The Pastor’s Pen

Biblical instructions aimed at directing our thoughts are NOT intended to be demanding laws. Rather, they are practical, God oriented principles for Christian living. These principles enable Holy Spirit energised blessings. And it is these blessings that enrich our entire state of wellbeing; spiritually, mentally, and physically, enabling us to live with greater joy and security in Christ.


It’s understandable that during prolonged and painful struggles a believer can experience fatigue. David, at times overwhelmed, confessed that evils have encompassed me beyond number (Psalm 40:12). Believers are not removed from the ugly realities of life, but they are provided with spiritual resources to sustain them during those times.

Jeremiah 17:7 offers an incredible heart resource, blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. In fact, both Jeremiah and David recognised that to trust in the Lord during nightmare periods is to invite the Lord to be the actual trust mechanism within (Psalm 40:4). Here, faith reaches out to our gracious Lord to supply what we desperately lack – TRUST. Then, faith steps forward believing that you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! (Psalm 40:11). This inner faith-trust should have the volume turned up full to become a prevailing voice within our thoughts.

Philippians chapter 4 is rich with thought refining directions for enabling healthier mind activity. The crescendo arrives in verse 8; whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8). Even during the most difficult times, the believer who is trusting God to be their inner spiritual resource, chooses to think upon beneficial and God honouring things.

Faith is realistic, as it acknowledges the pains of life while dedicating periods of time to focus on the true things of God. Refusing to be silenced, faith schedules times of honourable thought which look outside of self to fix its attention on the pure and lovely things of Christ. Even when darkness seems to be all encompassing, by faith the believer will invite another believer to speak and pray into their thoughts the excellent and praiseworthy things of the Lord. Introducing righteous thoughts into your flow of thoughts can be done in many ways and at any time. We can include worship songs, Bible reading, listening to Bible teaching, watching the beauties of nature, enjoying good friendship, and prayer. Changing routines with spontaneous variations to the input of Christlike thoughts can be helpful and refreshing.

Regardless of circumstances, faith refuses to surrender to the dominant voices of fear and destruction. By inviting help from the Lord and from fellow believers, faith speaks over top of persistent pain or bewilderment. Faith creates choices when negative voices say there are none. Faith counts blessing when others say there are none. Faith reaches out for assistance when darkness says you are alone. Faith actively exchanges isolation for fellowship, silence for praise, and complaining for gratitude.

Believers dependently look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Regular attention given to the Lord Jesus can interrupt the flow of destructive thoughts. By faith a believer is able to transform dark thoughts into thoughts of light, of love, and of certain hope. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

To be continued…

God’s Word tells us that we are not waging war according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3). Our spiritual struggles are against the dark forces of this world which seek to steer our minds against God’s truth (Eph 6:12). In spite of what we may feel during life’s battles, believers are able to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). But here’s the crunch. Thoughts made captive to Christ still require converting into right attitudes, right desires, right choices, and right actions. Biblically aligned thoughts still require volition, which is our God given choice maker. To be victorious, volition must prioritise God over random or irrational thoughts.

In the whirlwind of thoughts, we can choose which voices of thought we listen to and which we reject. We can even choose to introduce new voices into the flow of our thoughts. Similarly, we can adjust the volume of voices speaking into our thoughts. Taking our thoughts captive to obey Christ is a personal discipline of healthy Christian living which requires much patience, much determination, and openness with other believers on the same quest for Christ honouring thoughts.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4, Paul explains more of our spiritual resources, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. Thought management is an effective weapon of our warfare against the relentless thoughts which create turmoil in our lives. The greatest weapon believers possess is the applied sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). Introducing God’s Word into the flow of harmful thoughts can destroy arguments in our minds which stand against God.

Submissive Christian thoughts governed by God’s Word have divine power to destroy strongholds which work destruction in our minds. Evil voices do not have to be the victorious voices. Holy Spirit controlled thoughts make Holy Spirit controlled choices, and they are the BEST choices. When we turn the volume of God’s Word up, reading in agreement with God, inviting God to educate our values and conscience with it, good changes happen. When we do this with thanks, with obedience, and by sharing biblically inspired thoughts with others, victory begins to grow a fresh pattern of life.

When Peter rebuked Jesus for speaking of His upcoming crucifixion, Jesus’ response enabled Peter to evaluate his well-meant, yet wrong thoughts and words. Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23). Poor Peter, he only had the best of intentions for Jesus! But Jesus knew what Peter did not know about himself. Satan had seized an opportunity through Peter’s well-intentioned words to attempt to persuade Jesus away from the Cross (Lk 4:13). Peter certainly was NOT demon possessed, but Peter had allowed Satan to somehow influence his thinking enough that he would object to Jesus fulfilling His purpose of going to the Cross (Mat 26:39; Php 2:8).

Understandably, devoted Peter did not want Jesus to suffer the horrors of crucifixion, and Satan played on Peter’s compassion. Plus, Satan certainly did not want Jesus to be the substitutional sacrifice on the Cross that would appease the wrath of the Father for sinners who would believe in Jesus (Rom 3:24-26; 1Jn 4:10). I’m sure that it was to Peter’s horror, when he discovered just how easy it was to have his best intentions for Christ influenced wrongly by the enemy of Christ.

To be continued…

All available sources of information generally go to construct our thoughts. The things we experience through our senses, our imaginations, our dreams, and our memories, all contribute in forming an information reservoir for thoughts. To a large degree, we have control over the information we permit to enter our intellectual collection centre. From this reservoir, we deliberately initiate thoughts. Similarly, from the same resource centre, other thoughts are spontaneously triggered by our subconscious minds. Either way, both the collection of data and how those thoughts develop once they enter our cognitive minds is our responsibility for the most part.

The power of thought enables us to evaluate and understand all sorts of things, to construct creative plans, and to distinguish between, good, best, bad, and worst, plus make decisions. Many of us simply allow thoughts to run without restraint and without boundaries. This, in part, determines the effort required to bring our thoughts under God honouring control as Christians.

We have been given the word of God (which) is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible is God’s primary tool used by His Spirit to educate us according to His righteousness. No other resource is able to achieve the depth of inner examination and correction as God’s Word. While this world happily rockets along concerned with the surface pleasures of life, they neglect the deep and eternal issues which are of greatest importance.

So, when we read God’s Word, realise that His intention is for your thoughts and intentions of the heart to be exposed to you and for you to submit your thoughts and intentions of the heart to His Lordship. Few thoughts are ever neutral, and this is never truer than when you read God’s Word. While thoughts are NOT self-authoritative, they do need to be consciously brought by us into alignment with the truths of God.

People who are consumed with self and live an active self-centred thought life do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, (Micah 4:12) but they need to. Every believer needs to accept their responsibility to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

While many think of their thought life as a secret haven for independence and sinful pleasure, they wrongly assume that their thoughts are hidden from all others, including God – WRONG! In Matthew 9:4, Jesus confronted some self-righteous scribes who disapproved of Him forgiving a man of his sin and then healing him of being a paralytic. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? Attractive appearances and self-righteous words cannot hide or rectify the evil thoughts which may exist within our hearts. God knows them and they are self-condemning even though we may hide them from others.

Today, I invite you to consciously invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your thought life to begin any needed reconstruction work. Invite Him to open to you your true inner heart intentions towards God. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). These are early steps towards a God directed thought life.

To be continued…

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord (Isaiah 55:8). Left to ourselves, our thoughts will always take us in a totally different direction to where God wants to take us. Of our own initiative, the most we are capable of is a general and fleeting curiosity of God without any actioned faith in Him.

When God thinks, He not only knows His own mind, but instinctively the Lord knows the thoughts of man also (Psalm 94:11). The fact is, humanity struggles to understand their own thoughts, and without divine intervention through God’s Spirit and God’s Word, we know nothing of what God thinks. Thankfully, God is NOT like mankind. O LORD, you have searched me and known me! ² You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. ³ You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether (Psalm 139:1-4).

God presently knows every single human, including you and I – TOTALLY. No one is exempt from being fully known by the Almighty. Our deepest feelings, our motives, our intensions, our fears, our dreams, our sadness, and our joys, they are all known and understood in microscopic detail. The point of this realisation is threefold:

1. God’s absolute knowledge of everything you think, say, and do, is an inescapable reality. Despite His thorough knowledge of you, He loves you the most.
2. Denying God of His rightful authority over your life does not exclude you from His knowledge of you or from your responsibility to live a life of worship of Him.
3. Irrespective of your circumstances in life, God knows, God cares, and God wants His Son Jesus Christ to be received into your life as saving Lord.

Intellectual awareness of God does us no good without a personal relationship with Him. Sympathy towards God cannot save us from ourselves or from the consequences of our sin. Christian upbringing, church attendance, benevolent acts of kindness with good intentions cannot save us from the consequences of  independent thinking towards God.

King David had the right attitude; How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:17). Authentic faith in God prioritises His thoughts as authoritative in our lives. Proverbs 3:5-7 explains how this works within us; Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. God’s values are to become our values.

Moving our thoughts towards God begins with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A clear belief that Jesus died as your substitute on the Cross carrying your sin. A deep conviction that spiritually speaking, you died to your sin just as Christ died under the wrath of God for your sin, this is the beginning. As there is only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5), it starts with a personal faith relationship with Christ.

Once a relationship with God is established through faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible is then able to speak authoritatively into our inner thoughts to begin reconstruction. This takes time, patience, and a long-term commitment to personal change for greater Christlikeness.

To be continued…

The combination of brain and mind are an astounding duo. They are inseparable, interdependent, and operate both consciously and unconsciously. The spiritual heart is the engine that powers up all that we are and do. The heart provides the fuel for our minds to operate on, both healthy and unhealthy fuels. God acknowledges the significance of the heart; above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).


While many thoughts are determined by us, there are those that simply appear. We don’t always understand our thoughts, some of them just arrive uninvited. To a large degree, it is the heart that supplies the values and beliefs which stimulate our thoughts. Likewise, the heart educates the conscience with values from which it speaks into our minds and thoughts.

Thoughts never leave us stationary or stagnant, but always take us somewhere. They always direct, lead, or invite us down a path of further thoughts. They often leave lingering feelings, they stir up emotions, and ultimately end up materializing somewhere in our attitudes and behaviour. Thoughts unavoidably grow towards a destination within our minds which we can either accept or reject. Just because we have thoughts does not mean they are right or wrong or have authority over us. We all have the capacity to govern and direct our thoughts.

The inner person is multi-layered and complex. Thankfully, God’s Word has much to say about our hearts, our minds, and our thoughts. Scripture provides us with the required truth to understand and educate our inner person so that the Lord’s righteousness can filter through our whole person.

Jesus explained that, of our natural selves, when we are separated from God; out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander (Matthew 15:19). Left to ourselves, the natural human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). When we listen to the instinctive voices rising from our hearts, we are often perplexed, and fail to understand why we are the way we are. But God brings the required clarity; humanity has a self-deceiving spiritual heart sickness called ‘sin.’ It is sin which produces evil thoughts. Left to itself, the heart spits out many thoughts which exclude God, which self-harm, and are destructive of others who suffer from the same sickness.

Therefore, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:3, I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Jesus Christ is the only cure for the heart disease called sin. A spiritually pure thought life begins with sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

God promised Israel in Ezekiel 36:26-27, I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you… I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Likewise, all humanity is dependent upon the Lord doing this supernatural work within them. A cleansed and forgiven heart is one that fuels a cleansed mind which produces cleansed thoughts.

For believers, God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). We consciously put Christ first in our hearts by reading and believing the Word of God, by believing in Christ’s substitutional death on the cross, by worship and fellowship with other believers, and with private and group prayer. These simple faith disciplines are the beginning of an ordered thought life, which is pleasing to God.

To be continued…