"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

In Pro. 23:7 we read this phrase, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." God wants to change the way that we think. Our lives become a progression of thoughts, to words, to actions, to habits, to character. Long before our character or habits were formed, there were thoughts which gave birth to this progression in our lives. That's why we were given the Scriptures, which are inspired of God, for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction, 2 Tim. 3:16. Why do we need so much teaching, rebuking, correction, and instruction? Because God wants to change the way we think. Out whole way of thinking needs to be retrained. The source of the problem is found in Gen. 2:16,17. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in that day they would surely die. They did die that day, spiritually, and their minds began to think negative things they had never known before. Fear and shame and guilt entered in. In the next chapter, Gen. 4, we read of the murder of Abel by Cain. In Gen. 6:5 the thoughts of men's hearts had become evil continually. So God gave us His Word to retrain our minds so we would think God's thoughts. Heb. 4:12 says this Word is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and it divides between the soul and the spirit, and it discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We need to open ourselves to the Word of God, and like David, pray that God would search our hearts, and see if there is any wicked way in us, Ps. 139:23,24. We all need to have our thoughts retrained, because Isa. 55:8,9 tells us that our thoughts are not God's thoughts, and our ways are not His ways. Pro. 4:20-22 tells us that we can have God's Word in our hearts, as we give attention to it, we listen to it, and we keep it before our eyes. This is the process of transformation that Paul talked about in Rom. 12:2. Our lives are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we may come to know what God's will is for our lives. Take a step toward transformation today by giving attention to God's Word.