It Always Starts with Thoughts
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Dec 4, 2024
- 2 min read
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Genesis 6:5-11)
The history of the worldwide flood in Genesis 6 shows us an absolute truth: sin doesn't just appear out of nowhere; it starts in the mind. As people think unrighteous thoughts, they take root in their hearts and affect their emotions and decisions. Genesis 6:5 highlights the cause of the fall of all of humanity — every thought was bent toward evil. We may think we are in a bad state of affairs now, but it is nowhere near what it was like in Genesis 6. What began as unchecked evil thoughts grew into wickedness that covered all of humanity, resulting in a society so filled with violence and corruption that God regretted creating humankind.
The thoughts we entertain shape the world we live in. Everything starts with a thought. The question is: what kind of thoughts are you allowing to dwell in your heart? As in Noah’s time, unchecked evil thoughts can spiral into actions that lead us far from God’s design. This is a serious matter—one that demands intentional effort.
However, not all of humanity was doomed in Genesis 6. The good news was that God’s mercy, as seen in Noah’s story, is available to those who obey Him.
Practical Application
Make a conscious effort to guard your thoughts. When we control what we allow our mind to think about, we control what takes root in our hearts. Choose to think God’s thoughts and kick out any of the enemy's thoughts that show up immediately.
