Last week we began a new series at South Side entitled “Predicting The Future” where we talked about the fact that our present choices greatly predict our future. We talked about the internal battle we all experience because of “sin” and that we all do things that we wish we didn’t do, as well as don’t do things that we wish we did do. This week we are going to talk about the fact that every choice we makes begins with a thought. Lao Tzu said “Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” Everything that happens in our lives begins with a thought!
The mind is an amazing thing. We learn from science that there is 2,500,000 gigabytes of storage space in our brain. The new top-of-the-line iPhone 11pro has a total of 512 gigabytes of storage space. Yes, your mind has greater capacity than the phone device that you hold in your hand that you think is so amazing! There are about 100 billion neurons in a human brain, which is about the same as the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Our minds are an amazing creation of an amazing God. However, with all that power there is the potential to make choices to do many good things as well as choices to do many bad things. The Apostle Paul knew about the battlefield that occurs in the mind when it came to our thoughts. He knew that the choices we make come from what thoughts that we accept, and act upon. That’s why he wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
In our lives many different thoughts and ideas will be presented to us. The thoughts we receive and don’t take captive will be the thoughts that directly make our choices. Our lives move in the direction of our strongest thoughts. We know from the word of God that there are thoughts that are true, healthy, and spiritual. Also, we know there are thoughts that are false, unhealthy, and unspiritual.
So the question is, how do we know which thoughts are which? How do we recognize and take captive thoughts that are wrong and evil? In the word of God there is a way for us to follow in order to be able to change our thinking and change our lives. As followers of Jesus instead of living our lives according to the patterns of the world we must choose to be changed or “transformed” by renewing our minds. “The renewing of your mind is the means by which spiritual transformation takes place. We choose daily with the help of the Holy Spirit and the word of God to adjust our way of thinking about everything in accordance with the ‘newness’ of our life found in Christ.
This Sunday at South Side we will unpack through the word of God how we can predict the future by changing our thoughts. Worship begins at 10:15, and our Children’s Ministry offers children’s classes for all ages. We are continuing to practice social distancing at our services. If you are unable to attend our online services will be available at 3 on Facebook and our website. If you would like to give generously text: 84321 then the word “help” and follow the simple instructions. We would love to have your family worship with us! For more information visit us on our website at: www.southsidewch.com or on Facebook.
In Christ,
Barry Pettit
Lead Pastor
South Side Church of Christ
www.southsidewch.com
