Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."¹

Golfer Arnold Palmer has won hundreds of trophies, but he never flaunts them. In his office is only one trophy on display. It is a small cup he received at his first professional win at the Canadian Open in 1955.

On his office wall is a lone framed plaque that reads:

     If you think you are beaten, you are.
     If you think you dare not, you don't.
     If you'd like to win but think you can't,
        it's almost certain you won't.
     But sooner or later, the man who wins
        is the man who thinks he can.

Life's battles, challenges, successes and/or failures are all fought, won or lost in the mind.

"Keep your heart with all diligence," said Solomon, "for out of it are the issues of life."² The heart in the Bible refers to the total mind: the intellect, the will, and the emotions. And that's the mind we need to guard with all diligence and daily commit and trust to God.

For what the mind dwells on, the body acts on. If you don't believe this, think how temptation works. First a thought, then we dwell on it and keep thinking about it, rationalize it in our mind, and act on it. It is all too true: What the mind dwells on the body acts on.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to guard my heart and my thoughts with all diligence … and keep my thoughts focused on things that are 'true, pure, and of good report.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 23:7
2. Proverbs 4:23

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