Holiness Lesson # 2 >>>

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HOLINESS LESSON II

LESSON 2 of 5

THE REAL YOU -- YOUR THOUGHT LIFE

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he . . ." (Proverbs 23:7).
Your body can be compared to the outside of a house, and your mind can be compared to the inside. (In the Bible, heart and mind are used synonymously--that is, they have the same meaning.) The most important part of you is the inner man. In fact, the real you, what you really are, can be made known to you by the thoughts that you find yourself continually thinking upon. What you are on the inside, is what you really are!

It is possible to go through the outward motions of being a Christian and be backslidden in our hearts: "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways . . ." (Proverbs 14:14).

Israel never did bodily turn back to Egypt after they left their bondage, but "in their hearts" they did (Acts 7:39). God commanded them to remember the day that He brought them out of their bondage, and remember also that it was His strong hand that had delivered them (Exodus 13:3). Their minds should have been filled with excitement concerning their future. Instead they were always looking backwards to many things they had left behind:

"We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes" (Numbers 11:5-6).

Nothing at all, besides this manna! What was the manna that they complained about? It was the miracle bread that God sent from heaven every day (except on the sabbath--God gave an extra day's supply the day before the sabbath). Every day they could go outside their tents and find this constant reminder of the Lord's divine provision--yet they soon despised it! What was worse, they also forgot the bondage in Egypt that had been theirs, because their flesh longed for that which they had left behind.

WRONG THOUGHTS WILL GET YOU IN TROUBLE!
The thoughts that you allow yourself to think upon continually reveal your true nature. It is not enough to forsake our evil deeds, we must also forsake our wicked thoughts: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:7-9).

Satan was cast out of heaven for his wrong thoughts:"How are thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning: how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most high" (Isaiah 14:12-14).

Wrong thoughts will keep God from answering our prayers: "If I regard iniqutiy in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18).

AN IDLE MIND IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP
"And it came to pass . . . at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab . . . But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon." (II Samuel 11:1, 2).

The Bible is very careful to let us know the chief reason for David's sin--idleness. He was supposed to be battling against the enemy, but he chose to let someone else do that. Instead, he remained in Jerusalem. Eveningtide is the time between the set of the sun and bedtime. The fact that David arose from his bed to take a walk at that time of day, shows us the idleness of his mind. When temptation came, he could not resist it. One sin soon led to another, and David had to pay dearly for his failures.

When did David actually lose control of the situation, before he called for Bathsheba, or after? The mind is the battleground of the soul. Every sin has its origin or beginning in the mind. The battle is either won or lost there!

YOU BECOME WHAT YOU ALLOW YOUR MIND TO THINK UPON
If you allow your mind to meditate upon impure thoughts, soon you will be impure. In fact, Jesus has warned us: "I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

If you allow your mind to be caught up with worldly things, soon you will be worldly. If you meditate upon spiritual things, you will become spiritual (Romans 8:6).

GOD KNOWS OUR VERY THOUGHTS!
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:12-13).

HOW DO WE CONTROL OUR THINKING?
We must be careful what we allow to enter our mind and dwell there. We cannot always avoid evil thoughts coming to our mind, but we must "cast them out" when they do! Treat an evil thought kindly, and it will return, bringing other evil thoughts with it!

Be careful what you feed your mind. That is what your thoughts will be about. What you read, what you listen to and see--is all being stored away in your memory and becomes a part of your thought life--the real you!

The kind of Christian you really are is largely determined by the books and literature you read, the kind of music you listen to, gossip, etc., and every other thing you allow to enter your thought life. Before you feed your mind something, ask yourself, "Will it pass this test?"

1. Is it true and honest?
2. Is it just?
3. Is it pure and lovely?
4. Is it a good report?
5. Is there any virtue or praise in it?
If it will pass this test, think on these things (Philippians 4:7-8)!

HOW TO CLEAN UP A FILTHY MIND
1. Repent of the garbage you have filled your mind with.
2. Get rid of all things that will not pass the above test: TV, worldly records, ungodly magazines, etc.
3. Meditate upon God's Word continually (Psalm 1:1-3).4. Give your whole life to Jesus (Romans 12:1-2).
5. Let the Holy Ghost renew your mind daily (II Corinthians 4:16).

SCRIPTURES TO MEMORIZE
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). (ds)