Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday June 14, 2010

Commenting on my June 10, article on a faithful mind my long time friend Mike Pyatt wrote:

"Larry: Succinctly cogent my friend. One of my favorite books, by Oz Guiness, that I haven't read for some time, "In Two Minds", a cogent writing on the subject on the dilemma of doubt and how to resolve it. I last read it, according to my notes in 1982, and it was printed by InterVarsity Press in 1977. I recall when I was reading Schaeffer in the 1970's, some of my "colleagues" said one didn't have to use our mind or intellect, just believe. Recalling in one part of the book, Guinness wrote, "Anyone who believes anything will automatically know something about doubt." His main point, if I recall was that the Christian should have a healthy understanding of doubt, and that true Christianity is not about a question-free, problem proof world. And he made it crystal clear that doubt is not the same as disbelief, which I believe scares Christians away from thinking aloud what they already hold in their heart. Anyway, your writing prompted my thoughts in a good way."

When you factor in the copious references to the power of the Lord working in and through our mind, I find it at least amazing at the lack of speaking and writing on the subject among conservative brethren.

Gandhi wrote:

"You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you can never imprison my mind."

I find it amazing that Martin Luther King claimed he learned most of his tactics from Gandhi, when Gandhi stated that he learned his methods from the biblical teaching of Jesus Christ. Gandhi is on record as admiring Jesus, but never accepting Him as saviour largely due to knowing so many of His followers. Yet the power of his focused mind to the task at hand is world renown.

Why is it that such rejecters of Christ Deity are able to apply His teachings and yet those who buy the biblical message of Christ completely downplay the power of His truth concerning His power in us to overcome external circumstances?

When I read Gandhi's statement I immediately thought of John and the Revelation. As John was on the Isle of Patmos, naked, working as a slave in a rock quarry, he said he was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" which I take to mean that Christ was so saturating his mental state that he was oblivious to his immediate surroundings.

Regardless of your circumstances today you are free to read Philippians 4:8 and "think on these things."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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