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with God

Matt 9:4 (NLT)

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why are you thinking such evil thoughts?

Did you know that the Lord knows what you are thinking?
If you didn't, then read today's devotional verse because it says very plainly "Jesus knew what they were thinking."

Just because you don't physically commit a sin doesn't mean that it's not sin. Here's one example.

Matt 5:27-28 (NLT) 27 "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

So does that mean that every thought you have is sin?
I've heard it put this way before. The first look at a woman (or man) isn't sin, only when you look again is it sin.

Just because you have a thought doesn't mean it's a sin. The question is, what do you do with that thought?
Do you continue to think about it and even add fuel to the fire by fantasying?
Or do you stop it in its tracks and think of something else?

As Christians we are instructed what to do with our thoughts.

2 Cor 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

So how do you do this?
Jesus shows us personally how He did it.

Luke 4:1-4 1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' "

Jesus didn't start thinking about a nice juicy steak and a baked potato with mounds of sour cream and butter with chives. No, Jesus took that thought of hunger and used the word of God.

John 4:31-34 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

So today start taking your thoughts into captivity. Replace those thoughts with God's thoughts. Use scripture in place of those thoughts. And repeat them over and over until that thought is gone. Sure it may come back at another time. But then just do the same thing again.
And if you don't know what verse to use, how about Jesus' words here in the book of John.

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

Also pray and ask the Lord to help you with these thoughts. Ask Him to replace those thoughts with His thoughts.

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