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Post by civic on Apr 10, 2023 4:46:50 GMT -8
The Spirit and the Mind. A check up from the neck up! The Mind is a Battlefield.
Battlefield means the field or ground upon which a battle is fought. 2. and area of contention, conflict, or hostile opposition.” A battlefield is a place of hostile opposition. A battlefield is a place where battles are won and lost. Everyday – every moment – there is a battle going on in our minds between right and wrong, good and bad, God’s way or Satan’s way, the Spirit or the flesh. It is our wills that determine who wins control of our minds, and because actions follow thoughts, ultimately who wins control of our very lives.
The enemy attacked Eve in her mind/reasoning and tried the same with Jesus. He tried to cause doubt with Gods word and succeeded with Eve (did God really say? And you will not surely die) and he failed with Jesus. He attacks us today in the same way. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God is our only offensive weapon and defense against our enemy. Jesus did not use Hid Divine power as God to defeat satan, He used the same means we have at our disposal to defeat the enemy- the Word of God!
1-We must know Gods Word- Jesus used Gods word against the enemy.
2-We must memorize Gods Word. Ps 119:11, Ps 37:31, Ps 40:8
3- We must meditate on Gods Word- Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2, Ps 119:147-48
4- We must use Gods Word- John 14:26. It is written was Jesus’ response. Matt 4:1-11
5- We must train ourselves in Gods Word- discipline, training, practice. 1 Tim 4:7, 1 Cor 9:25-27, 2 Tim 2:1-7.
Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts.
Romans 8:5-14-Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God
Colossians 3:1-10- Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.5 Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it
1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.
Galatians 5:16-18- So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16- However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Romans 12:1-2-Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Ephesians 4:17-25-Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Philippians 2:1-5 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Philippians 4:8-Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Proverbs 4:23- Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 23:7- As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Cf Deut 4:9, Proverbs 4. Col 3:23, Prov 22:29
hope this helps !!!
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Post by Unmerited on Apr 10, 2023 15:47:46 GMT -8
Nice Post, all backed up with scripture.
Always remember and never forget... Don’t Give Up!
And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
GALATIANS 6:9
No matter how bad the condition of your life and your mind, don’t give up! Regain the territory the devil has stolen from you. If necessary, regain it one inch at a time, always leaning on God’s grace and not on your own ability to get the desired results.
In Galatians 6:9 the Apostle Paul simply encourages us to keep on keeping on! Don’t be a quitter! Don’t have that old “give-up” spirit. God is looking for people who will go all the way through with Him.
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Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
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Post by Ozias on Apr 10, 2023 16:09:48 GMT -8
A positive mind...I just checked in to see what condition my condition was in.
It shall be done for you as you have believed.
MATTHEW 8:13
Positive minds produce positive lives. Negative minds produce negative lives. Positive thoughts are always full of faith and hope. Negative thoughts are always full of fear and doubt.
Some people are afraid to hope because they have been hurt so much in life. They have had so many disappointments, they don’t think they can face the pain of another one. Therefore, they refuse to hope so they won’t be disappointed.
This avoidance of hope is a type of protection against being hurt. Disappointment hurts! So rather than be hurt again, many people simply refuse to hope or to believe that anything good will ever happen to them. This type of behavior sets up a negative lifestyle. Everything becomes negative because the thoughts are negative. Remember Proverbs 23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
For many years, I was extremely negative. I always say that if I thought two positive thoughts in a row my mind would get in a cramp. My whole philosophy was this: “If you don’t expect anything good to happen, then you won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t.”
My favorite expression was brother are you kidding me?
I had encountered so many disappointments in life—so many devastating things had happened to me—(Mostly of my own making) that I was afraid to believe that anything good might happen. I had a terribly negative outlook on everything. Since my thoughts were all negative, so was my mouth; therefore, so was my life.
It's the condition I never want to find myself in again. When I really began to study the Word and to trust God to restore me, one of the first things I realized was that the negativism had to go.
In Matthew 8:13 Jesus tells us that it will be done for us as we have believed. The King James Version says, “as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” Everything I believed was negative, so naturally many negative things happened to me.
This doesn’t mean that you and I can get anything we want by just thinking about it. I'm talking about the name it and claim it Clan. God has a perfect plan for each of us, and we can’t control Him with our thoughts and words. But, we must think and speak in agreement with His will and plan for us.
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord, amen.
If you don’t have any idea what God’s will is for you at this point, at least begin by thinking, “Well, I don’t know God’s plan, but I know He loves me. Whatever He does will be good, and I’ll be blessed.”
Always think positively about your life. You are part of God's Kingdom and He will never let you go.
Practice being positive in each situation that comes up. Even if whatever is taking place in your life at the moment is not so good, expect God to bring good out of it, as He has promised in His Word.
Genesis 50:20 As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
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Post by rockson on Apr 10, 2023 19:45:29 GMT -8
The Spirit and the Mind. A check up from the neck up! The Mind is a Battlefield.Battlefield means the field or ground upon which a battle is fought. 2. and area of contention, conflict, or hostile opposition.” A battlefield is a place of hostile opposition. A battlefield is a place where battles are won and lost. Everyday – every moment – there is a battle going on in our minds between right and wrong, good and bad, God’s way or Satan’s way, the Spirit or the flesh. It is our wills that determine who wins control of our minds, and because actions follow thoughts, ultimately who wins control of our very lives. The enemy attacked Eve in her mind/reasoning and tried the same with Jesus. He tried to cause doubt with Gods word and succeeded with Eve (did God really say? And you will not surely die) and he failed with Jesus. He attacks us today in the same way. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God is our only offensive weapon and defense against our enemy. Jesus did not use Hid Divine power as God to defeat satan, He used the same means we have at our disposal to defeat the enemy- the Word of God! 1-We must know Gods Word- Jesus used Gods word against the enemy. 2-We must memorize Gods Word. Ps 119:11, Ps 37:31, Ps 40:8 3- We must meditate on Gods Word- Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2, Ps 119:147-48 4- We must use Gods Word- John 14:26. It is written was Jesus’ response. Matt 4:1-11 5- We must train ourselves in Gods Word- discipline, training, practice. 1 Tim 4:7, 1 Cor 9:25-27, 2 Tim 2:1-7. Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts.Romans 8:5-14-Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God Colossians 3:1-10- Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.5 Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it 1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. Galatians 5:16-18- So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16- However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Romans 12:1-2-Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Ephesians 4:17-25-Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Philippians 2:1-5 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Philippians 4:8-Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Proverbs 4:23- Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 23:7- As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Cf Deut 4:9, Proverbs 4. Col 3:23, Prov 22:29 hope this helps !!! Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts. The statement above I used to share with many. The scriptures you added to it in your post about a dozen of them very, very good. They show our responsibility to cooperate with God in doing what we're to do to bring peace and victory in our lives. It's we which are called upon to set our affections on things above something God isn't going to do for us. We're called to walk in certain things and we're called to renew our minds with God's word. The power of God's word rises up within us bringing us victory but we must put it in us (meditating in God's word) and that word will sanctify us. Thanks for sharing Civic! |
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Post by civic on Apr 11, 2023 4:15:44 GMT -8
The Spirit and the Mind. A check up from the neck up! The Mind is a Battlefield.Battlefield means the field or ground upon which a battle is fought. 2. and area of contention, conflict, or hostile opposition.” A battlefield is a place of hostile opposition. A battlefield is a place where battles are won and lost. Everyday – every moment – there is a battle going on in our minds between right and wrong, good and bad, God’s way or Satan’s way, the Spirit or the flesh. It is our wills that determine who wins control of our minds, and because actions follow thoughts, ultimately who wins control of our very lives. The enemy attacked Eve in her mind/reasoning and tried the same with Jesus. He tried to cause doubt with Gods word and succeeded with Eve (did God really say? And you will not surely die) and he failed with Jesus. He attacks us today in the same way. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God is our only offensive weapon and defense against our enemy. Jesus did not use Hid Divine power as God to defeat satan, He used the same means we have at our disposal to defeat the enemy- the Word of God! 1-We must know Gods Word- Jesus used Gods word against the enemy. 2-We must memorize Gods Word. Ps 119:11, Ps 37:31, Ps 40:8 3- We must meditate on Gods Word- Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2, Ps 119:147-48 4- We must use Gods Word- John 14:26. It is written was Jesus’ response. Matt 4:1-11 5- We must train ourselves in Gods Word- discipline, training, practice. 1 Tim 4:7, 1 Cor 9:25-27, 2 Tim 2:1-7. Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts.Romans 8:5-14-Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God Colossians 3:1-10- Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.5 Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it 1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. Galatians 5:16-18- So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16- However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Romans 12:1-2-Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Ephesians 4:17-25-Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Philippians 2:1-5 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Philippians 4:8-Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Proverbs 4:23- Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 23:7- As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Cf Deut 4:9, Proverbs 4. Col 3:23, Prov 22:29 hope this helps !!! Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts. The statement above I used to share with many. The scriptures you added to it in your post about a dozen of them very, very good. They show our responsibility to cooperate with God in doing what we're to do to bring peace and victory in our lives. It's we which are called upon to set our affections on things above something God isn't going to do for us. We're called to walk in certain things and we're called to renew our minds with God's word. The power of God's word rises up within us bringing us victory but we must put it in us (meditating in God's word) and that word will sanctify us. Thanks for sharing Civic! Amen brother I shared the above with our Thursday morning men's discipleship group that meets at 5am weekly. There are are about 25 men and 6 of us who rotate each week leading the group with a topic for discussion. |
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Post by rockson on Apr 11, 2023 4:33:09 GMT -8
Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts. The statement above I used to share with many. The scriptures you added to it in your post about a dozen of them very, very good. They show our responsibility to cooperate with God in doing what we're to do to bring peace and victory in our lives. It's we which are called upon to set our affections on things above something God isn't going to do for us. We're called to walk in certain things and we're called to renew our minds with God's word. The power of God's word rises up within us bringing us victory but we must put it in us (meditating in God's word) and that word will sanctify us. Thanks for sharing Civic! Amen brother I shared the above with our Thursday morning men's discipleship group that meets at 5am weekly. There are are about 25 men and 6 of us who rotate each week leading the group with a topic for discussion. 5 am? That sounds like a fellowship before people go to work group. And that's good numbers. I'm sure all must leave ready to meet the day with God's encouragement and strength. God Bless! |
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Post by civic on Apr 11, 2023 4:54:55 GMT -8
Amen brother I shared the above with our Thursday morning men's discipleship group that meets at 5am weekly. There are are about 25 men and 6 of us who rotate each week leading the group with a topic for discussion. 5 am? That sounds like a fellowship before people go to work group. And that's good numbers. I'm sure all must leave ready to meet the day with God's encouragement and strength. God Bless! Yes it started the past November with 5 guys and now we are at 25. And a few other groups meet at other times weekly. I meet one on one at 5am for coffee with a young believer and on Saturday mornings with our associate pastor, a young 21 year old going to seminary and one of the elders. We went through the study of Christ on His Person and work and now we are going through the same with the Holy Spirit. Each of us takes a specific topic which is the same, studies it and we come together and share what we have learned and discuss it for a couple of hours. I'm really enjoying the group. They all approached me and asked if they could meet with me. It started out with the young 21 year old and now its the 4 of us. Saturday mornings have been my favorite day of the week and the others feel the same way. |
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Post by Obadiah on Apr 11, 2023 4:58:22 GMT -8
Amen brother I shared the above with our Thursday morning men's discipleship group that meets at 5am weekly. There are are about 25 men and 6 of us who rotate each week leading the group with a topic for discussion. 5 am? That sounds like a fellowship before people go to work group. And that's good numbers. I'm sure all must leave ready to meet the day with God's encouragement and strength. God Bless! Work Group...I like that one. I got kicked out of work group, they said I was too old. With my positive mind and everything I didn't believe them. Now 20 years later it's starting to sink in. |
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Post by Obadiah on Apr 11, 2023 5:04:52 GMT -8
5 am? That sounds like a fellowship before people go to work group. And that's good numbers. I'm sure all must leave ready to meet the day with God's encouragement and strength. God Bless! Yes it started the past November with 5 guys and now we are at 25. And a few other groups meet at other times weekly. I meet one on one at 5am for coffee with a young believer and on Saturday mornings with our associate pastor, a young 21 year old going to seminary and one of the elders. We went through the study of Christ on His Person and work and now we are going through the same with the Holy Spirit. Each of us takes a specific topic which is the same, studies it and we come together and share what we have learned and discuss it for a couple of hours. I'm really enjoying the group. They all approached me and asked if they could meet with me. It started out with the young 21 year old and now its the 4 of us. Saturday mornings have been my favorite day of the week and the others feel the same way. That is seriously awesome. The Bible verse that comes to mind is "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8 James may have had this verse in mind. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 |
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Post by civic on Apr 11, 2023 5:09:43 GMT -8
Yes it started the past November with 5 guys and now we are at 25. And a few other groups meet at other times weekly. I meet one on one at 5am for coffee with a young believer and on Saturday mornings with our associate pastor, a young 21 year old going to seminary and one of the elders. We went through the study of Christ on His Person and work and now we are going through the same with the Holy Spirit. Each of us takes a specific topic which is the same, studies it and we come together and share what we have learned and discuss it for a couple of hours. I'm really enjoying the group. They all approached me and asked if they could meet with me. It started out with the young 21 year old and now its the 4 of us. Saturday mornings have been my favorite day of the week and the others feel the same way. That is seriously awesome. The Bible verse that comes to mind is "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8 James may have had this verse in mind. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 Love it brother !!! |
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Post by Unmerited on Apr 15, 2023 14:14:35 GMT -8
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
As believers in Christ, we are assured of our salvation. We need not fear eternity, because we know we will dwell with the heavenly Father forever in paradise. What blessed assurance!
But salvation is about more than just getting into heaven. It’s about the process of becoming increasingly like Jesus while living on earth. In fact, we’ll someday be asked to account for the way we used our opportunities, abilities, and resources.
In His parable of the talents, Jesus shared the importance of investing wisely all that our Father has bestowed on us. (See Matt. 25:14-30.) God gives His children different types and amounts of wealth, gifts, blessings, and circumstances. What matters to the Lord is the way we make use of them, not how much we have.
Do we take what He has given and selfishly utilize it all for our own good and protection? Or do we generously and cheerfully use those gifts and talents to serve Jesus Christ? These are the questions that Christians will answer at the believers’ judgment.
Of course, this accountability won’t be the basis for our spending eternity in heaven (that issue is settled when we trust in Christ). Rather, we will be rewarded for the way we invested our life. And if we didn’t spend our time and resources wisely, we will experience loss.
Consider your blessings. How do you utilize all that the heavenly Father has bestowed upon you—namely, time, abilities, and finances? Each one of us must choose how we are going to live. It is our responsibility to be faithful servants of the living God, doing whatever He calls us to do.
From In Touch Ministries
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Post by civic on Apr 16, 2023 5:07:38 GMT -8
2 Corinthians 5:1-10For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
As believers in Christ, we are assured of our salvation. We need not fear eternity, because we know we will dwell with the heavenly Father forever in paradise. What blessed assurance! But salvation is about more than just getting into heaven. It’s about the process of becoming increasingly like Jesus while living on earth. In fact, we’ll someday be asked to account for the way we used our opportunities, abilities, and resources. In His parable of the talents, Jesus shared the importance of investing wisely all that our Father has bestowed on us. (See Matt. 25:14-30.) God gives His children different types and amounts of wealth, gifts, blessings, and circumstances. What matters to the Lord is the way we make use of them, not how much we have. Do we take what He has given and selfishly utilize it all for our own good and protection? Or do we generously and cheerfully use those gifts and talents to serve Jesus Christ? These are the questions that Christians will answer at the believers’ judgment. Of course, this accountability won’t be the basis for our spending eternity in heaven (that issue is settled when we trust in Christ). Rather, we will be rewarded for the way we invested our life. And if we didn’t spend our time and resources wisely, we will experience loss. Consider your blessings. How do you utilize all that the heavenly Father has bestowed upon you—namely, time, abilities, and finances? Each one of us must choose how we are going to live. It is our responsibility to be faithful servants of the living God, doing whatever He calls us to do. From In Touch Ministries 2 Corinthians 5 gives us some great instruction by Paul- taking every though captive to the obedience of Christ and demolishing every argument ( apologetics) that sets itself against the knowledge of God ( which includes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ). Once again we see the connection between the mind and the heart in the passage. |
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Post by Obadiah on Apr 16, 2023 10:02:09 GMT -8
I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways [the paths of life marked out by Your law]. Psalm 119:15
The Word of God teaches us what we should spend our time thinking about.
The psalmist said that he thought about or meditated on the precepts of God. That means that he spent a lot of time pondering and thinking on the ways of God, His instructions and His teachings.
Psalm 1:3 says that the person who does this “shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].”
It is very beneficial to think about God’s Word. The more time we spends meditating on the Word, the more we will reap from the Word.
When we follow God's will we love God with our mind. Paul clearly links Christian's mind with the Christians pursued of God's perfect will in:
Romans 12:1–2
I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
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].
God's will is not only good and acceptable it is also perfect. God has a perfect and unique will for us, He has been communicating and working out in us from the earliest days of our Christian life.
We find God's good and acceptable and perfect will in our life by the continual process of renewing our mind through the word of God. The goal is to have our mind transformed into the will of God instead of being conformed to the will of this world.
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Post by rockson on Apr 17, 2023 4:15:28 GMT -8
I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways [the paths of life marked out by Your law]. Psalm 119:15The Word of God teaches us what we should spend our time thinking about. The psalmist said that he thought about or meditated on the precepts of God. That means that he spent a lot of time pondering and thinking on the ways of God, His instructions and His teachings. Psalm 1:3 says that the person who does this “shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].” It is very beneficial to think about God’s Word. The more time we spends meditating on the Word, the more we will reap from the Word. When we follow God's will we love God with our mind. Paul clearly links Christian's mind with the Christians pursued of God's perfect will in: Romans 12:1–2I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 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]. God's will is not only good and acceptable it is also perfect. God has a perfect and unique will for us, He has been communicating and working out in us from the earliest days of our Christian life. We find God's good and acceptable and perfect will in our life by the continual process of renewing our mind through the word of God. The goal is to have our mind transformed into the will of God instead of being conformed to the will of this world. Looks like you're using the Amplified in quoting from Rom 12:1,2? I do like how they've put it as a decisive decision to dedicate our bodies to the Lord. I think all of us Christians make decisions to do certain things but being decisive means in no uncertain terms this is what one is going to do. It's not a flimsy commitment that will be swayed with the whims of the flesh. Paul the Apostille used the Olympic games as a way to motivate Christians to be absolutely decisive. He stated we're to run as one who receives the prize and run in a way that one might obtain. 1 Cor 9 : 24 And Olympian is giving his training everything he can give it to obtain a Perishable Crown. We give it everything in our spiritual training to obtain a Non Perishable Crown. Many right now aren't so caught up in the importance of leaving a good legacy concerning themselves but in the next world it'll be he only thing that mattered. Did we do everything to please God in this life? None of us are perfect of course and many may feel guilt about at times floundering around, not even maybe committing great sin but just not pressing in like we should.....but there's forgiveness and grace and cleansing with the precious blood of Jesus....Each day can be considered a fresh new page......but let us finish each day with no remorse....that we did become temperate, self controlled in all things. |
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Post by Obadiah on Apr 17, 2023 4:52:44 GMT -8
Looks like you're using the Amplified in quoting from Rom 12:1,2? I do like how they've put it as a decisive decision to dedicate our bodies to the Lord. I think all of us Christians make decisions to do certain things but being decisive means in no uncertain terms this is what one is going to do. It's not a flimsy commitment that will be swayed with the whims of the flesh. Paul the Apostille used the Olympic games as a way to motivate Christians to be absolutely decisive. He stated we're to run as one who receives the prize and run in a way that one might obtain. 1 Cor 9 : 24 And Olympian is giving his training everything he can give it to obtain a Perishable Crown. We give it everything in our spiritual training to obtain a Non Perishable Crown.
Many right now aren't so caught up in the importance of leaving a good legacy concerning themselves but in the next world it'll be he only thing that mattered. Did we do everything to please God in this life? None of us are perfect of course and many may feel guilt about at times floundering around, not even maybe committing great sin but just not pressing in like we should.....but there's forgiveness and grace and cleansing with the precious blood of Jesus....Each day can be considered a fresh new page......but let us finish each day with no remorse....that we did become temperate, self controlled in all things. We were just talking about Crowns in Heaven the other day in Life Group. The truth is that most of us really don’t put much effort into the study of the Word. We go out and hear others teach and preach the Word. Maybe listen to sermon CDs or read the Bible occasionally, but are not really dedicated to making the Word a major part of our lives, including spending time thinking about it. The flesh is basically lazy, and many people want to get something for nothing (with no effort on their part); however, that really is not the way it works. Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear. Mark 4:24 (AMP) What a great Scripture! It tells us that the more time we spend thinking about the Word we read and hear, the more power and ability we will have to do it—the more revelation knowledge we will have about what we have read or heard. Basically this tells us that we will get from the Word of God what we put into it. So, the promise that the amount of thought and study we devote to the Word will determine the amount of virtue and knowledge that will come back to us. |
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