Mind Your Life

It’s amazing to me that some of the smartest people on planet Earth aren’t very wise. Take this quote from the talented artist and songwriter Terry Riley, for example: “The incredible thing about the human mind is that it didn’t come with an instruction book.”

We’ve all heard the tired young couple with a newborn say, “Wish they came with an instruction manual!” Well, they do. The oldest, most distributed book in the world, the Bible, is a God-given “how to” of how we are to live, think and what we are to think about. How do I know this?

The word “mind” appears 187 times in the Bible. The word “soul” -thinking, will, emotions- appears 536 times, while “think” appears in 82 Scriptures, and “imagine” is written 46 times. “Consider” and “suppose” appear another 76 times. The grand total? 816 instructions to shape our thought lives. Why? For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he… – Proverbs 23:7

It’s true! We become what we think about! That’s why God is greatly concerned with our thought life. In specific, He instructs us with this truth:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned for received or heard from me or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9 NIV

Do you want the God of peace to be with you? Then think about good, pure, and excellent things because HE IS good, pure and excellent! Now there is some great advice or instruction from the Word of God.