THINKING FILTER…I saw an interesting bumper sticker a month ago, “don’t believe everything you think”. Humanity the world over tends to treat their thoughts as ‘gospel’. Further, they seldom stop to evaluate the thoughts they are holding in their minds and hearts. If its there…its just there…end of story. Consider this verse with me:
“Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, worthy of praise…think about these things”. ~Phil. 4:8
Thoughts lead us to places. They are not inanimate. They are not static. Rather they create movement. They cause our minds to create answers and make plans. So if we are spending time with thoughts that aren’t helpful, then our minds will start serving that unhelpful thought and creating ways to empower that thought. This is an unhealthy pursuit. For this reason scripture points to the wisdom of only keeping thoughts around that have a helpful and hopeful future, rather than a degenerative and downward pull. We are free to think whatever we want. But do we really want to? Do we want to be so undisciplined as to keep thoughts bouncing around in our heads that prompt painful plans? The above list is a great antiseptic against such negative mental fodder. Take some time to read and reread this verse until it becomes for you an actual THINKING FILTER! ~verlon
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJesuit priests and brothers are engaged in ministries in 112 nations on six continents. They are best known in the fields of education (schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, theological faculties), intellectual research, and cultural pursuits. They are also known in missionary work, social justice and human rights activities, interreligious dialogue, and other 'frontier' ministry.
ReplyDeleteDominican order The Order of Preachers (Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum), after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France. Membership in the Order includes the friars,[1] the nuns, the sisters, and lay persons affiliated with the order (formerly known as tertiaries, now cooperator brothers).
Franciscan The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic religious orders, also known as the Orders of Friars Minor, that follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St. Francis",[1] or a member of one of these orders. As well as Roman Catholic there are also small Old Catholic and Anglican Franciscan communities.
The best known group following "The rule of St. Francis of Assisi" is the Order of Friars Minor (commonly called simply the "Franciscans"). The Order of Friars Minor is a mendicant religious order of men tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi.
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation. The reactions of governmental and churchly authorities to the international spread of his writings, beginning with the 95 Theses, divided Western Christianity.[1]
The split between Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church arose mainly over the doctrine of Justification before God. Lutheranism advocates a doctrine of justification "by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone", which contradicted the Roman view of "faith formed by love", or "faith and works". Unlike the Reformed Churches, Lutherans retain many of the liturgical practices and sacramental teachings of the pre-Reformation Church. Lutheran theology differs from Reformed theology in a variety of ways, including Christology, the purpose of God's Law, divine grace, whether one is "once saved always saved", and predestination.
I stop here. There is well over 20,000 different approaches of thinking and relationship guide lines for the walk with God, Christ, lifestyle, pursuit, and knowledge...This does not include those outside of Christianity....I only list those I have been involved in..Here and below.
Funny thing is I was working on the origins of my thinking yesterday....It's roots...I did not know how much influence these had had on my early life and can identify many things not forgotten, but not remembered in the conscious sense...But still very much a influence in my thinking...Hey, I'm being honest here..Also Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Methodist, Calvinists, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Jewish religion as well... (too long to explain in depth so I will just name them leaving out why or when or sub orders, sub church off shoots, and orders like The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (Catholic) and Zion Lutheran....But all listed on this page are doors I have been at and in...
ReplyDeleteI like the way you put this Pastor...I'm not sure a complicated approach was ever what Jesus intended....The mind is a funny thing it struggles to make out shapes in a cloud or ink blots and to find a constructive order relative to the individual perception. One sees a cat the other a rabbit...It's still only a cloud...Despite all this my mind does struggle to find order in this chaos or cloud...looking through the glass darkly (KJV) at best.....I often find that I trust simply the hearts of those more that are filled with the love of God more than a(1) church specific Doctrine, because of conflicts of perception...History notes these in extremes and willingness to even put to death those thought to be heretical or contrary to their way of thinking..We build our lives on one that was judged heretical by the Pharisees and put to the cross...Yet, in the name of God we have even done this to each other in the name of the same source Jesus Christ....Seems some of our best/worst thinking...Is the problem...Maybe the answers don't lie in this cloud of thought... But simply the One God...
Please someone Jump in What do you THINK?????????????? Wrong or right? Just seeking truth and God the father of it and him..Jesus Christ...Glory to the Father......
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteP.S.Ok I did list some sub orders of Catholics in first part at top...These were major influences in my youth and education...two founded in the 1200's and two 1500's and while the Lutheran started the Reformation..They are reconized as part of the fold of Catholic Comm today agian..
ReplyDeleteNo doubt after anybody reads this, if anybody does?...They might say, well at least...No Episcopal, Jehovah Witness, or Mormon...
ReplyDeleteBut, I have had contact with them as well, just more limited... Hey, I figure if Christ can eat with Tax collectors without judgment in the interests of my Lord God...
I have to be willing to sit at"the table" of my own Christian family... different we may be...We all say were working for the same Christ and God....
Don't start throwing stones.. look to your own imperfections, first take the plank out of your eye so you can see......Lord knows I'm trying to get this redwood tree out of mine.....