song: Tickertape of the Unconscious

French...perhaps they meant the subconscious.

A tickertape was the strip of paper that came out of a telegraphic ticker machine...such as a machine that did stock market reports...perhaps you've seen one in movies. I've never actually seen one in person. Their not really used anymore as far as I know. Anyway, what this song made me think of was...what if you knew what everyone around you was thinking. What if everyone had an LED display across their forehead that told what they were thinking from moment to moment. You might go to a boring meeting at work and there, someone is thinking, "I wish I was outside." You'd see what some married guy thinks when he sees some other attractive woman. You'd see when people are lying. You'd see what people were really thinking Perhaps you could do good with this. You could help people to feel better. Someone's feeling down and you encourage them. Someone's angry and you would know why.

Jesus was able to do this...to know the thoughts of others

Mat 9

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

We notice here that Jesus was able to tell what the teachers of the law were thinking. They accused him of blasphemy. They thought they knew so much...they felt they had every law of God memorized...but here was a man who know their own thoughts better than they did and who truly knew God's will. We see Jesus do this in many other cases. Imagine what that must have been like...to be muttering about someone under your breath and then have them repeat back to exactly what you were saying. This made the Pharisees angry on several occasions and was perhaps part of what infuriated them and led to them killing him in the end.

Luke 6

6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.

[Here were the Pharisees. "Look! He's finally going to make a mistake! He's going to break the law! He's going to do work on the sabbath! God has told us not to do any work on the sabbath! Regardless of what his intent is, we've caught him in a mistake!"]

8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there.

9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus did a wonderful thing here. This man had probably given up ever being able to use his hand again. Jesus was going to restore his hand...just a wonderful and loving thing...but these Pharisees didn't see anything wonderful or loving...all they saw was that they were finally going to get the goods on this man they hated. But Jesus knew this and had exactly the right words, "which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

[continued later]

43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Isn't that so true what Jesus said...that our actions and words are just a reflection of our hearts...whether we have good or evil stored up in our hearts.

I don't know whether it was the same case, but we read about Jesus speaking in

Mat 15

16 "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. 17 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "

When someone murders someone else...the real problem was their anger or hatred in the first place. When someone commits sexual immorality, there was lust in their heart in the first place.

bring each thought under captivity

Paul talks about the need for us to control what we think. It all comes from our hearts. As we focus more and more on Godly righteousness, so we do and say things that please God more.

2 Cor 10

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

verse about God sees the inner man or heart  (thoughts and intentions)

Hebrews 4

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

We are like children before God. Perhaps you adults remember being children and trying to get away with something...perhaps by telling a lie or some other deception. You just knew you were going to be found out. Well, it's the same before our heavenly father. We can't hide anything from him, so why bother trying?

Jesus taught over and over that what we think and what's in our hearts, we'll be held accountable for. As humans, we want to think that our minds are just our little playground where we can commit whatever deception or lust or hatred we want...all the while being totally the opposite on the outside with pleasantries and smiles. This was certainly a problem for the Pharisees. But our savior Jesus taught us that sin in our hearts is still sin.

Mat 5

21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[a term of contempt] ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

When you're angry with someone, go to them and be reconciled. Don't let that sin in your heart build up and become something even worse. Do the good work in your heart while the fire is small and can easily be put out rather than letting it get larger and burn you up.

Same for adultery

[continued]...

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Example of malls...

As I mentioned the possibility that we could help people if we knew their thoughts, so God can help us because he knows what we need and what is best for us.

Matthew 6:25

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

God uses his knowledge of our hearts for our good. He knows what we need before we need it. He puts us in situations we may not understand but that turn out for our own good.

Avoid the love of the world.

1 John 2

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

There is a separation...a line is drawn. One one side you have possessions and pride pulling you. On the other side, there is God lovingly showing you what is best. One side is going to pass away. But God will be there forever.

Another verse about this:

Heb 13

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

"Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?"

Again, we're consoled with this thought that we don't really have anything to worry about. God will take care of us in the long run. Don't think that money or anything in this world will make you secure in the long run.

Paul said in

Phil 2

17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

There are so many in the world whose God is their stomach. They think about what others can do for them, what others owe them, how others have wronged them, how they can get them back, how they can get what they want. The world revolves around them. But a Christian's life revolves around the good attributes of glorifying God and doing good for others.

Eph 4

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

When we become Christians, we make an effort to put off our old selves with hearts of anger, lust, deceit, and all kinds of evil. We take on Christ's ways...so beautiful in their innocence.

Paul realized that the secret to this is to think of our hearts not as our own, but as Christ's. This is in such sharp contrast to what we hear in the world today. What? You don't try to think for yourself? Come on! Open your mind! Perhaps you've heard the saying, "a mind is like a parachute...it works better when it's open." The teachings of the bible are quite different. That when we allow our base human desires to come through, that's often when trouble results.

Gal 2

17 "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Since the beginning of time, God told his people that the best way through life is to follow him rather than trying to find our own way through life.

Let's read about what God told his people in the old testament:

Deut 11

16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord 's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Does it sound like studying God's word and thinking about it is just something we should do when we have a free moment once or twice a week? Do we have an excuse when all the duties of life crowd in and we don't have time for God? In this passage, God emphasizes how important it is for us to not only read his word, but to fix his words in our hearts. Teach them to our children. Talk about them at home or when we travel. When we go to bed and get up. It's something that should always be in our minds. Many times, I myself find that...well, say I worked 8 or 9 hours. I spent maybe 2 hours aside from that getting ready for and travelling to and from work. That's already most of my waking hours. Then we've got the errands...we need more groceries. Then eating dinner...perhaps preparing it and cleaning up...that takes time. And we don't even have any kids...so you parents have got to be even busier. I'm sure many of the mothers and fathers here know how much work there is in taking care of the kids and everybody. For the moms, that's a fulltime job in itself with an insane amount of overtime. We have many wonderful mothers here who can attest to that. Much of our time is spent on things we have to do rather than on things we want to do. Time can become even more precious to us than money or any other commodity. But making time for God is like putting gas in the car. Oh, I just didn't have time to get gas today...I just didn't have a chance. Then on your way to that appointment the next day, oops...the car just stalls. What did you expect? And so, God expects us to make the time...to care enough to do what it takes to think about his words, to involve him in our decisions and dealings with our families and friends and others. And it's true...it does take work and effort...but it's so important with all of the other influences we have on us from society in general or at school or at work. It's something I am continually working to improve in my own life...to schedule that in and avoid making excuses. And it can mean giving up some things in other areas...whether recreation or perhaps even sleep. But my brothers and sisters in Christ here encourage me a great deal.

Solomon's prayer to God upon the dedication of the temple...praying to God about his people

1 Kings 8

37 "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel-each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- 39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), 40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers.

And so, God will deal with us because of what we are in our hearts. Thankfully, we know what he wants from us. He hasn't left us running blind. God doesn't just want our actions and our words. He also wants our thoughts and our hearts.