THE CURE FOR SINFUL THOUGHTS

 

Relevant Scriptures to Ponder and Apply to Daily Christian Living

 

COLLATED AND PUBLISHED By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

 

2 Corinthians 10:5, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,…”

 

Following are excerpts of the words of Puritan Stephen Charnock in his published book;

“WORKS” (Volume V:308-313)

 

Below each quotation I share my own thoughts as I have meditated on the implications of Stephen Charnock’s spiritual instruction and teachings.

 

I. Get accustomed to serious meditation every morning.

“Getting fresh air from heaven in our souls will engender a purer spirit and nobler thoughts. A morning seasoning will secure us all day long. Throughout the day, after we have dispatched other thoughts that are necessary to attend to our daily activities, our morning theme of medication will return as our chief companion for the day.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“As we read and meditate on Holy Scripture, listen for the Holy Spirit to whisper to us spiritual thoughts we should dwell upon for our daily activities and actions…we center ourselves on who we are in Christ and how we should lead our life and our decisions and actions as we go through the day God has blessed us with.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

II. Avoid entangling yourselves with the world.

“This clay will clog our minds, and dirty happiness will engender but dirty thoughts. Mists and fogs near the earth do not reach near the heavens. If we so easily disturb our minds. If the world once settles in our hearts we shall never fail to have these senseless thoughts torment us.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“The days of our lives are full of exposure to the worldliness that surrounds us. We are inundated with radio, television and internet sites which tempt us not only to buy items we really don’t need,  but are also expose us  to images and propaganda that tempt our heart, mind and soul to consider sins which we have no business participating in. May we avoid such thoughts and images so that we can remain pure in our spiritual walk with Christ our Savior and Lord. If we do this with wisdom and determination we will honor our Lord God, our Savior Jesus Christ and avoid quenching the Holy Spirit who ministers to us as Disciples of Christ.”

Michael. K. Farrar, O.D.

 

III. Avoid idleness.

 “Idleness kindles many unprofitable imaginations in the soul that would b e sufficiently diverted if the active mind were kept intent upon some stated work. Empty minds are the fittest subjects for extravagant fooleries.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“In past history there was little time for idleness for work required more attention than relaxation. But now we are blessed or cursed with too much time on our hands. Many individuals consider this expansion of what is called “Free Time” a blessing. But “Free Time” is not FREE at ALL. If you fail to use your so-called Free Time wisely you will neglect spiritual matters and spend more time in fleshly matters that distract and hinder your spiritual growth and maturity. Rest and Relaxation are blessings we should use to our benefit, not just physically, but also spiritually. To rest from daily labors is wise and to spend time meditating on the Father, Son and Spirit can enhance our soul and increase our spiritual knowledge and maturity. Using such time to pray and commune with the Lord is a great blessing and can not only increase our spiritual wisdom, but also fertilize our heart, mind and soul with spiritual wisdom as well as strengthen our faith in God and increase our communion with the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

IV. Awe your hearts with the thoughts of God.

“Imagine the last trumpet and the judgment seat of Christ. Consider His omniscience calling out singly all the secrets of your heart. Does not this consideration alone allay the heat of all other imaginations? If a foolish thought breaks in, consider – what if God, who knows this, should presently call me to judgment for this sinful glance? Is it fit for God’s glory or our own interest that He should find such a nasty dunghill and swarms of Egyptian lice and frogs creeping up and down in our chambers? If our heart is possessed by the truth of His omniscience, we would be ashamed to think what we shall be ashamed to own at the last day!”

Stephen Charnock

 

“While we as Disciples of Christ are patiently waiting for the trumpet of the Lord to sound which signals our being caught up into Heaven, I dare say that we are not mindful of this as we should. Our lives often distract us from spiritual matters and the temptations that surround us often deflect our attention away from our walk with the Savior and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. Our calling as a Disciple of Christ is to seek to always have some awareness of our calling by God to glorify Him and to walk as Jesus walked through our days always seeking the Holy Spirit to fill us so that we are always prepared for when Christ returns. The more we focus on thoughts of the Lord we will not miss an opportunity to help someone, to minister to them as well as seek to think, act and live the calling of a Disciple of Christ. When we contemplate often the great mercy that God has granted us through His Son and the precious gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us our thoughts cannot help but be drenched with the amazing and generous blessings we have in knowing the God of all creation. We are called to fill our heart, mind and soul with thoughts of God not just on Sundays, but every day, hour and minute we breathe.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

V. Keep a constant watch over your heart.

 “We need grace to stand as a sentinel over our thoughts. Our minds are like idle schoolboys that are unruly if the master’s back is turned. There are particular seasons when we must double our guard, such as opportunities that may set some inward corruption aflame. Opportunity may ambush unguarded thoughts or affections.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“Unfortunately as imperfect creatures we carry with us sinful tendencies which are the result of the decisions that Adam and Eve chose. We realize if we were in their position in the Garden of Eden, we would have made the same bad choice they did. This sin that plagues us is inherited from Adam and Eve and while we must live with this, Thank God…when we accept His Son Jesus Christ as our Savior our sins are forgiven and we are now sons and daughters of God the Father, Son and Spirit. Because of the resources we are given when we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior as well as our ability to read, memorize and apply the Holy Bible to our lives we have resources and skills to combat the sinful flesh. We also have within us the Holy Spirit who can convict, instruct and empower us to live godly lives and avoid sin. We must watch over our heart, mind and soul continually to avoid allowing the sinful flesh to hinder us in our spiritual walk. But we must not forget that there is a demonic presence in creation that also seeks to disturb, distract and distance us from our relationship with our Heavenly Father. ALWAYS…ALWAYS we are to be in communion with the Lord and focus on our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit to remain in fellowship with the Lord and avoid being distracted from our calling.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

VI. Examine your thoughts.

 “Consider what thoughts are lingering in your heart. Inquire what business they have there, and what their design is. Bring every thought to the test of the Word of God. Ask yourself why you entertain such company.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“As Disciples of Christ we should consider what I would propose as a visual illustration that our hearts and minds are like motel rooms where we allow thoughts, ideas and pictures to reside. It is not only unwise but beyond imagination that we would allow thieves, perverts, criminals, unruly vagrants and child molesters to live in our home. It is just as preposterous, ridiculous and irresponsible for us to allow our thoughts to wander into sinful imaginations, sordid thoughts of sin and vice or entertain emotions of theft, perversion and jealousy. We would never, ever allow or even consider allowing individuals of such actions to come into our home or call us friends! Therefore we must constantly evaluate our thoughts and allow the Holy Spirit to act as an advisor to filter what we allow into our thoughts and desires.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

VII. Put a check on thoughts at their first appearance.

 “If a thought has the reasonable mark of sin, do not even give it the honor of examination. If leprosy appears on one’s forehead, thrust it out! If it does not savor of the things of God, do not listen to its reasons. Do not excuse it because it is little. Small vapors grow into great clouds. If entertained, it may force our judgment, drag our will, and make all of our affections a bedlam. The devil can immediately imprint his suggestions on our imagination. We are not even aware of the army he has to back up any sinful thought, if once the gate is set open to him. Let us crush the brat immediately, and fling the head over the wall to discourage further attack. Let us be ashamed to cherish in our thoughts what we would be ashamed to have break out in our words or actions. Therefore, as soon as you perceive a thought as base, spit it out with hatred.”

Stephen Charnock

 

“The issue with our wandering thoughts is they often lead into fields of weeds, filled with vermin and disease; which have be presented to us by our sin nature and facilitated by worldly influences we have been exposed to which originate from Satan and his demons as well as our unruly sin nature. While as a Disciple of Christ we have been forgiven for our sins; past, present and future, this does not mean we must not continue to battle such thoughts and temptations that would wound our Christian witness and hinder our spiritual growth in the Lord. Just as soon as we see a filthy rat or a deadly venomous snake…we seek to destroy it, so we must also seek to destroy any sinful thoughts as soon as they make their appearance. You cannot risk the influence of even a tiny sordid thought or image as they will proliferate as quickly as bees to honey! You must kill and destroy such thoughts, inclinations and motivations as quickly as possible which can be done by focusing on the Holy Scriptures, praying to the Holy Spirit within you for assistance and remembering the example of Christ as He also withstood such testings and trials from Satan, the roaring carrion eater.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 Following are some pieces of spiritual advice I would give and precious scriptures that I see as crucial to our spiritual calling to be sons and daughters of our Mighty God.

 

WHAT TO DO WITH SINFUL THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, TEMPTATIONS AND TENDENCIES PUT THEM ALL ASIDE EVERY ONE OF THEM!

LAY THEM ALL ASIDE…ALWAYS AND FOREVER ASIDE!

 

 James 1:21-25

“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all 1that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

 

 Ephesians 4:22-24

“…in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the bold self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

 

Colossians 3:8-10

“But now you also, put them all aside: banger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him…”

 

 1 Peter 2:1-3

“Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”