How do we think

I feel to republish a post I wrote some time ago. 

I had a dream in which I was trying to speak to a very important person on the phone but could not get connected. This brought me to think of how we, as believers, connect with God. Do we connect with Him through the carnal mind or the mind of Christ as spoken of in 1 Corinthians ch. 2 v.16:- 

'For who has known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct Him? But we have the MIND OF CHRIST.' This is saying that when we have been born again of the Holy Spirit and  are spiritually  part of the body of Christ on earth, as stated in 1 Corinthians vs. 12 and 13 ( For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body, whether Jews, or Greeks , slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink...) then we  have the mind of Christ. 

Isaiah ch. 55 vs. 8 and 9 clearly states that Gods thoughts and ways are totally different to mankind's thoughts and ways :- 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways' declares the LORD.
Do we argue with that Word?

Job ch. 40 v.2 states:-

' Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct Him? he that reproves God, let him answer it.'

This is how Paul the Apostle spoke to believers in Ephesians ch. 4 vs 22-24 regarding how they should be in Christ:-

'You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.'

Jesus' Words to us, enlightened by the Holy Spirit,  are what enable us to work out our salvation, and just as He did, we too can learn obedience through the things we suffer, trials strengthening us as we journey on.  Hebrews ch. 5 vs. 8 and 9 state:- 'though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,'  and I see through this that to 'obey' Him means to 'act' on the Word spoken to us as believers, and not just be 'hearers' of that Word.

Recently, the cover on my mobile phone broke and I needed to buy a new one. I do not buy on line and asked my daughter in law if she would order one for me. She went through several of them for me, asking which one I would like, many with butterflies on which I said would be the right one but which were out of stock.  She came to one with a picture of a lion on it and asked me would I like it. I said 'I love lions' , so she ordered it for me. She said 'What will you call the lion?' I started thinking about this and suddenly she said to me 'Did you say 'Judah'? I said to her that I had not said a word. She could not believe it, and said she literally had goose bumps on her arms.

Isaiah ch. 61 v.10 reads:-

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and ARRAYED ME in a robe of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.' 

1 Corinthians ch. 1 v.30 reads:-

'It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has BECOME for us wisdom from God: our RIGHTEOUSNESS, holiness and redemption....'

If the scriptures say that He has become our righteousness, and also that God has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, I believe absolutely that what happened with my daughter in law regarding my phone cover is a sign from the Lord accompanying His Word.

What I have on my mobile screen is a picture of a sea and the words 'Walk on water', signifying that I must keep my eyes focused on the Lord, and not on the tribulations in my life.  Now that there will be a lion covering on that statement it speaks Spiritually to me that as long as I keep my eyes upon the Lord, Who is the Word of God, then I shall be covered by His righteousness.

I end this post with a section of 2 Corinthians ch. 10 v.5  that has greatly encouraged me to change my way of thinking.

'.......bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ' 

 Every morning, before I start my day, I open my Bible to read the Word. This morning I read Psalm ch. 9, and these words really spoke to me. 

'But the Lord sits enthroned for ever, He has established His throne for judgement, and He judges the world with righteousness, He judges the people with equity. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble, and those who know Thy name put their trust in Thee, for Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee. Sing praises to the Lord Who dwells in Zion! Tell among the peoples His deeds! For He Who avenges blood is mindful of them, He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.'  vs. 7-12

The following is a picture poem I wrote and painted a long time ago. I have probably shared this before, but it continues to speak to me daily.

Love one another as I have loved you

 This story is a true story about something that happened in my life some years ago.

The other day a neighbour's cat came to my house crying for food. At first I sent it away.  'It is not my responsibility', I thought, 'It belongs to my neighbour'.  The plight of the cat got worse and she grew thinner and thinner until I felt I had to give the cat some food.  It didn't matter whose cat it was, she was starving.  Maybe the owners couldn't afford to buy cat food, maybe they were feeding it a food which it couldn't eat, or maybe they just didn't care about it.  Whatever the reason, I had let the fact that it was someone else's cat blind me to the fact that it was starving.  I had food to give it, we have three cats of our own, and it had to be fed or it could starve to death.

God spoke to me through this incident. He brought me to realize how easily I could have looked the other way and tried to justify myself by saying 'The problem is not mine.'  The truth of the matter was that the problem was not mine until I was made aware of it.  The cat had come to my door and I as a believer know that the cat does not really belong to my neighbour, it belongs to God.  'The earth is the Lord's and the fullness therein.' (Psalm 24).

Sometimes we are reluctant to share what we have, not only the material things but also the spiritual things, because we think it will cause a loss to us. However, the Lord tells us to give and it shall be given to us (Luke ch. 6 v.38).  Whatever God has given to us is to be given out to others where there is a need, we need not fear that we shall suffer through our giving.  In fact we are more likely to suffer through our lack of giving, especially where sharing our faith is concerned. If a plant was to be put in a vessel that did not have any holes in the bottom, water being poured into it frequently would soon cause the plant to rot.  If there are holes in the vessel the plant will take what it needs through it's root system, and the excess will flow out, keeping the plant healthy.

However, no gardener will add water to a plant that is already saturated and in danger of rotting because the water hasn't been allowed to drain away. So let us make sure our vessels have holes in them, and that the 'water of the Word' that we have been given will be shared in this world, just like the widow in 1 Kings ch. 17 shared her bread. Let us all try to be like the widow woman who trusted the Word of the Lord so much that she gave to Elijah when he was in need before she took for herself and her son.  It is by our works that we show faith.  Let us share both the things that we have in this world, and also our faith, through the BREAD OF THE WORD.  God is faithful, 'the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail' according to the word of the Lord for the widow woman, and neither will it for us. For the Lord knows what things we have need of before we ask.

A CHILD IS DYING IN THE STREET

IT CRIES ALOUD FOR BREAD

DO YOU GIVE OF WHAT YOU HAVE

OR WATCH IT 'TIL IT'S DEAD

A WORLD WAS DYING IN IT'S SIN

IT DIDN'T ASD FOR 'BREAD'

GOD COULD HAVE GIVEN PUNISHMENT

HE GAVE HIS SON INSTEAD

Yes, let us love one another in the same way that God loved us.

When the Lord is the 'gardener' we need not fear that He will neglect to 'water' us. Proverbs ch. 11 v.35 says 'The generous man will be prosperous. And he who waters will himself  be watered.' 

A child is returning home

The scriptures say that in the end times many shall fall away from the faith, and that is just what is happening in these times. I believe Jesus  will be returning soon to take up the remnant, and that it is so important that we repent on the things we may have done wrong and turn back to having God's ways and thoughts. The following is a poem I wrote some time ago regarding my thoughts on this.

A CHILD IS RETURNING HOME

The Lord looked down from Heaven
and said to His angels one night

'There's an empty house in Jerusalem

that needs to be filled with my light'

My Father says 'Make this house ready

a child is returning home

Go, welcome him into my sanctuary

and tell him no more will he roam

Tell him his Lord has redeemed him

and not for the good deeds he's done

but because the Father has loved him

and he trusted upon His Son'

So come, let us make this house ready

and fill it with goodness tonight

for a child that was lost has come home again

to be blessed by the Father of Light

 

Something from nothing

You make something from nothing

Lord I know this is true

for You took the old 'me'

and made something brand new

You turned pain and sorrow

to laughter and joy

saved what Satan was trying

so hard to destroy

Now my life is complete

while I'm standing in You

and each trial and temptation

You carry me through

I can see as my training

for the work I must do

as I tell of Salvation

God's grace brought me through You

If only

If only I could speak a word

to everyone who's never heard

If I could tell them why You died

then Jesus - I'd be satisfied

If I could touch a troubled heart

with words of life that I'd impart

and see the turmoil being stilled

then Lord - my life would be fulfilled

And if I'd see a broken soul 

crying out to be made whole

I'd tell them, Lord, of Calvary

and how you came to set us free

But just to do this simple thing

to sing the song I want to sing

I must have Your authority

for only You can set men free

So Father grant this power to me

that captives might have liberty

anoint with oil this mortal head

then by Your Spirit raise the dead

 As a believer, and part of the body of Christ on earth our duty is to spread the gospel to as many people as the Lord leads us to. The following are a poem and a song that I wrote some time ago that reflects how I feel regarding this.

Lord take us to the prisoners

Lord take us to the prisoners

Lord lead us to the ones that are bound

Lord take us to the weary

give rest to their souls

cause the lost to be found

Lord take us to the injured

Lord lead us to the ones that are lame

Lord take us to the helpless

give sight to the blind

by the power in Your name

Lord take us to the thirsty

Lord lead us to the ones that are dry

Lord take us to the lost ones

and open our ears to their pitiful cry

 You are my God

You are my God, you are my king

You are my prince of peace

You are my everything

You have the power and the authority

to bring down each stronghold and principality

and I worship, and I worship

and I worship You my Lord

You are the chosen One of the great I AM

You are the Holy One of the risen Lamb

You are the Prince of peace

and the king of kings

and I worship You

and I worship You