September 22, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’ S DESK:
THE HELMET OF SALVATION FOR THE MIND
“And the helmet of salvation.”
Eph. 6:17.
All that Goliath carelessly did was to move his heavy helmet, exposing his massive forehead: little David spotted that slight opening, swung his slingshot that he mastered using against wild beasts as he protected his flock. The smooth stone projectile found hit bullseye on Goliath’s forehead and tide of the war turned in victory for Israel’s army against the superior forces of their Philistine enemies. That’s how vulnerable even the strongest man is if his forehead, his mind is unprotected with the helmet of salvation in the daily battlefield of life.
“God bids us fill the mind with great thoughts, pure thoughts. He desires us to MEDITATE on His love and mercy, to STUDY His wonderful work in the great plan of redemption.
“Then clearer and still clearer will be our PERCEPTION of truth, HIGHER, HOLIER our desire for purity of heart and clearness of thought. The soul dwelling in the pure atmosphere of holy thought will be TRANSFORMED by communion with God through the STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES.
“The mind must be educated and disciplined to love purity [the opposite of earthly, carnal, sensual, corrupt, impure, morbid, despondent, angry, vengeful, vindictive, scheming, conniving, suspicious, malicious, malignant]. A love for SPIRITUAL things should be encouraged; yes, MUST be encouraged, if you would GROW IN GRACE and in the KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.
“Good purposes are right, but will prove of no avail UNLESS resolutely carries out. Many will be LOST while hoping and desiring to be Christians, but they make NO earnest effort, therefore they will be ‘weighed in the balances [of the sanctuary above] and will be found wanting.’
“The WILL must be exercised in the right direction: I WILL be a whole-hearted Christian. I WILL know the length and breadth, the height and depth of perfect love.
“Listen to the words of Jesus: ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled’ (Matt. 5:6).
It is in our power to choose what kind of thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and imaginations will enter the portals of our mind—that will either edify and purify or degrade or corrupt. We really are what is in our minds and hearts though unmanifested outwardly. “Man look at the outward appearance but God looks upon the heart” and “knows the secret motives and intents of the heart.” God bless all, NMF