Free Your Mind....
Today's Reading: Matthew 21:23-46
Find the Reading Plan here.
Memory Verse: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
How do we not conform to the world? I mean, what does that really look like?
If you believe that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for your sins on the cross, then we have the mind of Christ.
"For we have the mind of Christ" 1 Corinthians 2:16
We were given the Holy Spirit to reside in us as an exchange for our sins.
"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself" 1 Corinthians 6:19
Why then, do we get sucked into the world and it's practices? Why does it seem easier to conform than to be set apart?
I believe a lot of it begins in our minds. We sometimes want to hang on to our old thinking. The thinking that was there before Christ took over.
Renewing our minds is a proactive engagement. Meaning this: We have to continually fill our minds with Truth. Where do we find Truth? His Word.
God's Word tells us this: "Whatever a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7
Whoa!
So, basically whatever we think about ourselves we begin to become.
I can say with 100% accuracy that this is true. I have lived a life of thinking untrue things about myself. Things that God's Word completely obliterates. However, my mind convinced my body, my actions, my behavior that I was those untrue things.
Are you following me here?
I sent an email to several women regarding this very thing a couple of weeks ago. I asked them to tell me some things that they had believed or still believe about themselves and if they "became" the very thing they believed.
The responses were overwhelming! I cried {big surprise} when I read each response. Why was I so surprised at their responses? God's Word says that we will believe whatever we think.
Here is a list of some of their responses. Let me just say that all of these women are precious, godly women. Women that know God's Word. Women that believe God's Word. Maybe you can relate to some of them. Maybe you have believed the very same untruths.
Find the Reading Plan here.
Memory Verse: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
How do we not conform to the world? I mean, what does that really look like?
If you believe that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for your sins on the cross, then we have the mind of Christ.
"For we have the mind of Christ" 1 Corinthians 2:16
We were given the Holy Spirit to reside in us as an exchange for our sins.
"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself" 1 Corinthians 6:19
Why then, do we get sucked into the world and it's practices? Why does it seem easier to conform than to be set apart?
I believe a lot of it begins in our minds. We sometimes want to hang on to our old thinking. The thinking that was there before Christ took over.
Renewing our minds is a proactive engagement. Meaning this: We have to continually fill our minds with Truth. Where do we find Truth? His Word.
God's Word tells us this: "Whatever a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7
Whoa!
So, basically whatever we think about ourselves we begin to become.
I can say with 100% accuracy that this is true. I have lived a life of thinking untrue things about myself. Things that God's Word completely obliterates. However, my mind convinced my body, my actions, my behavior that I was those untrue things.
Are you following me here?
I sent an email to several women regarding this very thing a couple of weeks ago. I asked them to tell me some things that they had believed or still believe about themselves and if they "became" the very thing they believed.
The responses were overwhelming! I cried {big surprise} when I read each response. Why was I so surprised at their responses? God's Word says that we will believe whatever we think.
Here is a list of some of their responses. Let me just say that all of these women are precious, godly women. Women that know God's Word. Women that believe God's Word. Maybe you can relate to some of them. Maybe you have believed the very same untruths.
- I thought I was inadequate, so I became ineffective
- I thought that I was lost, so I became lost.
- I thought that I was worthless, so I became unworthy.
- Useless, powerless, un-liked.
- I thought I could only be loved by "doing" so I wore myself out performing!
- I thought I had to be perfect, which was impossible, so my life became a lie as I hid my imperfections.
- I thought I was worried, so I became a worrier.
- I thought that I was rejected, so I became overly introspective and insecure.
- I thought I was unforgiven, so I became hopeless and full of shame.
- I thought I was alone, so I became lonely.
- I think times in my life I thought I was unloved, so I became unlovable. I used to think that I didn't measure up, so I just quit trying at all
- I know that I have always struggled with feeling unloved and unworthy, so for 10 years I did things that were unlovable to unworthy!
- I thought that I was weak and incapable, so I became weak and incapable.
- I thought that I was unworthy, so I became unhappy.
- I was unforgivable so I became unforgivable.
- I was hurt so I became hurtful.
- I was hardheaded so I became hard hearted.
I'll stop there.
Are you beginning to see the magnitude of how our thinking reflects our actions, our behaviors, our everything?
I want to clarify something as well. This is not about a "positive thinking" movement. This is about a Truth movement. God's Truth renewing our minds and taking these false thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. {2 Corinthians 10:5}
Are you tired of rotten thinking? ME TOO!
When we conform to the world, that thinking just increases to overwhelming proportions! The world tells us how we ought to be, what we ought to look like, how thin we ought to be----the list goes on.
We have websites that lure us in because they give us "instructions" on how to plan the "perfect" party, be the "perfect" wife, have the "perfect" family, look as "perfect" as possible".
We even have picture filters that help us to look younger, thinner, better, in all the pictures we post on social media. What's wrong with the way we actually look?? Why do we have to improve on God's perfect creation of how He made us? Why do we need to filter out the truth?
I am SICK to death of it.
No wonder our thinking is deluded. Our minds are being bombarded with false information. Let's just call it what it is--LIES.
How do we defeat lies?
God's Word.
"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" John 17:17
Do not conform to this world, girls. It will only delude your thinking. It will only make you miserable. It will only draw you away from the One who calls you perfect, lovely, desirable, cherished, and captivating....just the way you are.
Put on the armor of His Word. Keep your mind guarded from lies. A great renewal of your mind is just begging to be set free.
un-conforming,
jill
