Scripture
"Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." (2 Peter 3:1-2).
Observation
Peter exhorts us to "wholesome thinking." I love that phrase. It promotes a kind of thinking that factors in the words of Scripture and principles of the Word of God.
"Wholesome thinking." That's on the endangered species list, isn't it?
How often, we have our own predisposed ideas and intentions, and we look for Scriptures that will reinforce them. The Bible then begins to revolve around us rather than the other way around.
The story is told of a man who visited the farm of a self-proclaimed expert in archery. Everywhere he looked, he found targets with concentric circles ... on the barn, on haystacks, on trees ... and in the middle of every target was an arrow, smack in the middle of the bull's-eye! Convinced that this man must indeed be the best archer, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Looking around, he made his way to the back of the barn. There he saw the self-proclaimed expert about to shoot his bow. He let the arrow fly and it stuck fast in the boards that lined the barn. He then took a bucket of paint, and around the arrow, he drew the target, placing the arrow in the middle of the bull's-eye!
Wholesome thinking based on the Word of God adjusts our aim to match His target, not the other way around. Wholesome thinking is wise thinking, biblical thinking that I bet includes some common sense and practical wisdom in equal amounts. Not too "religious" and not too "spiritual." Just lots of godly wisdom in several helpings of refreshing simplicity.
"Wholesome thinking." That's on the endangered species list, isn't it?
How often, we have our own predisposed ideas and intentions, and we look for Scriptures that will reinforce them. The Bible then begins to revolve around us rather than the other way around.
The story is told of a man who visited the farm of a self-proclaimed expert in archery. Everywhere he looked, he found targets with concentric circles ... on the barn, on haystacks, on trees ... and in the middle of every target was an arrow, smack in the middle of the bull's-eye! Convinced that this man must indeed be the best archer, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Looking around, he made his way to the back of the barn. There he saw the self-proclaimed expert about to shoot his bow. He let the arrow fly and it stuck fast in the boards that lined the barn. He then took a bucket of paint, and around the arrow, he drew the target, placing the arrow in the middle of the bull's-eye!
Wholesome thinking based on the Word of God adjusts our aim to match His target, not the other way around. Wholesome thinking is wise thinking, biblical thinking that I bet includes some common sense and practical wisdom in equal amounts. Not too "religious" and not too "spiritual." Just lots of godly wisdom in several helpings of refreshing simplicity.
Application
Last night, we opened my first session in the study of Job. I have studied Job for about two years now and to bring a very distilled, basic teaching on the man, his struggles and the God whom he worshiped despite his pains and perplexities is very enriching for me.
If you ask me how the study of Job has personally blessed me, I would say almost immediately that it has led me to be more God-centric. The study has led me to hunger for wholesome thinking; biblical thinking.
So last night, I closed the teaching with the current story of the abduction of the 23 Korean mission team members by the Taliban in Afghanistan. We can all blame the local Korean church that sent this team, that it was a foolish move on their part. We can blame the team members for not taking enough precautions. We can blame the Taliban for their atrocities or the Afghan government for their indecisiveness and get all worked up (and get all self-righteous).
But can we exercise some biblical thinking here? Didn't God allow this? If God wanted to, he could have stopped the team from making that trip. He could have protected them from being kidnapped and He could have prevented the two killings. But he didn't. Surely, God must have a higher reason and a grander purpose. After all, He is God and He knows what He is about. Yes, Satan can device his plans but it is still God who decides. That is what the opening chapters of Job tells us.
Last night, we opened my first session in the study of Job. I have studied Job for about two years now and to bring a very distilled, basic teaching on the man, his struggles and the God whom he worshiped despite his pains and perplexities is very enriching for me.
If you ask me how the study of Job has personally blessed me, I would say almost immediately that it has led me to be more God-centric. The study has led me to hunger for wholesome thinking; biblical thinking.
So last night, I closed the teaching with the current story of the abduction of the 23 Korean mission team members by the Taliban in Afghanistan. We can all blame the local Korean church that sent this team, that it was a foolish move on their part. We can blame the team members for not taking enough precautions. We can blame the Taliban for their atrocities or the Afghan government for their indecisiveness and get all worked up (and get all self-righteous).
But can we exercise some biblical thinking here? Didn't God allow this? If God wanted to, he could have stopped the team from making that trip. He could have protected them from being kidnapped and He could have prevented the two killings. But he didn't. Surely, God must have a higher reason and a grander purpose. After all, He is God and He knows what He is about. Yes, Satan can device his plans but it is still God who decides. That is what the opening chapters of Job tells us.
I want to learn to be a person of wholesome thinking and biblical thinking ... making decisions based on God's Word without compromise. I want to factor in His principles that will result in wise decisions for my faith, my family and future. I want to be sure that God's purpose for my life is fulfilled, and in order to do this, I will write them down, study them, and plan my days accordingly. I will then keep them ever before me to be sure that all my actions, investments, and plans match those purposes.
Can I invite you into that journey of developing a biblical mind?
Can I invite you into that journey of developing a biblical mind?
Prayer
Dear Father, I don't want to shoot aimlessly and hope that I can draw Scripture around it. I will do my best to discern Your will and then aim my life to hit the centre of the mark. Please help me to do that! And help me see the world and see my life in the light of your grander purposes. Amen.
