OceanSide church of Christ

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THE MIND:  MAN’S CONTROL CENTER

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Most of us who use computers are familiar with control centers.  Often they are referred to as the “Control Panel.” 

1.     As the owner of the computer, we go into the control panel and personalize our computer to look and act the way we desire it to be.

2.     All of us have probably been the victim of someone else manipulating our control panel.

a.     The passwords may have been changed.

b.    The background on the computer may have been changed.

c.    The icons were moved to a different order.

d.    We see a new screen saver in place.

 

B.    Every human being has a control center.

1.     The control center is the mind of man.

2.     How the mind thinks, that is, the way the mind is programmed, determines how we behave.

a.     Proverbs 23:7

 

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

 

b.    Matthew 12:35

 

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things:  and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

 

C.   We have entitled our lesson:  “The Mind:  Man’s Control Center.”  Let’s consider some serious thoughts about this vital component of man.

 

I.           A CONTROL CENTER HAS A CHIEF OPERATOR

 

A.   NASA has a Mission Control Center located in Houston, TX.  The person in charge of this center is referred to as the Flight Director.

 

B.    The control center of our mind needs to have a director.

1.     Many are seeking to be the director.

a.     Man likes to think that he can control his own mind.

1)     Jeremiah 10:23

 

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:  it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

 

2)     Jeremiah 17:9

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:  who can know it?

b.    The world seeks to be the director of our minds.

1)     One of the most powerful influences upon our mind by the world is through the various media sources.

2)     Romans 12:2a

 

And be not conformed to this world…

 

c.    Satan also desires to control our minds.

1)     John 13:2

 

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.

 

2)     The problem with Satan’s being in control is that he is man’s arch enemy (I Pet. 5:8).

3)     Satan is a slick pilot.  He will allow us to sit in the co-pilot’s chair and tell us that he has given us the controls.  As the pilot, he has set the plane on auto-pilot.  We just “think” we are in control.

2.     The one who needs to be in control of our mind is the God of heaven.

a.     Numerous verses exhort us to put God in control.

1)     Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

2)     II Corinthians 10:4-5

 

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

 

3)     Philippians 2:5

 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

 

b.    Why should we allow God to be in control?

1)     He is “the only wise God” (Jude 25).

2)     He loves man, cares about him, and has man’s best interest always in mind (John 3:16).

 

II.         THOUGHTS FROM THE ENEMY

 

A.   Deceptive thoughts

1.     Five times the Scriptures warn us, saying:  “Be not deceived” (Deut. 11:16; Luke 21:8; I Cor. 6:9; I Cor. 15:33; Gal. 6:7).

 

Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.

2.     We can have deceptive thoughts about:

a.     God:  God does not really care.

b.    Others:  Everybody else is worse than I am.

c.    Self:  I am God’s gift to the world.

d.    Behavior:  What I do is not anyone else’s business.

 

B.    Immoral thoughts

1.     Immoral thoughts are thoughts that stand in opposition to right and wrong.

2.     In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit.  Their thoughts were immoral.  Peter attributes their thoughts to Satan (Acts 5:3).

 

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

 

C.   Evil thoughts

1.     NOTE:  Evil thoughts are immoral thoughts.

2.     These thoughts lead us to commit heinous acts against other people (i.e., the so-called “knock out” punches that are in the news of late).

3.     These kinds of thoughts the Bible says God hates (Prov. 6:16-19).

 

These six things doth the Lord hate:  yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations…

 

D.   Defeating thoughts

1.     I can’t.  We can’t.  There’s no way.

2.     These are the thoughts of the 10 spies who came back from spying out the Promised Land (Num. 13:31).

 

But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.

 

E.    Useless thoughts

1.     We fill our minds with these thoughts on a daily basis.

2.     Kids spend 7-1/2 hours each day, seven days a week, engaging with media.

3.     Philippians 4:8

 

…if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

III.       MAN IS THE GUARD AT THE DOOR

 

A.   Proverbs 4:23

 

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

 

1.     Keep

a.     Strong (5341):  to guard…(to protect, maintain)

b.    BDB:  to guard, watch, watch over…guard from dangers

 

2.     Diligence

a.     Strong (4929):  a guard (the man, the post, or the prison)

b.    BDB:  a place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard, post, watch

3.     We need to put all of our thoughts into confinement.  Then, we need to put a guard on the outside to watch for dangers.

 

B.    Man is the one who decides what will go into his mind.  Paul exhorts us to think of good, holy, and positive things (Phil. 4:8).

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Matthew 6:22-23

 

The light of the body is the eye:  if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

 

1.     The five senses of man are how information enters into the mind of man.

2.     The eye is the greatest gatherer of information.

3.     What enters into our mind can either illuminate us or can create great darkness within us.

 

B.    My friends, we must mind the control center of our mind.

1.     A wrong director at the helm will lead us astray.

2.     Garbage in means garbage out.

3.     Solomon gave the proper admonition:  Keep thy heart with all diligence… (Prov. 4:23).