Monday, June 15, 2009

A New Mind

1 Cor 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

These represent two ways of thinking by the natural mind. The Greeks seek wisdom, which could be good because wisdom is from God, but if they seek wisdom only to debate and argue, then it is wrong thinking. The Jews seek a sign. Recognizing a sign or miracle from God is good, but following them can lead them astray to false spirits and teachings.

John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
John 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Both the Greek wisdom seekers and the Jewish sign seekers need discernment, Spiritual discernment.

1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

If you are born again of His Spirit, you have access to the mind of Christ. We must replace our natural thinking with God's thinking. We need the mind of Christ and that only comes through careful study and reading of the Bible. The Bible is a spiritual book, requiring the Holy Spirit to discern what is read and to deposit this into our minds and hearts.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Our mind is renewed first by forsaking the thinking of the world and the natural mind, and then seeking the transforming power of God searching his thoughts and making them our own. We receive by grace the anointed word of God and that through faith. Grace and faith work together to transform us into the children of God. Without faith, we would not believe nor seek the things of God, With faith, comes a new creation through Jesus Christ, the object of our faith. We must discern what is of God and what is of another spirit. We need Spiritual discernment that only comes from reading the word of God. Some do not have discipline to sit down and read the word. They cannot be disciples, if they have no discipline. The Spirit works in you to discern the word of truth. If no time is spent in the word, then we only have the natural man's thoughts. Study the word, read it, eat it so that it is part of you. This is the way to receive the transformed and renewed mind. It requires effort to be transformed and renewed, with submission to the mind of Christ which comes by the Holy Spirit. Where are we getting our thoughts? The mind is a battleground, the worlds news is never good news. Take time to refresh and cleanse your mind through reading the Bible. Put off the old mind and put on the mind of Christ.

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Also study 1 Cor 1:10 - 3:11

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