The Matter of our Mind – A. J. Higgins

The sub-title of the book is ‘Measuring our minds by scripture’, and that very adequately sums up the contents of this latest work by Sandy Higgins. It is not an academic treatise on psychology, though the author is well qualified to undertake such a task, but rather an examination of the way in which scripture can, and does, provide the answers to many of the problems which challenge the believer’ mind in our twenty-first century society.

Taking the reader back to the purposes of God in creation, we learn that the complex mind given to man sets him apart from the animal creation as being rational, reflective, relational and responsible. A mind which operates within the sphere of intelligence, emotion and will. Having established that the mind is the dynamic which determines our behaviour, our manner of life and our interaction with others, the author outlines the factors which influence our minds. He shows the pernicious impact that certain forces have – the media, music, and peer pressure, among others. It is clearly seen that, within a generation, matters once considered sinful have now been normalized in the secular world and are not just tolerated but accepted and expected. Truth has become a subjective matter, with mankind accepting the devil’ word that ‘you will be as gods’, determining their own standards of ‘good and evil’.

The author also suggests, and verifies, that the descent of morality within society has not been a steady drift, but rather a determined torrent, all of which impacts upon the mind of the believer when actions and decisions must be taken. He points out that whereas we cannot necessarily control the thoughts which challenge our minds, we can, however, determine how we deal with them.

Scripture references abound throughout the book, dealing with marriage and family life, financial pressures, and depression and stress in our modern world. I recommend this book to everyone as it