“One of the major problems with the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is that it’s people are plagued with ‘stink’n think’n’.” These are the words of a man who was dear to me and very instrumental in my discipleship back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, who has since gone on to be with the Lord Jesus. What did he mean by “stink’n think’n?”  It’s any way of thinking that’s contrary to God’s Word–the Bible.

Our thoughts are the building blocks with which we construct our lives, for we are as we think (Proverbs 23:7 NASB). Realizing this biblical principle, we would do well to diligently guard our thoughts by filtering them through God’s Word so as to ensure they’re of a godly quality. If we don’t, we’ll unfortunately find ourselves fashioning a lifestyle that’s inconsistent with the thoughts and ways of our Creator (Isaiah 55:7-9).

We often allow our thoughts to run rampant as a result of reacting to situations and circumstances that face us. Many of us act as if it’s a virtue to worry when we find ourselves, or someone we know and love, faced with difficulty. I’ve routinely heard individuals state that they’re worried about this person, or anxious about that thing. Yet Jesus clearly tells us that we are to not be anxious (Matthew 6:25-34). What’s the remedy for such a worrisome frame of mind? The apostle Paul exhorts us to give ourselves to prayer accompanied by thanksgiving. Doing so welcomes God’s peace into our lives to protect our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7). Our Father promises that He’ll keep us in perfect peace if we’ll keep our minds squarely focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3). So as we focus on the world and its circumstances, we experience the world’s fruit–anxiety, unrest, fear and the like. However, as we focus on God, by focusing on His Word, we get the blessing of its fruit–peace, joy, and all else that’s intrinsic to the God-kind of life. I encourage you to tenaciously hold on to this truth.

“As we focus on God, by focusing on His Word, we get the blessing of its fruit–peace, joy, and all else that’s intrinsic to the God-kind of life.”

In the Church, there seems to be an ever-increasing number of people who profess to be followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet who espouse the ungodly notion that truth is relative. Person after person makes the assertion that “what’s true for you may not be true for me.” We must realize that if something is the truth, it’s true for all and it’s always true. There is no personal “my truth” or “your truth” that exists. Scripture warns us that times will come when people will be so self-absorbed that they won’t tolerate sound teaching. Rejecting the truth, they’ll instead look for words that appeal to their own selfish desires (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The apostle Paul exhorts us to not be conformed to this world’s manner of thinking, but to instead be transformed by having our minds made new (Romans 12:2). Here, Paul is commanding us to adopt and equip ourselves with a kingdom of God mindset. We’re living in times in which people’s access to information is unprecedented. Unfortunately, just as sure as there’s sound information to be had, there’s an abundance of unscrupulous information available as well. Consequently, the minds of saints can become cluttered with all types of specious thinking. If you have any desire to avoid being caught up in the vortex of worldly thought, I exhort you to give yourself to daily careful studying of and meditation on the Scriptures so as to keep yourself from becoming a contemporary product of “stink’n think’n” (Matthew 22:29; Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NASB).

Practical tips to renewing your mind:

1. Establish and set a daily time with God in His Word and prayer.
2. Ask for assistance from a mature brother in Christ if you need guidance with going about studying the Scriptures. 
3. Commit to memorizing and meditating on passages of Scripture on a daily basis.
4.  Develop the habit of writing out the insights the Holy Spirit gives you when studying and/or meditating on God’s Word, and commit to applying them in your daily living.