New, wonderful thoughts

They say we have around 50,000 thoughts per day. To me that sounds like a lot of brain cells working hard. So what are we thinking about? What’s on our mind?

Most of our thoughts are repeated every day and become part of our daily routine. These thoughts are determined by our beliefs. For example if you believe that you are loved by God you won’t act like you are always trying to deserve His Love. Our thoughts lead us to actions and consequences. What I am trying to get to is that our thoughts matter and make a big difference in our life.

God has a lot to say about our thoughts. Before the flood in the days of Noah, it is written, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) and it is also written in the book of Romans 8:5-6 (Contemporary English Version), “People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace.” Psalms 26:2 says, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.” and there is Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

Our thoughts are private and no one knows them except us. My hope today is that you would take some time to examine what and how you are thinking. Evil is defined as the absence of God, are your thoughts God thoughts or are they filled with the absence of God? Are your thoughts based on the truths of God or on your own experience and what you have been told all your life?

The Bible says we have the mind of Christ. So our thoughts should be in alignment with His. How do we do this? Romans 12:2 says: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The first step is to reject our old patterns of thinking then step two is to replace the old with a new thought pattern and continue receiving on a daily basis new thoughts!

God invites us to seek Him with all our minds. When seeking God it’s important to keep an open mind, your thought processes and thoughts are about to be blown! He has many new and wonderful thoughts He wants to share with us.

Watch what you feed your mind be careful with what you allow in.

Fight off evil thoughts or thoughts that take your peace from you. again the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

Discipline your mind to align with God’s word. I end this article now with Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Pastor Wesley Ribeiro is pastor at Sandpoint Christian Center.