Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - Feb. 26, 2008

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

What Do You Think?

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

When Jesus walked this earth, He blew the cover off the religious elite of the day: the Pharisees who smugly thought that if they did not commit certain sins, they were okay.  But somehow, they had rationalized that they could do these things in their minds and it was not sinful.  Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).  They didn't like that a whole lot.

What was Jesus pointing out to these men, and to us as well?  He was emphasizing again and again the importance of our minds, our hearts, and our attitudes.  That’s because sin is not merely a matter of actions and deeds.  It is something within the heart and the mind that leads to the action.

Sin deceives you into thinking that because you have not committed the act, you’re okay.  In reality, if you keep thinking about it, it may be only a matter of time until that thought becomes an action.  Even if it doesn’t, that thought is still spiritually destructive.  So you need to go out of your way as a Christian to protect your mind and your thoughts.  Satan recognizes the value of first getting a foothold in the realm of your thoughts and imaginations, because he knows this will prepare the way for that thought to eventually become an action.

As it has been said, “Sow a thought, reap an act.  Sow an act, reap a habit.  Sow a habit, reap a character.  Sow a character, reap a destiny.”  It all starts with a thought.

Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries.  All rights reserved.  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org.