MORE THOUGHTS ON THOUGHTS
by Dr. Glenn Mathews
In previous articles, I presented two thoughts on thoughts. Here are some additional ones…
Our thoughts affect all of our lives… The Bible says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). James 1:5-8 teaches us to ask for wisdom, but to ask in faith, without wavering. The asker who wavers will not receive anything from the Lord, for a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Would it not be easier to accept if James had said “some” or even “most”, instead of all?
An old cliché declares “You may not be what you think you are, but what you think, you are.” It is in the heart (thoughts) that desires arise. Actions, of course, are the acting out of the desires. The process of moving from thought to desire to action will be discussed in a later article. At this point it is sufficient to say, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Every thought is known to God… “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (I John 3:20). “No thought can be withheld from Thee” Job 42:2) “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men” (Psalm 94:11). “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).
These, and many other similar verses show the fallacy of thinking that anything is unknown to God. In my opinion, thinking that we can have a “secret” thought is the epitome of presumptuousness. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
Thoughts are discerned by the Word of God… Hebrews 4:12 states that “the word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” It is quite easy for us to justify our thoughts with such statements as, “I am only human”, or “Every man has his own private thoughts”, or “You can’t condemn a man for thinking”, or “Nobody is the judge of another man’s thoughts”. The Word of God, however, is the discerner of (i.e. – judging, determining, discriminating) the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Every thought will be brought to light at the Judgment… “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). To realize that we shall give an account of every idle word (Matthew 12:36) is a most solemn thought! Selah.
(To be continued…)