Last night I wrote a post about how we have to be careful of allowing bade company into our lives because it corrupts good character. I have pondered this more since I heard the message yesterday. One of the things that came to mind was Philippians 4:8,9 which says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, what ever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (TNIV)" Further down Paul continues in verse 13 with, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength.(TNIV)" The reason I was struck by these verses in relation to yesterday's post was that the things that Paul advises the Philippians to think on and do are the things that we should be thinking on and doing. If we adhere to Paul's list then there is no room for the bad company that can potentially lead us down the wrong road. You might be like me and think, "But it seems impossible to be able to only think about these things." That is where I believe the second verse comes in. Paul is speaking about how he has learned to be content in any situation that he finds himself in whether well fed or hungry, poor or rich, he is content with his circumstances because God gives him the strength to do all things. And I believe that applies to what we think and what we do. If there are things that are temptations to us and are a struggle for us God knows about it. It's not a surprise to Him. And He gives us the strength to be able to make it through times where we have pushed those things aside and are doing well and He helps us at other times when we are struggling. But the important thing to remember is that He gives us the strength to be able to accomplish that which is His will for us to do. I believe it is His will for us to think on the things that are listed above and so I believe that He will give us the grace and ability to be able to focus on these things if we will ask for His help to do so.
Two other important things to keep in mind about our minds is that we're instructed to keep our minds on the Lord and that once in Christ we have the mind of Christ. In Isaiah 26:3 it says, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You. leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. (AMP)" That sounds to me that if we will meditate on God or think about Him and His Word that it will be to our benefit giving us "perfect and constant peace." In 1 Corinthians 2:16 it says, "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. (AMP)" This verse tells us that we have the same mind that Christ does and that we "hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart." Jesus was about His Father's business. He stayed in prayer, He did the will of the Father not His own, and He knew the Word of God. So if that's what Jesus' mind was on then it seems that our minds should be on the same things. I read another chapter in my Battlefield of the Mind book this morning and it was on "The Mind of Christ." In this chapter Joyce Meyer instructed the readers to have a mind that 1) Thinks positive thoughts, 2) Is God-minded, 3)Is God-loves me minded, 4)Is exhortative, 5)Thankful, and 6) Is Word-minded.
Yesterday after Pastor Gool's message my thoughts were focused on all the things that were wrong with me and the things that I needed to change. I wasn't really thinking about how to go about making the changes that I needed to make and honestly was feeling a little overwhelmed about having to make changes. Change is not always easy but it is always worth it. So I am thankful that today God provided me with some answers as to how to go about the actual process of change. What to think on and what to focus on and if there are things in my life that are not in line with the things that God instructs me to think on or not in line with having the mind of Christ then I will know right away what things to get rid of. In the words of Max Lucado, "God loves you just the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you there."
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