A Renewed Mind - Pt 3

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).

Let me close our brief look at being transformed by saying a double action of the Holy Spirit is required; and, then we join him in these two actions. The reason I say the Holy Spirit is required is because this word “renewal” (v. 2) only used one other place in all the Greek Bible: “[God] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5). There’s the word “renewal” which we’ve seen is so necessary. And it is renewal “of the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit renews the mind. It is first and decisively his work. We are radically dependent on him. Our efforts follow his initiatives and enablings. Paul says to the Corinthians, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our minds are renewed by steadfastly gazing at the glories of Christ for what they really are. But to enable us to do that, the Spirit must do a double work. He must work in two directions: from the outside in and from the inside out. He must work from the outside in by exposing the mind to Christ-exalting truth. That is, he must lead us to hear the gospel, to read the Bible, to study Christ-exalting writings of great, spiritual men, and to meditate on the perfections of Christ. This is exactly what our great enemy does not want us to do, “The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Because to see that for what it really is, Paul says, will renew the mind and transform the life and produce unending worship. And the Spirit must work from the inside out, breaking the hard heart that blinds and corrupts the mind. The Spirit must work from the outside in, through Christ-exalting truth, and from the inside out, through truth-embracing humility. If he only worked from the outside in, by presenting Christ-exalting truth to our minds but not breaking the hard heart and making it humble, then the truth would be despised and rejected. And if he only humbled the hard heart, but put no Christ-exalting truth before the mind, there would be no Christ to embrace and no worship would happen. These are the things for a renewed mind. Are you ready for that today? You can be!

A Renewed Mind - Pt 2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).

Renewal is the essential means of transformation; specifically, it is “the renewal of your mind.” “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” If you long to break loose from conformity to the world; if you long to be transformed and new from the inside out; if you long to be free from mere duty-driven Christianity and do what you love to do because what you love to do is what you ought to do; if you long to offer up your body as a living sacrifice so that your whole life becomes a spiritual act of worship and displays the worth of Christ above the worth of the world; then we ought to focus on the giving of ourselves to pursuing the renewal of your mind. Of this, the Scripture is very clear. There are many who think that the only problem with the human mind is that it doesn’t have access to all the knowledge it needs. So education becomes the great instrument of redemption, both personally and socially. That common wisdom believes if people just got more education they would not use their minds to invent elaborate scams, and sophisticated terrorist plots, and complex schemes for embezzling, and fast-talking, mentally nimble radio rudeness. That simply has not been proven to be correct historically. The Bible has a far more profound analysis of the problem. Paul explains this a bit more in his letter to the Ephesians, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” (Ephesians 4:23). “The spirit of your mind” means at least this: the human mind is not a sophisticated computer managing data, which it then faithfully presents to the heart for appropriate emotional responses. The mind has a “spirit.” In other words, our mind has what we call a “mindset.” It doesn’t just have a view, it has a viewpoint. It doesn’t just have the power to perceive and detect; it also has a posture, a demeanor, a bearing, an attitude, a bent. “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” This is the focus of the new creation. We become different because we think differently. We think like the Spirit of God. This happens as we are exposed more to the Spirit; and, that happens when we read the Scripture, or pray, or fellowship with other believers. We must place ourselves in the context of transformation. Place yourself in a place and position to be transformed. God will do the work of renewal.

A Renewed Mind - Pt 1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).

Today I want to focus on the phrase in our reading, “by the renewal of your mind.” The Apostle Paul says we are not be conformed to this world, but “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We are perfectly useless as Christ-exalting Christians if all we do is conform to the world around us. And the key to not wasting our lives with this kind of success and prosperity, Paul says, is being transformed. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed.” This word, “transformed,” is used one time in all the gospels, namely, about Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration (the mountain of “transformation” — same word, metemorphōthē): “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2). This is an important note to come to the truth that the nonconformity to the world does not primarily mean the external avoidance of worldly behaviors. That’s included. But you can avoid all kinds of worldly behaviors and not be transformed. “His face shown like the sun, and his clothes became white as light!” Something like that happens to us spiritually and morally. It takes place mentally, first on the inside; and then, later at the resurrection on the outside. So Jesus says of us, at the resurrection: “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). Transformation is not switching from the to-do list of the flesh to the to-do list of the law. When Paul replaces the list of the works of the flesh, he does not replace it with the works of the law, but the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:19-22). The Christian alternative to immoral behaviors is not a new list of moral behaviors. It is the triumphant power and transformation of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, our Treasure. “[God] has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). So transformation is a profound, blood-bought, Spirit-wrought change from the inside out. To use a contemporary phrase, God is not about the business of repurposing something old for a new purpose. He is about making something new! Since He is Creator, He alone can do this. This process begins with trust. Trust Him today!

An Invitation to Mercy

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:8-10 ESV). I hesitate to write about patience today. I’m sure we all could use a little more, after all, everything in the world we live in is teaching us and conditioning us to operate with less and less patience. It seems the world treasures everything only when it is bigger, better, or faster. It shouldn’t be a wonder that we struggle with patience. However, as a result of our struggle with patience, it can be difficult for us to truly understand the patience of God and see the gift of His patience toward us.

We have a tendency to view God through the lens of our humanity. He does not struggle with patience. It is not like He is biting His lip and gritting His teeth to put up with us. Patience is not something He has to work on. He is patience; it is one of His attributes, part of His character. Let me make this clear. If God was not a patient God, we would have no chance. Let me mention three thing that come to mind in this reflection: First, God’s patience is supernatural. Through His infinite lens, “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” And He loves us. In fact, His patience is fueled by His love for us. God’s patience is for a purpose. It is designed to lead us to repentance. His desire is that we “have another mind” concerning our motives and behavior. He wants us to turn around and go the other direction. So, His patience is meant to lead us to a place where we can recognize His amazing, beautiful grace and mercy. The patience of God points to the Glory of God. When we truly understand the reality of this statement, it is a sobering thought. Not all will call on the name of the Lord, so there is an urgency to this message of God’s patience. A day is coming for each of us when we will have to stand before the most high God. All of our works will be exposed. We will be totally and completely laid bare. On that day the Glory of God will be perfectly and completely revealed. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ will stand before God and when He looks at us, He will see His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, instead of seeing our imperfect works and deeds, God will see the good and perfect works of His Son. His patience and grace will be gloriously displayed. It will be beautiful beyond our imaginations. Don’t miss out on the gift of God’s patience as He pursues you with His mercy and grace. His patience is inviting you to trust in Him as your Savior and Lord.

Mandatory Evacuations and Sheltering in Place

O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. (Isaiah 54:11-14 ESV)

At the time of this writing the path of Hurricane Dorian is still uncertain, though the best models seem to predict it will skirt the Florida coast and move north toward the Carolinas. With that news the officials of Palm Beach County, Florida, have ordered a mandatory evacuation for parts of the county and a shelter in place order for those living in the western parts of the county. I begin with that news because my son, David, and his family live there. Dorian has become a Category 5 storm, slamming into the Bahamas with winds upward of 175 mph. David has made all the preparations necessary. Their home is as hurricane proof as possible. They have corrugated steel panels that have been placed over all the windows and glass doors. They have secured water and food, batteries, a generator with extra fuel, and are ready to “hunker down” as they are being told by the authorities. I have lived through one of those “sheltering in place.” In 1961, Hurricane Carla made its way onshore and hit Galveston with recorded winds of 171 mph. The rains were torrential and the flooding covering the island. I remember well sitting in my bedroom on the second floor of our home watching the debris carried by the winds with such force they exploded anything in their path. Palm trees were uprooted and blown down, houses were destroyed, and the devastation was incredible. The most interesting thing was that I was not the least bit frightened. My Dad told me it was all going to be fine and the storm would blow over soon. When storms are raging in your life, you must grab a hold of your heavenly Father. He is your refuge, your shelter, the only secure, safe place. He is the bright ray of sunshine in any storm that comes your way. Think of the enemy as the storm and you are a ship out at sea in the whirlwind of the storm. You are being tossed by the waves, which represent anything that is thrown at you to bring you turmoil. You see a light ahead from the lighthouse, who is Jesus your Rescuer, to guide you to safety. You begin to sense the calm inside of you. The fear leaves, and you have the needed hope to weather this storm. This is the wisdom of spiritually “sheltering in place.” If you need to evacuate, the Lord has already taken care of that as well. Trust Him for all your storms in life!

Getting Whay You Want

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15 ESV).

It's so easy to become disappointed because we don't see life going the way we want it to and we do not see the big picture that God is working through everything to produce in us a character like Jesus Christ. We lose confidence in trusting God and begin to trust in ourselves and what we can accomplish. Pride and arrogance takes over quick and we find ourselves forgetting the goodness and grace of God. Then before we know it, something happens or goes wrong that we cannot control and we blame God. The truth is that nothing apart from God can save us or make us whole. Jesus is the answer and without Him at the center of our lives, we will continue to struggle with having confidence. God's Word is filled with promises of strength and courage if we place our confidence in Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, there must be a distinctively different basis, direction, and source of our confidence. The Scripture speaks of confidence from a vertical perspective. It is not derived from the relative consistency of our experiences and the development of our gifts, talents, and abilities. It doesn’t come from the strength of our personalities or our track records of success. Likewise, it is not diminished or damaged by inconsistency, failure, suffering, dysfunction, or what so often appears to be the erratic, unpredictable nature of life. Our confidence is anchored in God. He never changes. He is never out of control. He is never taken by surprise. He never loses. Our circumstances don’t affect God; he affects our circumstances. God never missteps. He has no glitches. His ability to function is never overloaded. He never breaks down or crashes. He is our proactive, loving heavenly Father, who not only has a plan for our lives, but also has the resources to make happen everything he intends. Draw very near to Him today in your life. Rest in the knowledge that He only has good in store for you!

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 7

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ESV).

We come to the end of our little series to develop a life of joy. It concerns the principle of self-value. If you wouldn’t say it about another person, then you shouldn’t think it about yourself. Would you ever tell a person you love that they are a stupid, fat, ugly loser who can’t do anything right? Of course you wouldn’t, because it would be an inconsiderate and nasty thing to do. Despite how mean it would be to say things like this to another person, we often say them to ourselves. Personal growth and transformation cannot happen from a place of self-hate; joy happens when you can love and accept yourself as you are, even the flawed or messy parts. The truth is “it’s not all about you.” We cannot become ensnared by the trap in assuming everything is about us. Just because a person doesn’t want to hang out with you, doesn’t mean they don’t like you; it probably just means they are exhausted from dealing with people all day and need some time to re-charge. Just because a person doesn’t answer a text, doesn’t mean they are ignoring you; maybe they’re busy with their kids, at work, a creative project or one of the million things that are more important than answering texts as they come in. Just because a person doesn’t go on a date with you, doesn’t mean you are unattractive, unappealing or doomed to be alone; you’re just not a good match, and you’re fortunate the other person was honest enough to not lead you on. There are many ways to help you build self-esteem along your journey to being your true self. Here are two of my favorite daily tools for loving myself like God loves me: First, keep a journal every day. Write down your experiences, how you felt about them and whether you felt you dealt with it in way that aligned with your inner voice. The more you write down and notice when you’re doing what’s best for you, the more you get close to expressing your true being more often. Second, meditate each day. There is no better way than to relax, breathe and rest your thoughts. This is a great time to practice affirmations and reflect on what you want for your life. Now… go dance in the rain! Joy is yours by divine right!