"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --- think about such things." ---Philippians 4:8
Not a week goes by lately that we are not inundated by appeals to think about something. Of course, for the past few months, the political races at local, state, and national levels have dominated the evening news shows and the newspapers. The truth has been "sliced, diced, and served up to us" with a great deal of questionable thinking. Our young people, according to the polls, have become cynical and withdrawn......even the most rosy estimates indicate that little better than 25 percent of them will take the trouble to vote!
The problem is that we have allowed the most elementary faculty in our capacity as human beings to become flabby and weak......our ability to THINK! Fuzzy thinking seems to have crept into every facet of life. We excuse evil on the thin basis of "Well, we ALL have our own skeletons in the closet." The age old propensity to overlook our own sins in favor of highlighting those of others is alive and well in our early 21st century culture. Even more amazing is our ability to accept questionable, fuzzy thinking on the part of our elected officials as "par for the course."
A friend recently sent me some examples of what is supposed to be actual, sworn testimony in courts of law in this land. See if the examples below don't show our inability to think clearly........
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July fifteenth.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: And where was the location of the accident?
A: Approximately milepost 499.
Q: And where is milepost 499?
A: Probably between milepost 498 and 500!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: Sir, what is your IQ?
A: Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: Did you blow your horn or anything?
A: After the accident?
Q: Before the accident.
A: Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it.
If fuzzy thinking is the problem, what is the antidote? Is there a "medicine" that will function as a "cure?"
First, as the verse above says, our mindsets are framed by what we think about. If you want to be pure, praiseworthy, or possess excellence, then focus your thinking on things that have these qualities. Reject things that are base and downgrading......focus on things that have eternal significance. Remember the motto of computer engineers...."Garbage in.....garbage out!"
Second, conform your living to the standards of God by thinking on His standards. Psalm 119:59 says, "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes." There IS a yardstick by which we may measure our lives and conduct: the Word of God!
Third, make the house of God a priority in your life. God does not have "free agents" in His Kingdom. His house and His family are His focus! Psalm 48:9 tell us that "Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love."
Fourth, study the lives of those who have succeeded in the past. The Scriptures are filled with the lives----successes and failures---of God's people who lived before us. Their lives are examples of human frailty, God's grace and mercy, God's Providence and provision, and human recovery. "Consider Him," Hebrews 12:3 invokes, "Who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
This week, aim high in your thinking and doing. You simply cannot go upward while looking downward! Seek wisdom by listening to and meditating on what is wise. Follow God's path----it will lead you to where God wants you to go!
God bless you and grant you His guidance in thinking and living this week.
-----
2000
Not a week goes by lately that we are not inundated by appeals to think about something. Of course, for the past few months, the political races at local, state, and national levels have dominated the evening news shows and the newspapers. The truth has been "sliced, diced, and served up to us" with a great deal of questionable thinking. Our young people, according to the polls, have become cynical and withdrawn......even the most rosy estimates indicate that little better than 25 percent of them will take the trouble to vote!
The problem is that we have allowed the most elementary faculty in our capacity as human beings to become flabby and weak......our ability to THINK! Fuzzy thinking seems to have crept into every facet of life. We excuse evil on the thin basis of "Well, we ALL have our own skeletons in the closet." The age old propensity to overlook our own sins in favor of highlighting those of others is alive and well in our early 21st century culture. Even more amazing is our ability to accept questionable, fuzzy thinking on the part of our elected officials as "par for the course."
A friend recently sent me some examples of what is supposed to be actual, sworn testimony in courts of law in this land. See if the examples below don't show our inability to think clearly........
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July fifteenth.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: And where was the location of the accident?
A: Approximately milepost 499.
Q: And where is milepost 499?
A: Probably between milepost 498 and 500!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: Sir, what is your IQ?
A: Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Q: Did you blow your horn or anything?
A: After the accident?
Q: Before the accident.
A: Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it.
If fuzzy thinking is the problem, what is the antidote? Is there a "medicine" that will function as a "cure?"
First, as the verse above says, our mindsets are framed by what we think about. If you want to be pure, praiseworthy, or possess excellence, then focus your thinking on things that have these qualities. Reject things that are base and downgrading......focus on things that have eternal significance. Remember the motto of computer engineers...."Garbage in.....garbage out!"
Second, conform your living to the standards of God by thinking on His standards. Psalm 119:59 says, "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes." There IS a yardstick by which we may measure our lives and conduct: the Word of God!
Third, make the house of God a priority in your life. God does not have "free agents" in His Kingdom. His house and His family are His focus! Psalm 48:9 tell us that "Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love."
Fourth, study the lives of those who have succeeded in the past. The Scriptures are filled with the lives----successes and failures---of God's people who lived before us. Their lives are examples of human frailty, God's grace and mercy, God's Providence and provision, and human recovery. "Consider Him," Hebrews 12:3 invokes, "Who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
This week, aim high in your thinking and doing. You simply cannot go upward while looking downward! Seek wisdom by listening to and meditating on what is wise. Follow God's path----it will lead you to where God wants you to go!
God bless you and grant you His guidance in thinking and living this week.
-----
2000
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