Speaker 1 00:00:05 Welcome to Life Talks with Stephen Marshall
Speaker 2 00:00:14 Fungus of the Mind. One evening as I was sitting at home relaxing, I turned on the TV looking for something light fun. Pam had baked me a homemade treat along with a tea, and everything was fine until a horrific commercial came on. They were selling a cure to toenail fungus. It was absolutely revolting. They zoomed in on a man's big toe, and I just about spit my delicious cookie out on the couch. The audacity of some sponsor assaulting my sense with such disgusting, vile, stomach wrenching torment. So think about this. The fungi that attacks the immune system is invisible, but it's influence often shows up in an unpleasant, visible way. Let's take this physical example of contamination and apply it to the human mind. Do you really believe what you conclude as truth is based solely on your own, independent or critical thinking? Many people think so, but it's not the truth.
Speaker 2 00:01:13 What if I were to tell you that your mental construct has been covertly and cautiously engineered by outside influences? Maybe that sounds a little like conspiracy talk, but chances are your morals are quite different than your grandparents. We dare not blame it on cultural evolution because history proves we continue to repeat history, which basically means we keep doing the same stupid things over and over. No, you have not morally evolved, so let us all be free from the burden of such a noble presumption. Jesus warned the disciples of something so dangerous that it would completely overtake their life. He told them it was invisible, totally imperceptible to all their senses, but very real. Nonetheless, it would hijack their belief system and caused them to be unable to believe truth, making them basically subject to the destructive force of the invisible. Matthew 16, verse six, Jesus said to them, watch out and be on your guard against the Levin of the Pharisees Sadducees.
Speaker 2 00:02:19 In verse 12, it goes on to say, then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The enemy of your soul has been contaminating your thoughts with spiritual fungus since before you could talk from the fun little educational stories and fables you've memorized to the religious doctrines and entertaining myths you've been lured into accepting as fact. So much of it carries the parasite of worldly thinking that contradicts the principle of God's word. We all know people who have passed on from this world. Here's the reality. You need a belief system that can take you successfully beyond this life and deal with eternity. If you think the ferment or loving of this culture will take you very far, just take a look around at its complete failure. We've traded what seems good for what is good.
Speaker 2 00:03:13 We've let go of righteousness so we can champion niceness because it seems so accepting. Who cares how tolerant you are? If the guy's thinking is being overgrown with demonic fungus that's driving him to suicide, is that kindness? There's a reason why you're not feeling the love, and it's not because God isn't loving you intensely. There's a reason why you're not experiencing joy or peace, and it's not because Jesus' supply has failed one bit. Your belief has got some fungus in it. Don't be ashamed. It happens to all of us. Peter had a case of it right in front of Jesus. Yes, it is so stinky and nasty, but you can repent, which means you can change your thinking. How do you do that? Just tell God you believed a lie. Lay it down at the foot of the cross and accept his truth in its place.
Speaker 2 00:04:03 It's easy because Jesus has made it easy for us. He did the dying so you and I can do the living. Repent, believe and receive. Get rid of that fungus problem and enjoy your cookies today. Let's pray the word God. Your word says Romans 12, two, that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. That is what scripture accomplishes, and the repeated washing of Bible reading goes through our minds. We set our mind to meditate on your word, father God, that's our responsibility. So help us Holy Spirit, give us understanding so that every stronghold a fungal thinking is eradicated and replaced with healthy, eternal thoughts. Proverbs says that as a person thinks so are they, help us think thoughts in alignment with your thinking all in Jesus name we pray. Amen. We don't ever wanna stop bringing you encouragement and God's good news. My great-aunt used to say, help yourself when she had cooked a great meal for everyone. So you do the same. Help yourself.
Speaker 3 00:05:07 That was great. Thank God for his word. I know you want more. So join us online this weekend for an exciting message from Pastor Steven, an awesome worship. Click on the Living
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