Think - Say - Do

    Rarely do we take time to actually process what we are saying. We think something and it comes out of our mouth and we immediately regret it. Today I want to take a second to reflect on the importance of what we say and how it interconnects with what we think and what we do.

    In the past I have often mentioned the importance of keeping your thoughts in check. We can choose to either dwell on the things of this world or on Heavenly topics. It is a constant battleground in our minds as we choose what thoughts we toss out and which we meditate on. We have to remember it is never a good idea to meditate on sinful thoughts, even without intent to do them. What we think determines what we say and what we say determines what we do.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)

James 1:15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (ESV)

    The words that make it through the filter of our minds and out of our mouths often become our reality. When we are filled with the power of Jesus Christ through being born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, we carry that in us. His power fills the words that escape our lips. That can be used as a beneficial parallel alongside our faith, or it can become detrimental to our entire lives.

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (NIV)

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (ESV)

    What you say determines where you are going. You can increase your faith by speaking His truth beyond what circumstances appear to be and believing it, or you can reject His truth and live by what you see. It is a choice we make starting from what thoughts we allow to grow in our minds, followed by which of those we let our of our lips, and resulting either in faith in action or death. I will leave off with a passage that illustrates the importance of taming the tongue. 

James 3:1-11 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (NIV)