December 10, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Philippians 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Paul goes on to say, Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. His firm belief was that there was no man who was more righteous and religious than he was. In Paul’s day and age, especially among the Hebrews, he was the cream of the crop. He had a proper lineage, he strictly obeyed all the laws and duties outlined in the Old Testament, he was industrious, he was powerful, he was trusted, he was important, and he was blameless (a fact no one disputed).

He states clearly that no man could possibly think that they had more reason to trust in their fleshly attributes more than he. But, upon coming face to face with Christ he realized that everything he believed was wrong. In the paragraph above, verses 5 and 6 are recorded, but let’s consider verses 7 and 8.  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, What a man! A man that was willing to admit that all his pedigree, his good works, his success in life, his religion, his abilities, his drive, and his ambition - all these and so much more he admitted were nothing.

There is an old story of an elderly man of God that was about to cross over into Heaven. He asked for his protégés to be beckoned to his deathbed. Upon arriving they stood around his bed telling him goodbye and thank you. He began to cry and repeated over and over, “I have never done anything for Jesus.”  They reminded him of the church he faithfully pastored, the books he wrote, the college he started, and the many thousands of people he influenced. He kept saying, “I have never done anything for Jesus.”  They tried to comfort him with words that would remind him of all the things he accomplished in ministry, through his family, and in the community. Yet he told them over and over, “I have never done anything for Jesus.”  Then, at the end, he summoned enough strength to finally explain, “I have never done anything for Jesus, He did it all for me.”  

Paul thought he was better than everyone else in the flesh, but coming face to face with Jesus forever changed his confidence. The apostle’s confidence was not in his attributes, but in Christ. Oh, that we could think more like this today, what a difference it would make.

May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today.

Dr. William Howe