Healthy Thinking (Part 1)
By Ryan Bridgeo
Avery County
You are an amazing creation. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Of all the works of God’s hand, you are His masterpiece. Did you know, that in the average lifespan, the human heart beats more than 3 billion times? The human eye is capable of seeing 7,000,000 colors. The human nose can detect 1 trillion smells. There are 100 billion neurons present in the brain. The blood vessels that are present in the brain are approximately 100,000 miles long. That is a greater distance than 4 trips around the earth. We are an amazing creation, and we were created in the very image of God. 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” We have a powerful, sound, mind, that was given to us by God.
It is important to understand that our minds and our brains are not the same things. If we compare our brains and our minds to a computer, our brains would be like the computer processor that calculates and processes information, and the hard drive would be like the storage of our memories. Our minds would be comparable to a computer’s operating system, like Linux, Windows, or Mac. Whatever operating system you are running will determine how that computer works and processes information. If we try to use an operating system that isn’t designed for a particular computer there are going to be many system failures and vulnerabilities to the computer’s overall function and ability. For example, if you format a MacBook and try to install Windows on it there will be many problems. Although it is possible, it will not function as originally designed.
Our bodies, our minds, and our brains work best when we apply God’s original design. His software for our hardware will work best and produce the best results. So, we must format the sin-corrupted software of the old man and install a new operating system that is compliant with our new creation spirits. Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” God wants us to experience transformation in our lives, but he will not make that happen. We must partner with His thoughts to experience the renewal of our minds and lives. Then we can understand His will and plans for us.
Now there is a certain way that God wants us to think. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” This is a healthy way to think, and it will produce healthy emotions, healthy relationships, and healthy lives.
But when we think about other things it can be very unhealthy. Romans 1:28 (NIV) says, “Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” These people didn’t think the knowledge of God was worthwhile. They started to have thoughts that were contrary to His and they partnered with those thoughts. So, God gave them over to a depraved mind and they did things that should not be done. Romans 1:21-23 says, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” In these scriptures, we see the process of a depraved mind. 1st, they did not glorify God as God, 2nd they were not thankful, 3rd they became futile in their thoughts, 4th their foolish hearts were darkened, 5th they became fools. And finally, they did things that ought not to be done.
A major sign of a depraved mind is idol worship. Now, this doesn’t have to look like someone bowing down and worshipping a statue. Idol worship is worshiping anything over God. In the above scriptures, they knew about God, but they didn’t honor Him as God. They didn’t give God the final say in their lives. They honored their own thoughts and ideas above His and when they did that, they made themselves out to be god. We can see this a lot today. People take bits and pieces of the Bible, maybe parts that they like, maybe parts that are easy for them to follow, but the other parts that are harder for them or that others disagree with they ignore and honor their own thoughts and ideas instead. This is idol worship. This is saying that God is God in certain areas, but I am god in these other areas. We have no right to do this. Either He is Lord of all, or not at all. These thoughts that don’t agree with His, need to be cast down, and His thoughts need to have the final authority in our lives.
When we have serious trouble with our vehicles, we often need to take them to the dealership for them to find out what is wrong. They know more than the average mechanic because they designed the automobile. It is the same way with God. God is our creator. We are His masterpiece. He knows how we are designed to operate. Like the computer, your spirit, soul, and body are going to function at its best with the correct operating system. That operating system looks like doing things God’s way and giving Him the final say and authority in your life.
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Ryan Bridgeo is the Pastor of Plumtree Church in Avery County, NC. If you would like to know more or how you might become involved in this ministry please reach out to Pastor Ryan at pastor@plumtreechurch.com or call 828-765-6919.
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