You’ve heard the story of the three little pigs. They all choose different building materials to build their houses. But when the big bad wolf came the quality of the building materials was seen. Only the pig who chose the best materials survived.
There is a battle raging for the control of every mind on planet earth. Which kind of building blocks we choose to build our lives with will determine how well we will withstand when the Big Bad Wolf (Satan) blows life’s tests at us. More importantly, it will determine how we will stand in life’s ultimate test—the judgement.
1 Corinthians 3:11, 12—The foundation of the Christian’s life is Jesus but we have choices of which things we build into our lives. Will we fill our minds with wholesome entertainment or will we skimp by with trashy or borderline amusement? Will we build our bodies with healthy food and drink or will we exchange our health for a few seconds of taste?
1 Corinthians 3:13-15—All three of the little pig’s houses looked good until they were tested. Though we may be able to look good to others for a while even with the wrong building materials built into our lives the true stuff out of which we are made will eventually show through. How will you fare when your life is tested by fire?
1 Corinthians 3:16, 17—God does care what we do with our physical bodies. Whereas God gives us principles that will make our bodies pure and healthy Satan offers us beguiling promises of happiness that prove to be fleeting and turn into bondage to him.
I’m sure you’ve seen a dog who run madly after a ball, catching it and bringing it back only to find that it’s master has already thrown another one which the dog feels must be chased. On and on it goes till the dog is totally exhausted and flops down on the ground. While that’s just a fun game to play with a dog it’s not so funny when you play that game with Satan. He gives one temptation and we go tarring out after it only to find that the thrill is short lived and there’s already another one that must be chased.
The list of potentially faulty building blocks that Satan offers is almost limitless but today I want to look at some that affect the center of moral judgement—The frontal lobe.
The Frontal Lobe is the part of the brain that controls spirituality, morality, and the will. “It is the seat of judgement, reasoning, intellect and the will”—Proof Positive p. 259
The Bible alludes to the significance of the Frontal Lobe in several places.
Exodus 28:38—The high priest, Aaron, was to have a turbine on his forehead signifying that he bore the iniquity of the Holy things
Ezekiel 9:4—God places a mark on the foreheads (frontal lobe) of those who detest the unholy culture they are in.
Revelation 7:3—God’s seal is placed on the forehead.
Revelation 9:4—A plague is poured out on those who’s foreheads don’t have the seal of God.
Revelation 13:16; 14:9; 20:4—The mark of the beast is in the forehead (the frontal lobe) or in the right hand (The actions).
Revelation 14:1—The 144,000 have the father’s name written on their foreheads.
Revelation 17:5—The false church of the last days is represented by a woman riding on a beast with a name (description) written on her forehead.
Revelation 22:4—Those who are saved in heaven will have God’s name written in their foreheads.
God want’s us to protect our Frontal lobes so we can truly honor Him.
Things that commonly impair our frontal lobe brain function.
1. Mind altering Drugs: Illicit drugs, Alcohol, Caffeine.
While most of us would agree that Illicit drugs and alcohol alter the brain function you may have never though of Caffeine as a mind altering drug.
Caffeine has been shown to impair the brain in many ways such as:
a) Produces dependence
b) Impairs physical and mental performance
c) Interferes with sleep
d) Can cause or worsen psychiatric illnesses
e) Can cause toxicity, and even death
f) May exert effects that impact on spiritual and social dimensions of our character. –Proof Positive p. 270
(There are many other physical problems cause by caffeine but today we’re just looking at those that affect the frontal lobe)
2. Intemperance
“It is not necessary to drink alcoholic liquors in order to be intemperate. The sin of intemperate eating, eating too frequently, too much, and of rich, unwholesome food, destroys the healthy action of the digestive organs, affects the brain, and perverts the judgment, preventing rational, calm, healthy thinking and acting. And this is a fruitful source of church trials.”—Counsels on Diets and Foods p. 50
3. Entertainment.
Believe it or not our choices of entertainment effect our Frontal Lobe’s ability to function properly. For instance excessive Television watching has been shown to weaken the mind.
Some disturbing effects of Television viewing are:
a) Produces hypnotic effect, bypassing frontal lobe filtering
b) Weakens creativity
c) Makes children more irritable
d) Accelerates sexual activity
e) Addictive
f) Reduces interest in reading and learning
g) Trains non-reaction
h) Influences viewers to regard violence lightly
i) Adversely affects spiritual pursuits —Proof Positive p. 287.
God has a plan to protect our minds.
2 Corinthians 3:18—Focus on Godly things and you will be transformed into His likeness.
Philippians 4:8—This is the filter that God has given us to discern between God’s building blocks and the devil’s.
“The Bible, just as it reads, is to be our guide. Nothing is so calculated to enlarge the mind and strengthen the intellect as the study of the Bible. No other study will so elevate the soul and give vigor to the faculties as the study of the living oracles.”—Mind, Character and Personality volume 1 p. 93
Psalm 23—Trust in God and He will really fill you up.
Next Steps:
1. Thank God for the wonderful gift He gave you in your frontal lobe.
2. If you find aspects of your life that compromise your ability to think clearly and follow, God ask Him to take them away.
3. Exercise your brain by studying God’s word and other intellectual pursuits.
4. Read more in the handout provided in the foyer. (email steve@sandhillssda.org for a copy of the handout "amazing facts about Caffeine")
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By Pastor Steve Severance
Pastor of the Valentine and Springview Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
To listen to this sermon in Real Audio format or view the PDF handout go to www.sandhillssda.org/sermons/ and select the title.
