Being Careful What You Think

Proverbs (4:23)

Above all else guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

"For many years I lived according to my feelings. It was like riding a roller coaster; one day laughing and feeling good, the next crying, and feeling sorry for myself.
I was being tormented and controlled. I needed emotional maturity, but needed God's help to attain it. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing your fickle feelings more than what God says in His Word. And it will take a constant act on your behalf, your will to choose to do things His way instead of your own. But when you do, you'll discover that life is more enjoyable when you're living according to God's plan.

Just as you don't let everybody who knocks at your door come in and make themselves at home, don't let every emotion that surfaces dictate the direction of your day of decide your responses. Remember your thoughts run your life', so capture every thought and make it obey Christ". If your thoughts don't line up with God's Word-don't think it. Paul says, "We walk by faith not by sight, because you won't always feel God's presence. 

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart' 1 Samuel (16:9). It's like a mirror; it shows you the condition of your heart at any given moment. So, how's your heart today? What kind of thoughts are you entertaining? Are you constantly comparing and resenting? Do you get easily upset? When you hear gossip do you silence it or spread it? Jesus said, 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God' Matthew (5:8). In other words, when you start to see things God's way you'll act accordingly. If the water in the well is polluted it will make you sick. Indeed, if you drink enough, it can kill you.
 What's the point? Simply this: It's not enough to try to change your bad thoughts; you've got to go to the heart of your problem-which is the problem of your heart! The Psalmist realised this so he prayed, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me' Psalms (51:10). If you want God to prosper you, get your heart right.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." The depth and breadth of His mind is so great we will never be able to fully grasp it in this lifetime. Isaiah (55:9).

Reverend William Bowers