A Renewed Mind

Chuckle: A young son came through the door with filthy hands and his mother asked, “My goodness, what would you say if I came in the house like that?” The boy answered, “I think I would be too polite to mention it.”

Quote: "Success is living in such a way that you are using what God has given you - your intellect, abilities, and energy - to reach the purpose that He intends for your life." -- Kathi Hudson

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (renewing of your mind NIV). Then you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2 NLT).

I think we will all agree that whatever is in our minds determines who we are and what we do. It is through God's entry into our minds that our lives are transformed into the persons He wants us to be -- into the likeness of Jesus Christ. If God can control our minds, He can control our behavior. Whether or not we allow God to transform us depends upon what we allow into our minds.

The truths of God's Word are in direct conflict with the socially acceptable modes of thought and worldly values that govern most aspects of our society, which are usually selfish and corrupt. It is God's desire that Christians grow into transformed human beings with minds filled with God's eternal truths. When we allow God unconditional access to the innermost recesses of our minds, He will change us, transform us, and do His work through us. We must let God transform us by changing the way we think. Then the focus of our lives will be on honoring and obeying Him.

If you are not feeding regularly on God's Word and allowing God to change the way you think, perhaps you should look at verse 1. "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?"  When we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, we will lay aside our selfish desires and concentrate our minds and energies on following our Lord. We will allow His Spirit complete access into our hearts out of extreme gratitude for what He has done for us.

It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit complete access into our hearts and minds that He can re-educate, redirect and renew our whole thinking process. As He does this, the process of transforming our lives is underway -- a process that will continue until we die or Jesus returns. As Paul says in Philippians 3:12 NLT, "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep on working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be."

Love, Jerry & Dotse