Today a friend prayed for me. Her prayer of faith (in God for me) was like a lifeline at a time I needed a lifeline.
It has been my experience that we can have great faith in God for answering and helping other people; there's not a doubt there that God will answer. But sometimes, when it comes to having faith for something in our own lives, it's harder to do. And then someone who does have that great faith in God for us comes along and prays for us, and their faith sparks our own faith! (Remember, it only takes a spark...) We believe because they believe that God will answer the needs in our lives.
It's like a lifeline of faith...we're drowing or floundering in a sea of doubt, and their prayer becomes a lifeline to pull us into the boat of faith and victory.
James 5:15:
"The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the lord will raise him (or her)up..."
James 5:16
"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) avails much.
Just a current example of how important and powerful our words are, and how they can change lives!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Words, Heart and Life
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.” Proverbs 15:4. These scriptures connect our words with life; now let’s see where our hearts fit into this equation.
God is Spirit, and we are made in His image. Therefore we are also spirits, who have a soul, and live in a body. Our spirit is often referred to as our heart, our inner man, or the hidden man of the heart. Our spirit is who we are, the real us. Our spirit is the part of us that connects us to God the Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. It is also the part of us that will live forever, either in Heaven or Hell, depending on what we believe about Jesus, who is the only way to Heaven.* That is a brief definition, or explanation of our hearts. It is necessary for us to understand what or who our hearts (spirits) are, and the impact our words have on our hearts.
Jesus, Himself, is the one who linked words, heart, and life together. He said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) Jesus also said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) He said to God, the Father, “Your words are truth.” (John 17:17) Here again we see the correlation between words (truth), heart (spirit) and life. Remember, God is a creative God, and we are made in His image. Words in our hearts (spirits) spoken out loud create. They create either life or death.
Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) He also said “The things that come out of the mouth (words) come from the heart.” (Matthew 15:16) Solomon said in Proverbs 4:20-23 to keep God’s word “in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” The NIV version says the heart is the wellspring of life. The Amplified Bible says it this way. “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard; for out of it flow the springs of life.” Above all, we are to guard our heart with diligence and vigilance, and keep our hearts secure in God’s Word. “Your word have I hid in my heart.” (Psalm 119:11)
It is imperative that we guard our hearts. The way we do this is to keep God’s words in the midst of our hearts. We don’t let them depart from us; we don’t neglect, or ignore His words. We put His words into our hearts by reading, speaking, memorizing, and meditating. If we keep an abundance of His words in our hearts, then when we speak, we will be speaking life, creating hope and life in other people. That is so powerful!
However, the reverse is true. If we don’t put His word in our hearts and minds, the words that come out of our hearts will be words of death both to us and the people around us. Again that picture of a burned forest comes to my mind: death, devastation, and destruction. The choice is ours. Every day we can choose life or death. Let’s choose life. Proverbs 15:4 shows us a different picture than the burned down forest. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.” Let’s replant that forest with living, healthy, thriving trees!
Keeping God’s Word in our hearts affects our entire lives. God’s words are spirit and they are life. Since God is spirit, His words are spirit. His words create life. They create spirit life. And this spirit life is eternal! His words in our hearts cause that eternal spirit life to flow into our lives and out to others. The spirit life, which is in God’s words, not only brings life to our hearts, or spirits, but also affects our souls and our physical bodies. It brings health to all of our flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-23) And by guarding our mouths and tongues we can keep our souls from trouble, and keep ourselves from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23, NKJ and NIV)
Picture that wellspring of life flowing through us, creating a sense of well-being and peace in us. See it spilling out to other people as we speak life out of the abundance of our hearts.
*(1 Thessalonians 5:23; John 3:5-8, 16; John 4:23,24; John 6:63; Ephesians 3:16; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 3:4; Romans 1:9, Romans 2:29, Romans 8 whole chapter; 1 Corinthians 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; James 2:26; 1 John 4:2,-; 1 Corinthians 6:17, 20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Colossians 2:5; Hebrews 4:12; )
God is Spirit, and we are made in His image. Therefore we are also spirits, who have a soul, and live in a body. Our spirit is often referred to as our heart, our inner man, or the hidden man of the heart. Our spirit is who we are, the real us. Our spirit is the part of us that connects us to God the Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. It is also the part of us that will live forever, either in Heaven or Hell, depending on what we believe about Jesus, who is the only way to Heaven.* That is a brief definition, or explanation of our hearts. It is necessary for us to understand what or who our hearts (spirits) are, and the impact our words have on our hearts.
Jesus, Himself, is the one who linked words, heart, and life together. He said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) Jesus also said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) He said to God, the Father, “Your words are truth.” (John 17:17) Here again we see the correlation between words (truth), heart (spirit) and life. Remember, God is a creative God, and we are made in His image. Words in our hearts (spirits) spoken out loud create. They create either life or death.
Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) He also said “The things that come out of the mouth (words) come from the heart.” (Matthew 15:16) Solomon said in Proverbs 4:20-23 to keep God’s word “in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” The NIV version says the heart is the wellspring of life. The Amplified Bible says it this way. “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard; for out of it flow the springs of life.” Above all, we are to guard our heart with diligence and vigilance, and keep our hearts secure in God’s Word. “Your word have I hid in my heart.” (Psalm 119:11)
It is imperative that we guard our hearts. The way we do this is to keep God’s words in the midst of our hearts. We don’t let them depart from us; we don’t neglect, or ignore His words. We put His words into our hearts by reading, speaking, memorizing, and meditating. If we keep an abundance of His words in our hearts, then when we speak, we will be speaking life, creating hope and life in other people. That is so powerful!
However, the reverse is true. If we don’t put His word in our hearts and minds, the words that come out of our hearts will be words of death both to us and the people around us. Again that picture of a burned forest comes to my mind: death, devastation, and destruction. The choice is ours. Every day we can choose life or death. Let’s choose life. Proverbs 15:4 shows us a different picture than the burned down forest. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.” Let’s replant that forest with living, healthy, thriving trees!
Keeping God’s Word in our hearts affects our entire lives. God’s words are spirit and they are life. Since God is spirit, His words are spirit. His words create life. They create spirit life. And this spirit life is eternal! His words in our hearts cause that eternal spirit life to flow into our lives and out to others. The spirit life, which is in God’s words, not only brings life to our hearts, or spirits, but also affects our souls and our physical bodies. It brings health to all of our flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-23) And by guarding our mouths and tongues we can keep our souls from trouble, and keep ourselves from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23, NKJ and NIV)
Picture that wellspring of life flowing through us, creating a sense of well-being and peace in us. See it spilling out to other people as we speak life out of the abundance of our hearts.
*(1 Thessalonians 5:23; John 3:5-8, 16; John 4:23,24; John 6:63; Ephesians 3:16; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 3:4; Romans 1:9, Romans 2:29, Romans 8 whole chapter; 1 Corinthians 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; James 2:26; 1 John 4:2,-; 1 Corinthians 6:17, 20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Colossians 2:5; Hebrews 4:12; )
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Speaking Words
This next section of articles will be focused on the words we speak. We will consider concepts having to do with our tongue, mouth, speaking, saying, talking, and confessing. We will revisit the nature of words from Article # 2. We will review some scriptures and look at new ones.
Words Matter
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) This scripture alone should scream at us that we absolutely must consider the words we speak. Death and Life…it doesn’t get more basic than that. It is imperative that we realize our words matter! They are powerful enough to create life and death, not only in our lives, but in the lives of other people. Parents know this concept…”Watch your tongue, boy!” Does that sound familiar to anyone?
James also talks about the tongue. (James 3:1-9) He says the tongue is a small part of the body, but has power over the body. Like a bit in the mouth of a horse, or a small rudder on a ship, which can turn the horse or the ship in the midst of a storm, our mouths can turn our whole bodies. He goes on to say that our tongues are a fire, a small spark of a fire that can destroy a whole forest. So our tongues can destroy our whole bodies. “It (the tongue) corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” He says if anyone is able to control the tongue, he is a perfect, mature man, able to keep his whole body in check.
This sounds to me like what comes out of our mouths is much more powerful than we have thought! It is serious stuff! Death, life, and a fire… our tongues, the words we speak, may be the most important part of our bodies. They set and establish the course and direction of our lives. This means we can turn our lives one direction or another by the words we speak (like the rudder on a boat). What direction are our lives going? Are we satisfied with them, or would we like to change them? Our words can create a path of destruction, leaving behind rubble and ruined lives (started with the small spark of a fire). I picture trees that were once green and healthy ending up black and dead. Our words have enough power to do that in someone’s life! That is devastatingly sad. Or, we can leave a legacy of life and vitality, creating a thriving forest or greenhouse in someone’s life!
Let’s consider a similar analogy. Houses, like trees, or forests, are also burned down by a spark of a fire. Picture our lives as a house. Maybe it needs a little repair, a new coat of paint, some flowers blooming in the yard. Then a neighbor comes along and says something negative, ugly, or untrue. The house loses a little more paint, the window breaks, the plumbing goes haywire, what little grass was in the yard turns brown, and the trees and shrubs decay. If more people come by and speak some of those same kinds of things, our house might burn down altogether. However, maybe other people, possibly a friend or even a stranger, comes along and says something positive or encouraging to us. The house brightens up – perhaps it just got that new coat of paint – the window got a new window pane, the grass is watered and turns green, the plumber fixed the plumbing free of charge, and our yard has beautiful flowers in it along with healthy green trees. And all of these things happen because of the words spoken by someone’s tongue. That is powerful!
Our tongues can create death or life. They can turn our lives around to go a different direction. They can destroy a life, including our own, or they can build up and create a thriving life full of wisdom and maturity. The choice is ours. We each must decide how to use our tongues, whether to speak words of life or words of death, words to build up or words to destroy. What an exciting opportunity we have to change our lives, and to make a positive difference in someone else’s life! The choice is ours!
Words Matter
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) This scripture alone should scream at us that we absolutely must consider the words we speak. Death and Life…it doesn’t get more basic than that. It is imperative that we realize our words matter! They are powerful enough to create life and death, not only in our lives, but in the lives of other people. Parents know this concept…”Watch your tongue, boy!” Does that sound familiar to anyone?
James also talks about the tongue. (James 3:1-9) He says the tongue is a small part of the body, but has power over the body. Like a bit in the mouth of a horse, or a small rudder on a ship, which can turn the horse or the ship in the midst of a storm, our mouths can turn our whole bodies. He goes on to say that our tongues are a fire, a small spark of a fire that can destroy a whole forest. So our tongues can destroy our whole bodies. “It (the tongue) corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” He says if anyone is able to control the tongue, he is a perfect, mature man, able to keep his whole body in check.
This sounds to me like what comes out of our mouths is much more powerful than we have thought! It is serious stuff! Death, life, and a fire… our tongues, the words we speak, may be the most important part of our bodies. They set and establish the course and direction of our lives. This means we can turn our lives one direction or another by the words we speak (like the rudder on a boat). What direction are our lives going? Are we satisfied with them, or would we like to change them? Our words can create a path of destruction, leaving behind rubble and ruined lives (started with the small spark of a fire). I picture trees that were once green and healthy ending up black and dead. Our words have enough power to do that in someone’s life! That is devastatingly sad. Or, we can leave a legacy of life and vitality, creating a thriving forest or greenhouse in someone’s life!
Let’s consider a similar analogy. Houses, like trees, or forests, are also burned down by a spark of a fire. Picture our lives as a house. Maybe it needs a little repair, a new coat of paint, some flowers blooming in the yard. Then a neighbor comes along and says something negative, ugly, or untrue. The house loses a little more paint, the window breaks, the plumbing goes haywire, what little grass was in the yard turns brown, and the trees and shrubs decay. If more people come by and speak some of those same kinds of things, our house might burn down altogether. However, maybe other people, possibly a friend or even a stranger, comes along and says something positive or encouraging to us. The house brightens up – perhaps it just got that new coat of paint – the window got a new window pane, the grass is watered and turns green, the plumber fixed the plumbing free of charge, and our yard has beautiful flowers in it along with healthy green trees. And all of these things happen because of the words spoken by someone’s tongue. That is powerful!
Our tongues can create death or life. They can turn our lives around to go a different direction. They can destroy a life, including our own, or they can build up and create a thriving life full of wisdom and maturity. The choice is ours. We each must decide how to use our tongues, whether to speak words of life or words of death, words to build up or words to destroy. What an exciting opportunity we have to change our lives, and to make a positive difference in someone else’s life! The choice is ours!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thoughts at Work
Think of our minds as the “work place.” Sometimes we have to work hard to think the right thoughts, but the benefits that come from thinking God’s Words are fantastic! It has the best “benefits package” around…great pay – abundance and blessings beyond measure – plus profit sharing, eternal life, health, and retirement assurance. And the paid vacations are out of this world! There is no thrill like vacationing in the Kingdom of God. The things you get to see and experience there spoil you for any other vacation spot. But…back to our minds, the “work” place. Let’s go into our work cubicles and put our thoughts to work.
Thoughts: Job Description
1. Wage war against every wrong thought.
2. Cast down all imaginations and thoughts that exalt themselves against God’s thoughts.
3. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
4. Renew our minds, so our lives are transformed.
5. Set our minds securely and steadfastly on God, on things above, and on things of the Spirit.
6. Think only on the pure, good, lovely, just, noble, praiseworthy thoughts. (Philippians 4:18)
7. Any other task that is revealed by the Word of God, including special projects.
2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 tells us that our weapons are mighty in God, and that they can pull down strongholds. It goes on to say that these weapons have to do with our thoughts, arguments, and imaginations. We win when we “cast down arguments (imaginations) and every high thing (thought) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Thoughts that do not line up with God’s word are strongholds in our lives, and work against us. When we start thinking God’s thoughts (His Word), we can pull down those strongholds and change our lives! Words (even thinking them) are powerful. God’s Word is powerful and life-changing!
Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We renew our minds, and change the way we think about things, by meditating on God’s Word. We can be transformed by thinking God’s thoughts.
One of the benefits of setting our minds on God’s Word is peace. We can have peace of mind.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is steadfast on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“Set your mind on things above.” (Colossians 3:1-2) “Those who live according to the (Holy) Spirit set their minds on things of the Spirit. To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6) Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. (John 14:27)
Jesus told us in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.” These things are what we need to live, like water, food, homes, and clothing. God promises abundant life and exceeding abundance above all that we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20: John 10:10) Abundance is one of our perks!
Jesus also said in Matthew 6:20-21, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We store up treasures in heaven by putting God’s Word in our minds. When it is in our minds and hearts, no one can take it away. And the Holy Spirit promises to remind us of it when we need it. Our treasure is secure!
Although our thoughts sometimes have to work overtime, it is a blessing in disguise. When we achieve our thought goals, we get to experience all the joys of a job well done, and we have a sense of accomplishment and victory, resulting in our lives being changed! It is well-worth the effort we put forth to think the right thoughts, and to think God’s thoughts.
Thoughts: Job Description
1. Wage war against every wrong thought.
2. Cast down all imaginations and thoughts that exalt themselves against God’s thoughts.
3. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
4. Renew our minds, so our lives are transformed.
5. Set our minds securely and steadfastly on God, on things above, and on things of the Spirit.
6. Think only on the pure, good, lovely, just, noble, praiseworthy thoughts. (Philippians 4:18)
7. Any other task that is revealed by the Word of God, including special projects.
2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 tells us that our weapons are mighty in God, and that they can pull down strongholds. It goes on to say that these weapons have to do with our thoughts, arguments, and imaginations. We win when we “cast down arguments (imaginations) and every high thing (thought) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Thoughts that do not line up with God’s word are strongholds in our lives, and work against us. When we start thinking God’s thoughts (His Word), we can pull down those strongholds and change our lives! Words (even thinking them) are powerful. God’s Word is powerful and life-changing!
Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We renew our minds, and change the way we think about things, by meditating on God’s Word. We can be transformed by thinking God’s thoughts.
One of the benefits of setting our minds on God’s Word is peace. We can have peace of mind.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is steadfast on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“Set your mind on things above.” (Colossians 3:1-2) “Those who live according to the (Holy) Spirit set their minds on things of the Spirit. To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6) Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. (John 14:27)
Jesus told us in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.” These things are what we need to live, like water, food, homes, and clothing. God promises abundant life and exceeding abundance above all that we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20: John 10:10) Abundance is one of our perks!
Jesus also said in Matthew 6:20-21, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We store up treasures in heaven by putting God’s Word in our minds. When it is in our minds and hearts, no one can take it away. And the Holy Spirit promises to remind us of it when we need it. Our treasure is secure!
Although our thoughts sometimes have to work overtime, it is a blessing in disguise. When we achieve our thought goals, we get to experience all the joys of a job well done, and we have a sense of accomplishment and victory, resulting in our lives being changed! It is well-worth the effort we put forth to think the right thoughts, and to think God’s thoughts.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Name Game
I digress a little here...got the idea from my friend MaryLee Glassburn.
This was kinda fun... try it!
...Posted by Sharon Seidel 1/28/10
YOUR REAL NAME: SHARON ANN SEIDEL
YOUR GANGSTA NAME(first 3 letters of real name plus - izzle): SHAIZZLE
YOUR DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color and favorite animal): BLUE DOG
I'm not really an animal lover.)
YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (MIDDLE NAME, AND CURRENT STREET): ANN NORTHRIDGE
STAR WARS NAME (The first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of Mom's maiden name): SEISHMAR
YOUR SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): RED PEPSI
(Diet, that is...maybe it should be RED DP)
YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (Mother's middle name and fathers middlename):
RHODA JOHN
YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets): BLACK BABE
(Daughter's now deceased dog, one of my favorite pets)
This was kinda fun... try it!
...Posted by Sharon Seidel 1/28/10
YOUR REAL NAME: SHARON ANN SEIDEL
YOUR GANGSTA NAME(first 3 letters of real name plus - izzle): SHAIZZLE
YOUR DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color and favorite animal): BLUE DOG
I'm not really an animal lover.)
YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (MIDDLE NAME, AND CURRENT STREET): ANN NORTHRIDGE
STAR WARS NAME (The first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of Mom's maiden name): SEISHMAR
YOUR SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): RED PEPSI
(Diet, that is...maybe it should be RED DP)
YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (Mother's middle name and fathers middlename):
RHODA JOHN
YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets): BLACK BABE
(Daughter's now deceased dog, one of my favorite pets)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Our Minds
There are two scriptures that talk about the mind of Christ. And they have a direct bearing on our mind.
“We have the mind of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
“Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)
It is sometimes hard for us to agree that we have the mind of Christ. It seems more like a lofty goal, than an accomplished fact. However, if we are born again, we do have access to the mind of Christ within us. God says in Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:16, “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” If God has put His law (His words) in our minds, then we do have the mind of Christ. God has given it to us. Therefore, we can choose to let His mind work in us. Not only that, we have the Holy Spirit in us to remind us of God’s Word, and to reveal it to us. (John 14:16-26)
“God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) God has given us a sound mind! The NIV calls it “self-discipline”. The literal meaning of sound mind means “safe-thinking”. A sound mind is able to think right, has the wisdom to make good judgments and right decisions. It has the ability to exercise self control, and to discipline its thoughts and thought patterns. This is the mind that God has given us! It sounds a lot like the mind of Christ, or God’s mind, doesn’t it?
There are many other scriptures that talk about our minds. They give us instruction about how to enter into God’s higher realm of thought. They show us a higher way to live our lives. It is a better way, God’s way. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek (set your hearts on) those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Here we are actually told to set our minds up there with God’s thoughts and to seek the things above. When we take heed, or pay attention to His words, we can learn how to walk and live in the Spirit, in the Kingdom of God. We do this by meditating on His Words, and by letting His Words “dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)
Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” How do we love God with all our mind? By putting His Word in our minds. By thinking and meditating on His Word until we truly know Him, know His heart, know His love for us and His love for all other people. By putting His Word in our minds until our minds are saturated with His Word, and our hearts are truly beating in sync with His, until we are expressing His love back to Him and to other people.
Jesus also said in 6: 22, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.” Two thoughts come to my mind. One is that our eyes should be focused on God, and we do that by reading His Word. The other is that we talk about seeing with or in our mind’s eye. When I see into the Kingdom, or see spiritual things, I generally see in words by way of the thoughts that come to my mind from God. This is how I see with my mind’s eye. And when I share the things God has shown me with others by speaking or writing, I share by using words. But they were originally thoughts in my mind.
Our minds are created in God’s image! They absorb and process amazing amounts of data. We talk about “inquiring minds want to know”. If we inquire of God about His Word, He will explain His Word and reveal His mind in us. Imagine the amount of God’s Word Data we can absorb and process in our minds.
“We have the mind of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
“Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)
It is sometimes hard for us to agree that we have the mind of Christ. It seems more like a lofty goal, than an accomplished fact. However, if we are born again, we do have access to the mind of Christ within us. God says in Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:16, “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” If God has put His law (His words) in our minds, then we do have the mind of Christ. God has given it to us. Therefore, we can choose to let His mind work in us. Not only that, we have the Holy Spirit in us to remind us of God’s Word, and to reveal it to us. (John 14:16-26)
“God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) God has given us a sound mind! The NIV calls it “self-discipline”. The literal meaning of sound mind means “safe-thinking”. A sound mind is able to think right, has the wisdom to make good judgments and right decisions. It has the ability to exercise self control, and to discipline its thoughts and thought patterns. This is the mind that God has given us! It sounds a lot like the mind of Christ, or God’s mind, doesn’t it?
There are many other scriptures that talk about our minds. They give us instruction about how to enter into God’s higher realm of thought. They show us a higher way to live our lives. It is a better way, God’s way. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek (set your hearts on) those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Here we are actually told to set our minds up there with God’s thoughts and to seek the things above. When we take heed, or pay attention to His words, we can learn how to walk and live in the Spirit, in the Kingdom of God. We do this by meditating on His Words, and by letting His Words “dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)
Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” How do we love God with all our mind? By putting His Word in our minds. By thinking and meditating on His Word until we truly know Him, know His heart, know His love for us and His love for all other people. By putting His Word in our minds until our minds are saturated with His Word, and our hearts are truly beating in sync with His, until we are expressing His love back to Him and to other people.
Jesus also said in 6: 22, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.” Two thoughts come to my mind. One is that our eyes should be focused on God, and we do that by reading His Word. The other is that we talk about seeing with or in our mind’s eye. When I see into the Kingdom, or see spiritual things, I generally see in words by way of the thoughts that come to my mind from God. This is how I see with my mind’s eye. And when I share the things God has shown me with others by speaking or writing, I share by using words. But they were originally thoughts in my mind.
Our minds are created in God’s image! They absorb and process amazing amounts of data. We talk about “inquiring minds want to know”. If we inquire of God about His Word, He will explain His Word and reveal His mind in us. Imagine the amount of God’s Word Data we can absorb and process in our minds.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
God's Thoughts
We talked about the importance of thinking good thoughts, and thinking thoughts that line up with the Word of God. God’s Words are His thoughts expressed in words. The Bible has much to say about God’s thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace (good) and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The NIV says it this way, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you.” He goes on to say in verses 12-13, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
The Lord thinks good thoughts about us! And did you catch the part about Him listening to us? He’s a good listener (# 7. Hearing Words). Along that line, let me also mention 1 John 5:14-15, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” And do you know why? Because the Lord thinks good thoughts about us! He plans to prosper us, give us a future, and give us hope!
Isaiah 55:8 tells us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” If you think about it, how awesome is that! He doesn’t think like we do! He thinks thoughts of good and not evil. His thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace and good. He thinks good thoughts of us. And we can know what those thoughts are! All we have to do is ask Him.
When we are born-again, God sends us the Holy Spirit, sometimes called the Counselor, or the Helper, to teach us all things, and remind us of everything Jesus said to us. (John 14: 16-26; 17:20-24) Peter also tells us that “God’s divine power has given us everything (in His Word) that we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3-4) There are other scriptures that talk about us knowing the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Look for them! God wants us to know Him, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, and to know who we are in Him.
God’s good thoughts about us are too numerous to list all of them. But I must talk about His thoughts toward us that are written in Psalm 139. I will paraphrase some of them, but I encourage you to read it for yourself. First of all, He created us, in our innermost being. His eyes saw our unformed bodies before we were born. And all the days ordained for us were written in His Book of Life before we ever came into being. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs. He made us in the secret place, and we were woven together in the depths of the earth. He knows us, every part of us, and is familiar with all our ways. He knows the words we are going to speak before we speak them. He protects us with His divine hand. There is no place we can go on this earth, or even into outer space, that He won’t be there with us at all times. He shines His light into our darkness. His thoughts towards us are so precious and vast that they would outnumber all the grains of sand. He loves us! We are the beloved of God. That’s who we are!
Think about it! He thought us first…He saw us in His mind’s eye! With His thoughts, His Words, we were created! And remember, we were created in His image! (Genesis 1:26, 27) How wonderful it is that we are that important to God. When we are tempted to think wrong thoughts about ourselves, or each other, let’s think about how God sees us. We are all His precious, beloved creation. Also, let’s remember: the thoughts that we think, if spoken and acted upon, can create what we are thinking and seeing in our mind’s eye. If we think good thoughts, they can create good things in our lives. And, if we think God’s thoughts (those found in the Bible), He also goes to work to uphold and perform His Word in our lives. (Hebrews 1:3; Isaiah 55:11)
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace (good) and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The NIV says it this way, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you.” He goes on to say in verses 12-13, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
The Lord thinks good thoughts about us! And did you catch the part about Him listening to us? He’s a good listener (# 7. Hearing Words). Along that line, let me also mention 1 John 5:14-15, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” And do you know why? Because the Lord thinks good thoughts about us! He plans to prosper us, give us a future, and give us hope!
Isaiah 55:8 tells us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” If you think about it, how awesome is that! He doesn’t think like we do! He thinks thoughts of good and not evil. His thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace and good. He thinks good thoughts of us. And we can know what those thoughts are! All we have to do is ask Him.
When we are born-again, God sends us the Holy Spirit, sometimes called the Counselor, or the Helper, to teach us all things, and remind us of everything Jesus said to us. (John 14: 16-26; 17:20-24) Peter also tells us that “God’s divine power has given us everything (in His Word) that we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3-4) There are other scriptures that talk about us knowing the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Look for them! God wants us to know Him, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, and to know who we are in Him.
God’s good thoughts about us are too numerous to list all of them. But I must talk about His thoughts toward us that are written in Psalm 139. I will paraphrase some of them, but I encourage you to read it for yourself. First of all, He created us, in our innermost being. His eyes saw our unformed bodies before we were born. And all the days ordained for us were written in His Book of Life before we ever came into being. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs. He made us in the secret place, and we were woven together in the depths of the earth. He knows us, every part of us, and is familiar with all our ways. He knows the words we are going to speak before we speak them. He protects us with His divine hand. There is no place we can go on this earth, or even into outer space, that He won’t be there with us at all times. He shines His light into our darkness. His thoughts towards us are so precious and vast that they would outnumber all the grains of sand. He loves us! We are the beloved of God. That’s who we are!
Think about it! He thought us first…He saw us in His mind’s eye! With His thoughts, His Words, we were created! And remember, we were created in His image! (Genesis 1:26, 27) How wonderful it is that we are that important to God. When we are tempted to think wrong thoughts about ourselves, or each other, let’s think about how God sees us. We are all His precious, beloved creation. Also, let’s remember: the thoughts that we think, if spoken and acted upon, can create what we are thinking and seeing in our mind’s eye. If we think good thoughts, they can create good things in our lives. And, if we think God’s thoughts (those found in the Bible), He also goes to work to uphold and perform His Word in our lives. (Hebrews 1:3; Isaiah 55:11)
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