Engaging Our Culture: September 13-What It Means to Adopt a Sound Mind

Video of the Day: Clip from the 2006 movie “Facing the Giants”

Bible Verse of the Day:

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy,” 1 Peter 1:13-16.

Biblical Connection:

Head Football Coach Grant Taylor starts the season 0-3. As parents quietly seek a replacement and players begin to doubt if they will ever win another game, Coach Taylor’s faith is wavering. This is when an elderly man visits Taylor’s office unannounced. This one encounter uses a parable to help Coach Taylor to adopt a sound mind which one of Jesus’ disciples describes in today’s passage.

Jesus refers to Peter as the rock upon which God will build an earthly church, Matthew 16:18. Although Peter’s overconfidence is exposed during Passion Week by denying his relationship with Jesus, he is restored by Jesus in John 21:17-19. Just like the initial failures of Coach Taylor, Peter used this humiliating experience to adopt a sound mind based upon biblical beliefs.

Closing Song:

Since September has been adopted as National Suicide Prevention month, I wanted to engage our culture with developing a biblical worldview. While all human beings’ experience failure, heartbreak and setbacks, setting your hope in Jesus enables God fearing individuals to become grounded in faith. While suicidal thoughts may enter your mind via the father of all lies, John 8:44, taking your thoughts captive, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, is the foundation for adopting a sound mind.

by Jay Mankus