Our Thoughts Reveal What We Are Becoming

         By A. W. Tozer

        Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
         things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
         things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
         things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there
         be any praise, think on these things.
                                                                   -  -  Philippians 4:8

             The Bible has a great deal to say about our thoughts;
         current evangelicalism has practically nothing to say
         about them.  The reason the Bible says so much is that
         our thoughts are so vitally important to us.  The reason
         evangelicalism says so little is that we are overreacting
         from the "thought" cults, which would make our
         thoughts to be very nearly everything and we counter
         by making them nothing.  Both positions are wrong.

             Our voluntary thoughts not only reveal what we
         are, they predict what we will become.  The will can
         become the servant of the thoughts, and to a large
         degree even our emotions follow our thinking. Thinking
         stirs feeling and feeling triggers action. That is the
         way we are made, and we may as well accept it.

            Thinking about God and holy things creates a
         moral climate favorable to the growth of faith and
         love and humility and reverence.  We cannot by our
         thinking regenerate our hearts, nor take our sins away,
         nor change the leopard's spots. But we can by
         Spirit-inspired thinking help to make our minds pure
         sanctuaries in which God will be pleased to dwell.

           The best way to control our thoughts is to offer the
         mind to God in complete surrender. The Holy Spirit will
         accept it and take control of it immediately.  Then it will
         be relatively easy to think on spiritual things, especially
         if we train our thought by long periods of daily prayer,
         even talking to God inwardly as we work or travel.
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         Yours in Christ,
         Paul N. F.