Introduction
     The greatest endowment of Yahweh to mankind is the gift of free will, and the engine that powers that gift, is our ability to think. In the beginning, man’s first task was to decide whether or not, if “Elohim created me, then He knows what is best for me.” Thus, reasoning instead, “I think it’s best if I go ahead and do what Elohim says,” the man and his wife were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25).

Thoughts, Wondrously Created
     As far as physical matter is concerned, no two atoms can exist in the same spot at the same times. Atoms can share mutual space – that is, make bonds, as when electrons are shared between atoms, forming what is called a covenant bond – but, for example, though your two feet can share the same ground, your left foot can never stand where your right foot is standing at the same time.
    Similarly, in the metaphysical world, as in the spiritual world, two thoughts cannot occur concurrently. Sure, you can think one thing and say another, but there will never come a time when one can meditate on two diametrically opposing ideas in the same moment.
    For example, it is doubtful anyone ever thought, “I love watching Anna Pavlova perform.” While also thinking, “I loathe ballet.” There has never been a time when someone thought, “I can’t wait to watch the Detroit Lions play football tonight,” while in their heart having a disdain for organized sports. (Might we conjecture, that society would be better off, worshiping Yahweh without the distraction of the NFL.) No one at six o’clock in the evening has ever been in the drive-thru lane at McDonald’s with a back seat full of youth, barking into the menu screen, four Happy Meals while thinking, “Fast food is the root cause of childhood obesity and the breakdown of family values in America.”
    Get a gauge on what is truly on your mind, then assess your emotional state. You cannot feel sad while dwelling on happy thoughts. And if you do feel sad, discover its cause; then adjust your thoughts by ceasing to create the psychological vibrations that are formed from worry, sorrow and before the burden becomes overwhelming and the persistent drip of thought after negative thought becomes a flood of anxiety.
    Thought patterns which send you down an angry or depressed road will manifest physical signs: loss of appetite, restlessness, mood changes, sudden onset of physiological changes in wellness of being. Recognize these as red flags’ a spiritual ‘check engine light’; a signal that the spiritual ‘foundations of your little world are out of course’ and that this is not the time to assuage your feelings by making that ‘mean-spirited’ phone call; to ‘drown’ your problems in the neck of a bottle; to ‘shoot up’, or ‘light up’, a recreational drug; to seek out some sexually-promiscuous activity, go to that porn website or otherwise, to make provision for the affections and lusts of the flesh (Rom. 12:14); to load your Glock!
    Better, much better … and healthier, too, when thought patterns attempt to send you down an angry or depressed road, to just reply, “Not today, Satan; not today!”
    Know this: Yahweh is faithful and able, to make you able to cast all your care upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7) – He can do something more with troubling thoughts than you can, anyway. So, make your request known “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” (Phil. 4:6), confessing your emotional state is not in line with the peace He has promised in His Word, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” John 14:27.
    If still, you do find yourself in a cloud of ‘stinking thinking’, try singing a song of praise or hum the melody to your favorite worship song if you do not know the words. For as the psalmist noted of Yahweh, But Thou [art] holy, [O Thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel, Psalm 22:3 remembering also, that where Yahweh’s Light is, the darkness of fear, sadness, worry, anxiety, doubt, anger, and envy, cannot exist.
    That is not to say at some point in time in our lives. We won’t be forced to deal with an ethical conundrum such as when a person who does not believe in abortion, on the grounds of Exodus 20:13 that commands, “Thou shalt not kill,” is now unsure because the doctors say that a mother come to full term and giving birth to her child likely result in her own mortality.
    The focus of this discourse is to get you to consider, “What are you giving your mind to? What you investing your time in? What is in the abundance of your heart? Throughout the day, what are you thinking?”

The Mind Leads the Heart
     The songwriter of Israel in Psalms 1 says in reference to the man that does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, neither stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, declares His delight [is] in the Torah of Yahweh; and in His Torah doth he meditate day and night, Psalm 1:2.
    The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the assembly at Philippi, writes, “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever 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” (Phil. 4:8).
    The mind determines what proceeds out of the abundance of the heart. How so? The Master Yahshua Messiah replied to Peter, when asked to expound on what He had just told the scribes and Pharisees, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies …” (Matt. 15:19) which corroborates His earlier declaration in His sermon on the mount, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, “Thou shalt not commit adultery:” but I say unto you, “That whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery her already in his heart,” Matthew 5:27-28.
    Here, the Messiah established the importance of having right(eous) content in our hearts. Solomon wisely observed, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov. 23:7) or, more contemporarily speaking, “I think, therefore I am” – words attributed to the French author and philosopher, Voltaire – and which is not to be equated with Yahweh’s revelation to Moses of His cognomen, “I AM THAT I AM” (Exod. 3:14). While both King Solomon and philosopher Voltaire might agree, that he who thinks evil thoughts will perform evil deeds, he who hides Yahweh’s Word in his heart, that he might not sin against Yahweh (Psa. 119:11), is less likely to willfully, that is, presumptuously, sin.
    Thoughts are the drivers of our actions, what’s unseen spiritually navigating through the physical. The Bible then, is the Perfect Mirror to reflect who, or rather what, we are in the sight of the One Who “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). And since what constitutes the abundance of the heart finds its expression, principally through the tongue, we should give the more earnest heed to the commandment, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers, Ephesians 4:29.

A Practical Application
     So, what do these things have to do with atoms, and ballet, and football, and the drive-thru lane at McDonald’s? Allow me to make it relate.
    Recently, I was sitting with the opened Word in front of me, having begun my studies with a matter of the heart which I set aside. And getting well into my studies, the Word became life to me; understanding of mysteries were unveiled; His will was revealed when all of a sudden, matters of the heart I had been able to set aside became the heart of the matter … seizing my conscious thinking. For more than a few minutes, I was consumed with cogitating upon personal issues.
    Ultimately, and thankfully with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to recover my original focus on the important matter at hand: rightly dividing the Word of Truth. I had to retrace my steps and start again to where I was, before having been distracted and drawn away to superfluous concerns – sort of like when we were young adventurers on our bicycles and on our way to meet the fellas at the clubhouse, we’d stop to marvel at a long line of ants coming from seemingly nowhere and heading who knows where. After a moment of distraction, realizing we’re getting off track from our purpose, we start cycling again, but we didn’t just immediately resume the speed at which we were going before we’d stopped. Some slow, heavy pedals preceded our return to full speed.
    There is a lesson to be learned here. Sometimes, inadvertently and unwittingly, we permit distractions to derail us from That Higher Purpose of seeking to comprehend the fellowship of the Mystery – that is, “what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of the fullness of Yahweh (Eph. 3:9, 18, 19) – when it should be better, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of Elohim, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Messiah, 2 Corinthians 10:5. We simply can’t think upon of two diametrically opposing matters at the same time.
    Moreover, in lending our mind space to dissect other matters, we violate the admonition of Scripture: Quench not the Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5:19. Ironically, when we are heart deep in principle and precept and are saturated in the study of, and meditation upon, His statutes, commandments, and ordinances, then oftentimes, are we confronted with the strongest of temptations which, if entertained, will quench the Spirit.

Choose the Master, Find Peace
     In that illustrious discourse atop a mountain in Palestine, Yahshua affirmed to the multitudes assembled there, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Matt. 6:24).
    The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee …” (Isa. 26:3). Yahweh has called us to peace, but a momentary distraction that is tolerated, or pursued, can effectively interrupt the flow of “the peace of Yahweh, which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7) and make it difficult, or even impossible, to recover, or resume, an inquiry into the spiritual economies.
    You say that you want His will performed in your life; that you want to grow spiritually; that you are ready to receive a word from Yahweh; but how often do you think upon His will being performed in your life? upon your spiritual growth? upon being ready to receive a word from Yahweh?
    Consider for a moment, the gravity of our subject matter: “… and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared Yahweh, and that thought upon His Name” (Mal. 3:16). What, do you suppose, will be the content of your record in His book?

Conclusion
     Feelings are the metaphysical manifestation of the spiritual world where thoughts exist. So, what are you thinking? Are you rejoicing in hope? patient in tribulation? continuing instant in prayer? (Rom. 12:12). If not, encourage yourself. Walk past a mirror sometime, look … really look into it, and out loud, say, “I’m stronger; I’m wiser; I’m better … oh, so much better with Yahweh in my life. Ah, He loves me so much!”
    Don’t worry if people look at you as if you were crazy. You’re not crazy. You’re just a peculiar people, zealous of Good Works! (Titus 2:14). We have permission, no, an exhortation from Scripture to do just that (Eph. 5:18-20).
    Then, while the lines of communication are open to the Most High, there is no time or space for the adversary to occupy your thoughts.
    The next time you are meditating on Yahweh’s Word and random thoughts occur, or even worse, “stinking thinking” begins to surface, take it as a sign that you are on the right path; doing what you are supposed to be doing; making the right connection, because the accuser never distracts people while they are sinning. Neither does he wake the slothful man from slumber. Give the thought to Yahweh, and continue on the path of enlightenment that you were on.
    Remember: Those things you entertain in your mind will be those things that proceed into your heart, which will eventually come out of your mouth and be displayed through your actions. So, if you want to produce good spiritual fruit, that is, holy manifestations through your words and deeds, take time to ponder this: What do you think?