1 Peter 1:13
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. NIV
1. We need to prepare are minds Rom 12:2
- only when we renew our minds with His word can we see what He sees, only when we see what He sees are we ready to act as He would act.
2. We need to choose to be self-controlled.
– Self-control is a choice. Eph 4:26; 1 Peter 5:8
- Lack of self control is an open door for the devil.(Prov 25:28; 1 Cor 7:5) He is out to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8/John 10:10) so to be self-controlled we need to be prepared with God’s word inside so that it can come out, with our hope not in our strength but in God’s grace.
- Only with clear vision can there be restraint Prov 29:18
3. We need to fully set our Hope in God’s grace not our performance.
– Rom 11:6; Eph 2:8;
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 3:1-2
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ESV
- Where is your mind set? First, we have control on where are mind is set. Where you set your mind determines what you live for.
- 2 Cor 10:5 (take thoughts captive); Rom 12:2; (renew your mind) we are to prepare are minds 1 Peter 1:13. (Meditation Phil 4:8)
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)
