September 13, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

II Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

…your pure minds…  Keeping a pure mind is essential to victorious Christian living. Peter expected those to whom he was writing to have pure minds. The opposite of a pure mind is a polluted mind.  Pollution takes place when garbage is introduced to anything pure. You may remember a television commercial from years ago that had a Native American canoeing down a river. The river was filled with garbage of all kinds: paper, plastic bottles, and the like. I don’t remember what product or service the commercial was promoting, but I remember that at the very end the strong face of the Indian warrior was shown in close up.  There were tears rolling down that once proud, strong and chiseled face. Many times since then I have thought of our Savior crying over the pollution in the lives of people. Just like that Native American who once canoed down the pure waterways of our country, the Lord once lived a pure life. As the Indian would weep over the pollution of the streams and rivers of North America, so too must the Lord weep over the pollution of the hearts and minds of His children.

A pure mind does not stay pure by accident.  One must determine to keep a pure mind.  Consider the Word of God as a filter.  Every thought that comes into your mind can be filtered by the Word of God.  Just yesterday as I was in a store in our town, I overheard a man speaking loudly about the awfulness of organized religion.  He said to any who cared to listen that he was for Jesus Christ, but that he believed all churches to be corrupt, all preachers thieves, and would never step into a church again as long as he lived.  I wanted to visit with him for a while. I would tell him of all the wonderful things that have happened to me in church, the main thing I wanted to communicate to him is that it is impossible for someone to “be for Jesus Christ” and at the same time hate the very idea of church.  Jesus died for the church, He considers it His bride, He is the Head of each and every one of His churches, He provides for it, His entire New Testament was written from the understanding that each one of His believers would be a part of a local, vibrant, and living church.  This man’s tirade may have influenced others against church, but because of the filter of the Word of God in my mind, my mind is still pure concerning church. If I did not know what the Bible teaches about church my mind could have been polluted.

A pure mind is a clean mind. It is a right mind. It is a humble mind. It is an ever-learning mind. It is a God honoring mind. It is a content mind. It is a peaceful mind.  It is a wise mind. It is a safe mind. It is a fertile mind. It is a teachable mind. It is a selfless mind.  It is a powerful mind. It is a forgiving mind. It is a loving mind. It is a ready mind. It is an industrious mind. And it is a blessing to have and to keep.

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

Dr. William Howe