November 20, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Ezra 7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Minded of their own freewill… volumes could be written about these five words.  This phrase is a powder keg. It contains truth that if harnessed properly brings forth blessing, and if mishandled brings forth chastisement at best, total destruction at worst.  Some may reject it, ignore it, try to explain it away, or bury it, but there it is, standing as a sentinel of God’s love, trust, and justice that He has invested in man. 

Parents have a tough time with extending freewill to their children. Pastors sometimes have difficulty remembering that their church members have a freewill.  Young people often exercise their freewill in a manner for which they are not fully prepared.  Right now, each person reading this has the freewill to continue on or to stop.  This is your choice, it is your decision, it is your right, it is your gift from God; you are a free moral agent to do that which you are minded to do. 

Artaxerxes, the King, allowed those in his realm to individually determine if they would accompany Ezra to Jerusalem.   This is a physical Old Testament illustration that teaches us a spiritual truth.  Almighty God, as our Sovereign, has given us the ability to make our mind up and act according to our freewill.  This truth is echoed by Joshua’s call years earlier: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15) The last earthly return of this echo is found in the last book of the Bible, the last chapter, in the last verses. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.  (Revelation 22:17)

Even in the Garden of Eden the Lord gave Adam and Eve the freewill to eat or not eat of the tree that was in the midst of the garden.  They did, and as is so often said, the rest is history.  The freewill that God has given you begins in the mind which ultimately affects the spirit, soul, and body.  Freewill of mind is a powerful gift to you from your trusting Father, use it wisely. 

May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today.

Dr. William Howe