Thoughts and Character
Solomon’s proverb, "As a man thinks in his heart so is he," encompasses our whole being. It covers all conditions and circumstances in our life. ex A man is literally His character is the complete sum of all his thoughts.
A person’s thoughts are rooted in the heart. They can be good, noble, or evil. Out of those thoughts, he will speak. The heart produces the things that are spoken. Not only does the heart produce things spoken, but those thoughts can defile a person.
Jesus told us “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure, brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart…and those defile a man” (Luke 6:45, Matthew 15:18).
Every plant comes from a seed and could not exist without the seed. In the same way, every act of a man comes from the seeds of his thoughts. These wouldn’t have appeared without them. This law applies to "spontaneous" acts, as well as premeditated actions.
This is the law of sowing and reaping and applies equally to spontaneous and premeditated thoughts. Paul explained this law in Galatians 6:7-8. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his flesh, shall from his flesh, reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life”. We see the importance of Paul’s instructions to “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Action is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits. We reap the sweet or bitter harvest of our inner field.
Your thoughts will determine what type of harvest you’ll produce. You can produce a harvest of strife, jealousy, disputes, dissensions, factions, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21). You can also produce a harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. (Galatians 5:22-24).
Our inner thoughts have made us, what we are. If your inner thoughts are evil, pain will follow you as surely as the plough of an ox…behind you. If your inner thoughts are pure, joy will surely follow you as your shadow.
The law of cause and effect is just as absolute in the unseen realm of thought as it is in the seen, material world. A noble, Godlike character doesn’t appear by chance; it is the natural result of continued right thinking. It’s the result of dwelling on Godlike thoughts. By dwelling on lower thoughts, we are no better than beasts.
We are lifted up or taken down by ourselves. In your thoughts, you can destroy yourself, through the weapons of your thoughts. You can in your mind, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, build inner strength, joy and peace. By right thinking, man Through lower thinking, through his own flesh, man descends below the level of the beast. Through the cultivating of thoughts, in your own mind, you determine the course of your life.
Of all the encouraging thoughts you can dwell upon, this is the most powerful; you are the master of your own mind, the developer of your character and the driver of your destiny.
You possess the power of intelligence, and love. You hold the key to every situation and can make of it what you will.
Man is always the master, even when he is in a weakened state. In his weakness, he is the foolish master who mismanages his thoughts. When he begins to reflect upon this, and searches diligently for the foundation of his life, he then becomes a wise master. He directs his actions with intelligence and focuses on fruitful issues. He becomes a master, conscious of his thoughts. He does this only by discovering the laws of thought. This discovery can only come through analyzing his thoughts through the Spirit and applying them to his experience. .
Allow God to search your heart and will. The Lord searches all hearts and understands every intent of the heart (1 Chronicles 28:9).
Gold and diamonds are obtained by mining. Mine deep in your soul. Dig deep, as you’re the maker and molder of your life, character and destiny. If you will watch, control and adjust your thoughts, while seeing their effects upon you and others, you will gain a deep understanding of yourself. This understanding of yourself, is understanding, wisdom and power.
Be sure not to depend on your own understanding without God. Proverbs 3:5 gives a warning about this. If man depends on his own understanding, it will be imperfect and could lead him down an incorrect path. That path could lead to heartache, pain, and a life of regret.
Proverbs 3:13 says that understanding is more precious than rubies and yields better returns than gold. Solomon says in Proverbs 4:7, that understanding is so valuable, to obtain it, though it may cost you all that you have. You will gain your price back as understanding starts yielding its returns. Concerning wisdom, man is encouraged to seek wisdom.
The man who finds understanding will have found blessing (Proverbs 3:13), value (Proverbs 8:11), something of supreme worth (Proverbs 4:7) and will be a giver of joy (Proverbs 29:3).
The source of wisdom is God. Proverbs 2:6 says “For the Lord gives wisdom”. James even encourages man to ask God, if he lacks wisdom (James 1:5).
With understanding and wisdom, you will receive power. You’ll receive the power of love and the power of self-discipline.
Go in this direction and you’ll find that if you seek, you’ll find and if you knock, the door will be opened. Be persistent and you can enter the door of the Temple of Knowledge.
The door of the temple of knowledge is Jesus Himself. For its Christ who enlightens us (John 1:9). As we’re enlightened by Christ, we should grow in the knowledge of Him and through Him (2 Peter 3:18).
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