One of the things that God seemed to be repeatedly perturbed about was the nation Israel’s evil imaginations or thoughts that were so contrary to both His purposes and plans. Three Hebrew words describing Israel’s imaginations clearly reveal a twisted, hostile frame of mind that they had while engaged in an outward show of piety.
Right from Genesis 6:5 to the present time, mankind has been plagued with evil, twisted thoughts about God. Indeed, evil thoughts proceed from the human heart. The Lord hates the heart that devises wicked imaginations. The lessons of Israel are recorded for our benefit.
Christians would never be told to renew their minds if it were an automatic thing. Our transformation occurs when we renew our minds with the knowledge of Jesus. Renovation of our thinking is a spiritual issue. It’s a constant dodging of darts that are contrary to the Word of God. It’s “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”.
If we are to be successful in our thought lives, the Bible must be a priority to us. We must saturate our minds, day and night, with God’s word (read Psalm 119) and God’s music. One of the presumptions of Israel in the Old Covenant was that as long as they were “the apple of His eye”, they could have God’s peace, even though they deliberately walked in the imagination of their own hearts! Even though they had twisted and even hostile thoughts, they expected to have God’s peace in their lives.
We must never presume upon the grace of God. Though cleansed by the blood of Christ, we still need to put on the mind of Christ. We are by nature proud in the imagination of our hearts; but God desires that we display humbleness of mind. You see, “to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Many Christians, because of a lack of applying 2 Tim 2:15 and Psalm 1 to their lives, are double-minded. There are many opponents to godly thinking in the world. Lust corrupts this world. Lust will corrupt your mind and fellowship with Jesus Christ if you allow it. The lust for other things will choke out the word of God, Jesus said. The reprobate minds, through the lust of their hearts, have become vain in their imaginations. We are to deny these worldly lusts.
How do you kill something by feeding it? Fleeing is the only escape. Resisting the devil causes those thoughts to flee. Oh the plight of forsaking the walk of love, forgiveness, humility, thankfulness, and faith to embrace my own twisted thoughts! Have we become so accustomed to the pollution of this world that we have “learned” how to tolerate it, even be “entertained” by it? May we, by the grace of God, forsake those vain thoughts. May we learn to hate them.
The psalmist said, “Try me and know my thoughts.” We have the promise of God that, if we commit our works to Him, our thoughts will be established. Agape never tolerates evil thoughts. Your thoughts tell you a lot about yourself. Philippians 4:8 is God’s “mental prescription”, and we need to take it until He takes us home.
Love Jesus with all your mind. It’s a command, not a suggestion.
