Stink'n Think'n

Do you suffer from stinking thinking? That is how my dad often puts it. What I mean is you are always assuming the worst, cynical about everyone and everything, often drowning in woe-is-me sort of thoughts? Instead of the peace and strength we are meant to find in our Christianity do you find it to be obligatory, troubling and empty? Even a source of shame? I could keep giving examples, but I want to say that most of the issues that we face both personally and corporately comes from wrong-headed thinking. That is thinking that is focused on the wrong things and based on incorrect assumptions. Thinking that is devoid of the Gospel certainly fairly self-centered in its character. And before we go any further, you can ask my wife and my closest friends, I engage in stink’n think’n all the time. If you sense frustration in me this morning it because I am frustrated with myself! 

Today I am thinking about three passages. First Romans 12:2 where Paul gives us the key to transformation when he says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” It is the way we think that makes all the difference in our lives, in our faith!!! We must allow what we say we believe about Jesus and salvation to affect how we see everything. We are going to talk a lot about this concept on Sunday. Last Sunday I shared the story of Dr. Paul W. Brand who specialized in treating people with leprosy – a devastating disease that creates numbness in the limbs. One day he noticed a numb spot on his heel and poked with a needle and horrified to discover that he felt nothing! The next morning, he poked it again and cried out in pain. Crazy thing was he was excited about this pain! Why, because it meant he didn’t have leprosy! In a biography about Dr. Brand, Dorothy Clarke Wilson wrote that “From then on, whenever Dr. Brand cut his finger, turned an ankle, even when he suffered from agonizing nausea … from mushroom poisoning, he was to respond with fervent gratitude, 'Thank God for pain!'”

Do you see how a change in thinking changed everything for Dr. Brand? What needs to change in the way that your thinking? I will share two quick verses that help me. 

The first is Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Now we did an entire devo on this back in March called “For you have Died” – if you want to read it you can follow this link https://rocklanechristian.blogspot.com/2020/03/for-you-have-died_20.html or you can watch it at this link https://youtu.be/aBkBTbDFwWI. 

So, I won’t belabor this – but I will say, in all things remember eternity, remember that you have already let go of the things of this world. What are you facing today that has not already been dealt with on the cross? How does what you’re facing today stand up against the back drop of eternity?  

The second passage that helps me renew my mind is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Man, this is good. Spend your thoughts focused on pure and honorable and true things. I want to talk more about this tomorrow, so I’ll just say this. Memorize this passage and whenever you are feeling down put your thoughts to this verse. Is what I’m thinking true? It is it honorable? And so on. Then spend time thinking about the good things, the things you can be grateful for, the good truths you know for sure, the good qualities of that person that’s driving you crazy and, most importantly, the Gospel!