What I Make Up About That!

As I child many of us had fun making stuff up, it is a part of childhood.  Against unimaginable odds, the good guys (me) would win!  My parents would get that look in their eyes when I had a red sheet draped across my back and I am trying to get up on the roof…you could see them wondering “Does he think he can fly?”

 The brain is so powerful; it can handle everything we encounter and still has plenty of time to wander off on its own.  When we go to bed, the brain gets bored and starts to make up things so bazaar it can leave you wondering for days “what the heck was that about?!”

I read a book by Og Mandino which had a chapter called “The God Memo”. In the book it said the following: (I did not check it for accuracy, but that is not my point here so I will ask for grace)

“Your brain is the most complex structure in the universe. Within its three pounds are thirteen billion nerve cells, more than three times as many cells as there are people on earth, to help you file away every perception, every sound, every taste, every smell, every action you have experienced since the day of your birth.  [God has] implanted, within your cells, more than one billion protein molecules. Every incident in your life is there waiting only your recall. And, to assist your brain in the control of your body [God has] dispersed, throughout your form, four million pain-sensitive structures, five hundred thousand touch detectors, and more than two hundred thousand temperature detectors. No nation's gold is better protected than you. None of your ancient wonders are greater than you. You are my finest creation with enough atomic energy to destroy any of the world's great cities...and rebuild it.”

 So as we grow up we begin to mature and understand the difference between make believe and reality…or do we?

At one point in my life, I was sure that everyone in a church was perfect.  I was also convinced that if you knew about my addiction, you would hate me so much you would not want to be around me.  In my marriage I became convinced that a new partner would bring happiness.  My powerful mind also told me how much better off my kids would be if I found a new love. 

Why do I make so much stuff up?  Why does it all seem so real?  It is simple really….satan!  The bible tells us over and over again to guard our mind.

 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5).

Finally, brothers, 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 (Philippians 4:8).

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess (Hebrews 3:1).

 So what are you making up today?  Are they thoughts of failure?  How about thoughts that God must not love you because of what you have done or continue to do? 

Get out of that stuff and start listening to the truth.  We all have “stuff”, we all have that darkness that wants to hold us in shame forever.  But that is not God’s way, God is not a God of shame…He is a God of love and He loves you, no matter what you have done.

 “The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:14 NASB.

  Jesus Loves Porn Stars is not just a saying we came up with…Jesus really does love sinners, in fact it is why he came….He came to save the lost.  He came and died for you...so with all your sin you could enter Heaven.  Get out of the shame, stop listening to the lies, stop making stuff up!  Get in to the word of God and know that He loves you; find out for yourself!  You have been here long enough…

 Deuteronomy 1:6 “You have dwelt long enough on this mountain”.  If you will change your thinking, God can change your life...I know He can, because He changed mine.

God loves you and so do I,

 Steve G

nugget wrote on July 2nd 09 at 05:08AM

Great post. This has been something I have been thinking about lately after reading one of Shellie's posts so it is great that you have written something that is helping me think about it more.

Specifically about lies and the the things we believe. And for me how when I feel lust or get the urge to look at pictures I have to remind myself that lust is actually a lie. When I want to look at porn it is actually the Devil telling me I need this to survive. But I don't. And I need to start approaching temptation as Satan lying to me.

I think when you are addicted to something it is partially because you believe that you can't not have that thing.

Make War wrote on July 2nd 09 at 08:49AM

Steve,
You are so right, our brains are incredibly complex! This past semester at school we had to take a neurosciences course. It's amazing how much the professors and scientists didn't know. There were a lot of guesses, theories and speculations, but for several of the brain's structures and functions they weren't sure.

But as Christians, we need to train ourselves to be able to control our thoughts.

'For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take EVERY thought captive to the obedience of Christ' 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

No way, every thought obedient to Christ? He can't be serious, can he? Even when I'm daydreaming? Yeah, even when I'm daydreaming. Even when I'm doing something completely unrelated? Yeah...every thought. Man, that's so hard! That's why I like that this verse describes it as a war. We won't be able to get to that point if we don't fight for it...and weapons with 'divine power' can take out every thing thought that we are holding on to that we feel we can't give up.
Let's not get discouraged in this battle, but realize that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, he has already given us the victory.

'But we have the mind of Christ' 1 Corinthians 2:16

SteveOh73 wrote on July 2nd 09 at 02:12PM

SWEET!!

SteveOh73 wrote on July 2nd 09 at 02:20PM

SWEET!! 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of who i am chief.

Jesus does love us all..and if we claim to love Jesus we must do as he does and love people..