"Self-Destruction" Pt 2 of 4:
When God brought us into this world He gave us a tremendous gift - our mind. For simplicity's sake, let's liken what the human brain is to the body as to what a transmission is to a motor vehicle. The transmission transfers power from the engine to the wheels allowing the vehicle to move forward or backward.
Our body houses the heart or spirit combining our mind, will, and emotions. Emotions give us the ability to feel and sense things like the capacity to give and receive love. Or feel unloved. The will transfers into action what our mind tells or influences us to do. Based on this explanation, the mind can be our greatest asset or worst liability. The Bible is clear, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).
God created mankind with a free-will, meaning we all have a choice on how to live our life. We can love God or hate Him, follow or reject, obey or disobey His teachings. Jesus put it this way, "He who is not with me is against me..." (Matthew 12:30). Jeremiah 17:9-10 adds, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man for his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
What this boils down to is that you and I control our own destiny. Each day we choose how we're going to live. Our way or God's way! To simply believe following Christ without being committed to Him is foolish. Religion in itself is dangerous and certainly not powerful enough to guide your thoughts and behavior. Without Jesus and His Spirit living within us we are prone to hurt ourselves, even to the point of "self-destruction." And, as mentioned previously, one never falls alone, there's always a ripple effect that hurts others.
Your mind drives you. Are you controlling your own thought life or are you operating under a "Spirit Controlled" mind? Tomorrow let's consider the power (or lack of) forgiving those who have hurt us.
Pastor Carnes
