Today we will be talking about dealing with our thought processes so we can have a renewed mind...letting the mind of Christ be in us...we will learn how not having the mind of Christ effects our health leading to depression and other problems.
Romans 12:1-2 – 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
God allows people to go through things because their experience can make them stronger with the help of Christ. We all must go through trials (1 Peter 1:7)...Life is not a bowl of cherries as we have been raised to believe through the television...we will have our bad moments...
***Ask the people “What is it you think you can learn from this particular situation?”
Satan wants us to focus on the negatives of what is happening, but if we can see the positives, there can and will be a blessing in it. (Genesis 50:20)
DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE MIND:
We are told… “Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere. Nine tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation here...” --5T 444 (1885). {1MCP 59.2}
MOVING ON TO THE SUBJECT OF MENTAL HEALTH
What you think, you become.
Q: WHAT IS THE BIBLE TEXT THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SAY THAT?
A: Proverbs 23:7 – “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
Psychologists are just starting to realize that we need to now look at how people think. There's an area of Psychology called “Cognitive Behavior Therapy.”
And now, research is showing, that when people change their thoughts, it actually changes the Neuro Chemistry in their brain. And so they are starting to work on helping people to change thoughts.
Most of our feelings come from what we tell ourselves. We don't feel bad because of what happened. We feel bad because of what we tell ourselves.
Example: Someone you know that you see in the street, at a store, bank, etc. does not speak to you. You say to yourself, “what is wrong with her? I know she saw me” why is she ignoring me? And then you feel bad.
It's not because this person didn't speak to you that you feel bad, it's because of what you tell yourself about what the church member does that you feel bad.
“It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened as we give them utterance. While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words...” {2MCP 419.3}
Or, here's ANOTHER EXAMPLE...such and such never calls me or has not called me in a while so they must not like me anymore, etc...
ANOTHER EXAMPLE COULD BE:
Your spouse does something you dislike...you say, “he or she doesn't care for me or respect me” ...How do you now feel? You feel down, low, depressed, you feel sad.
These are all examples that can lead us to wrong thoughts and feelings.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO YOURSELF INSTEAD THAT MIGHT NOT LEAD TO THOSE KIND OF FEELINGS WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE?
A: PERHAPS THEY ARE HAVING A BAD DAY
A: IT'S SATAN
A: I KNOW THEY DIDN'T MEAN THAT
You can quote Philippians 4:8 to yourself.
YOU CAN ALSO QUOTE:
“Charity “doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” Christ-like love places the most favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. IT DOES NOT.
NEEDLESSLY EXPOSE THEIR FAULTS; it does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports (and these can be reports that you yourself are rehashing in your mind), but seeks rather to bring to mind the good qualities of others.” {AA 319.2}
Love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” This love “never faileth.” (1 Cor. 13)
ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION:
DO I HAVE ANY HARD EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS WHAT I AM THINKING?
Telling yourself the truth...we get into problems because we tell ourselves lies, and we follow it, believe it and act on it.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE:
You tell your spouse “My arm hurts… and he doesn't say anything. Then you think he doesn't care for you etc. Now gentlemen, a special attention is nice so be mindful of what your spouse is going through.
WHEN YOU ARE WORRIED, FIND SCRIPTURE TO COUNTERACT THE THOUGHT
For those who worry about financial matters (Matthew 6:33).
When you repeat that, it counteracts thoughts of will I get the mortgage paid, etc. Looking for scripture before the situation comes about is very important to counteract that thought.
Q: WHAT ARE SOME OTHER BIBLE VERSES THAT YOU THINK CAN COUNTERACT THAT KIND OF THINKING?
A: Deuteronomy 33:25 – “…as thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
Have people quote that who deal with a lot of stress...have them repeat it to themselves.
This lady went through so much stress, and she was not a Christian, and she said this helped her more than anything.
THOUGHTS EFFECT FEELINGS AND THEY ALSO EFFECT OUR BEHAVIOR
We can respond in an angry way and shut down when we THINK we have been mistreated...remember, it's
How we think that determines how we respond.
THOUGHTS EFFECT FEELINGS BEHAVIOR and OUR BODY
Every time you have an angry thought, an unkind thought, a sad thought, your brain releases chemicals that make your body feel bad...the reverse is true as well.
These are endorphins in the body... (Happy feeling hormones)
***Studies show that for every 1 minute you are angry, you can suppress your immune system for 1 hour.
***One bitter thought changes the blood chemistry from alkali to acidic.
A lot of people are hospitalized because they're so sensitive to how other people think and how they react. It's called DISTORTED SELF IMAGE...not really seeing what's in the mirror and you need the Holy Spirit to show you that.
CHRISTIAN'S BEWARE OF SECULAR PSYCHOLOGY...You would be amazed, according to Dr. Parks who said we would be amazed at how we used our acting out secular psychology principles in our own lives, in our homes, and in the church, etc.
Another Dr. at NIMH; (National Institute of Mental Health). He studied the activity of the brain in 10 normal women under THREE CONDITIONS:
1. When they were thinking happy thoughts.
2. When they were thinking neutral thoughts.
3. When they were thinking sad thoughts.
During the happy thoughts, the limbic system was just kind of cooled down, not doing much activity. During the sad thoughts, the limbic system was working up.
WHAT IS THE LIMBIC SYSTEM RESPONSIBLE FOR?
EMOTIONS – This Dr. was actually able to see on whatever medical device he used, that when they had sad thoughts, the limbic system was actually heating up...acting up, so there's actually a physiological response that goes on in our bodies with these types of thoughts.
And that's the problem with secular psychology
regarding “talk therapy” …it does nothing to the frontal lobe...all it effects is the Limbic System. People say “I feel so much better”, but then next week they are at square one.
REMEMBER:
“It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened as we give them utterance. While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words...” {2MCP 419.3}
WHAT PART OF THE BRAIN DO WE REALLY NEED TO IMPACT TO MAKE CHANGES?
THE FRONTAL LOBE – If we just talk about the problems, you will only feel better, but not get better. Depressed people have very little activity in the frontal lobe. Happy people have very active frontal lobes.
Q: WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU ABOUT FRONTAL LOBE AND DEPRESSION?
A: THAT DEPRESSION SUPPRESSES FRONTAL LOBE ACTIVITY...Or, the other way around might be, suppressed frontal lobe activity leads to depression.
AND WHAT STUDIES SHOW IS THAT VIRTUALLY ALL DEPRESSED PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ACTIVITY IN THEIR FRONTAL LOBE.
That’s why we need to STAY AWAY FROM TERRIBLE PROGRAMS, etc. and things that will affect the frontal lobe - because that's an underlying factor and Dr. Magna Parks says that she did not learn this in the school that taught her psychology...She learned this after studying the health message.
Q: DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS OFTEN ADDRESSED PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS?
He did this mainly when he was dealing with what group of people?
A: PHARISEES...He said to them “Why think ye evil in your hearts?” So Jesus, even in the Bible, confirms that people need to get a hold of their thoughts. And then when you look at the flood, before the flood came.
Q: WHAT DID GENESIS 6:5 SAY?
A: THEIR THOUGHTS WERE EVIL CONTINUALLY...You see, and if you read in Patriarchs and Prophets about some of the things they were doing, it was the thoughts that led them to do engage in many of those behaviors. So, the Bible confirms the importance of us getting a hold of our thoughts. Read: 2 Cor. 10:5
***As you practice counteracting the thought, they will decrease in frequency.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE DEALING WITH BECAUSE OF THE THOUGHTS
Thoughts Can Contribute To:
- Anxiety issues
- Mental Problems
- Physical Problems
- Spiritual Problems
Faultfinding thoughts can cause depression. (4T 64.2)
Science is showing that if you can help people deal better with their thoughts, you can help depression and
anxiety, but we know the main KEY IS CHRIST.
GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHICH LOVE THY LAW AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM. (Psalms 119:165).
Have these people READ Exodus 20:3-17 and A PSALM EVERY DAY IF POSSIBLE.
Have those having anxiety to change their thoughts that they won't die ....tell them to pray and speak positive things to themselves... “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalms 50:15)
At a workshop, a psychologist said “What we think is killing us.” It's not what's happening in life is killing us, it's what we think that is killing us.
Q: BY THE WAY, WHERE DO ENVY & JEALOUSY BEGIN?
A: IN THE MIND
ENVY & JEALOUSY MADE KING SAUL INTO A MAD MAN
Thoughts & feelings make up the character...so the thoughts that we have and the feelings that we have make up the character did you know that our “thoughts' are written in the books of heaven? If we keep that in our minds, our thoughts would be different...When dealing with your spouse and other people, recognize the impact of how you think.
Remember she says “thoughts and feelings are strengthened by utterance...” (2MCP 419.3)
Each thought you have, is almost making grooves in the brain, and it's like footprints in the sand. The more you walk in that particular groove, the more it's deeper. The less you do, the groove will go away.
NOW WHAT IF WE REALLY HAVE BEEN MISTREATED BY SOMEONE?
(Don't forget to follow out Matthew 18) and think of the following quotes:
“If we keep uppermost in our minds the unkind and unjust acts of others we shall find it impossible to love them as Christ has loved us; but if our thoughts dwell upon the wondrous love and pity of Christ for us, the same spirit will flow out to others. We should love and respect one another, notwithstanding the faults and imperfections that we cannot help seeing. Humility and self-distrust should be cultivated, and a patient tenderness with the faults of others. This will kill out all narrowing selfishness and make us large-hearted and generous.” SC 121 (1892) {DG 143.2}
“There is something better to talk about than the faults and weaknesses of others. TALK OF GOD AND HIS WONDERFUL WORKS. Study into the manifestations of his love and wisdom in all the works of nature...” {CTBH 120.3}
“Let each give love rather than exact it. Cultivate that which is noblest in yourselves, and be quick to recognize the good qualities in each other. The consciousness of being appreciated is a wonderful stimulus and satisfaction. Sympathy and respect encourage the striving after excellence, and love itself increases as it stimulates to nobler aims.” {AH 107.3}
“Cultivate the habit of speaking well of others. Dwell upon the good qualities of those with whom you associate, and see as little as possible of their errors and failings. When tempted to complain of what someone has said or done, praise something in that person's life or character. Cultivate thankfulness. Praise God for His wonderful love in giving Christ to die for us. It never pays to think of our grievances. God calls upon us to think of His mercy and His matchless love, that we may be inspired with praise.” {MH 492.1}
“Remember that you cannot read hearts. You do not know the motives which prompted the actions that to you look wrong. There are MANY who have not received a right education; their characters are warped, they are hard and gnarled, and seem to be crooked in every way. But the grace of Christ can transform them.
Never cast them aside, never drive them to discouragement or despair by saying, “You have disappointed me, and I will not try to help you.” A few words spoken hastily under provocation—just what we think they deserve--may cut the cords of influence that should have bound their hearts to ours...” {MH 494.1}
“My brethren, the Saviour has revealed Himself to you in manifold ways; He has filled your heart with the sunlight of His presence while you have labored in distant lands and in the homeland; He has kept you through dangers seen and unseen; and now, as you meet once more with your brethren in council, it is your privilege to be glad in the Lord, and to rejoice in the knowledge of His sustaining grace. Let His love take possession of mind and heart. Guard against becoming over wearied, careworn, depressed. Bear an uplifting testimony. Turn your eyes away from that which is dark and discouraging, and behold Jesus, our great Leader, under whose watchful supervision the cause of present truth, to which we are giving our lives and our all, is destined to triumph gloriously.” {2SM 399.2}
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