I just read the short pamphlet My Heart, Christ's Home by Robert Munger http://www.hcm2.org/prose/home.htm. It's an interesting discussion of a man's life described as a house with different rooms representing various parts of his existence. Munger describes the process of Jesus slowly being let in to each section of the house to reorganize things as he would have them. For example, the study or library represents the thoughts of our minds and things we read, study and think about. The pictures on the walls of the library represent our thoughts. Christ, in Munger's pamphlet, says "it will be difficult to control" these images. But he says place a large picture of me (Jesus) centrally on the wall and this will help. The pamphlet goes through Jesus' reorganization of every room culminating in the owner signing over the deed of the house to him. An interesting description of the sanctification of a believer.
This description of the study or library really interested me. Jesus says in the pamphlet to replace the books on the shelves with the Bible and to meditate on the scriptures. In other words, study him. The images on the walls are to be dominated by a large, centrally located image of Christ, so our thoughts are constantly drawn back to him. I started to think about thinking. (Did I say that)? Obviously, thoughts pop into our minds uninvited at times. What initiates them? We can initiate thoughts voluntarily, but many come from out of no where. Then once a thought is in our minds, we can choose to dwell on it or willfully push it away (sometimes easier said than done). Scripture tells us to think about good things and to control our thoughts. The easiest of the two is the former.
Some observations on the mind from scripture:
Matt 22:37 --We are to love the Lord with all of our minds.
Romans 8:6 -- Setting are minds on the things of the Spirit brings life and peace.
Romans 12:2-- We are to consistently renew our minds with the help of the Spirit and his word.
Colossians 3:2 -- God calls us to set our minds on him. This is a planned action.
1 Peter 1:13 -- Our minds need to be ready for God's use and ready for temptation.
2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 11:3 -- Satan can blind the minds of unbelievers and can tempt believers' in their thoughts if God allows. (God is the ultimate gatekeeper for temptation 1 Cor 10:13.
Psalm 7:9 -- God tests our minds.
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Power of the Mind
It was my mind, so I thought;
That allowed my soul to choose.
It was my mind, so I thought;
That healed my heart of pain.
It was my mind, so I thought;
That gave my will its strength.
But now I know, it’s Jesus Christ
That turned my heart to flesh.
He creates the thoughts within my heart,
That powers my mind to be.
-me
Ezekiel 11:19-20:
19And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
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