The Fruit of the Mind

I think you all know that junk food isn’t good for you. Good food, like vegetables and fruit, milk and meat is much healthier for your body than ice cream sandwiches, cupcakes and candy bars. Good food will make you healthy and strong and help you grow. Too much junk food will just make you sick.

The same is true about the things you think about.

It is easy for us to think bad thoughts. Many times we have bad thoughts because we’ve put bad things into our minds, perhaps by watching violent TV programs or playing violent video games. Maybe we play with friends who use rough language or we listen to a certain type of music.

What does God want us to think about?

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God wants us to think about good things. In Philippians 4:8 Paul wrote the kinds of things we are to think about. He said, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Satan is a liar and he wants to corrupt our minds. We want to focus on things that are truthful, real, and genuine because these things can be trusted. Noble means having good character, being moral and honest. Noble things deserve our attention. Things that are right are good and lawful. We want to think on things that are pure which means things that are not bad or evil. Things that are lovely are beautiful or attractive. Admirable things are to be praised and are worth talking about. Anything that is excellent will motivate us to do better. If it has praise, it is worth sharing with others. No Christian should waste “mind power” on thoughts that tear him down or would tear others down.

Paul thought these things were the fruit and food of the mind. When we put these good things in our mind, they stay in our mind and then come out of us.

Romans 12:2 tells us that we are not to be conformed to the things of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. And 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every though captive to make it obedient to Christ.  These verses tell us that what we choose to think about matters.

Luke 6:45 says that “a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

In other words, your attitudes and the things you do will show what you’re thinking about. Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling and wrong actions, but when you are filled with good and loving thoughts, you will do good and loving actions. Things like being kind and helping others. You will say things to encourage others and not tear them down. You will have contentment and joy.

Warren Wiersbe writes:

Our thoughts become our actions
Our actions become our habits.
Our habits become our character.

Our character becomes our destiny.

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