Some of the newest brain research that has caught my attention lately is simply revealing the reasons behind what God has told us to do for millennia. All of us who have raised children experienced a moment of frustration when we told our kids, “Because I said so!” We uttered that final word when our kids kept asking us why. Sometimes our response was a rebuke to their little rebellious hearts, but that other times we said it because we thought they wouldn’t understand our reasoning, even if we told them. Perhaps, this is a time that God has chosen to reveal some of the “whys” behind his commands. The “why” and the “how” of the brain are calling us away from cultural norms in a culture that has forsaken God and, often, plain old common sense.   Let me share some of Caroline Leaf’s thoughts on our culture of busy-ness. I think it may help us.

In her book, How to Switch on Your Brain, she says, “One of the plagues of modern existence is multitasking, which leads to the further plagues of “hurry sickness” and obsessive time management. The truth about multitasking is that it is a persistent myth. What we really do is shift our attention rapidly from task to task, resulting in two bad things: (1) We don’t devote as much focused attention as we should to a specific activity, task, or piece of information, and (2) we sacrifice the quality of our attention. I call this milkshake-multitasking.

This poor focusing of attention and lack of quality in our thought lives is the complete opposite of how the brain is designed to function and causes a level of brain damage. Every rapid, incomplete, and poor quality shift of thought is like making a milkshake with your brain cells and neurochemicals. This milkshake-multitasking, which is the truth behind multitasking, creates patterns of flightiness and lack of concentration that are unfortunately often erroneously labeled ADD and ADHD and that are too often unnecessarily medicated, adding fuel to the fire. And it’s a rapid downhill slide from there if we don’t get back to our God-design of deep, intellectual attention.

What does deep, focused, intellectual attention look like versus milkshake-multitasking? The answer is modeled in Proverbs 4:20-23. ‘Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live; really live; body and soul, they are bursting with health. Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts’ (The Message).”

Leaf goes on to talk about parts of the brain that decline, which are centers of the brain for health, peace and happiness, if we do spend focused time thinking about deep things – God, life, values, and spend time in prayer as well as healthy introspection. To fail to take bring all thoughts into captivity in Jesus keeps us from achieving the physical, mental, and emotional health for which God has designed us. We are made in God’s image and God is a deep thinker. We need to be as well. When we live on sound bites and spend hours each day scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, we not only become shallow people but unhealthy people – literally.

I remember a line from a book I once read by a Christian author. I don’t remember the book or the author but I remember the line. He said something to the effect that the world does not need more talented people, more gifted people, or more driven people. The world needs deeper people. I agree with him and I believe the same thing can be said of the kingdom of God.

To quote Leaf one more time, she says, “We are told by so-called social media experts that information needs to be in bite-size amounts and in a constant stream of new information before the previous information has even been digested. This is not stimulation; it is bombardment…It is all about balance. Our brain responds with healthy patterns, circuits, and neurochemicals when we think deeply, but not when we skim only the surface of multiple pieces of information…According to the Archives of General Psychiatry, simultaneous exposure to electronic media during the teenage years – such as playing a computer game while watching television – appears to be associated with increased depression and anxiety in young adulthood, especially among men.” She goes on to quote a number of other studies connecting multitasking, fragmented thinking, and a life of sound bites with numerous health and psychiatric issues.

Our Father tells us to be still and know that he is God. Scripture calls us to meditate on his word day and night. He tells us to store up his word up in our hearts (memorize) and to talk about his word when we are on the road. He tells us to choose what we think about and think about godly things on a continual, focused basis. In other words, we need to buck the cultural trend of more is better and believe the biblical injunction that deeper is better. The world says to go faster. God says to go slower. The world says look for more stimulation. God says look for him.

If you, like me, tend to find yourself with less and less quiet time in your life and if you, like me, tend to get hijacked by the busy-ness around us, we need to fight back and we need to keep our children from succumbing to a world of sound bites and information addiction. It goes against out design, our health – both emotional and physical, and against the Word of God. Very often, a believer in Christ must be counter-cultural to be obedient. God has told us for thousands of years what to do to be healthy, peaceful and productive. Now he is showing us why.

Deliverance is a powerful tool for setting people free from the grip of the enemy. Not only is it powerful but it is essential. However, at times we may tend to overemphasize deliverance in the process of spiritual transformation. That is understandable because many of us have seen radical and dramatic transformation in believers in a very short time as a result of deliverance. It becomes problematic, however, when we begin to see deliverance as the cure-all for every issue. In some ways we begin to think of it as the quick-fix for people who are stuck or loosing ground in their spiritual progress, but demonization is only one barrier in an array of barriers that can stall out the process of discipleship and transformation.

Deliverance will not make a person spiritually mature but will remove the resistance so that individuals can then begin to grow spiritually as they should. At the end of Free Indeed, our ministry for healing and freedom, we always remind our participants that completing the eight weeks of study and the weekend of activation is not the end but rather the beginning of their growth and maturity.

Discipleship is the process of becoming like Jesus. It is a lifelong endeavor that can be punctuated by significant events where huge growth spurts occur but then we must always settle back into the process. In transformation, there is always a price to be paid by the individual who wants to be changed. That price is a consistent lifestyle of coming into the presence of God through multiple expressions of ancient spiritual disciplines: daily time in the word, prayer, meditation, confession, repentance, thanksgiving, worship, service, listening to God, solitude, memorization, journaling, authenticity, and so forth. We often say that getting free is the first battle. Staying free is the second. The implementation of these spiritual disciplines is what keeps us free.

We are such an instant society that we have come to expect instant spiritual maturity through a weekend conference, an impartation, deliverance, a prophetic word, and so forth. I think all of those things are amazing and I will be the first in line for an impartation, but they can’t replace the work of partnering with God on a daily basis in the change we desire.

Too often we pray for inner healing or cast out a demon without making sure the person we have ministered to is pursuing the Lord on a daily basis and filling themselves with the things of the Spirit. Sometimes we don’t even make sure that the person has repented of the very sin the demon was attached to or has forgiven hurtful people in his/her past. In our hurry to help, we may be setting them up for a worse condition because we haven’t helped them lay the foundation that they will need to maintain their freedom and grow in the Lord.

Paul commands us, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:17-18). The verb tense of the word translated as “filled” is progressive which means to be continually filled with the Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit there is not much room for the devil. A great deal of being Spirit-filled is about being filled with the things of the Spirit which are to be found in spiritual disciplines. It is by “doing the work” that we get in spiritual shape. The work brings us into the presence of God and the transforming power of the Spirit. The work lays new neural pathways that are in agreement with God and diminish the old pathways that agreed with Satan so that our brains are renewed while our minds are being renewed spiritually.

So, as you minister healing and deliverance or give impartations and prophetic words, remember that the person you are ministering to will need to pay a price for continued freedom and spiritual growth. If they are not willing to pay the price of drawing close to God daily, they will most likely lose the ground they have gained and maybe end up worse than they were before their freedom. As those who minister in this arena it is essential that we too pay the cost of freedom in our lives each day.

Philip Yancey once said that the real temptation presented to Jesus in the wilderness by Satan, was the temptation of gaining a crown without the cross. Satan offered Jesus shortcuts without suffering to establish his kingdom on the earth once more. Ultimately, there are no shortcuts. It was true for Jesus and it is true for his people. Crucifying the flesh is a daily demand if we are to be consistent with our spiritual disciplines. Neither the flesh nor the enemy want us spending time with God. But for those who reject the “shortcuts” there is certainly a crown after the cross.

Psalm 119 has 176 verses in it and it reminds me how important the Word of God is to the believer. This psalm was probably written by David although it is not specifically identified as one of his. The man writing the psalm was under attack – not a military assault but a personal attack by those who would destroy him and, perhaps, even take his life. The flavor of the psalm is that the assault has been going on for a very long time – accusation, gossip, slander, traps, etc.

In this psalm, the writer places immense value on the word of God for his hope and his ultimate victory. Let me list just a few of the phrases that he uses:

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might nor sin against you.

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Your statutes are my delight, they are my counselors.

Preserve my life according to your word.

Strengthen me according to your word.

Your promise preserves my life.

I have put my hope in your word.

Your statutes are my heritage forever.

Preserve my life according to your laws.

Deliver me according to your promise.

The writer clearly believes that God is discovered in his word and that his word is unbreakable. He believes that the written word of God faithfully represents the character and promises of God that God will not violate. If it is written, then God will be true to his word. His constant reference to the Word is not out of fear that God might forget his promises but is a clear statement of belief that God is always true to his word so we can count on his promises.

Jesus used the phrase, “it is written,” numerous times in the gospel. He quoted scripture as the Word of God that is always true or that must come to pass because it has been written by the God who cannot lie. To me it is also interesting that Jesus always spoke about the word in the present tense – it is written rather than it was written. It carries the same implication as the name that God revealed to Moses about himself. Tell them, “I am.” To speak in the present tense suggests no beginning (past) and no end (future). It suggests that something is an unchanging reality. God is – he always has been and always will be. His written word has the same quality and because of that can be totally believed and acted upon. Of course, God reserves the right to determine how and when a promise will be fulfilled but if it is written, it must be fulfilled.

To get the word of God deep in our hearts is a great weapon against the enemy. To know without doubt what the Lord has promised us disarms the lies, deceptions, and bullying of the enemy. I’ve been around long enough to know that the church in America does not value Bible study and memorization like it used to. Few people carry a Bible to church. When Bibles are misplaced they stay in lost and found for months. Very few come looking for them. Perhaps, they have others, but I suspect it is because there is not much hunger for what is inside.

It is almost as if self-help books and worship CD’s have replaced the Word. There is nothing wrong with a good book or worship CD’s but nothing stands unless it stands on the Word. Jesus constantly referenced the written word as his ultimate authority and the plumb line for his actions and beliefs. He used it as a sword against the enemy when Satan assaulted him. We should do the same.

Spend time in the Word. Chew on it. Memorize it. Discuss it. Study it. Get it in your heart. Like the psalmist, it is your heritage forever. You have inherited God’s promises and statutes. The psalmist says, “With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches” (Ps.119:13-14). Take possession of his truth and his promises as yours and know that they open up the storehouses of heaven to you. The Word unlocks greater riches than any the earth can offer.

Let me encourage you to spend time in Psalm 119 to see how much the psalmist valued the Word, the written promises of God, and the wisdom for living embedded in scripture. You will be blessed by doing so.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil.4:8)

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul encourages us to evaluate and choose what we think about, what we ponder, and what we entertain on the big screen of our imagination.  In other words, be intentional about everything…even your thought life. Everything we think about, focus on, or entertain in our minds leaves an impression on our brain and in our soul. The theological term for intentional or prolonged thinking about an issue, a principle, or an experience is meditation. Scripture mentions that process frequently.

Speaking of Isaac, the son of Abraham, we are told, “He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching” (Gen.24:63). Isaac had intentionally set time aside in the evening to meditate, to think about things, to mentally process his day and his relationships. After the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua and commanded him, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Jos.1:8). David prayed, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps.19:44; See also Ps.1:2, 48:9, 63:6, 77:12, 119:5, 143:5).

Meditation is a way to intentionally understand experiences, expand our understanding of people and events, reinforce positive thoughts, grasp biblical truths, establish God-directed goals, and deepen relational values in our heart and mind. For the believer, it is a time set aside to hear the Holy Spirit lead him into truth and shape his life and character. It is also a great way to detox spiritually, at the end of a day, after you have encountered hurtful people and slogged through a sin-soaked culture. What you think about most often, what you reflect on frequently, what you consider and process in your mind will rule the day in your heart.

The psalmists mention several things about which they frequently meditated: God’s creation, God’s wonderful and miraculous acts, their personal history with God – his blessings and faithfulness, the Word of God, and God himself. The apostle Paul would add, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). He also tells us, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col.3:1-2). The writer of Hebrews layers on another dimension. “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Heb.3:1).

There may be more, but that is plenty to reflect on. Again, meditation is simply the act of intentionally thinking about, chewing on, reflecting, studying, talking about, praying about, etc. certain things you want to understand and get in your heart.

For us it is a dialogue with the Spirit, asking him to give us understanding, insight, revelation, and reinforcement of his truths and values in our life. In scripture, meditation seems to occur most often in the evening or during the “watches of the night.”   I tend to believe that the last things we focus on before falling asleep get the attention of our subconscious which continues to process those things during the night. When we invite the Holy Spirit to be involved in our sleep, we may receive truth we had never recognized before. “For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds” (Job. 33:14-15).

Spending time in the evening reflecting on God, his truth, the goodness of Christ, his Word, etc. seems like a God-given way to detox spiritually from all the contaminates we have encountered during the day. Satan spends the day trying to pull us away from the truth of God, twisting it, and enticing us to agree with him rather than the Father. Meditation helps to realign our thoughts and feelings with the Lord and in doing so takes away places where the enemy might find a foothold. So much around us that we hear, see, and read – even unintentionally – defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit. An evening scrub with meditation will help to keep that temple a place where the Spirit can rest without offense.

As I examine the life of Jesus, everything seems so intentional. I suffer from being right-brained. Structure and concrete goals are not my style. Intentionality gives way to random responses to things I encounter during the day. I want to “get in the mood” before doing anything introspective and the mood is elusive. I’m working on consistent meditation. Writing this blog is a form of that but I want to lay in a godly habit of detoxing at the end of the day and inviting the Spirit to rule over my dreams and even the thoughts churned up by my subconscious. I believe meditation is one of God’s great divine weapons (2 Cor.10:4) and can make a huge difference as we follow Him. Perhaps, you’ll join me. Blessings in Him today.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.(Ps.1:1-3)

This is a familiar psalm but I was just taught something that made it even more meaningful.  Of course the progression of walking, standing, and sitting is important. As we open our ears to the wicked we often are drawn to their point-of-view or their worldview. I’ll just define wickedness as anything contrary or opposed to the will of God.  The “wicked” are those who live contrary to God’s will and in opposition to his truth.

Think about our current culture and the power of media. When we lend our ear or our sight to the values supported by most of the media we run the risk of being drawn into the world’s value system and seeing life through the distorted lens of culture. How many of us have watched so many television dramas or situation comedies that we have experienced the “normalization” of things we once found shocking, offensive, or troubling?  There was a time when television would not even depict a husband and wife as sleeping in the same bed. I think that’s extreme but the sensitivities of the culture pushed back against anything sexually suggestive in primetime.

Now, however, adultery or every kind of sex outside of marriage is so commonplace on television and in the movies that were are no longer offended when we see it.  It has become so much a part of the landscape that we have begun to view it as normal and once we view something as normal we are tempted to consider it acceptable – not just on the T.V. screen but also in the lives of people we know and maybe even in our own lives.

Homosexuality was once considered so perverse that it was not even talked about in public settings.  Then it became a tagline in jokes that people laughed about.  Then television began to depict homosexuality and lesbianism in “cutting edge” dramas.  Then comedies began to include a cute, funny individual who was gay but very likeable and harmless.  Now gays are depicted as heroic for “coming out.”  The value that homosexuality is not only acceptable but laudable has found it’s way into our culture and if we entertain that message long enough we will find reasons to agree with the culture and reject God’s word.

I am not “gay bashing” here because we all struggle with brokenness in our own lives, but I am illustrating how once we begin to walk (or listen to) those who maintain values opposed to God’s truth, it is only a matter of time before our values are compromised.  At first we walk and then we stand and talk and then we take our place with them.  After all, we think that so many people agree with them and it all seems kind of normal now anyway. The church has certainly fallen into that pattern over the past fifty years or so.  Few of us can deny that in these past decades the church has not shaped the culture but culture has shaped the church – at least in America.

But God says “blessed” is the man who avoids that steady, inch-by-inch compromise. Instead, the man God praises is the one who spends his time in the Word of God rather than being glued to his favorite television series. He praises the man who exchanges ABC for NIV or ESV or KJV (for the more traditional).  Lot, the nephew of Abraham is an interesting study in this.  At first he spent all of his time with Abraham but when the flocks became so large that the pastureland in one place couldn’t sustain them they separated.  We are told that Lot chose a well-watered area in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah.  But later we find him living in the city and sitting in the city gates as an official of Sodom even though he was apparently troubled by the immorality there.  Eventually his comfort level with wickedness cost him everything but his life.  My guess is that his wife’s desires had something to do with that move but my guess is also that his wealth caused the leaders of Sodom to reach out to him.  Flattered by their attention, he may have made concessions for their behavior.  Although he didn’t participate he also sat in silence.  How many believers have compromised their values in the business sector, entertainment, or in politics to be “part” of the inner circle?  At first the association is occasional but then instead of walking by we stop to chat and then we find ourselves sitting with those who oppose God.

The key is the verse that emphasizes a lifestyle that dwells on the Word of God.  He doesn’t just read the scriptures but meditates on them – chews on them, processes them, and internalizes their truth.  He does so night and day, not just on occasion or not just for five minutes a day in a devotional read.  He sets his course by God’s word.  He walks according to that word rather than walking with those who oppose it.  The prophet asked the question, “How can two walk together unless they are agreed”(Amos 3:3)? When we walk with someone it suggests agreement with him. We can walk with the world or walk with the Word. Most of us assume that we can walk with both but scripture warns against being double-minded.

This man is like a tree planted by waters that grows strong and bears fruit.  What I learned today was that the most likely tree this refers to is the acacia tree found in the wilderness of Israel.  These trees will be found along a wadi – a dry streambed or ravine that sees water only when it rains from time to time.  These trees grow slowly and live for hundreds of years.  They put roots deep into the soil in the riverbed where water will flow in due time and when that time comes, the roots suck up every drop of water they can.  It’s as if the tree hungers for water as the man of Psalm 1 hungers for God’s Word.

When we read this psalm we probably think of great trees in forests perched along deep rivers that run throughout the year.  If you lived in the desert where Moses wandered and where David hid from Saul, you would think of acacias. This was the tree from which the Ark of the Covenant was made – hard wood overlaid with gold. A friend of ours, who is part of our weekly small group, informed us that Mesquite trees in our part of the world are members of the acacia family.  They really have two kinds of roots. They send out long shallow roots all around that suck up any moisture as soon as it hits the ground but those roots feed a taproot that goes down fifty or sixty feed looking for underground water and anchoring the trees to stand in the face of storms.

The man God applauds sends out roots that soak up God’s truth wherever he finds it and the Word he absorbs anchors him with a taproot of faith that goes deep in the ground. Those trees are a great benefit to those who find them.  They provide shade from the desert heat.  The Bedouins boil the sap and make medicines and ointments from this tree.  Camels feast on the leaves and dried branches provide a hot fire for cooking or staving off the cold of a desert night. Those who mediate on the Law of the Lord day at night are blessed by God and, in turn, bless those around them as well.

Each day is a question of who we will walk with – those who don’t know God and whose values and beliefs stand opposed to God’s word or God himself, soaking up all that his Word and his Spirit have to tells us.    Be blessed today.  Choose less of the world and much more of God.  I’ll join you.