You are a product of your thinking

The Story of Ted Bundy- Credit to ATI (All that is interesting)

During the spring and summer of 1974, police in the Pacific Northwest were in a panic. Young women at colleges across Washington and Oregon were disappearing at an alarming rate, and law enforcement had few leads as to who was behind it.

In just six months, six women had been abducted. Panic in the area reached a fever pitch when Janice Ann Ott and Denise Marie Naslund disappeared in broad daylight from a crowded beach at Lake Sammamish State Park…….. he didn’t fit the profile.

He was convicted of kidnapping and assault and sent to prison while police attempted to build a murder case against him. Just before his execution, he said this-

“I’ve lived in prison a long time now. I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me. And without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography.“

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Our thinking impacts our actions. Maybe we aren’t as bad as Ted Bundy. Maybe you haven’t committed the heinous crimes Ted Bundy has committed. But we can learn some important principles.

What are you doing to your mind?

I’ve heard stories of men spending countless hours on video games every single day. Call of duty, counter-strike, etc. Scrolling through Instagram every day because they are bored, trying to stimulate the senses and entertain themselves.

According to a Nielsen Company Audience report, the average American spends 10 hours a day on screen time which includes smart phones, computers, video games, radios, tablets, and tvs.

Our minds are being heavily influenced. If we aren’t careful, our thoughts will be fortified and our actions influenced. But as Christians we are called to much more. We are called to give our whole selves to God which includes our Heart, soul, and mind.

Matthew 22:37-

And He said to him, “You Shall Love The Lord Your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul and with all Your Mind.

Our thought life is of the utmost importance. We are commanded to Love our God with a pure mind and be transformed by it.

Romans 12:2- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Paul is saying here that in light of our justification, and in light of our union with Christ, we should be transformed and be renewed because we are a new creation. New Creatures have new minds and new desires for the glory of Christ. We worship Christ and give glory to Him.

The Implication-

As believers, we should be aware of how our minds are being impacted every day. Patterns become habits which become our character and who we are. Ultimately, what we fill our minds with is a matter of worship, allegiance, and obedience. If we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, we should take it seriously.

Meditation as a pattern

The bible talks about meditation is Psalm:1 and Psalm:119. The Psalmist meditates on his law day and night. Biblically speaking, meditation is the bridge between head knowledge and true obedience. It is the man who develops a pattern of meditation that obeys enabled by the Spirit.

Conclusion

We are one step away from sin. Thoughts start out small. We make excuses, say it’s not that bad until sinful thought patterns are fully formed and influence our actions. Lets pay attention to our thoughts and what we worship. Our thoughts are part of our obedience to Him who created us so that we can glorify Him with everything that we do. But there is hope. We have been radically transformed and are being directed to conformity with Christ every day. As our thoughts conform to Christ, we will see our speech more edifying, actions more loving, and a humility form in us in accordance with our nature. Loving God with our mind is not optional. It’s a basic Characteristic of a Christian that provides a catalyst for loving God and people externally while we love God internally in our mind. It’s like 2 sides of the same coin. Loving God with our minds will result in Loving God and others externally with our actions. Lets be people that don’t fill our minds with ungodly forms of media of every kind but with the truth of scripture that loves God and others as it’s primary goal on this Earth. The results will be amazing.

“The Word of God does not only permit but also commands us to love and embrace Christ with the sweetest, dearest affections that nature can possibly stir up in our minds, heart and soul.” – William Pinke,