October 28, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

There is much publicity today concerning the ability to discern someone’s future actions based upon their electronic footprint. In other words, by studying a person’s web history, the web sites they visit, the terms they search for on the internet, online purchasing habits, etc., their future actions can be predicted. It could be said that their thoughts can be discerned by their internet footprint. This causes much alarm among many; privacy advocates worry that this information could be used for nefarious purposes. However, Bible believers have known for centuries that there is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart; it is the Word of God.

The Word of God … is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. On this the Bible is clear. This is why the Word of God is rejected, ignored, changed, and widely said to be irrelevant. Mankind does not desire to have their thoughts exposed. This is exactly what the Word of God does. It judges (discerns) the thoughts of those exposed to it.

Any preacher who is cognizant of this truth will be able to tell you that the proclamation of the pure Word of God causes those who live in opposition to its teachings to become uncomfortable. Sometimes they squirm, sometimes they get angry, sometimes they hang their head, and sometimes they are stone faced.

Any reader of the Word of God has probably had this experience. They have a certain thought of heart, perhaps it is not in keeping with the teachings of the Bible. Let’s say a person is angry with an enemy. They have planned some type of action that would hurt, embarrass, antagonize, or otherwise harm the enemy, thereby they may win the victory over the enemy.

Then they open the Bible and read, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44). This one verse discerns the thoughts of their heart and they are faced with a decision. “Will I do what I want to do in my heart, or will I do that which Jesus Christ tells me to do?”  This is perhaps an oversimplification of this truth, but it highlights the teaching nonetheless.

By reading the Bible, by hearing it preached and taught the thoughts of the heart of the person exposed to it will be discerned, or exposed. Perhaps this is why so many flee from it, they do not wish to see themselves as they really are.

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

Dr. William Howe