Mind & Thought
Please also see: ‘Behaviour.’ ‘Conversation.’ ‘Meditation.’ ‘Philosophy.’ ‘Prayer.’ ‘Worry.’
Seek the Truth with all your heart.
The human brain is infinitely superior to the world’s most sophisticated super-computer. It can be defined, and has a physical boundary in a skull of bone. It is visible matter. It is never saturated.
The human mind is not visible matter nor is it easily defined. The mind has no boundaries or limitations, it is limitless. There is no such thing as a full or saturated mind.
Our mind contains the program that our thoughts create, which in turn influences and drives our operating system, which determines the life we lead, including quality, direction, outcomes, and many other factors. Thought is a product of, and a shaper of, the mind. It’s program is strongly influenced by what we naturally retain from the many things we hear spoken to us, from what we over-hear, from radio, television, other’s conversations, from what we read, and advertisements we see.
Our minds have to be protected by strong discernment and filtration powered by our brains.
Our brain and mind can be likened to a computer’s hardware and software.
Your thinking can influence your health and moods. Negative thoughts, toxic thoughts, hateful thoughts, unhappy thoughts, and recalling bad experiences, trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce certain bio-chemicals that are stored in your mind and in the cells of your body, causing stress, including subconscious stress which steers you away from peace. Don’t let your thoughts condemn you, block your progress, or become an obstacle to receiving and achieving what you desire, need, or want.
Your thoughts can create your reality, change your life, help you achieve your hopes and desires, they can make happiness replace depression. Decide to be happy irrespective of other factors.
If you decide to be annoyed, hateful, furious, angry, bitter, jealous, vindictive, revengeful, impatient, or unforgiving; you will become the expression of any or all of those feelings, and the chemistry in your body will change accordingly. All these attitudes eat you up; they erode your mind and your body, and make your body acidic which attracts illness and cancer. Your attitude attracts suffering into your body and your life. You become the victim of your own worries, problems, and negativities.
If you decide to reject negative feelings, and to be happy, loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, forgiving, and helpful; your body chemistry will change, and your feelings, attitude, and health will all smile. So you can become your own blessing. You become the victorious overcomer.
Positivity defeats negativity. Optimism defeats pessimism.
Positivity and optimism lift you up and help you to overcome.
Negativity and pessimism just dig a deeper hole, making you a victim.
Make the irrevocable, non-negotiable decision that you are in control of your thoughts and feelings; they are not in charge of you. Keep your hand on the steering wheel, and wear the captains hat in your life.
Thoughts consist of electrical impulses, chemicals, and neurons. Thought pathways can be likened to blood capillaries. As the thoughts grow and become permanent, new capillaries grow and the pathways become stronger. When we change our thinking, new (capillaries) thought paths form, and the now unused ones fade away. The strength of the new thought paths grows and communicates with other thoughts, creating new neural pathways.
This is also the best and most effective way of breaking a bad habit, by replacing it with a new and better one. Let the new pathway overcome and replace the old one; just like tropical jungle growing over an unused path, and the new pathway becoming clear and obvious from the increased traffic. The brain has the incredible capacity to rewire, change, and grow, virtually becoming renewed. Thinking activates thoughts, which in turn activates attitude, and all of your thoughts put together reflect your state of mind. A positive attitude causes the secretion of the correct amount of chemicals, producing good results, whereas a negative attitude distorts the chemical secretions that disrupt the healthy natural flow. So the resulting emotions and attitudes impact the body either positively or negatively.
We can choose our thoughts whether they be negative, toxic, and poisonous; or positive, healthy, and uplifting. Positivity will improve emotional wholeness and lead to physical health. The more you ponder, the stronger, and more vivid the cascade of chemicals becomes. What you think about expands and grows, taking on a life of its own. Your thoughts can foster joy, peace, and happiness, or the complete opposite; they can create changes right down to genetic levels, even restructuring the cells.
The thoughts, ideas, and information we allow in our mind and heart, affects our body, and therefore the state of our life. If we focus on The Truth, Goodness, and Great benefits of the Lord; our body will rejuvenate daily.
Whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your ‘god.’ Worries can even become idols, so never allow worrying to dominate your mind and thinking; ask GOD for HIS answers.
When you spend lots of time thinking about something, dwelling on, focussing on, meditating on, being pre-occupied with, continuously aware of, reflecting on, ruminating on, pondering on, considering, cogitating over, mentally digesting, and reviewing your values; can influence your thoughts when you are not guiding them, which can influence and decide what your outcome will be, and even what sort of person you become.
What you think about, shapes you life, so be aware of your preoccupations and what you are thinking about throughout the day. Are you feeding your mind with excellent thoughts.?
What goes on in your mind is invisible and undetectable to other people; but GOD reads your thoughts continually, searching for evidence of trust in HIM, in which HE rejoices. Guard your thoughts diligently which will keep you close to GOD.
Your mind, and therefore the person it is driving you to be; are influenced and decided by your thoughts, relationships, conversations, events you attend, music, media reports, pictures, and all the things you allow yourself to be exposed to.
These all shape your mind, your character, and your destiny.
The environment of human reality is limited by the factors of time and space, which are a type of prison. However our existence is entirely relevant to our knowledge, awareness, understanding, comprehension, and relationship with GOD our Creator, Whose kingdom is infinitely beyond the limitations of our lives and existence on this planet.
When we are in relationship with Jesus and GOD we enter The Kingdom of GOD, which comes into its ultimate fullness for us when we are in eternal life.
Job 36:12 ‘But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.’
Proverbs 13:20 ‘Whoever walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.’
Proverbs 29:18 ‘Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.’
Hosea 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.’
Choose what you think about; control your thoughts, don’t allow your thoughts to control you.
What you focus on, your predominant thoughts, become magnified and influential in your life, they can shape who you are, and set the direction your life goes in.
Think about your thoughts, what is of most importance to you. What really matters.? What are your priorities.? Are GOD and Jesus of most importance in your life,? and after becoming ‘born again’ and truly getting to know THEM, your life enters the process of eternal transformation which includes continual reflection on, and evaluation of, your values.
The intellectual and spiritual nature become changed by what you behold and ponder over. The mind gradually adapts itself and absorbs the subjects which it is allowed to dwell on. We will never rise higher than our standard of purity, goodness, truth, and thinking. If a person’s own self interests are their loftiest ideal, they will never attain to anything more exalted, and in fact will continue to sink lower. GOD’S grace alone has the power to exalt a person.
In your own thoughts, trying to order your world, so that it is predictable and safe, is not only an impossible goal, it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth. When we grip GOD’s hand for support, we are living in conscious dependence on HIM. GOD designed us to be dependent on HIM every moment, recognizing that without HIM we can do nothing. This is not admitting to weakness or inability, it is tapping into superior power, way above ourselves, which GOD has made available to us. HE knows that we need this extra dimension.
HE has given different abilities to everyone individually, irrespective of whether or not they believe in HIM. Everything is GOD given.
Do your everyday tasks and involvements with awareness of GOD’s presence being with you; and the joy of HIS presence will shine on you as you do everything for HIM. Thus you invite HIM into every aspect of your life, and by collaborating with HIM in all things, you allow GOD’s Life to merge with yours. This is the secret of joyful and victorious living
Do not yearn for a problem-free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of GOD’S presence, consider problems pure joy; remember that you have an eternity of trouble free, blissful, life in heaven.
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your GOD. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with MY righteous right hand.”
Rest in GOD, focus on and spend time with HIM, forget about the worries of the world. If you live on the surface of life by focussing on ever-changing phenomena, you will arrive at Solomon’s words: Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 ‘The words of the Teacher (Solomon,) son of David, king in Jerusalem: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”
When we choose healthy thinking we step into a whole new realm of brain and body function; good chemicals are released that make us feel good, peaceful, promote healing, memory function, and deep thinking, which, combined together, increases intelligence; and nurture and create a positive foundation in our mind’s neural networks. Positive thoughts strengthen positive reaction chains and release bio-chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin. The intellect, bathed in these positive environments, flourishes, together with mental and physical health.
There is a mighty battle going on for control of our mind. The world’s ways and the bombardment of the media, exerts a downward pull, weighing you down and blocking spiritual awareness of GOD’S presence. The tugs of both spheres, Heaven and Earth, intersect in our mind, influencing our thinking. GOD created us with the capacity to experience foretastes of Heaven. When we shut out the world and focus on HIS Presence, we can enjoy sitting with HIM in Heavenly realms; an incredible privilege reserved for those who belong to HIM and seek HIS face. This is our greatest strength, which fills our minds with Life and Peace.
GOD knows the intimacies of our hearts, minds, and spirits, in every fine detail that no human being could ever do.
Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight.’
Proverbs 15:26 ‘The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to HIM.’
Isaiah 55:8-9 ‘”For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Matthew 6:25-34 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his (their) life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how GOD clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry saying, “What shall we eat?” or “what shall we drink?” Or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’
Mark 7:20-23 ‘He (Jesus) went on “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come; sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from within and defile a person.”
Romans 8:5-11 ‘Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man (people) is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to GOD. It does not submit to GOD’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please GOD.’ You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of GOD lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of HIM Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, HE Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through HIS Spirit, Who lives in you.’
Romans 12:2 ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what GOD’s will is; HIS good, pleasing, and perfect will.’
Colossians 3:1- 4 ‘Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of GOD. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in GOD. When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory’
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 ‘The person with The Spirit makes judgement about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgements, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.’
2 Corinthians 4:18 ‘So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’
James 4:4 ‘You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against GOD? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of GOD.’
1 John 2:15 ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life; come not from the FATHER but from the world.’
Ephesians 4:21-27 ‘Surely you heard of Him (Jesus) and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made now in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like GOD in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to their neighbour, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.’
Philippians 4:8 ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.’
You don’t need to find a therapist or learn some technique; it all begins with you and your thoughts, and your reactions to those thoughts. You can learn to take control of your mind and body, and by doing so, it is possible to lead a lifestyle that is emotionally happy, fulfilled, and physically healthy.
Your thoughts make you the person you are. You are the product of your thinking.
You cannot successfully enter tomorrow if you are still carrying the baggage of yesterday.
Let the past be the past, and move positively into the future.
All of this is so much easier when you are ‘born again’ because you have GOD’s Holy Spirit within you to help, guide, and empower your thinking, with new perspectives, in a new, positive, meaningful way.
Thinking is related closely with prayer, because GOD knows every thought we have, in fact he knows what we will think before we even think it.
We can have ‘thought prayer’ which is obviously silent prayer; so if we have wrong or sinful thoughts, GOD knows; if we have hateful thoughts about someone, GOD knows that we have not forgiven them; and un-forgiveness blocks GOD from answering our prayers.
So there is no such thing as hiding from GOD. To Him our lives are continually transparent.
The world is, broadly speaking, suffering the breakdown of human consciousness, freedom of individual thinking, choice, morals, principles, ethics, and hence the whole standard of humanity.
The conditioning of humanity starts in schools, progressing through television programmes, and many other mediums. It can actually be seen to have originated and existed from the fall of Adam and Eve. The disintegration of GOD’s perfect creation and conditions began then.
Murder has been the subject of books written by well known authors such as Agatha Christie, also of operas, ballets, plays, films, television programmes, and games. Adultery, sexual escapades, and all other variations of immorality, and relationship destroying behaviour, have also been the subject of all the art forms, and media. Exposure to such things, which we do not usually want in our own lives, if we wish to live a peaceful, happy, and decent life; can only lead to a morally injured mentality, immoral envy, jealousy, and distorted values. All of these have continued throughout the ages, and in our own age have reached the extremes that exist today, especially because of our electronic media which fuels the speed and widespread expansion of it into all age groups. Everyone from toddlers to the very elderly are being conditioned, and therefore brainwashed, almost unconsciously, but inexorably, by what we are exposed to. By this process people accept what was previously unacceptable, and even revolting, repulsive, and shocking. As such things become acceptable, the fertile ground is laid for worse things to develop and grow.
Such experiences will not exist at all in GOD’s eternal kingdom.
Therefore we all need to be very discerning, have strong self-control, strong GOD given will-power, and to also guide children, to live a life of truth, decency, and integrity.
Take a stand by seeking and talking to GOD, growing your faith, reading GOD’s Word, allowing the Bible to feed you. Then you can be ready for anything that comes your way. Seek the purity of TRUTH, do not be softened and drawn in by what is on offer or what is around you. Seek the magnificence of GOD, not the compromise, distortion, and immorality of this world.
Because GOD is infinite HE is able to love you as if HE and you were the only ones in the universe. GOD created our brain with the capacity to know HIM simultaneously as Friend and LORD. The human mind is the pinnacle of GOD’s creation, but so few use it for its primary use which is to know HIM. Only humans are capable of knowing, receiving, and responding to HIM. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:1-2 ‘LORD, YOU have searched me and YOU know me. YOU know when I sit down and when I rise; YOU perceive my thoughts from afar.’
Psalm 139:14 ‘I praise YOU because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; YOUR works are wonderful, I know that full well.’
Psalm 139:17 ‘How precious to me are YOUR thoughts, GOD.! How vast is the sum of them.’
Psalm 139:23-24 ‘Search me, O GOD, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 13:5-6 ‘But I trust in YOUR (GOD’s) unfailing love; my heart rejoices in YOUR salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for HE has been good to me.’
It is NOT good to look back and recall past disappointments, and bad experiences.
Don’t dwell in the past. Don’t influence your mind with bad memories. You cannot move forwards when you are looking backwards, you cannot drive forward with your eyes on the rear vision mirror. If you drag the anchor of the past behind you, it will only hold you back. Nearly everyone has stories of bad luck, tragedies, disasters, wrong choices, wrong decisions, bad situations, bad outcomes, and being a victim. However such things might have just happened without your influence in any way.
Others usually don’t want to hear the details; and it usually just puts a ‘downer’ on the conversation and mutual thinking, creating a negative atmosphere. Try to engender uplifting conversation.
Don’t look at what was, look to the future and what can be, and what will be.
Genesis 19:26 ‘But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.’
Romans 8:28-30 ‘And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love HIM, who have been called according to HIS purpose. For those GOD foreknew HE also predestined to be conformed to the image of HIS Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those HE predestined, HE also called; those HE called, HE also justified; those HE justified, HE also glorified.’
Often when you run away from something, it is waiting for you somewhere else; because the only way out of it, is to go through it, and deal with it.
If you are going through ‘hell,’ keep going, it’s the only way to come out the other side.
Brain Health:
Think and speak positively.
Physical exercise for 20 minutes each morning.
Mental stimulation; the best being quick, short arithmetical exercises & calculations.
Plus, interestingly, reading aloud.
Drink plenty of pure water. (Our brains and bodies are 70% water.)
Nutrition from Mediterranean type food. Fresh natural fruit, vegetables, nuts, avocado, healthy complex carbohydrates, and plant based proteins which are in beans and legumes.
Attitude – thoughts - use of words - type of food and drink, and how you live your life, have a 70% influence on how healthy you are, and how long you will live.
A relationship with GOD.
Hold onto your faith. Never lose faith.
Always keep hoping. Never lose hope.