Matthew 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 18 ..."Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man"...
This passage of scripture is the antithesis of the thought given this morning, for it teaches us that if we allow our minds to dwell on evil thoughts and desires, they will one day bear fruit in like actions, for whatsoever we do is just the result of thoughts harbored, that were previously decided on, hence the reason why Christ emphasizes the danger of the evil thought, so much more than the evil action. As a matter of fact, in the final analysis, when the judgment of each person will be decided on in the courts of heaven, our thoughts will play a far more prominent role than many Christians realize, for the Bible states clearly, that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Evil thoughts enter our minds via the five senses through which we communicate and interact with the outside world, but evil thoughts can also be harbored and developed in a person who is blind, dumb, and deaf, for all human beings come preloaded with a sinful nature, and thus, if every sight and sound that is evil were to be removed from us, and if the devil himself were to be permanently relocated from our planet, evil thoughts and desires will still proliferate in our minds, for they surface in the unregenerate heart naturally. This sobering truth should then drive us to make wise choices as to what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch, and it should also move us to choose the only Person in the universe who can change us from the inside out, and that's none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Let's read:
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
One of the problems we face as a nation, and as individuals, is that we often try to apply an external solution to an internal problem, meaning that the problem of internal sinful thoughts and desires are often treated with drugs, psychology, incarceration, or counseling, and while these methods may produce some level of results in their legitimate sphere, the fact remains that the degenerate heart is incapable of producing any worthy good on its own, and therefore we will need a power above and outside of ourselves to deal with the problem of internal sinful thoughts and desires. Try as we might, we cannot fool our selves or God, for who we are will surface in actions sooner or later, and therefore, in trying to eradicate the problem of thinking evil, we will need to seek God daily, moment by moment, dwelling on The Living and written word, which through the power of The Holy Spirit, will gradually replace those propensities and veins of evil thoughts which haunted our minds previously.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should reflect the deepest desire of every Christian, and it is the will of God that we always keep in mind, that the accomplishment of anything that is good and upright, can only take place through the indwelling Christ. Let's read:
Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!