Spiritual Growth 2 Lesson 22

Acknowledgments
Living Logos was the heart-work of Bro
Dale Starks and Sis Josephine Starks,
missionaries to Singapore in the early
1980s. As the original authors of this
devotionals, the Starks meant for
these self-study materials to help new converts
(and matured saints alike) get a hold of an
understanding of God’s written Word. Since Sis
Stark’s passing in 2013, the couple had graciously
entrusted Tabernacle of Joy with its copyright.
Therefore, with every print run, we would like to
honour their life work and sacrifice in bringing the
gospel to Singapore. This copy is an updated and
revised version. Be blessed as you immerse yourself
in the Word and allow God to transform you into
the likeness of Jesus Christ.
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Growth 2
Lesson Twenty-Two
Spiritual Growth 2Spiritual
your ThoughT LiFe
hoLiness ii
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...
— Proverbs 23:7
The reAL you!
Your body can be compared to the outside of a house, and
your mind can be compared to the inside. (In the Bible, heart
and mind are used synonymously—that is, they have the same
meaning.) The most important part of you is the inner man.
In fact, the real you, what you really are, can be made known
to you by the thoughts that you find yourself continually thinking
upon. What you are on the inside, is what you really are!
It is possible to go through the outward motions of being a
Christian and be backslidden in our hearts:
The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways...
— Proverbs 14:14
Israel never did bodily turn back to Egypt after they left their
bondage, but “in their hearts” they did (Acts 7:39). God commanded
them to remember the day that He brought them out
of their bondage, and remember also that it was His strong
hand that had delivered them (Exodus 13:3). Their minds
should have been filled with excitement concerning their
future. Instead they were always looking backwards to many
things they had left behind:
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and
the garlic:
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But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this
manna, before our eyes.
— numbers 11:5-6
Nothing at all, besides this manna! What was the manna that they complained
about? It was the miracle bread that God sent from heaven every
day (except on the sabbath—God gave an extra day’s supply the day before
the sabbath). Every day they could go outside their tents and find this
constant reminder of the Lord’s divine provision—yet they soon despised it!
What was worse, they also forgot the bondage in Egypt that had been theirs,
because their flesh longed for that which they had left behind.
wrong ThoughTs wiLL geT you in TrouBLe!
The thoughts that you allow yourself to think upon continually reveal your
true nature. It is not enough to forsake our evil deeds, we must also forsake
our wicked thoughts:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let
him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God,
for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts.
— isaiah 55:7-9
Satan was cast out of heaven for his wrong thoughts:
How are thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning: how art thou
cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said
in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most high.
— isaiah 14:12-14
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
— Psalm 66:18
An iDLe MinD is The DeviL’s worKshoP
And it came to pass ...at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David
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sent Joab ...But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an
eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of
the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the
woman was very beautiful to look upon.
— ii samuel 11:1-2
The Bible is very careful to let us know the chief reason for David’s sin—
idleness. He was supposed to be battling against the enemy, but he chose to
let someone else do that. Instead, he remained in Jerusalem. Eveningtide is
the time between the set of the sun and bedtime. The fact that David arose
from his bed to take a walk at that time of day, shows us the idleness of his
mind. When temptation came, he could not resist it. One sin soon led to
another, and David had to pay dearly for his failures.
When did David actually lose control of the situation, before he called for
Bathsheba, or after? The mind is the battleground of the soul. Every sin has
its origin or beginning in the mind. The battle is either won or lost there!
you BeCoMe whAT you ALLow your MinD To
ThinK uPon
If you allow your mind to meditate upon impure thoughts, soon you will be
impure. In fact, Jesus has warned us:
I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart.
— matthew 5:28
If you allow your mind to be caught up with worldly things, soon you will
be worldly. If you meditate upon spiritual things, you will become spiritual.
(Romans 8:6)
goD Knows our very ThoughTs!
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” Neither
is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
— hebrews 4:12-13
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how Do we ConTroL our ThinKing?
We must be careful what we allow to enter our mind and dwell there. We
cannot always avoid evil thoughts coming to our mind, but we must “cast
them out” when they do! Treat an evil thought kindly, and it will return,
bringing other evil thoughts with it!
Be careful what you feed your mind. That is what your thoughts will be
about. What you read, what you listen to and see—is all being stored away
in your memory and becomes a part of your thought life—the real you!
The kind of Christian you really are is largely determined by the books and
literature you read, the kind of music you listen to, gossip, etc., and every
other thing you allow to enter your thought life.
Before you feed your mind something, ask yourself, “Will it pass this test?”
1. Is it true and honest?
2. Is it just?
3. Is it pure and lovely?
4. Is it a good report?
5. Is there any virtue or praise in it?
If it will pass this test, think on these things (Philippians 4:7, 8)!
how To CLeAn uP A FiLThy MinD
1. Repent of the garbage you have filled your mind with.
2. Get rid of all things that will not pass the above test: television, worldly
records, ungodly magazines, etc.
3. Meditate upon God’s Word continually (Psalm 1:1-3).
4. Give your whole life to Jesus (Romans 12:1-2).
5. Let the Holy Ghost renew your mind daily (II Corinthians 4:16).
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sCriPTures To MeMoriZe
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
— matthew 5:8
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy
sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
— Psalm 19:14
VOCABULARY
backslidden —
meditate —
virtue —
a condition of having gone backwards in our
relationship with God
allow your mind to dwell upon
conformity to a standard of right
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Spiritual
Lesson
Growth
Twenty-two
2
Test
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Your body can be compared to the ___________ of a house, and your
mind can be compared to the ______________________________.
________________________ on the inside is really ________________
__________________________________________________________
It is possible to go through the outward motions of being a Christian and
still be ________________.
Israel turned back to Egypt in their ___________________.
They were always looking _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________
They despirsed the miraculour ____________ which they had enjoyed in
the Wilderness.
They forgot the ______________ they had suffered in Egypt.
_______________ will get you in trouble!
We must forsake not only our wicked deeds, but also our wicked
______________________.
Satan was cast out of heaven for his wrong ______________________.
Wrong thoughts will also keep God from ________________________.
An idle mind is the devil’s _______________________.
The mind is the _____________________ of the soul.
Every __________________ has its beginning in the mind.
You become what you allow yourself to __________________________
___________.
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16
17
Treat an evil thought kindly, and _______________________________
____________.
The kind of Christian you really are is largely determined by:
18
Before you feed your mind something, what test should it be able to pass?
19
Give five ways to clean up a filthy mind.
20
What was of special interest to you in this lesson?
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