Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said".... 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But 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 teaches us that what comes out of a person is what's inside, and therefore, defilement is not an external issue, but rather one of the heart and mind. However, it is a fact that if we allow our minds to feed upon that which is not uplifting, then the thoughts and desires which follow, take deep root in our consciences, and we often end up saying and doing the very same things we previously imbibed, hence the reason why the Bible cautions us to only let our minds dwell on that which is elevating and ennobling, taking care to avoid as far as possible, those suggestions that tend to deprave. This advice is embodied in the following passage of scripture, and we would do well to take heed, for the ramifications of it are more far-reaching than many Christians realize. Let's read:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
An example of the literal side effects of what we imbibe, took place one evening when I decided to play x-box with my youngest son. We inserted a cartridge with drag racing games on the streets of San Francisco, and I watched in consternation as he raced his car so hard that there were several crashes, which of course were then rectified by a twitch of the joy stick. I can distinctly remember wondering how he would fare in the real world, after having been accustomed to crashing his car in the games, with no sense of responsibility or accountability.
That night I went to bed, and sure enough, my dreams consisted of my youngest son in a car driving recklessly on the road, with both parents chasing in hot pursuit, until he crashed the vehicle, at which point I woke up thinking very soberly. Question: Did the car games that we played earlier have a direct impact on what I would dream later on? Or was it a mere coincidence. The truth of the matter is that whatsoever we imbibe and dwell upon, is stored in our subconscious mind, and can be pulled up at random whilst we are asleep. Furthermore, the thoughts and suggestions which we deliberately admit into our mental vocabulary, often finds exercise when the opportune moment presents itself, and then we wonder why we acted or spoke in such and such a manner.
The Lord of Heaven who is all-wise in His counsels, teaches us that our meditations should be stayed on Him, and if by the grace of God we are enabled to do so through His Spirit, we will find that right doing and right thinking will become more and more our second nature, and after a while the carnal things of this earth will cease to amaze or excite us, for we will find our highest joy in serving God. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to guard our thoughts from the evil suggestions with which we are bombarded from day to day, for our spiritual and mental health is imperceptibly affected, one way or the other. Let's read:
Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 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!