Mind

Day 1

Mind collectively refers to the aspects of intellect and consciousness manifested as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination; mind is the stream of consciousness. It includes all of the brain's conscious processes. "Mind" is often used to refer especially to the thought processes of reason.

Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Romans 12:2
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.

Day 2

"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

I was in high school when I first heard these words. It wasn't because I heard it in a great sermon and it wasn't in a bible study. A Christian family that volunteered with my youth group had taken me under their wings, so to speak. One Sunday afternoon at there home they told me plane and simple that I could have all the hope in the world to change myself. But, if I didn't make a conscious effort to change the way I thought, things would never truly change for me.

I was 16. I had recently said the sinners prayer. I had been involved in "church" for just about a year. For the 15 previous years of my life I hadn't known what being a Christian even was. Many of the examples that had been set, the patterns of living were already part of who I was. How do you break free from abuse, sexual immorality, anger, self-indulgence? You have to renew your mind, focus in on the things you want for your life. For those of you who don't think teenagers are listening, they are. I heard the words spoken to me and it took me almost 8 years to understand what they meant.

The renewing of my mind was a process of understanding how truly great my God is. Trying to grasp the fact that his love is bigger and greater then all that I know. Now, each day I get up and focus my thoughts on Him and pray that my life be a response to how great He is. I keep God's word close to me, I fill my heart and mind with it. I trip up and wonder and make my mistakes but I know how to recognize the patterns I don't want in my life. My mind understands that when I mess up, I can turn to my God and be renewed.

Day 3
Romans 8:1-8
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

What did God do for you by sending Christ to die for you?

What things do you focus on that keeps your mind set on what the Spirit desires? (See Galatians 5:16-26)




Day4

Hebrews 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

This verse comforts me in so many ways. Weakness and admitting weakness is not one of my best characteristics. To know that when I am weak, at a loss for words, in so much grief and heartache that my own mind is too full to see clearly, I have a Helper. The Spirit, praying on my behalf, knowing God's true will in all situations is truly going to get it right.

I truly believe that our greatest challenge as Christians is to understand God's great love for us. If you read a little further in Romans 8 you come to verses 37-39,

...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How would your life change if each day you woke up and knew that you are a conqueror? You will never be separated from the love of God.

Day 5

Ephesians 5:15-21

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Give thanks to our Loving God for the sacrifice that has been made on your behalf. Take time sit with your thoughts, are they lined up with the Spirit of God? It takes time to mature in our faith and change our focus. I think it is easy as a new or mature Christian to focus on the things we should and shouldn't be doing verses the gifts we are given. I truly believe that if we can change our minds to focus on love, hope, joy, self-control, kindness our lives become living examples of our thoughts.

If you don't know where to start, your mind is muddied with lives wrong lessons, find a mentor. Find a strong Christian who you can trust to help you get started. Fellowship is an important part of your faith and so is accountability.

Heavenly Father, Your love is Amazing. Because of your sacrifice I am given a love that I cannot grasp. Lord I pray my life be a response to your love for me. Increase my desire for your Word to fill my mind and my heart. For all of the amazing people that read this Lord, I pray you place a person in our lives to mentor us, I pray you place a person in our lives that we can help lift up. Challenge us to trust the Spirit to pray on our behalf when we are weak. Thank you for all that you are, all that you have done, are doing and will do in our lives. ~In His Precious Name.