1 Corinthians 2:16 "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
God is concerned with our inner self, what we think about all throughout the day. It is a great comfort to me to know that we can actually control what we think about. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. This is so important because if we don't do this, we open ourselves up to a whirlwind of problems and our minds become the devil's playground. If we want to live a life of peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace in our relationships and have the abundance of joy that God has promised then we must decide beforehand and choose to believe what the Bible says to be true. This choice includes developing a mind that agrees with God. What we believe about ourselves is usually what we will become.
So, how do we take every thought captive and develop a mind that agrees with God? I firmly believe that if we decide ahead of time what we will do and not do in certain situations and make plans, then we will more often than naught be able to avoid the temptations we face. For example, when we spend time with others: I am not going to harm anyone's reputation or I am not going to give my spouse a reason not to trust me. Or decisions like: I'm not going to eat fried foods today or I am not going to spend time with people who steer me away from God. We must be proactive in making choices because our reactions are based on our feelings which usually cause regret.
We also need to make every effort to spend time in God's Word renewing our minds. God's Word ushers us in to the thoughts of God, what we are to believe and how we are to live. In this way we Practice His Presence and are filling our minds with words that bring life, hope, and peace. God's Word reminds us of the best that God has for us and how to avoid the ways of the world.
Lastly, we must rid our minds of anything that doesn't please the Lord. People have referred to it as "Stinking Thinking". Negative, self demoralizing thoughts debilitate us and keep us from moving forward in God's Kingdom work.
Dear Friends, God has freely given us the mind of Christ. Let's commit to renewing our minds daily so that the "Stinking Thinking" doesn't get a foot hold and take away from anything that the Lord has planned for us!
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Dear Lord,
Everywhere around us the world clamors to get our attention. It's noisy, provocative, and evil. Help us to be on our guard and proactively plan so as not to get caught up in the evil one's affairs. We want to be like You, we want to be able to walk in the light as You are in the light but we know that we can't do it on our own. Help us to be so saturated with Your Word that it becomes a natural part of who we are!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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