I was memorizing Psalm 18:35. It says, “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation…” I was thinking about what the Lord told Abram. Genesis 15:1 says, “…Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Abram’s reply might be one we would have when there is something we really want. Verse 3 says, “…Look, You have given me no offspring…” Then the Lord did something so amazing. 

Verse 5 says, “Then He brought him outside and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. And He said to him, So shall your descendants be.” Abram believed, yet it was years before God fulfilled His promise. 

In Psalm 18:2 David made a proclamation of who the Lord is. It says, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” His descriptive words all pointed to how the Lord was his protector. So He is with us.

This was written about the Lord. We can apply this to our own lives. Isaiah 30:4 says, “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.”

Isaiah 55:3 says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…” Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or whenever you turn to the left.” Incline means to listen favorably.

Proverbs 2 was written by King Solomon to his son. He instructed him to receive his words. Verse 2-3 says, “So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding.”

He continued. The result would be in verse 12. It says, “To deliver you from the way of evil…” Discernment is God’s protection.

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Where Do Thoughts Come From?

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The Holy Spirit dwells within. As we abide in God’s Word, it abides in us. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” That means we need to be attentive.

Luke 4:4 in the Amplified says, “…Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone but by every word and expression of God.” His eyes, His expressions, and His words all require our stillness of heart. 

Hebrews 5:13 says that when we only take in the milk of God’s word we remain unskilled. Verse 14 says, “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Solid food consists of foundational doctrines. They are God’s established truths to order our steps in His righteousness. They are non negotiable in spiritual growth. Titus 2:10 says, “…adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” 2 Peter 1:5-7 are inner graces to  add to our faith.

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Since our thoughts precede all actions, it is imperative that we understand where they come from. In this book the author explores three different ways. Each one is supported by comparing Scripture with Scripture.

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do? Have you explored how you came to believe the way you do? Our heart is our belief system. Our experiences form our perceptions, which become the motives behind our thoughts. God is infinite, but we are finite. As we bring His word into our hearts, it will begin to shape our beliefs so they will align with His purpose for our lives.

As we continue to hide God’s word in our hearts, our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit increases. It is that word hidden which speaks when temptation’s lure dangles. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Paul instructed Timothy to not give heed to things that were not edifying.

1 Timothy 1:5-6 says, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk.”

The Greek word for idle means futile talk, worthless, empty, and meaningless babble. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

Inner dialogue with negative thoughts becomes idle talk. It lacks substance. It has nothing redeemable in it. It blocks us from discerning the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Ephesians 4:29 says our speech should, “…impart grace to the hearers.” ~ ourselves as well as others.

James 1:2 described trials as something we fall into. They are sudden, unexpected, unplanned for, and unsettling. Life quickly changes. What do you turn to when you first fall into a new trial?

Our flesh will rear its ugly head to demand its will. However, hope will anchor our soul when we keep our eyes on Jesus. Isaiah 59:19 says, “…when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”

I am sure that you know from experience, that the verses you have hidden in your heart rise up in times of need. That is the Holy Spirit reaching into your heart’s reservoir to increase your confidence and steadfastness in Him alone.

Here are some of my anchor verses. Psalm 62:1-2 says, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” Psalm 63:8 Amplified says, “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

Romans 5:3-4 in the Amplified says, “Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character (of this sort) produces (the habit of) joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.” 

Note that verse 5 says that hope does not disappoint. We know from broken expectations that earthly hope was in a person or circumstance that didn’t pan out. Proverbs 25:19 says, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.” No sustaining support.

Our hope is based on Jesus. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul…”

I recently read through the book of Revelation. John beheld the Lord. Revelation 1: 13-15 says that, “…One like the Son of Man…His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.”

The beast of Revelation 13:8 is worshiped by the ones whose names are not in. “…the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Verse 10 says, “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Revelation 14:10 says that those who receive the mark of the beast, “…shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Verse 12 says, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” The ones saved during the tribulation need patience to endure their trials.

Luke 21:19 says, “By your patience possess your souls.” The Strong’s word for souls says that it is the seat of the affections, will, desire, emotions, mind, reason, and understanding. I like to illustrate it through the picture of a braid. The mind leads off, and the will and emotions follow.

My mentees are always using the words, “I feel…” Their feelings do not reflect the truth. John 8:31-32 says, “…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

God’s truth is the standard base for our feelings. His truth reflects His nature. As we abide in His word, His word works to form our character through our trials. Romans 5:3-4 gives us the progression: trials produce perseverance, and perseverance character.

James 1:2 says to count our trials as joy. Why? Verse 3-4 says, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Salvation’s joy is an irrevocable gift.