SETTING OUR MINDS ON JESUS, PART 2

RESETTING OUR MINDS ON JESUS

You show you are a letter from Christ,

written...on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3.3

Here's how to reset our minds so they are filled with the things of Christ (Col 3.1-2 by the Holy Spirit--Ephesians 5.18):

Psalm 119.13--With my lips I recount all the laws that come fromYour mouth.

To "recount" means to become very familiar with, to have an organized, insightful understanding of the meaning of, to know so well that knowledge is readily available for use.

To know and apply the "laws of God" is the point of the constant emphasis on paying attention to teachings, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in Proverbs and in the prayers of the Apostle Paul--Ephesians 1.14ff. It is the truths of Scripture that produce hope and faith that releases grace to fulfill the promises of God and empower our lives to be lived for His Glory.

Jesus said, "If you continue in my word you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." The Psalmist promises that meditation with serious commitment and intention will bring great and mighty blessings into our lives--Psalm 1.2-3. Joshua 1.8-9 says the same thing.

Such meditation to know and understand Scripture is really quite simple. Basically, just read thoughtfully and responsively. You can find meaningful passages that you can understand and benefit from with very little effort. Ask someone where to start is a good way to start.

Here's how Psalm 119 tells us to read:

I will not be ashamed wehn I consider all your commands.

I will praise you with and upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

Vv.6-8

These verses tell us to read thoughtfully, prayerfully.

We will learn some important things in every reading.

We will have our lives effected for God's Glory as we so read.

Such reading will result our seeing and knowing more ans more of the glory of the Lord Jesus and we will be made more and more like Him, day by day, and this will be for the coming ages of eternity.

SETTING OUR MINDS ON JESUS

THE MIND OF CHRIST

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God...

No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

We have received the Spirit Who is from God,

that we may understand what God has freely given us.

The spiritual man... (has) the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2.10-16

1 Corinthians 2. 14--The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The man without the Spirit of God, including the Christian who neglects personal meditation on the ways of God for his life day by day, will not have the "mind" of Christ. Lack of desire to know and love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength prevents understanding and insight into the deep thoughts and ways of God.

By default such men are filled with foolishness and destructiveness.

Genesis 6.5--The Lord saw that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil (destructive) all the time.

Isaiah 26.3,4--You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

"Inclination" and "steadfast" are the same Hebrew word. It means what is the source of our thoughts, words, and actions. Note how the words I have italicized bring out the idea of how what is in our hearts direct what comes out of us, as Jesus says in Mark 7.20-23,

Genesis 8.21--...Every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.

1 Chronicles 28.9--And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.

1 Chronicles 29.18--I know, my God that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent.

It is important to see that what we do and say, even what we think, come from the "inclinations" and "motives" of our hearts, because, the good news is:

We can choose to put godly motives and intentions

into our hearts.

Romans 12.1-2--I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not comform 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.

Colossians 3.1-2--Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated....Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

We can "cultivate" the mind and attitude, the very heart and love of Christ--Phil. 2. 5.

We can "work out our salvation" because God desires to work within us "to will and to do of His good pleasure"--Phil. 2.12-13.

We can have the mind, motive, inclination, heart of God working within us.