The Book of Psalms provides us with spiritual teachings that preach against sins, allows us to seek forgiveness, and strengthen our prayer life.
In Psalms 119:57-62, we know that David takes the word of God right into his heart, and he cherishes God’s teaching and conviction. He constantly brings God’s words to his remembrance, which was mentioned in verse 61.
This passage reminds us that we usually react almost instantly based on our flesh, rather than using our brain to think carefully. For instance, how we talk back to the authority, to our parents, to pastors.
Besides, we are also too quick to find excuses to run away from our duties rather than to think thoroughly of how we can contribute and serve our Lord. Consider these questions:
- How often do we take God’s words seriously? To think with soberness and carefully about God’s will before we commit an action.
- How deeply and thoroughly do we think about our future plans, even our spiritual goals?
- How much thought do we give in to our doctrinal teaching?
- Are we preaching the word of God to boost our ego, our pride? Or do we truly want to use God’s words to edify people around us?
- Do our actions as Christians serve as a blessing or burden to others?
- When we want to indulge in worldliness, do we stop and ponder its appropriateness?
- In the face of trials and afflictions, do we often think about quitting too easily before thinking thoroughly about the solutions and methods that God can provide us?
God warns us about two things or enemies that will control our minds and our actions. First is the devil which will use two means, including our flesh and environment, to manipulate us. Second is the world, which is usually attributed to an environmental factor, making us think that sometimes things are already predetermined. There is no point in working hard to thrive in our spiritual walk or bear fruits for Christ.
Brain Is Settled
Our brain and mind need to be settled in order for us to be able to think wisely and soundly.
Psalm 119:57 “Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.”
We see how David is settled to dedicate himself to serving the Lord.
2 Corinthians 8:12 “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
Our priority should be our willingness to submit ourselves to the Lord. If we are dedicated and have our minds settled, we know for sure that everything will fall in the right spot. If we always choose to let things go by the way they are and are not willing to have our minds settled and press on for God, we will never be able to conquer our problems.
Some of us may choose to depend on the situation and expect things or the environment to change. That shows that we rely on the world rather than on God to help us with our problems.
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
This passage shows that those who forsake God’s law will be destroyed for the lack of knowledge, and God can no longer use them. If we reject God, God will also reject us.
Brain Is Sanctified
Psalm 119:58 “I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.”
If we truly surrender our heart and our mind to the Lord, we will also be sanctified.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
It means that God searches, tests, and judges what is in our heart; our hearts spark thoughts and produce feelings in us.
So rather than following what our heart says or going by our feelings which can be misleading, we should surrender our heart to God, and always seek God to make right decisions. The Bible teaches us to examine our hearts with God constantly.
As Christians, we need to always go through consecration, for our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Our walk with God should be constantly sanctified so that it will help deliver us away from sins. Often, what we deem right is considered filthy rags in God’s sight, so always refer back to the Bible for accuracy.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
2 Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
If we don’t have a clean heart and always choose to go on our way, eventually, God will give us up to evil. Whatever we think is right does not matter. What truly matters is what God thinks.
One way to sanctify our minds is to own up to our mistakes and be willing to let go of our pride. It is not about apologizing to everyone at all cost, but rather to always contemplate our walk with God, and always be ready to repent to God about sin and mistake.
Brain Is Stirred
Psalm 119:59 “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”
Get that brain stirring for God. God creates our brain a reason, for us to think wisely, and use it to glorify Him in our thoughts and actions.
Romans 7:23 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
So it makes sense now as to why almost all worldly entertainment like TV, video games, even yoga, and meditation, will only cause us to wander off from our minds because that is what Satan wants! Satan wants our brain to be inactive so that it cannot be stirred up for the Lord.
How can we afford to put our brain to waste, when God creates it for a reason. An active and stirred-up brain allows us to discern and distinguish.
Discernment is important especially now that we live in a society full of false information from the media, government, and education system.
Let’s not be fickle-minded and follow our culture and others blindly just because most people do so or that we are brought up that way. Instead, we should be the light and salt to those who are blind; that’s what the Bible teaches.
Brain Is Sealed
Psalm 119:60 “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”
The problem with a lot of us is our delayed actions and responses. We don’t make haste to serve the Lord. People who shut off their minds are often the victims of procrastination.
That’s why fellowshipping with Church members, attending the Church is important to help our brains stay active for the Lord. We know that we have someone to hold us accountable.
Luke 12:42-45,47 “And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; And that servant, which knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”
These people are not faithful to serve the Lord, because they choose to shut off their minds and become complacent.
One great way to counter that is to switch on our brains and when it comes to serving the Lord, don’t procrastinate. Once we do it, it will become a habit that lives in us. That is how we can rewire the way our brain thinks and rationalizes.
Brain Is Steadfast
Psalm 119:61 “The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.”
No matter how wicked the environment or heavy our flesh is, our mind should be steadfast, resisting and sticking to the Lord.
Ezekiel 16:43 “Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God : and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.”
It is so easy for our minds to stray away because we are constantly immersed in a wicked environment. However, if we choose to be steadfast and commit to living by the word of God, we will be able to resist the temptations of the world. God never promised it to be easy, but God promises heavenly riches and rewards if we can resist the temptation.
God creates mankind as intellectual beings, above all the other animals here on earth, which is why we have dominion over the rest. Nonetheless, we allow Satan to control our minds and do what is displeasing to God.
We need to reset how our brain works and how our mind thinks so that we can truly utilize this gift from God.