What in the world was I thinking? 10/16/08

WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I THINKING
Adam, my #1 grandson, was turning five. They were visiting with us so we could have a family birthday party. I was fixing lunch with Adams help. I said to him; Well, you are going to be five, huh? He replied; "No! I’m going to be seven and I am changing my name to Kyle"! Seven! Kyle! How come you are going to be seven and who’s Kyle? He was very emphatic again with; "I’m not five, I am seven and my name is going to be Kyle. Okay! Later, I checked with his Mom and Dad about this and they didn’t have a clue where any of that came from. My first thought was; "What in the world is he thinking"?
Many times when we get in the car and no matter where we have planned to go Jim starts heading for the church. It could be in the same direction or the opposite direction, he will still head for the church. "What in the world is he thinking"? Many times Jennifer and I have had to remind him where we are headed and he will just laugh and I truly believe down deep in his heart he just thinks that all roads lead to the church.
When God created man and animal, man received more than the animal. Even though man sometimes acts like an animal, he isn’t one. It is true that man and animal have some things in common. They have a reproductive nature; They want to eat and sleep; they each are into survival; they want to be warm and they thirst for water. But only man has the brain that can reason. Animals are mostly motivated by instinct but man has the ability to use his brain constructively.
Sometimes my brain has a mind of its own and because it does I know yours does too. Many times I have scenario’s playing, especially about things happening to my loved ones. I don’t want to think those things! Many times I look at something and I find myself desiring what I see. I don’t want to desire those things! When I am angry at someone I start formulating how I feel about them in my mind. I don’t want to think or say those things. When these things are playing through my mental DVD, I have learned to attribute them to Satan. I yell at him inside my head as loud as I can and use Colossians 3:2; "I am to set my mind on the things above and not on things of this earth". All of sudden these things that have crossed my mind are gone! But the one question I still have is; "What in the world was I thinking"!
The mind is Satan’s playground. We don’t want it to be, but we allow it. When we let our minds wander, thoughts filter in. Jesus said, even if we think of doing something, it is as if we did it. We are guilty! Being in God’s word helps us to feast on good things and that is a protection policy. When we allow our minds to be infiltrated by garbage then we are leaving the door open for Satan and his goons to enter for their worthless and evil purposes.
In Philippians 4:8-9 reads; "Whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely or gracious. If there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned, received and heard and seen in me, do. And the God of peace will be with you forever". In other words, be holy in all your behavior.
So what in the world were you thinking when you went ahead and did what you knew you shouldn’t? Did you think you were alone? Did you think no one could hear you or see you? What in the world were you thinking when you cut that blue car off? Did you think you would get to your destination quicker? When we remind Jim that he is going in the wrong direction, he always says; "Well, we can get there from here"! Sometimes what we are thinking delays our passage. Let’s gird our minds with forethought and devotion to Him who sits on the throne; "Praise to His name for ever and ever". Amen! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/31/08