September 15, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Judges 5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 

The above is one verse in the song Deborah sang in response to Israel’s triumph over Jabin, King of Canaan.  Contained in this song is a list of the tribes that helped win the conflict; the tribe of Reuben is recorded twice.  Once, in verse 15 this tribe was said to have “…great thoughts of heart.” and in the very next verse they are said to have …great searchings of heart.

Great thoughts of heart are inspirational.  It was Peter’s great thought of his heart that made him desire to walk on the water.  It was Paul’s great thought of his heart to finish his race that kept him in Christ’s service when others would have quit.  It was Mary’s great thought of her heart that must have motivated her to go to Christ’s grave on that resurrection morning.  It was Barnabas’ great thought of his heart that put it in him to sell a great parcel of land and give the proceeds to his church.  It was Zacchaeus’ great thought of his heart which drove him to climb up that Sycamore tree to see Jesus.  It was the great thought of the woman with the issue of blood to simply touch the hem of the Lord’s garment in order to be healed.  It was the great thought of heart that caused blind Bartimaeus to cry out louder when all told him to keep silent; Jesus heard him and healed him. 

It was because of great thoughts of heart that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the old church in 1517 which began something we commonly call the Protestant Reformation. It must have been his great thoughts of heart that moved William Tyndale to translate the Word of God into English, which deed cost him his life around 1600.  It was the great thoughts of heart in William Carey that must have moved him to faithfully carve out his missionary work, of whom we commonly call the Father of Modern Missions.  It was great thoughts of heart that occupied D.L. moody assisting him in fanning the flames of reformation in North America and Europe in the 1800’s.  Great thoughts of heart affected J. Frank Norris to the point of turning Fort Worth upside down in the early 1900’s resulting in him becoming an international phenomenon.  It is needless to mention the great thoughts of heart that must have abided in Fanny Crosby, Dr. Lee Roberson, Mr. Days (of Days Inn), Corrie Ten Boom, Peter Cartwright, S. Truett and Dan Cathy (founders of Chick-fil-A), David Green (founder Hobby Lobby), William Booth of the Salvation Army, and so many others who have performed great works for the cause of the Savior. 

Are there any great thoughts in your heart that motivate you? If so, take the advice King David gave to his son Solomon just prior to Solomon’s ascension to the throne …be strong, and do it.

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

Dr. William Howe