Programming my spiritual computer

My desktop computer is nearly ten years old. It is updated often, kept clear of junk files and unnecessary stuff and It runs well and fast. However, one day I could turn it on and it won’t work, so I’ve been looking at upgrading, a formidable task.

To describe our minds, MacArthur uses a computer slogan that says, “Garbage in, garbage out” — also applies to human minds. Jesus said something similar, that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, but adds this:

it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person . . . . Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:11–20)

The human heart is programmable but not quite the same way as a computer. My PC does what it does because of what has been put in, but my mouth and behavior do what they do because of what is already there. That is, sin isn’t programmed in, but it does show up (or not) depending on what I feed my mind and what choices I make. That is, I can watch the daily news and my choices could include anger that God is not stopping the evil in the world or trust that His will is done, regardless of what I can see. The garbage that goes in does not necessarily mean that garbage will come out. Because of Christ living in me, I am to . . .

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:10–12)

However, to do this requires “increasing in the knowledge of God” and living according to the choices He wants, yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit and putting to death those old ways of thinking. He wants my thoughts to come from the mind of Christ that is in me so I can think . . .

. . .  whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Again, this requires “being filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9) and “being filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). This is the opposite of “garbage in” and in a sense more like the process described  by this verse:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

That idea of “garbage out” is about refusing to live by the garbage of my sinful old self. Instead of letting it come out, I am to do this:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:5–10)

Being filled with the Spirit means He guides and even controls my choices. It may seem that I am producing godly thoughts and actions, yet He is like a hand in a glove that determines what I do. Others may see only the glove, but the power of godly living belongs to His hand and the glove is yielded to Him and useless otherwise.

PRAY: Jesus, as I become aware of garbage, I’m thankful that confessing it means You forgive and cleanse it (1 John 1:9). As I yield to You, I’m thankful that Your Spirit will control the output. Fill me and help me be aware of Your voice and Your ideas that I might be obedient in every area of how I think and what I say and do.

PONDER: Philippians 4:8 and use it as a reminder of how to think like Jesus thinks and to clue me to take out any garbage that so easily ruins the goodness You desire.