September 1, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Ezekiel 24:25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

God revealed to Ezekiel that the house of Israel would be destroyed. Herein we find one of the major differences between Old Testament and New Testament believers. Because of their continued rebellion God allowed Israel to fall by the sword. Believers today though have the promise of God’s Word:  …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5). Chastisement will certainly fall on every believer today (Hebrews 12:6), but never will they be forsaken, for they are no longer under any condemnation (J0hn 5:24).

One of the areas in which God would take away from Israel was …that whereupon they set their minds…  Obviously that on which they set their minds was not that which was acceptable with God. While we have God’s promise today that He will not condemn us, never leave us, nor forsake us, we can however fall into the same errors of mind that the Israelites committed. We too can set our minds on things which are not acceptable in the sight of God.

In this verse’s warning to Israel, God lists five areas that He would take away from His backsliding people. Their strength (that in which they trusted), the joy of their glory (ego), the desire of their eyes (God used this term to describe Ezekiel’s wife in verse 16), that whereupon they set their minds, and their sons and daughters. These five areas are like minefields in that they must be navigated very, very carefully. Of course, the one we focus on today is that on which we set our minds.

Setting one’s mind on a goal, a desire, a want, a need, or something of frivolity is not in and of itself wrong or sinful. Not if it is something that is acceptable to our Father in Heaven as related to us by His Word through His Spirit. For example, if a young man sets his mind to earn one million dollars and goes about achieving that goal through training and honest work, great, wonderful, go get it, and remember to tithe on it. But if a young man sets his mind to steal one million dollars, this is like stepping on a mine in the minefield, it will blow up; sooner or later it will explode on him. Likewise, is it with all things.

The lesson is be careful on what upon what the mind is set upon, for this will ultimately guide your steps in the minefield of life.

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

Dr. William Howe