The Vine - York St Church of Christ

Biblical truth, that thoughts determine behaviour.
Over the course of a one-year study, volunteers
had their brain activity scanned in real time using
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
while they performed a particular hand
movement. The scientists found that the
volunteer’s decision to act was picked up by their
brain activity pattern seconds before they
consciously responded. This study verified that
thinking does precede actions! Their findings
endorsed what clever old Solomon knew ages
ago when in Proverbs 23:7 he wrote, ‘As a man
thinks in his heart so he will be.’ C.T. Studd, a
famous cricketer and missionary of yesteryear
expressed this concept rather cutely with these
words, “What moves the heart, also wags the
tongue.” As a professional counsellor I believe
much is revealed about a person’s inner state of
mind and heart through the words they speak.
Whenever we speak, whether our words are kind
or loving, critical or angry, we are writing our own
autobiography for others to read. This is what
James means when he writes: “We get it wrong
nearly every time we open our mouths...By our
speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to
chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the
whole world up in smoke, and go up in smoke
with it...” [James 3: 1-6. MSG] James goes on to
contrast this negative image with the image of a
person with a pure heart. This person will ‘get
along with others’ be ‘reasonable and gentle,
overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot
one day and cold the next...You can develop a
robust community that lives right with God...only
if you do the hard work of getting along with each
other, treating each other with dignity and
honour.’ [James 3: 17-18. MSG]
and had not been able to walk from the time of
his birth. As the two guys approached him he
asked them for a few dollars to buy some food –
a request he had made to many others who
attended the Church. But these two guys were
prepared to do much more for him – they
decided to do what Jesus would have them do!
“We don’t have any cash” one said, “but we can
do better than that, why don’t you get up and
walk?” The man was not sure at first, but when
he saw the compassion in their eyes, he was
inspired to take a great leap of faith – and he got
up and walked!
As a result of this miracle, the whole of
Jerusalem was talking, and the leaders did not
know what to do! This familiar story of Peter and
John healing the lame man is an example of
what wonderful things can happen when we
allow ourselves to be Christ’s representatives in
our community. The truth is that “what counts for
great success in popular culture – strength
intelligence, wealth, beauty, power – means little
to our new image.” As representatives of Jesus in
our community our image will not be about an
arrangement of our skin cells or our physical
shape or financial status, but rather an evident
change that takes place as a result of God’s inbreathed
spirit that leads to an out-breathing of
the spiritual qualities that Jesus showed –
humility, servant-hood, and love. Only then will
we be able to say to people, ‘In the name of
Jesus rise up and walk.’
Ray Veal
Consider this story of two people who did just
that. Two guys were walking to Church and
neither man had the faintest idea of what a
remarkable day it would turn out to be. The city
would be in uproar before sundown, because of
what they were about to do. Outside of the
Church was a man who had a physical disability
Reference: “In the Likeness of God” by Dr Paul Brand and Philip
Yancey.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken
from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by
permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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