Imitate the One Who Promises Everlasting Life

CONTROL WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT

A wise person controls what he is thinking about. Our thoughts can help us or harm us, just as fire can help us or harm us. When we are careful with a fire, we can use it to cook food. But if we are not careful,  a fire can burn down our house and even kill us. It is similar with our thoughts. When we think about things we learn from Jehovah, it is good for us. But if we keep thinking about sexual immorality  and imagining ourselves doing bad things, we will desire these things so much that we may actually do them.  That might end our friendship with Jehovah. -Read James 1:14, 15.

We can learn from the example of the first woman, Eve.  Jehovah had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from "the tree of of the knowledge of good and bad." (Genesis 2:16, 17)  But Satan told Eve; "You certainly will not die.  For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad."  Eve imagined how much better her life would be  if she could  decide for herself what was good and what was bad. She kept thinking about this and "saw that the tree was good for  food and that it was something desirable to the eats."  What happened then? She began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward, she also gave some to her husband when he was with her, and he began eating it."  (Genesis 3:1-6) As  a result,"sin entered into  the world and death through sin." (Romans 5:12)  Eve should not have kept thinking about doing what was wrong! 

Of course, Eve's sin did not involve sexual immorality.  But the Bible clearly warns us not to keep imagining ourselves  doing anything sexually immorally.  Jesus said:  "Everyone who keeps on looking at a woman so as to have passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Also, Paul warned:  "Do not be planing ahead for the desires of the flesh." -Romans 13:14.  

The Bible also says that  we should focus on pleasing Jehovah and not keep thinking about getting rich. Even if someone is rich, his money cannot really protect him.  (Proverbs 18:11) Jesus said that a person is foolish if he stores up many treasure for himself but does not keep Jehovah first in his life. He is "not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16-21) When we store up "treasures in heaven" by doing things  that please Jehovah, we make him happy and we feel happy too.  (Matthew 6:20; Proverbs 27:11) And a good relationship  with Jehovah is more valuable than anything else.  

Next time: Imitate the One Who Promises Everlasting Life - DO NOT KEEP WORRYING

From the Watchtower magazine, 2015