when we're reading the Bible and reading what God has said to us, we know it is his basic instructions before leaving earth, but if he says we can do it, guess what? - We can do it. - We can do it. - Welcome to Mind Matters with Dr. J. A. Jones. Dr. Jones is the head pastor of the Faith Community Church of God in Orange Park, Florida. Relationships, finances, our spiritual life, whatever it is, our problems start within, in our minds. Dr. Jones explores mental wellness through the application of God's word in our lives. It's just what the doctor ordered. Let's join him now and dig into Mind Matters because your mind matters to God. - Welcome to Mind Matters. I'm Dr. Jones. I'm so glad you're with me today. You know, this is the day that the Lord has made. And I hope you can rejoice and be glad in it. I'm praying for you, I don't know you personally, but I'm so glad you tuned in to Mind Matters with myself, Dr. Jones. I have a special guest with me today, Cindy. She is amazing person and I love her dealer dearly. She has made a big difference in my life. And I want her to share with you some things that are on her heart before we get into part two of are you a thermometer or a thermostat? - Okay, I guess I am a thermostat. I have been a thermometer. - Okay. - And I have to pay close attention to whether I'm being a thermometer or a thermostat. - I like that. - You know, and just like those very kind words you have shared about me. - Yes. - It's so nice to hear. And, but I just be myself. - Right. - Personally, again, it's all right to be encouraged to somebody to say good things about you. This is my belief, Cindy, that if I don't know that about myself first. - Right. - I may not receive it from other people, even though people love me. - Yeah. - I think life is something we should know personally, internally. And today we're talking about internalizing God's word as relates to who we are in the season we're in in life, whether we are a thermostat or a thermometer. - Right. - I think we're gonna be either or. Sometimes people can pulsate between the two. - Yes. - Depends on how they feel. Depends on what's going on. - Yes. - Depends on their relationship with God. - Yes. - Because to me. - And the person. - And the person. - Yeah, who they're interacting with. - You know, I was reading, I guess it was a letter from my son-in-law. - Okay. - From last year that he sent to me for Mother's Day. - Yes. - And he gave some very kind words. - Okay. - And how I have loved him or he's felt the love since he entered into the family and stuff. - Right. - And you know, just like what you said, it's like I've just been being myself. - Right. - And for him to say that. - Right. - You know, it's kind of make you wonder, well, you know, I don't know if he's experienced something different somewhere else, but this is just who we are. We be ourselves. And it's like, I didn't do anything special. - Right. - You know, but it's good that he feels the love and I appreciate that. But you know, like you said, thermometer or thermostat? - Yeah, thermometer gauges the environment around it. - Yes. - It doesn't change anything. - Right. - A thermostat sets the temperature, right? You know, no matter if it's hot outside or people are haters or throwing shade, you're still gonna be cool because you set the temperature at, let's say, 74 degrees. But it could be 85 outside. So your, our life should be lived as a thermometer. I'm sorry, a thermostat, right? A thermostat, a thermometer, no engage. You know, it's like somebody taking your temperature of the thermometer. - And in our house, our thermostat is set on love. You know, we consider the interests of others more highly than our own. - That's a good point, Senator. And I think that's why our son-in-law mentioned that because a lot of times it's not just him, but other people don't experience love. They experience shade, they experience hate. They experience division, chaos. They always deal with family, what? Drama, right? - Yeah, yeah. - You know, I call it if it's a, 'cause this is one of my areas of expertise, childhood trauma turns into adulthood drama. And a lot of times when people have been traumatized, they traumatize other people. - Yeah, absolutely. - Previously too, that, you know, a lot of times with from our childhood, we've been taught to serve, well, at least in our family. - Right, your family. - We grew up, we was taught to serve other people. - Right. - Like I said, the script you said, consider the interests of others more highly than your own. And so, growing up in being a PK, you know-- - What's a PK? I hear about it now. - The pastor's kid or a child. - It's kid, PK. If you're gonna say PK is kid, okay, let's move forward. - Anyway, we was taught to serve other people. - PC, let's go with PC. - Oh, I know. - All right, let's keep rolling, keep rolling. - And so, we had many people come through our house. - Yes, y'all did. - Yes, even though we had a large family. - Yes, y'all did. - It was nine of us. - And it's still nine of y'all. What a blessing. - Yeah, it is a blessing. Our parents has passed on now. - Right. - They taught us. From all these people coming in our house and some of them knew to show up around dinner time. And so, even though we have nine, well, being nine siblings and mom and dad back in those times, they would get a cow or get a pig or whatever, they would take to the slaughter. And that's how we got our meat. - Right, 'cause you're from the country. - Yes, I'm from the country. - Yes, you go. - Country. - And when they would do that, they had more than enough meat to build the freezer. So, we would share that with our cousins. - Yes. - And whoever else, people that would show up. - Right. - To our house. And so, there was always enough food for everybody. - Yeah. - Because they didn't just think about our family. - Right. - They thought about everybody and they always shared and gave. - But again, you grew up that way. Some people have not grown up that way. - True. - That's why what we do now with people we know or don't know, we show love, we show kindness. - Yes. - Because that's where our thermostat is. - But then, on the other hand, some people grew up that way and they resent that lifestyle. - Okay. - They don't wanna share with nobody else because they grew up sharing. - Okay, true. They become selfish. - And so on the person. - Or stingy. - Yes. - But no, God's way is to treat others how you wanna be treated. - Right. - God's way is if He blessed us, we should be a blessing to others. We should share from our worldly goods, we should share spiritual knowledge, we should share with our time because we are a thermostat, not a thermometer. - Right. - Okay, we don't just gauge the environment around us, we impact the environment. We make a difference. And we do not allow hate to come in our house. We do not allow division. It may try, it may not get the door. We don't allow the values or there's no values, but the ways of the world that come into the house, right? We got values that we live by. And I believe when you have values, you live by them, you become or becoming a thermostat, not a thermometer. And last week, we talked about those three Hebrew boys. - Yes. - We didn't finish it. - Yes. - So understanding the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat is key in life. And this was in the Old Testament. - Right. - Not even in the New Testament. Well, now we have the Holy Spirit person. You know, we have received Jesus and we have more of God's word, but these three boys told a king. - Mm-hmm. - We ain't gonna bow down to you. - Mm-hmm. - Because they had values. - They had convictions. - Standards. - They had a thermostat set on God. - Yes. - On God's point of view, not Jehovah. Jehovah, what? Jehovah? - Mm-hmm. Jehovah was God's wonder, you know, the name of God back in the day, they say Jehovah Jaira, Jehovah Tiscan do, Jehovah Shama, you know. - Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Nissi. - Yeah. - All of those good things, absolutely. But the boy in here has so important. - Jehovah Nissi, yeah. - Yes, go ahead. - He fought for them. - Yes. - For them. - Who fought for them? - Jig God. - What do you mean? Fall for who? - Fall for the Hebrew boys. He was in the fire with them. - Yes. - And he would smell like smoke. - Absolutely, absolutely. But I love this passage because I want our audience to know, you don't have to compromise with the world. You don't have to compromise. It's the government telling you to live a certain way, and it goes against what the Bible has told you, what you have learned, what you have experienced. Stay a thermostat and set where God wants you to be set. Set your point where own God's word. - Yes. - Live from God's point of view. And that's why Colossians says chapter number three, I think it's verse two and three. Chapter three, I love this passage as well. It says, "Set your mind on things above." - Yes. - "Not on things on the earth." You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And somebody say amen to that. - Amen. - A temperature should be set from a heavenly point that we can live from heaven to earth instead of earth to heaven. Because that's part of the lowest prayer. Our Father, which are in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, the final prayer, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. So as we're talking about today, I'm glad you tuned in to My Matters. Thank you for being with us today. We're talking about, are you a thermometer, or are you a thermostat in life? - Yes. - Relationally. In every aspect, even with your money, are you a thermometer, are you a thermostat? In your health, are you a thermometer, are you a thermostat? In your mind, are you a thermometer, are you a thermostat? In your relationships for sure, whether you're married, whether you have friends that are BFF, BFF, and BFF, whatever that means, whatever you are and wherever you are in your space and life, we want to encourage you. Listen, you can be a thermostat and not a thermometer. - Right. - Very important. - Yes, I like what Joshua said. You know, he said, "Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve." And that's what Shadd, Rachni, Shadd, and Abet, and the gold did. They chose, and they let the king know, we serve God, you know, the true God. - Yes. - And we are not gonna bow down to your golden image. We're not gonna serve your gods. - Yes. - And so, we have to take that same stand today. Choose ye this day, whom you will serve. - Right, right. - What kind of standards do you have? - Absolutely. - Think for ourselves. - Yes. - We have to think for ourselves. Don't let AI determine what your words should be, or what you should say. - Okay. - Okay. Think for yourself. Convey. - Okay. - Use your mind. You know, you're on a job, and yes, your job has rules, regulations, and so forth, but make a difference. I believe you was dealing with someone who said, yes, customer service has gone down, but I am going, I am determined to make a difference in this, and let people know customer service has not really, it depends on the person you're dealing with. - Absolutely. - You can make a difference. You know, and so she took the light in her job. - She did. - And she handled, she did what she was supposed to do. - Right. - Served the customer. - Wow, wow. - You was the customer. - Absolutely. - And so, and we have to do that these days, we have to decide, do we have standards, or are we just going with the flow? They ain't doing it, so I'm not going to do it either. - Absolutely. - You know, why should I go out of my way? - Mm. - Yes. It's so true. - Let's make a difference. - Say it again. - Let's make a difference. - Can we make a difference? - Yes, we can. - You sure? - Yes, we can. - We have the ability to make a difference. - Yes. - I do believe when we're reading the Bible, when we're reading what God has said to us, we know it is his basic instructions before leaving Earth. But if he says we can do it, guess what? - We can do it. - We can do it. We have the ability to do it. Sometimes we don't think we can, based on past, based on intimidation, timidity, anxiety, worry, fear, whatever is trying to bombard our mind, we must know that we can do it. - Yes, we can. - You can march forward, we can overcome. - Dr. Jones is the pastor of Faith Community Church of God in Orange Park. Reaching a hurting world with the love of Jesus. We thank you for listening to Mind Matters, and we encourage you to show support for the many community outreach ministries that Dr. Jones and Faith Community Church tend to. You can give at Faith Communities website, faithccop.org, or just text money sign and the amount you want to give to 833-435-8022. That's 833-435-8022. We are blessed to be a blessing. Now let's get back to the program. - Well, you know, it's so important for our audience to understand where we are and where we're going, as it relates to a thermostat and a thermometer. I know people have, obviously, thermostats in their homes, people gauge their temperature by thermometer, they put it in their mouth, or it can, yeah, it can gauge what's really going on, on the outside. So as we move forward, say that again. - Oh, I say in the inside, the one you stick in your mouth. - Okay, okay. - Yeah, it tells the temperature of your body. - Right, right, it does. You are correct, again. Okay, you are correct, wife, again. - Yeah, this is being recorded. - Yeah, it is being recorded. I'm glad to know that. So we love the scripture that we just spoke about, about setting our mind on things above and not on things on the earth. If we don't know what God has for us, relationally, we won't reach our full potential, because there's a gap between our life, between birth, and when we die. And that gap is potential. And what is our potential in between that, to me, based on the show, based on what we're sharing today, as it relates to our mind, as it relates to being a thermostat or a thermometer. Some people, as you stated, grow up in life like a thermometer. They're just gauging what's going on, they're living how they want to live, and they don't know it's not the best life. They don't know that there's a better way, and they can make a choice, right? You talked about that a while ago, making a choice is key. Because a choice means you have options. You have other things to choose. But when you choose the right person, if you're going down the right path, you are becoming a thermostat. - Yes. - You're becoming set, not set in your ways from a negative standpoint, but you set in your ways as it relates to God's way. - Mm-hmm. - 'Cause Jesus said, he's the way, the truth, and the life. - Right. - No man can get to the Father, except through him. But also, Proverbs, chapter 14, verse 12 says, "There's a way that seems right to a man, "but the end of those ways are death." - Yes. - So we don't wanna do what seems right. A thermometer may seems right, right? Because if somebody is mad, I'm gonna be mad. Like you talked about that show. - Yeah. - They just start yelling at each other. But guess what? When people see that attitude, they may catch it. Because some things in life are cult, and some things in life are taught. - Yes. - A lot of times, things are cult on the moment, based on the emotion, and that's not God's way, and how we should live as it relates to maturing in life. - Right. - 'Cause God wants us to mature as a dog, mature as his creation, mature so we can reach our full potential. Now, I wanna reach my full potential as a man. - Yes. - As a husband. - That's your choice. - Yes, as a father. - Yes. - As a leader, as a pastor, a bishop, as an entrepreneur, as a person making a difference in my community, in my space. I really want to reach my potential so I can help others reach theirs. That's my life mission, actually. And that's very important to me. - Yes, so you choose to make a difference. - Okay. - You don't choose to do what is going on around you. - Right. - As, you know, you've probably heard the saying, just because you're in the hood, they don't mean you gotta act like the hood, or you can take a person, or you can take the person out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the person. - That's right, you're from the country. Okay. - Oh, God. - Now, that's a different country. We're talking about the country, where the woods at. But nevertheless, and that's true, but you remember the children of Israel. - Yes. - Right, Joshua said, "Choose ye this day, whom you gonna serve." - Absolutely, because they were taken out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in them. - Yeah, it was still in them. They still had the mindset of Egypt, and they still want to go back to doing things the whole way. - Yes. - They was being a thermostat, but I mean, a thermometer. - Right. - But they had to choose to be a thermostat. - Right. - You can choose to do the right thing. You can choose to change your destiny. - Yes. - Choose to change your destination. - Absolutely. - How you do things. They don't have to be done the same way that Mama did it, or Grandma Mama did it, or whatever, just because they did it a certain way. If you know a better way, they do that. - Absolutely. - Absolutely. - And sanity is doing the same thing, expecting different results. - One more time. Say that again. - Insanity. - Insanity. - Yes, is doing the same thing expecting different results. - Okay. - It does not work. - Well, people think it works because that's why they're doing it the same way. They think doing the same thing the same way, they're gonna get different results. But again, what they don't know, they just don't know. They need to know it because the Bible said we destroyed because of the lack of knowledge. - Right. - So, if you're just reflecting or being a thermos, the Mama terror, - The Mama, right, right. - Reflecting your behavior is reflecting the situation that you're in, - Right. - Instead of being a thermostat and setting, deciding to change the situation that you're in or behave in a different way. - Right. - You know, as working the word in our lives versus just letting our situations determine our behavior. - Right, absolutely, absolutely. Because again, we're talking about helping people to navigate relationships and unlock their potential. We all have relationships. Like I said, it could be at home with your spouse. It could be with your children. It could be with your parents. It could be with church family. It could be with your biological family. It could be with coworkers or supervisor. It could be whatever it is with your friends and the neighbors, whatever relationship you have, I encourage you, don't be a thermometer, be a thermostat, have values, - Yes. - Have goals, have intentions. Set your pace, set your intentions, set your mind on the right things. And guess what? Others may follow you instead of you following them. I believe when you are a thermostat and not a thermometer, people will follow you. - Yes. - You won't follow them. - You're a trailblazer. - Right. You can be a leader instead of following others. Others will follow you. And that's another problem people don't think for themselves. So they find themselves following in line. - Conforming into the world. - Right, conforming to the world by falling in line with other people. The government tried to do that to us. The state would do that to us. The world would do that too. - Social media would do that too. - Social media would do that too, right? Why social media? - Yes, 'cause we want to be popular, we want to be seen. - We want to be popular. - Yes. - And so we figure we need to do the things that we see somebody else do in order to be like, then we get into the comparison. - Comparison. - Oh my goodness. - Yeah, that's a conformity. - But yeah, that's what not? - That's the conformity. - Absolutely. - Be the thermometer. - Absolutely. And that's what a thermometer is. And I really, as you're tuning into this radio show today, my matters with myself and Cindy, I really want you to get to the point to understand the big difference. I know we have said it a lot of thermometer versus the thermostat, but it's so important for us to understand we should not be conformed to the patterns of this world. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It's an ongoing process. It's a journey. We gave the example of Shatrach, Meshach, and Abenigo in the book of Daniel. They did not conform. They was not a thermometer. They were a true thermostat because they were serving the true God. And they even, listen, they even recognized authority. He said, they said, "King." They called him King, O King, right? Nebuchadnezzar. I mean, so just because you are a thermostat and not a thermometer, that doesn't mean you disrespect people. - Right. - You disrespect their position as an authority figure in your life. - Right. - You gotta know you have morals and convictions, just like you were sharing about that customer service person I was dealing with with my car. I'm trying to get a new car because my old car was totaled and an accident. And I'm so grateful to be here. I'm so grateful to be able to speak over the airwaves and speak on radio and to speak on different platforms. But this lady that was working with this particular insurance company, I was about to leave the company, to be honest. Once I get all this done, I may stay with this company because she was telling me she was so efficient, Cindy. And she said she was trying to bring back a good reputation for customer service because customer service have gone down in most industries. - It only takes one. - And she said, I'm trying to make a difference. I almost like, I got chills talking to her. She was very efficient. She said, how can I help you? Let's do it now. Let's call the other company, let's do a three way. Nobody has never incorporated in a big company like this insurance company say we can get on a three way to get your problem resolved with this other individual because they gave us the wrong information. And I told her, they gave you the wrong information. I called them this morning and said, no, you can release my car. And then she called and they said, no, you can't release the car. I said, oh my goodness. So she said, let's get on the phone and talk to the people. Nobody has never done that. She said, actually at first she said she was gonna do it tomorrow. And I actually said, why not do it now? She said, you're right, let's do it. But she made a decision. Yes, to make a difference. To make a difference because that's her mission at her workplace. She wants to return the customer service to a better place rather than diminishing. She wants to make it better than it was before. And she even said, she almost got emotional on the phone. I said, I think her name was Jennifer. I said, you sound like you love your job. She said, I do. It sounds like you're passionate about your job. We need more people like that. Dude, I am. She said, I am. I said, wow, you are so refreshing. She said, thank you, thank you. She almost was crying because that is her mission. But I can hear it in her voice, but I see it in her actions. So that's what we're talking about. She's a thermostat, not a thermometer. She wants to change her space. Yes. With one customer at a time. Yes. And she even said it, it is eroding and it's getting worse. So I think that should be all of our attitudes as Christians, as people reaching our full potential as God's creation. We should be living life with excellence, not mediocrity. We should do what we say we're going to do when we say we're going to do it. And if we cannot do it, text or make a phone call or say something. And don't fall into that trap of conformity of saying, well, ain't nobody else doing it. Why should I? Everybody else is doing bad. So I might as well do bad. Everybody else is doing mediocre work. I might as well do mediocre work. Nobody else cares. Why should I care? That's wrong, right? Right, absolutely. So that's a thermometer, right? When somebody says that. Because they're measuring the environment. Exactly. They're not impacting the environment. Right, right. Absolutely. They're reflecting the environment. They're reflecting it, but then they live that reflection. Yes. And their own heart. Right. I'm getting too excited. I got to calm down. I got to calm down. Because I do believe we were put here as God's creation to make a difference. I do believe we can. Yeah. And a lot of times people are just like, don't work too hard because you're going to make me look bad. Oh my God. Yes. I've been told that. You've been told that. I have heard that. I said, really? They said, slow down. No, that's what you mean slow down. I mean, I don't take an hour and a half lunch break like you. I take 45 minutes or an hour or 30 minutes, whatever the company is giving. Wow. You're right, Cindy. Any last words before we close the show today? Let's be a thermostat. Let's make a difference. Let's make a difference. And not a thermometer. Correct. I believe, thank you audience for tuning in with Mind Matters with myself and Cindy, my life partner for 46 years, and I'm so thankful that you are here with us today. I hope you got some value out of this show today and that you can pass on the information that you have heard and then you can live it out yourself. The best example to me is to be an example. The best way to live is to do life God's way, because you are a thermostat, not a thermometer. Know it for sure. Thanks for tuning into another episode of Mind Matters with Dr. J. A. Jones. Be sure to tune in next Sunday at 5 p.m. right here on Praise 107.9. For more insightful discussion about how God's word can get our minds right. You can also hear Dr. Jones preach in person Sundays at 11 a.m. at Faith Community Church of God at 1268 Gainell Avenue in Orange Park, Florida 32073. Thanks again for listening. Stay mindful and keep striving for improvement, because your mind matters to God. Bye! [Music]
