SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
No teaching on the mind is complete without Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]” (emphasis mine).
An unrenowned mind is one that is never changed after receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. The spirit is regenerated but the mind remains the same. This condition furnishes fertile ground for the devil to operate. It is for this reason that Christians often have a reputation as being hypocritical. They say they believe something but their behavior does not match their so-called beliefs. They may go to church each week, but at home or at work they do not differ from the rest of the world. Not only are they miserable, but the example they set for others is terrible.
Many people who need Christ in their life are hindered from accepting him due to the poor witness of others they know who say they are Christians.
An Improper Mind
If a child of God harbors sin in his heart, he is lending his mind to wicked spirits for their use. For example, the Bible states clearly that if a man lusts after a woman in his heart, he has already committed adultery with her as far as his heart is concerned. He may be a Christian but he is fleshly and carnal. He has an improper mind. He does not control his thoughts. He has not renewed his mind or learned the power of his thoughts.
A woman may have improper thoughts toward another man if, when she sees him, she admires him excessively and tends to compare him to her own husband. Perhaps she would like her husband to have some of the qualities that she sees in this other man and her thoughts become improper as she even imagines herself married to him rather than the husband she has. The woman may find herself feeling guilty about having such thoughts but fails to realize that she can refuse these thoughts that are “uninvited guests” instead of offering them a comfortable home. The longer one allows improper thoughts, the more difficult they are to get rid of. Satan has built a stronghold in the man’s mind that can only be torn down by strong determination and megadoses of God’s Word.
Satan introduces many improper thoughts into the believer’s head. He knows he can hinder fruitfulness by doing so. He can keep the believer weak and powerless through controlling his thoughts. Satan might fill one’s mind with criticism or prejudices. He might use jealous thoughts to hold him in bondage. Proud thoughts are among his favorites. If he can get us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to and less of others than we should, he can be successful in hindering us from loving other people, which is the one new command that Jesus gave (see John 13:34).
Renewing your mind is not like renewing your driver’s license or library card, which can be done quickly and doesn’t have to be repeated for months or years. Renewing your mind is more like undertaking the job of renewing and refurbishing an old house. It doesn’t happen quickly; it takes time, energy, and effort, and there is always something that needs attention. Don’t fall into the trap of believing you can renew your mind by thinking right thoughts one time. To get the mind renewed, you will have to think right thoughts over and over again, until they become rooted in your thinking-until right thoughts come to you more easily and naturally than wrong thoughts. You will have to discipline yourself to think properly, and you will have to guard against falling into old thought patterns-and this can happen very easily. When it does, don’t feel badly, just start thinking rightly again.
You will eventually come to the place where wrong thoughts actually make you uncomfortable and they just don’t fit right into your thinking processes any longer. The continual, ongoing process of renewing the mind extends to every aspect of your thinking. If you are like most people, many areas of your mind need to be renewed. These may include the way you think about yourself, your finances, your health, your family, time management, vacations and recreation, your job, your future, or any of a multitude of other topics. Don’t assume you have renewed your mind just because you feel confident your thinking has changed in one area. You should celebrate concerning the mental junk you have eliminated, but don’t be complacent and fail to keep pressing on. Many times, the areas of thinking you find most challenging to renew are the ones that hurt you most and keep you from receiving the best God has for you. I was a workaholic and although I made progress against it little by little, it was a real battle for me. I was insecure and felt devalued due to being abused in my childhood and I fell into the trap of getting my worth out of what I accomplished. I was not able to really enjoy the new life God had provided through Jesus Christ because I worked constantly trying to deserve what He had already given by His grace and mercy as a free gift. Through persisting in renewing my mind, I have been able to better balance my life in ways that amaze me! But I want to emphasize over and over again that you will have to be willing to invest time and effort if you want to change your way of thinking.
Let me be quick to say that you should not feel condemned if you are struggling with your thought life right now or if you face struggles in the days to come. Condemnation only weakens you, and it never helps you make progress. Anytime we recognize that we are allowing wrong thoughts in our mind, we should ask God to forgive us and continue pressing on toward our goal. Celebrate every victory because it helps you not to feel overwhelmed by what still remains to be conquered, and remember that God is very patient and long-suffering. He is understanding and will never give up on you.
Think about It
In what areas of your life does your mind need to be renewed?
Covering Sinkholes
In late May 2010, tropical storm Agatha hit Central America, producing torrential rains and landslides. Once it finished its course, a 200-foot-deep sinkhole opened in downtown Guatemala City. This sinkhole caused the ground to collapse suddenly, sucking land, electrical poles, and a 3-story building into the depths of the earth.
Though sinkholes can be devastating, the most universal, and damaging sinkhole is the one that happens in the human heart. King David was an example of this.
The surface of David’s life looked stable; however, his interior life rested on a fragile foundation. After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12). However, God’s intense conviction after Nathan’s confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life. To prevent this spiritual sinkhole from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Ps. 32:5). As a result, God covered David’s sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.
We too will experience God’s grace when we confess our sins to Him. He will completely forgive and cover our spiritual sinkholes.
Thinking It Over
What habitual sins, secret addictions, or hidden
vulnerabilities are weakening your interior life?
Remember, God longs to give you complete forgiveness.
When we uncover our sins in repentance God will cover them.
Insight
Psalm 32 is one of the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6,38,51,102,130,143), which are prayers confessing sins and turning to the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness. For about a year after his adultery with Bathsheba, David refused to admit that he had sinned-that is, until the prophet Nathan confronted him (2 Sam. 11–12). As a result, David penned Psalms 32 and 51. In today’s psalm, David celebrates the forgiveness he received (vv.1-2), warns of the terrible burden of living with unconfessed sins (vv.3-4), and encourages sinners to repent or face chastening by the Lord (vv.3-6,8-11). In the New Testament, Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2 to show how God forgives sinners-by grace through faith alone (see Rom. 4:6-8).
Read: Psalm 32:1-5
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2
Заделывание дыр
Читать: Псалом 31:1-5
Блажен, кому отпущены беззакония и чьи грехи покрыты!
Библия за год: Левит 26-27; Марка 2
В конце мая 2010 года ураган Агата обрушился на Центральную Америку, вызвав обильные ливни, приведшие к оползням. После его прохождения в центре Гватемалы образовалась зияющая дыра семидесятиметровой глубины. Она поглотила несколько электрических столбов и трехэтажное здание.
Хотя подобные явления могут причинить немалый ущерб, есть другие «дыры», намного более разрушительные и не связанные с ураганами. Они появляются в сердце.
Внешне жизнь Давида выглядела прекрасно. Однако она покоилась на хрупком основании. После совершенных грехов прелюбодеяния и убийства Давид думал, что успешно «спрятал концы» (2 Цар. 11-12). Однако суровое Божье обличение, произнесенное Нафаном, заставило его осознать, что, отвергая сделанный грех, он лишает свою духовную жизнь основы. Осознавая, что «дыра» может стать еще хуже, Давид смиренно принес свой грех к Богу в молитве покаяния (Пс. 31:5). Господь помиловал его и даровал радость прощения. Последствия греха еще долго давали о себе знать, но в сердце грешника вернулся мир, и это было важнее.
Мы также испытаем Божью благодать, если исповедуем перед Ним свои грехи. Он совершенно простит нас и заделает все духовные «дыры».
Подумайте:
Какие вредные привычки, тайные пристрастия
или скрытые грехи угнетают вашу духовную жизнь?
Помните: Бог ожидает вашего раскаяния.
Когда мы открываем свои грехи перед Богом, Он покрывает их прощением
