Controlling Your Thoughts

Friday, March 14, 2014
Speaker: Pep Santos
Subject: Mar 14 - Morning Light

I, myself, is struggling with the way I think about things that are happening and the way I think about people around me. Controlling my thoughts is very hard for me, I am helpless and I really need God's guidance. I need God to touch my heart which, most of the times, brings negative thoughts to my mind. My heart really is deceitful. 

With this in mind, lols, can't really share that much. But TL Pep taught us a lot about CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS. Am gonna share exactly what he told us as I don't want this very sensitive topic to be misunderstood.

1 Chronicles 29:17a. I know, my God, that You examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there.

Psalms 15:1-2. Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

Where do thoughts come from?
 - outside world
 - self
 - devil
 - out of nowhere?

What does the Bible say?

 - Jeremiah 17:9. The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

 - Mark 7:20-22. And then he added, "It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, ad foolishness.

First step is really to guard your heart. If it comes up to your head, that's the time that you need to control your thoughts.God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. There is difference between temptation and sin. The thought is formed in your heart and it enters your mind, this is temptation. Dwelling on the thougth and playing around with it is sin. 

How do we control our thoughts?
 - KNOW
 - FLEE
 - RUN
 - DON'T LOOK BACK

KNOW God's word. 

 - to be able to recognize what's wrong and right and know what course to take

 - Deuteronomy 11:18-21. So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when your are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. So that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land of Lord swore to give your ancestors.

 - Psalms 119:9-11. How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you -- don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

 - 1 Corinthians 11:13. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

FLEE temptation
 - Do not feed your mind with sinful thoughts 
 - 2 Timothy 2:22.

RUN toward God
 - Matthew 26:41
 - Romans 8:5-8
 - If we rely on our won strength, we will fail
 - Live in dependence through the Holy Spirit
 - Proverbs 28:26
 - Galatians 5:16

DON'T LOOK BACK
 - Romans 8:5
 - Philippians 4:8