Loving God with All Your Heart - Part II

Mark 12:30

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.' NIV

In this article we will discuss what it means to love God with all of our mind. What is
interesting about this subject is that it is one of the few areas of our lives that God
has given us great influence over. Think about it, we may not have much influence
on what goes on outside of us, yet we do have great influence over what happens
on the inside; on what we decide or what we allow ourselves to think. Consider this
scripture:

Luke 11:33-36

34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your
whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is
full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not
darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it
dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on
you." NIV

A lamp here, represents a window that allows light to shine into your heart and
mind. If it is a darkened window, it never allows any light at all, and therefore the
mind and heart remain in darkness. What determines whether we are to let light
into our hearts and minds or remain in darkness is our ability to choose whether we
will be open to the truth of God, accept His love, put our trust in Him, and commit
our lives to his ways. The ability to choose what our response will be will determine
what the results will be and what state our hearts will consequently be in. Where
do all these things take place? In our minds of course.

In other words, God has placed the ability to determine what we think well within
our influence. This is important because our thoughts influence our perspective,
which influences our attitude, which affect our emotions and ultimately determine
our actions.

Thoughts Perspectives Attitude Emotions/Actions

Therefore the key to obedience to God, and the fulfillment of all that He wants of us
begins in the mind.

We will be held accountable for the way that we act because what we think and
therefore how we behave is well within our control, especially as Christians.
Consider this scripture:

1 Cor 10:12-13
 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But
when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can
stand up under it. NIV

According to this scripture, the decision making ability is well within our control, due
to God's help and the strength given us by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, we have
no excuse when we behave in a way that does not bring glory to God. What we
must begin to practice is how to think godly thoughts, that lead to godly actions,
and that will ultimately secure our place in heaven.

Preparing our Minds for Action

1 Peter 1:13-14

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your

hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. NIV

It is our responsibility to train our minds to think in ways that will lead our
perspectives, and ultimately our actions to fulfilling God's principles and commands
in our lives. Since our actions are a product of our thoughts, then it follows that by
training our minds to think godly thoughts, it will lead to godly actions. Consider
this other scripture:

Rom 12:2

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. NIV

Through scripture, God shows us that the road to change, growth and
transformation begins by the renewing of our minds. In other words, when we force
ourselves to think godly thoughts, we will have more conviction that will compel us
to live more godly lives. As our brother Paul tells us:

2 Cor 5:13-15

14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died
for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and
was raised again. NIV

It is the understanding of the love of God through the Jesus' sacrifice on the cross
that develops godly conviction that leads to a godly life. Yet again, it all begins with
our ability to think about, accept, and internalize the truth of Jesus' love for us.
The constant exposure to this truth results in deeper conviction that overwhelmingly
drives us to a righteous life.

This is probably the best reason that we have for reading God's word as often as
possible. The more we read our Bibles the more we are convinced of the truth of
God's love and the more we develop our faith and our conviction that helps us live a
godly life. As the Bible says:

Rom 10:17-18

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message , and the

message is heard through the word of Christ. NIV

Godly Thinking

Phil 4:8

8 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. NIV

What are the thoughts that we as Christians should be thinking? According to the
principles above we should focus our minds on thoughts that are : true, noble, right,
pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, and other thoughts like these.
God and His love, Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross, love for others, faith, etc. all
fall into these categories, and by spending more time meditating on these we will
be more motivated to put our trust in God. God's creation is also a good source for
brain food which God encourages us to meditate on. Consider these scriptures:

Ps 143:5

5 I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what your hands have done. NIV

Ps 145:5

5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and I will meditate on your wonderful works. NIV

Setting our minds on heavenly things is another influence that leads to godly living:

Col 3:1-3

3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on
things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your
minds on things above, not on earthly things. NIV

David spent time meditating on God and on His wonderful works. This kind of
thought process has the effect of helping us believe more of the truth of God's
sovereignty. I mean, if God is all powerful, and we spend the time thinking about it,
it will be easier to trust God when we are going through our light and momentary
troubles. Also, as Paul said in Colossians, turning our attention to things above has
the effect of helping us have the proper perspective on life. I mean, if we
understand that as Christians we will one day live for eternity in heaven, it develops
within us the ability to persevere through the momentary challenges that we have
in this life. Also, by having God's perspective on the reality of life, we are much
more encouraged and strengthened to weather any storm because we accept the
truth that God is big and our problems are small.

There are endless amounts of godly thoughts that we can set our minds on. Truth,
love, faith, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, hospitality, gentleness,
compassion, humility, etc. are only a few of an unending amount of godly subjects
that we can spend every waking moment thinking about.

On the other hand, ungodly thoughts that plague our minds only lead to a hardness
of heart and rebellion against God. Consider these scriptures:

Eph 4:17-19

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer
live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are
darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their
hearts. NIV

Heb 3:12

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that
turns away from the living God. NIV

Rom 8:5-8
5 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. 6 The mind of sinful man
is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the
sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do
so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. NIV

If we allow our minds to be filled with ungodly thoughts, they will inevitably harden
our hearts to the truth and the influence of God. Worst yet, they will lead us to
commit all forms of ungodly acts, driving us into a downward spiral that only leads
to our physical and spiritual destruction. Consider these scriptures:

Mark 7:20-23

20 He [Jesus] went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him
'unclean.' 21 For from within , out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts,
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit,
lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from
inside and make a man 'unclean.'" NIV Parenthesis and italics mine.

Gal 5:19-21

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity
and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits
of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness,
orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like
this will not inherit the kingdom of God. NIV

When we allow ourselves to dwell on such sinful thoughts, or even allow ourselves
to follow the stream of thinking that leads to these thoughts, we will be more prone
to sin. Also, some thoughts can be more insidious and more covert than these
blatant sins; and like termites they destroy the very foundation of our spiritual
house. Such thoughts include: worry, fret, jealousy, lack of forgiveness, revenge,
hostility, criticism, gossip, self-reliance (a.k.a. pride), self-righteousness, conceit,
greed and many other internal, yet ungodly ideas that lead to an overwhelming
amount of trouble. As matter of fact, Paul tried to create a more exhaustive list:

2 Tim 3:1-5

3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love,
unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the
good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers
of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing
to do with them. NIV

Yet what are we to do, when the planet that we live in provides negative influences
that greatly outnumber the encouragement that we need to keep our minds on a
spiritual path? God has an answer for that too. As Paul says in scripture:

2 Cor 10: 5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against

the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ. NIV

Since God has placed our minds fully within our responsibility to oversee, it is our
charge to be the sentries that guard our hearts and minds from any ungodly
thoughts or ideas that even try to enter there. If we have to, like a cattle rustler, we
are to wrestle any ungodly and rebellious thought and make it obedient to Christ.
We are to destroy any and every seemingly sincere thought that tries to influence
us to betray loyalty to our loving and awesome God.

Many of us have had consistent struggles with sin because our attitude in this battle
is one where instead of an attitude to destroy anything that competes against our
love for God, we offer love taps that only feed sins desire to have us. Like a
mosquito, we wave it away, only to see it come back over and over again. Yet we
know that the only way to make sure that that annoying mosquito never returns is
to kill it, dead! As with an ungodly thought that lead to sin, we are to kill it, dead!
We must die to sin, once and for all, and separate ourselves from any ungodly
influence or thought that tries to take over our minds and hearts. With that, I will
leave you with the apostle Paul's words on the subject:

Rom 6:11-14

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ
Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you
obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as
instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those
who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your
body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your
master, because you are not under law, but under grace. NIV

Tips to set your mind on godly things:

1. Read your bible often - There is no greater place to be influenced by godly

thoughts than the Word of God. Remember, the more you read the greater your
faith will be. The less you read the more susceptible you will be toward being
influenced by the world. Let us commit ourselves to reading the bible as often as
possible, accepting the fact that it is our lifeline in this world.

2. Pray to God - When we pray we are in the presence of God. The more we
spend time with God, like every other great relationship, the more like Him we will
become. By sharing our mind, and pouring out our hearts to Him, He will help us
get our soul in line with His desires for us.

3. Surround yourself with godly people - This doesn't only mean going to
church, because even in church can we find ungodly attitudes (gossip, slander,
pride, etc.). What this does mean is to search out godly relationships where the
interaction results in more godly thinking, and deeper, stronger spiritual conviction.

4. Meditate, meditate, meditate - I don't mean cross your legs and hum yourself
into godly thinking. What I do mean is to train your mind not to wander, but to
focus on godly things for a period of time. Sometimes it needs to be done with a
pen and paper, a computer (like me), or out loud. Whatever it takes for your mind
to have an opportunity to think about, and think through godly subjects; gleaning
new ideas, and convictions from your meditations, we need to do it and do it daily!
Because we cannot forget that God always meditates about us, and keeps us in
mind.

Amen.