Think
Think
That’s a thoughtful idea, isn’t it?!
Lots of people have talked about thinking. Some have posited, “I think… ‘I think, therefore I am’…they wondered." Others have caused us to imagine a whole new future…, “I have a dream…” Still others, seeing with their mind’s-eye, have been used (and are being used) by God to change the world and the way we see and interact with it—consider germ theory, quantum mechanics, gravity—profound!
The minds that God has given us are amazing. They are able to comprehend great calculations, imagine beautiful art, and solve complicated problems. It doesn’t surprise me that God would spend a lot of time helping us to think, and helping us to think about thinking in the Bible.
I have shared a few of God’s thoughts on thinking from the Bible below, to give us something to think about today. May God bless your thinking…meditation…pondering…perusing…pontificating…considerations…reckonings…imaginations…recollections…remembering’s…
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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139: 23-24
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD . “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. Colossians 2:7-9
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. Hebrews 3:1-3
Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Hebrews 10:32
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:5-6
From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Proverbs 16:23
A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised. Proverbs 12:8
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. 2 Timothy 2:7
(All passages are from the New Living Translation)
That’s a thoughtful idea, isn’t it?!
Lots of people have talked about thinking. Some have posited, “I think… ‘I think, therefore I am’…they wondered." Others have caused us to imagine a whole new future…, “I have a dream…” Still others, seeing with their mind’s-eye, have been used (and are being used) by God to change the world and the way we see and interact with it—consider germ theory, quantum mechanics, gravity—profound!
The minds that God has given us are amazing. They are able to comprehend great calculations, imagine beautiful art, and solve complicated problems. It doesn’t surprise me that God would spend a lot of time helping us to think, and helping us to think about thinking in the Bible.
I have shared a few of God’s thoughts on thinking from the Bible below, to give us something to think about today. May God bless your thinking…meditation…pondering…perusing…pontificating…considerations…reckonings…imaginations…recollections…remembering’s…
________________________________
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139: 23-24
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD . “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. Colossians 2:7-9
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. Hebrews 3:1-3
Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Hebrews 10:32
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:5-6
From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Proverbs 16:23
A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised. Proverbs 12:8
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. 2 Timothy 2:7
(All passages are from the New Living Translation)
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