Heart and thoughts

Do you guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23)? It is the source of your life and the spark of your thoughts. Why is it so important? Your thoughts are not generated by your head and mind, but is the centre of your personality – your heart! In a magazine it was written that an adult person has approximately 60,000 thoughts a day. Of these 72 percent are fleeting thoughts, 25 percent destructive, harmful thoughts and only 3 percent constructive, useful thoughts. Even if we doubt these numbers and “measurements”, it nevertheless shows a trend that doesn't seem quite as incorrect. My thoughts are to some extent the receptacle of my unexpressed views in my subconscious mind. My thoughts always act quasi before the deed and therefore a considerable amount of responsibility come with it. What I look at and with what I keep my mind busy, changes me to a great extent. Therefore, the question: “Do you guard your heart?”. Our brain is a miracle of creation and therefore it holds a great responsibility for us. Here are some interesting numbers and facts: It only weighs 1500 gram, however needs 20 percent of the blood in our bodies, comprises of 10,000 million nerve cells, its sensory capabilities include the processing of 20 million bits (Binary Digi T) per second – no computer can compete with that! How are we using this gift from God? What really influences us? It is not the events themselves, but how we see the events – how we view things, that influences our thinking. If we always worry and behave anxiously, our thinking and ultimately our faith life becomes contaminated. Jesus said: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25) We must not cause ourselves to be dependent upon situations, but must remain optimistic and have faith. Thoughts about the grace and love of God works wonders and changes us (Hebrews 12:15)! We do not have to surrender ourselves to our thoughts, but rather steer and direct them in specific directions (2 Corinthians 10:15).

There are 3,600 promises of God in the Bible – annually, that equals 10 promises per day! Explore your motivations, seeking the good and considering the best (Philippians 4:8). The devil can't read our thoughts, but he can estimate them based upon our behavior and his knowledge of the human nature. The more we learn to look less to ourselves and more to God, the more incomprehensible we become to the enemy. The devil also erred greatly in Job (Job 1:11)! Faith and trust, regardless of circumstances, help us greatly to recognize that which is false, negative and evil (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). Everything is based on forgiveness – the only answer against the attacks by the devil and our self-accusation. Can you forgive? What helps me considerably to influence my thoughts so that they will be pleasing to God? 1.) The Word of God in the Bible (Hebrews 4:12). 2.) The Holy Spirit (John 16:8) as my Helper in all my perceptions and beyond. 3.) God's peace (Philippians 4:7) which surpasses all understanding and safeguards our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. We do not have to be open to everything – especially not if it can harm the soul. Let us not be negligent and indifferent, but allow our hearts and thoughts to seek peace and find that which makes us precious before God and man. In Jeremiah 29:11-14, we read: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord...” Amen

Jörg Bauer