this. BUT amazingly people react to the law of exposure in total shock. They are surprised that what their minds are constantly exposed to (what they dwell on) eventually comes out in how they feel and what they do…
Children are exposed to 1000 of acts of violence and murder on television and they see even more graphic forms in movies and videos games. AND – much of today’s music is filled with violence. YET - our society is surprised when a fight breaks out in the bleachers at a football game – or when shootings at Columbine devastate an entire nation.
We are flooded with sexual images all the time and in every place… ON - tv sets, computer monitors, magazine covers, billboards and movie screens. I mean sexual images are every where… The exposure rate in absolutely incredible – yet we act surprised and shocked when teens have sex and babies outside of marriage… AND - we scratch our heads and have a confused look on our face when we see the levels of sexual addiction and promiscuity go up and marital faithfulness goes down – like a person pushing a plate over the edge of a table – we say woe how did that happen.
THINK ABOUT IT – it’s amazing, it’s so incredible, that ‘so called’ intelligent people think that they can keep violating the law of exposure and get away with it… NOW - I’m sure you’ve heard their mantras, you’ve heard what they say… PERHAPS - you’ve even said the same thing - “I can read this material, I can watch these images, I can listen to those twisted words – but it doesn’t really effect me…I’m not really paying attention. It goes in one ear and out the other.” NO - it doesn’t.
Today we as a culture… want to say it doesn’t make any difference what we look at or hear. This, no doubt, is because we want to be ‘free’ to show anything and see anything – no matter how evil and revolting. But businesses still pay millions of dollars to show us something for 30 seconds on television. They do that because they know that what we repeatedly see and hear affects what we do. Otherwise the would go out of business - Dallas Willard.
“your life is shaped by your thoughts..”
LISTEN – if enough teenage girls, look at enough magazine covers, featuring enough models, who are paid outrageous sums of money to make themselves unnaturally thin and then interview them, and quote them, as experts about what makes life worth living, we will raise a generation of young women whose minds are constantly filled with such thoughts as: “I’m not thin enough, I’m not pretty enough…I’m not desirable enough, I’m not worth very much’
AND if enough young men, fill their minds with enough pornographic material – if they allow those scenes and images to occupy their minds & thoughts… THOSE THOUGHTS – will begin to shape their minds & attitudes. AND - they may never understand what it is to be a ‘real’ man and treat a woman with respect and appreciate her for more than just physical things…
LISTEN – the material you read, the music you hear, the images you watch, the sites you click on, the conversations you hold, the day dreams you entertain – are all shaping your mind and they will ultimately determine both your character and destiny…
Observation #4;
Your Thoughts Either Open You Up Or Close You Off To The Flow Of The Spirit
People who study the mind in our day say that every thought comes with a little emotional charge that is either pulling us toward OR away from some emotion like;
• Pulled towards sorrow and pushed away from joy
• Pulled towards anger and pushed away from peace
• Pulled towards hatred and pushed away from love
• Pulled towards fear and pushed away from confidence
• Pulled towards bitterness and pushed away from forgiveness
IN – one experiment 2 separate groups of people were asked to complete a sentence 5 times. One group was asked to complete the sentence, ‘I’m glad I’m not a…” THE – other group was asked to complete, ‘I wish a were a…” THE FIRST GROUP - ended up feeling happier than when they started and the second ended up feeling worse.
NOW – the apostle Paul knew all about the power of a thought to take you to or away from something… He wrote nearly 2,000 years ago. IN – the text we read earlier from Romans 8 Paul said; The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…
QUESTION – do you see what Paul is saying here? HE - is basically saying that every thought that you have carries a little ‘spiritual’ charge. AND – thoughts that are in alignment with the flesh, thoughts that are in opposition to God, lead to what result? (Death). AND - thoughts that are in alignment with the Spirit lead to what? (life and peace)
UNDERSTAND – EVERY thought either opens you up to the flow of the Spirit… OR IT – closes you off to that flow … LISTEN [Tim, Laurie…] – EVERY thought that you have is either enabling & strengthening you to deal with life in a kingdom kind of way, or it is robbing you of that life.
FOR EXAMPLE – you think; “My daughter is mad at me. It’s no use trying to do anything about it. Nothing ever changes. I don’t think I’ll ever have the kind of parent-child relationship I’ve always dreamed of.” QUESTION - which way is that leading—life or death?
OKAY – another thought… “My job is not going real well right now. I’m feeling like a failure. If things don’t pick up soon, I’ll lose my job and God will not be able to use me any more.’ AGAIN – where are those thoughts leading? death.
YES - ALL thoughts either open us up to the flow of the spirit… or they close off that flow… (Picture your thoughts being like a value in a water line) AND UNDERSTAND – thoughts in flow with the Spirit;
• always lead towards hope, never despair;
• always towards right living, never towards sin;
• always towards truth, never into illusion;
• always towards growth, never towards stagnation;
• always towards authentic love, never towards arrogance.
• always towards giving, never towards greed
YES – thought sin flow with the Spirit always lead to life. They always lead towards a kingdom kind of life…
Your Mind Is Always Flowing…
You Are What You Think…
You Think About, What You Are Exposed To The Most…
Your Thoughts Either Open You Up Or Close You Off To The Flow Of The Spirit
AND – the final observation I want to look at to day about the mind is;
You Can Choose To Set Your Mind On Thoughts That Flow With The Spirit
LIKE – I said earlier I am reading a book called ‘Flow.’ AND – basically it is about how we can train our minds to organize and think thoughts that will enable us to determine our level of happiness and quality of life… INSTEAD – of being a victim of outside circumstances.
MC studied 1,000 of people over several decades and tri to figure what and how they were thinking when they were at their best; content, strong, alert, confident and at the peak of their abilities. AND – when the mind is working like this he calls it Flow.
IN – his opening chapter MC makes the following statement;
This simple truth – that the control of consciousness determines the quality of life – has been known for a long time; in fact for as long as the human record exists.
WHAT MC – is saying is that mankind from; Aristotle to Freud; from yogis in India to Taoist in China; has understood that control your thought life is the most important thing in making life work. The great emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote; “if you are pained by external things, it is not they tat disturb you, but your won judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.
Dallas Willard writes; ‘The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon..”
HEY - have any of you ever seen a film called “A Beautiful Mind”? It’s the story of a brilliant guy—a man who was given a fabulous mind—John Nash. But he heard voices in his mind. He had thoughts that were not true, were not rational, were deceitful.
BUT - they seemed real to him. They made him feel important. They played on his darkest fears, AND - when he listened to them, they destroyed his relationships, distorted his perceptions. They made him obsessive and terrified. They led to death. So this brilliant guy with this fabulous mind has to learn—and it takes much time—to test the voices, to test the thoughts in his mind. HE - had to learn to not listen to the ones that lead to death.
NOW - there is this scene in the movie when Nash is talking to a friend about the battle that is going on in his mind, and how his struggle is not that uncommon from what we all face. He says; ‘I’m not that different from you. We all hear voices. We just have to decide which ones we are going to listen to.”
GUYS – that’s so true… There is a battle going on in our minds and the thief wants us to think thoughts that steal, kill and destroy life… AND – the Spirit wants us to think thought that lead to life.
AND - each of us need to figure out which ones we need to listen to… That’s why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that, “We are to take every thought captive make it to obedient to Christ.”
GUYS – in our time remaining and I know that there is not much. I want to do talk how we can have a beautiful mind. A MIND - that takes captive our thoughts and holds on to the ones that lead to life. A MIND - that is open to the flow of the spirit so that He can carry us to the promised new life.
OKAY – here is how to have a beautiful mind… HERE - is how to have a mind that allows the spirit of God to flow… (I’ve made an acrostic of the word mind…)
M – Make A Decision To Change Your Exposure…
UNDERSTAND - you have to change the things that you expose your mind to…you have to begin using the law of exposure for good.
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise worthy – THINK about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.” Phil 4:8,9
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, FIX your THOUGHTS on Jesus.” Hebrews 3:1
LISTEN – if you are serious about having a beautiful you going to have to make some changes in what you put into your mind…
I - Increase Your Bible Input
Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another--showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. – 2 Timothy 3:16,17 (Msg)
UNDERSTAND - If you want a beautiful mind if want the rivers of living water to start flowing in you mind… THEN - start putting more bible into it… start filling you mind with God’s thoughts, with kingdom things.
How? spend time in the word… Summer of Love Journal.. Go to a bible study
N – Now Soak In That Input
Start meditating and soaking yourself in God’s word… Immerse yourself in His truth…
“Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do. They love the Lord’s teachings and they think about those teaching day and night. They are strong like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and it’s leaves don’t die. Everything they do will succeed.” - Ps 1:2,3
What is meditation - Meditation is focus thinking about a Bible verse in order to discover how you can apply its truth to your own life. The word for meditation is also the word for rumination. Rumination is the process where a cow chews it’s cud, swallows it, regurgitates it, chews it again, swallows it...going through that process about 7 times. The reason the cow does this is to drain every bit of nourishment from the grass.
That’s what we want to do with God’s word. We want to focus our thinking on it, trying to drain every bit of nourishment from it. Soak in it – become saturated…
(Maybe if I explain negative meditation – it would help.. Worry -- is negative mediation. Are you a worrier? Has it ever impacted your life?)
GUYS - soak yourself on God’s truth…and what the spirit flow in your life… NOW – Romans 8 is full awesome truths. IT’S – like Paul after saying that we need have our minds set on the right thing gives us some things to them on…
God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (28)
he chose them to become like his Son (29)
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (37)
nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (39)
D – Determine To Tune Into God
WE – need to learn how to hear the voice of God… We need to figure out how to hear His voice above all the voices that are calling out to us… AND BECAUSE – listening to God, tuning into His voice is so important that we are going to spend all of next talking about how to do just that…
QUESTION – do you want to bridge the gap? Do you want rivers of life flowng through your mind?
THEN…
Max Lucado tells the story of 3 knights that face the task of navigating a dark forest populated by clever, yellowed eyed creatures that stand in their way. The reward for the first knight to find his way back home – to the castle – is the hand of the kings daughter. Each is allowed one traveling companion.
To help the knights in their journey through the dark forest, the king plays a song on his flute from the castle wall. There are only 2 flutes. The king has one, and his son the prince has one.
Each knight is known for a particular skill. One is string. Another is swift. The 3rd is wise.
At the end of the story we learn that strength and speed were no match for the wiles of the dark forest and the yellow-eyed creatures who opposed their journey. Only the wise knight survived to claim the hand of the princess. But even he was almost undone by the creatures in the forest who tried to imitate the song of the king.
SO – how did the wise knight find his way home? He chose the right companion for the journey. He selected the prince to go with Him and as thye traveled, the prince played the same song of the king. The wise knight learned it so well that though a 1,000 flutes tried to hide the king’s son… he could still hear it.
