Minding Your Thoughts
A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life
January 6
Deuteronomy 18:6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;
You may remember that the Levites were the tribe of Israel that God chose to be priests unto Him. While giving Moses the law concerning Levites, our Heavenly Father included a phrase that is foundational to all true worship and service to Him, even today. That phrase is with all the desire of his mind. A person’s mind has desires and their flesh has desires. Any soul can be at peace when these two agree; when they disagree, there is an internal conflict. All that a person does for Almighty God begins with a desire of mind and extends to actions of the flesh.
What makes the difference between a Levite that did not choose to serve God faithfully and one who did? Desire of mind. What makes the difference between a person who accepts and fulfills the special call of service today? Desire of mind. What makes the difference between a person who, after salvation, serves God in and through a local church and one who does not? Desire of mind. On and on this list could go.
Notice though, the last phrase of today’s verse, …the place which the LORD shall choose…. This is the crux of the matter. The Lord chooses the place of public worship, not man. In the Old Testament that place was the tabernacle, then the temple. Today it is the local New Testament Bible believing church. Worship of God can take place anywhere, that is a truth. But the church is the place He has chosen for public worship, presenting one’s self to God, corporately singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, bringing the various offerings to the Lord, receiving Biblical instruction, enjoying the Christian fellowship and being influenced by others doing the same thing. These are some of the positive benefits of local church participation. All these start with a desire in the mind to be a part of that local church. The desire of the mind leads to an action of the flesh. Even when, and especially when, the flesh does not feel like doing that which the mind desires. For example, have you ever noticed how the flesh wants to stay home from church, but the mind tells the flesh to get up, get going, and attend the service. Thereafter, you were glad you attended. That was the mind overruling the flesh and afterwards both were at peace.
Knowing and accepting that which the Lord God chooses is an integral part of obeying God, such an acceptance starts in the mind. A desire in the mind. This was Cain’s problem. He knew that which God said about the type of sacrifice to bring to Him. Yet, he chose to bring the sacrifice he wanted to bring which was rejected by the Lord, which led to the first murder in the Bible, which led to Cain being banished. All this happened because Cain did not have a desire of the mind to perform that which God chose for him. Perhaps this is what James 4:17 is all about. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
The difference between doing that which is right or not begins with the desire of mind. Somehow, through the Word of God, preaching, praying, and the Holy Spirit, God puts in our minds His will for that which He desires for us to do. When that Holy desire of God becomes the all-encompassing ambition of one’s mind, that individual is well on their way to fulfilling God’s purpose for their life.
Consider though that one small word, “all,” …all the desire of his mind. All means all. Is all the desire of mind set, fixed, immovable on serving/worshipping God wherever, however, and whenever He chooses? Challenging thought, isn’t it? For from the desire of mind stems actions of the flesh. Therefore, as a not so subtle reminder, “Mind your Thoughts” for from them actions are born.
May the Lord Bless and be pleased with your thought life today.
Dr. William T. Howe
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