October 16, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Jeremiah 29:11 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.

The word peace is used 400 times in Scripture. In the New Testament the word peace is used 104 times. Nineteen of the last twenty-two books of the Bible (Romans to Revelation) begin or end with a phrase similar to this: …Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7) If something is said just once in the Word of God notice should be taken, but if something is said nineteen times in the last twenty-two books of the Bible it is evident that the Lord wants mankind to take special note.

God is a God of peace; He has thoughts of peace toward all people. If not, He would not have allowed men to put this in His book in such a prominent fashion. He desires peace with every person on the face of the earth. Someone may ask, “What about those who are disobedient toward God?”  God wants to be at peace with them too.

This is proven by today’s verse. Jeremiah was speaking to the nation Israel, a nation that was so far away from Him that they were taken into bondage by Babylon. Yet, God is promising to break the bondage they were in at a set time. He even tells this rebellious nation that He had thoughts of peace, not evil, toward them.

When God thinks of you, He has thoughts of peace toward you. He wants to be at peace with you and He wants you to be at peace with others. Which brings us to today’s point. Do you have thoughts of peace toward others, even those who would be counted as enemies? Do you think of ways to make peace, do you devise plans to bring about peace, do you pray for peace with your adversaries, do you work for peace? God is the greatest peacemaker of all time. He puts such a priority on peace that He promises that the peacemakers will be called His children, the children of God (Matthew 5:9).

Rest assured that God has thoughts of peace toward you and not evil. We are to have thoughts of peace toward others as well.

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

Dr. William Howe