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The Brightest Subject of Our Thoughts, April 19
My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
Psalm 104:34
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Why not keep your minds fixed on the unsearchable riches of Christ,
that you may present to others the gems of truth? In the Word of God there
are rich mines of truth that we may spend our whole lifetime in exploring,
and yet we shall find that we have only begun to view their precious stores.
Sink the shaft deep, and bring up the hidden treasures. But it is impossible
to do this while we indulge an idle, restless spirit, seeking constantly for
something that will merely gratify the senses, something to amuse, and
cause a foolish laugh.... Minds that are occupied with frivolous reading,
with exciting stories, or with seeking after amusement, do not dwell upon
Christ, and cannot rejoice in the fullness of His love. The mind that finds
pleasure in foolish thoughts and trifling conversation, is as destitute of the
joy of Christ as were the hills of Gilboa of dew or rain.
Does not your own experience testify to this? How much peace of
mind do you have at the close of a day spent in frivolity, in light and
trifling conversation? Can you retire to rest at night, saying, “It is well, it
is well with my soul”? ... How often when you come into the house of
God, into the solemn assembly, your thoughts are turned to that foolish
remark which someone has made, to that idle story, or that comical thing
which you read or saw. And the thought will come at just such a time as
to eclipse a bright ray of the glory of Christ, and you lose the benefit of
the heaven-sent light which you ought to receive....
We need to be constantly filling the mind with Christ, and emptying it
of selfishness and sin.... Just as surely as you empty your mind of vanity
and frivolity, the vacuum will be supplied with that which God is waiting
to give you—His Holy Spirit. Then out of the good treasure of the heart
you will bring forth good things, rich gems of thought, and others will
catch the words.... Your thoughts and affections will dwell upon Christ,
and you will reflect upon others that which has shone upon you from the
Sun of Righteousness.
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