Note: This is the fourth article in a series entitled “The Five Investments.” Previous articles are always available at http://www.webbweekly.com.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31.
The capacity of the human brain is astonishing. Our brains are comprised of over 200 billion neurons and glial cells. Our senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) provide the brain with about 11,000,000 bits of information per second. Yikes! Thankfully, our conscious brain can only handle, on average, about 80 bits per second — what a relief.
Our understanding of the human brain’s capacity is constantly expanding, much like our knowledge of the universe. Recent studies suggest the human brain may have a storage capacity of 2.5 quadrillion bytes (there are eight bits in a byte). It would take over 3 million CD ROM disks to store that amount memory. By way of the brain, God has made an extraordinary investment in us!
Intelligence is the ability to learn facts and skills and to apply them in a highly developed way.
Reason is the ability to think logically, consider information, and use it to reach a conclusion. It also includes the ability to persuade or influence others by means of rational argument.
Imagination is the ability to form an image or idea of something in the mind. It is the basis for vision, dreams, innovation, and hope.
These are powerful tools God has invested in us, but whether they are used for good or for evil is completely up to the user. Whatever God has designed for good, sadly, evil can use for destruction. What are you doing with your mind?
Technology has become a powerful extension of the human brain, exponentially increasing the possibilities for good and evil. By way of the marvels of the internet and electronic devices, the mind is increasingly vulnerable to insidious attacks. Yes, our cell phones and laptops are amazing tools for good, but these devices can be equally destructive. What are you doing with these extensions of your mind? Are you always erasing your search history? Why? Be careful, my friend. Too many people are being destroyed by the device they carry in their pocket or purse.
In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus equates thoughts with actions when it comes to committing sin in the eyes of God. That’s how serious our thought-life is to God. Why? Because what we think has a direct impact on who we are and how we act.
James 3:11 asks, “Can a salt spring bring forth fresh water?” No, it can’t. If you’re hiding sin in your brain or your device, it is eating away at you, and it will destroy you. Sooner or later, what’s inside of you is going to spill out — and it will be destructive to you and the people you love. As God said to Cain, “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7. God wants so much better for you and the awesome mind He has invested in you.
To love God with all of your mind:
1. Yield your mind to sanctification (set apart for holy purposes).
“Do not conform 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.” Romans 12:2
“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8
“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.” II Corinthians 10:5
2. Draw near to God and humbly confess your mess.
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:7-10
3. Practice the discipline of holy displacement.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2
“Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.” Phil. 4:8
Friends, if we invest our time in learning about good things and thinking about good things, and doing good things, we won’t have time or room for bad things. That’s displacement. Maybe this is why John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, for as long as you ever can.” Learn good, think good, and do good, and you won’t have room for anything else.
God has given you an amazing mind. It is a holy investment capable of creating exponential holy returns for God. Do your best to fill your mind with good — and do good with it — and your heavenly Father will know you truly love Him.
