Rom 12:2
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
NIV
- Mind or Thoughts1 Cor 10:5 we are to take thoughts captive, Rom 12:2 we are to renew our minds, Phil 4:8 tells us to think on things that are praise worthy Col 3:2 says we are to set our mind on things above; 1 Peter 3:13 tells us to prepare or gird up our mind.
- Do you take control of your thinking? Do you take responsibility for your thoughts or do you just let what ever thought comes up fill your mind. The Bible keeps telling us what to do with our thoughts because we have a choice. The old saying is that you can’t stop birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from nesting in your hair. It is true, you can’t stop ideas from coming up but you can decide what to do with them when they do. I think a lot of our thoughts have a lot do with your meditation and random regurgitating of things you put in, but it is still a choice whether you will dwell on the random thoughts or to move on. If most of our thoughts are somehow tied to things we put in our brain we can change much of the random thoughts by choosing what we put in. I don’t have German swear words coming up in my mind because I have no idea what they are. Some times I do have words come up that I have to choose not to use but they are words that I have heard. They are things that I have let in. What are you letting in? The more I watch my intake the less I will have to watch my overflow. Your overflow will always consist of the things that are inside Prov 4:23/ Matt 12:34. What are we filling up on?
- God Help the meditation of my heart to be pleasing to you Ps 19:14 (NIV). Let my thoughts always bring me closer to you.
- Ps 40:8; Prov 12:5; 2 Cor 11:3; Eph 4:23; Phil 3:19; 1 Peter 1:13;
Col 2:13-14
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NKJV
- This is one of my favorite pictures in the whole bible. There is a written requirement against us that he wiped clean he paid our debt upon the cross, Satan no longer has anything on us, the debt has been paid. All his valid claims are no longer valid. Were debt free, (Rom 8:1). 1 John 1:9;
Col 2:7
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ESV
- We have to be rooted. So many people are just placed; they are just sitting in the church with out their own faith. They may be sitting on the church or on a leader but if that one thing falls or they get cut off from it they die, at least their Christianity does. In John 15:5 Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches. If we are to have a life we must stay connected and rooted to him, not a leader or church. The Israelites tried that. Ex 20:19 they asked Moses to talk to God on their behalf. When Moses left the camp they soon forgot the Lord. I don’t want my faith in God to be based on a person or a congregation of believers, I want a deep relationship with the Lord God almighty that can not be shaken.
1 Sam 12:23
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. NKJV
- Samuel says that for him to stop praying for Israelites would be a sin. Are you praying for your nation? If any nation has ever needed prayer our nations needs it. If not praying for our nation is a sin, it is one I have been guilty of it. God please forgive me. Please do a work not only in my life, but in my nation. Lord, please draw our nation after you. Give us hearts that want to please you. Let us see what you see. Give me and our nation a hatred for sin. Help this nation to seek you first over everything else. 1 Thess 5:17
Phil 3:19
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ESV
- Hosea 7:14;
- What is your glory in? What are you proud of? What do you look up to? The answer to these questions tells a lot about you. You model after what you respect; you try to become more of what you are proud of. Are you proud that you can speak softly and cool things when every one is upset; or that no one wants to mess with you? The world glorifies different things then God does? Are you striving to be honored in the worlds system or God’s? I know the right answer but sometimes I have to reset myself because I see my initial response to things to be what the world respects. I guess this is the process they call renewing your mind. (Rom 12:2)
Prov 29:12
12 If a ruler honors liars, all his advisers will be wicked. NLT
- Your life will attract the people you honor. You will find yourself surrounded by the people you listen to. What kind of people are around you. Are you honoring the right people. If we honor the wrong people the will fill and can ruin our lives.
- Honor Prov 26:8
Ps 100:4
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. NKJV
- Thankfulness Phil 4:6.
- Thankfulness is actually something we are commanded to do. It isn’t our circumstance or even a product of them but a choice we most make regardless of our circumstances.
- Thankfulness is a lens on the glass that we see the world through that changes what we see. It may not always change my circumstances but it will change what I see in them.
Thankfulness has seems to have more to do with perspective then it does with circumstances
Phil 3:12
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ESV
- Not even Paul had arrived. This is a journey are you pressing forward? We need to be pressing forward. That means if you are just sitting and aren’t growing things aren’t right. What is challenging you and causing you to grow? How are you growing closer to God? God recently challenged me on this. I was spending regular time with him but not the kind of time I needed and I really wasn’t growing. Upon getting this challenge I had to change some of the things I do or don’t do. Do you need to change anything? Are you growing?
As sat reading today I was amazed at the things Paul wrote and the way he wrote them. While praying that God would give me a love for his people like that and that he would use me, God began to show me things. Things I am not ready for, things that made me feel in adequate for what God has called me to. I didn’t question God out loud but in my head the questions were there. As soon as I did Phil 1:6 seemed to stand out of the page. Along with two words from Phil 1:27 .
Phil 1:6
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ESV
- I am not ready for all God has for me yet, but he was showing me he isn’t finished with me yet. He will finish what he started. Two words that had been highlighted from a pervious reading from vs 27 were standing out telling me to STAND FAST. It brought up Eph 6:13-14 in my head. Which tells us to take up the whole armor of God so we can stand, and then when we have done all to stand, Stand Therefore. It just seems to give no room for quitting. Though things might not seem like all they are meant to be yet, God isn’t finished with me yet. If I keep standing God will keep working in me making me more and more like him. Will you keep standing? God has a plan for you. He is faithful to complete in you the work that he started. Whatever dream God has given you don’t let go. Keep standing keep seeking God and watching him do a work in your life as he continues to make you more and more like Him.
Prov 29:12
12 If a ruler honors liars, all his advisers will be wicked. NLT
- Your life will attract the people you honor. You will find yourself surrounded by the people you listen to. What kind of people are around you. Are you honoring the right people. If we honor the wrong people they will fill and can ruin our lives.
- Honor Prov 26:8
