The Base of Thought
(Isaiah 54:2-3)

We need to lay the firm foundation underground to build a big building above the ground, as the saying goes that “One has to prepare a site to build a house”. It is because even a beautiful and grandiose building would fall apart easily when facing an earthquake or a flood if the foundation of the building is poor. The foundation of our life is our thoughts. When we think rightly, we can build a house of life firmly.

1. Thought, the base of living
1) Due to the wrongful thoughts of Adam, he and his descendants were lead to sin and death.
2) The devil who tempted Jesus
① Tempted Jesus to transform a stone into bread to eat using His status as the Son of God.
② Tempted Jesus to perform a miracle of jumping from the top of the temple to gain honor.
③ Tempted Jesus to bow down to the devil to live in the splendor in the universe.
3) All kinds of tragedy originate from the wrongful thoughts of an individual, family, society, and a nation.

2. The born again experience and the change of thought
1) The old self who has not been born again is captivated by self-centered and atheistic thoughts.
2) They live in places where the environment and foundation of life is degraded with thoughts filled with sins and inequities.
3) Their hearts are filled with greed and avarice and they are slaves to proud and arrogance.
4) As Jesus died on the cross carrying up our old self and He was also risen from the grave with us, we are saved through faith and become new creations.

3. The new self and the changed thought
1) We are transformed as
① forgiven and called righteous with all of our inequities cleansed.
② healed of all the diseases and weaknesses and become healthy and strong.
③ Freed from all the curses and failures receiving the blessings of Abraham in the Lord.
④ Delivered from the forces of death and destruction and have received resurrection, eternal life, and the heaven.
2) These ought to be the base of thought for the saved. We ought to stand firm on the basis of holistic salvation Jesus have given to us. And we should think, see, believe, and speak.
3) We receive grace when realizing the Word of God and living our lives on the base of the atonement on the cross.

Though saved, many of their faith are reduced to thinking that they are forgiven of sins. The salvation of Jesus is, however, holistic one covering the whole life for us. When we realize and believe that we are transformed and made anew in the Lord, the thought in our hearts starts to bear fruits of life.