SET YOUR MIND

 

For those who are according to the flesh
set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who are according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For the mind set on the flesh is death,
but the mind set on the Spirit is life
and peace,
Romans 8:5 (NASB)

When I was in elementary school, I really struggled with the multiplication tables. I sometimes still do. I would have loved to have had a nickel for every time I heard,”Glendarae, you can do this if you set your mind to it.” I heard it from parents, grandparents, and teachers. In college there was a professor who loved using that phrase for just about anyone who had lost enthusiasm for a task.

There is something I have since learned about that remark, often made not just to me, but to others as well. It's meant to be a positive, upbeat message to any listener. Any time I was addressed with that comment, I knew the person speaking to me saw something in me I didn't see in myself. They thought I could be a person of accomplishment, and they didn't want me to give up on myself. I was being encouraged whether I realized it at the time or not.

All of us set our minds to accomplish things whether we are aware of it or not. Simply stated, when we set our minds to do something, we've determined to accomplish the whatever that something is. Such determinations might be: cleaning out a closet, washing the car, attending church, doing some grocery shopping, calling a relative, reading a book and more. Most things we get done are done because we have set our minds to do them.

We are very good at accomplishing many things, so why aren't we stronger when it comes to spiritual living. Many times, we don't set our minds to be strong people of faith. I'm looking at Paul talking to the Roman church and as I was reading in Romans 5 and came to the above verses, I thought how simply he presented some things so profoundly to those Roman believers. And yet, those same words now apply to us.

I learned a long time ago that I can't be a good Christian on my own. I can set goals and even force myself to read my Bible, attend church, pray etc. When I do my own planning and goal setting, nothing spiritually pleasing to God is going to occur. He never meant for you and me to live the Christian life on our own. Although born again people, we face the same weaknesses as does the rest of the world. We get tired, ill or discouraged like anyone else does, BUT we have an In-House Being, the sweet Holy Spirit who is ready to empower us to want to do those things that please the Father. When we pray, calling on that power, our spiritual lives become fuller, more satisfying and much more joyful.

Let's determine to set our minds more on the things of God than the things of the world that right now are occupying our minds. Whether we face a pandemic or election and the changes that can come from it all, God will still be our Father who continues to be concerned for us. In the midst of it all, His promises are sure and He's still our Father who will never leave or forsake us. He's already made up His mind about that.

Father, I do love You and want to please You. I long for a closer relationship with You and ask You to speak to me through Your Spirit and His Word. I so appreciate all You've done in my life, especially Your sending Your Son to die for me. In His precious name I pray with much gratitude....Amen

HE KNOWS ME

 

O Lord, You have searched me
and known me,
You know when I sit down
and when I rise up;
You understand my thought
from afar.
You scrutinize my path and
my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted
with all my ways.
Psalm 139:1-3

There was something my Mother did in my growing up years that troubled me greatly. My husband will do it every now just to tease me. In various circumstances, my mother with her right index finger, would point to the back of her left hand and say ,“I know you like the back of my hand.” I may have accepted that when elementary age, but as I got older, I seriously doubted that she or anyone else knew me that well.

It was in college, I was introduced to Psalm 139. It's a wonderful Psalm that speaks of God's sovereignty in every situation that touches our lives. After all, His Holy Spirit dwells in we believers, so God knows us very well...in fact, as well as we can be known. The first verses in Psalm 139 tell us how well He knows us. He knows when we sit or stand. He knows my every thought even at a distance and knows my every need.

In these days, we are facing things of evil like never before. Our culture is in danger of being wiped out...same with our history. We are tired of disease, masks and being at a distance from folks in almost every setting. Nothing is the same as it was just a year ago. I tend to have some days of discouragement and even wonder at times why God doesn't snap His finger or blink an eye to bring it all to some end. Doesn't He see...doesn't He know?

In His case, I'm so glad God knows me perfectly in every way. He knows my every move and mood. He knows how to meet my needs better than anyone else can, all because He knows me so well. In my life, God has so often shown His love and care for me in small ways that means big things to me. They are things that speak in little and big ways all at once.

For instance, He often surprises us in such unexpected ways that are so encouraging. Recently, a package arrive at our door. I was sitting in a bit of a doldrums. Brian retrieved retrieved the package. He thought it was probably the cotton sheets we had ordered. He came with the package and began to open it up. I unwrapped pillow cases while he began separating the cardboard and sheets. All of a sudden, a very small strip of paper fell from one of the sheets. Brian picked up, looked at it and handed it to me. It was probably an inch wide and three inches long. The print on it read:

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives,
He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

I don't know if it was the verse itself or that a Word of Scripture dropped onto the floor out of no where. No matter how the Word comes, it speaks and refreshes...it's like a little love pat from the Lord. God knew I needed that little bit of encouragement that seemed so big at the time. The company couldn't have planned that, but God could plan it down to the very day. The Word of God is so powerful and speaks for itself in timely fashion.

How many times has someone come to my mind in a special way and I didn't know why so ignored the prodding. Perhaps that person needed a note from me, a FB message or a call. It doesn't have to be anything long and drawn out...just a touch. It may be a note with no more than “Thinking of you” and writing down a verse of Scripture to bless. God not only knows my sittings, laying, coming and going but knows the very same about everyone else. Now there is Someone who knows all of us like the back of His nail-pierced hand.

Father, I never cease being amazed at how you see to our needs and show us Your love in so many ways...big or small. You so wonderfully show Yourself in our lives by using others to work for You. Thank You for Your love for us and for really knowing us like the back of Your precious hand. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path
Psalm 119:105

Not too long ago, I was talking with a dear young lady who was going to appear on a panel having to do with her work. There would be some questions to answer on the spot and no telling what questions or antics anyone on the panel might have to deal with. This lady is a real woman of the Word and in contemplating this event, she said some words from Scripture came to her mind. They were: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” She wasn't anticipating a problem, but definitely felt the Lord was leading the way in the situation, preparing her for the event. We spoke briefly how Scripture can suddenly “cross our minds” at times without our even thinking about the any Scripture at the time.

So many times during the good and bad of life, there have been times when a verse from Scripture or even just a line without my praying or having a spiritual thought at the time that came to me out of the blue. . Until I matured a little more, I got away from asking “Where did that come from?” Those words would come to me just at the times I needed encouragement. It was such a good day when the Holy Spirit let me in on His secret. It was Him knowing my every step or problem that the He knew when to bring to my mind just the right words from His Word that I needed at a moment's notice.

So often in just lonely or difficult times, I have “recalled” God's assurance that He is with me and will never forsake me. I often feel reassured that my Father holds me in the palm of His hand. At the time I don't know the address of the verse, but the words are real and I am encouraged and comforted.

Some might say that those things don't happen to them. I've had born again ladies who have said as much to me. The young lady I spoke of in the beginning has practically grown up in the Scriptures. If we have an abundance of exposure to the Word, the Holy Spirit has more fuel to use in speaking to us at the appropriate times. So are we in the Scriptures enough to retain verses and phrases from our Bibles the Holy Spirit can use as reminders, encouragement and blessing at the appropriate times of our need?

In these days, we may have extra amounts of time that we can spend in our Bibles. I don't memorize things very well anymore but still in my reading, there are words and phrases that stick. I may not know what to do with them in the moment, but the Holy Spirit knows the when and where's I will need just a few words from Him to lift me up. There's no particular place to read. Just reading the Word is spiritual fuel for the moment that can “come to mind” later. The time spent in the Word will never be a waste. Don't forget in your reading to include the Old Testament. There we see God's dealing with people, His character that is consistent even for us to this day.

The important thing is to recognize these spiritual reminders that cross our minds are not just happenstance. It's the Holy Spirit, who abides in every born again believer Who brings these special blessings to pass. On the spot, we should give Him thanks for His knowing when to speak to us that no one else knows anything about. When we stay spiritually alert in this area, we won't have to ask, “Where did that come from?” We'll know that we know. 

Thank You Father, for Your Word and for Your Spirit Who ministers to us through it. May we read our Bibles in anticipation of what You want to say to us at any given moment. Help us to walk in obedience to what we read. Thank You for Jesus Who made it all possible by His death and our salvation. In His precious name...Amen

CONSIDER JESUS

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers
of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus,
the Apostle and High Priest of our
confession...
Hebrews 3:1

Recently, I was reviewing some things in the book of Hebrews and came across the above verse. You probably can tell the two words that caught my eye...CONSIDER JESUS. That wonderful chapter and book tells us an abundance of wonderful things about Jesus that only serves to reinforce how very wonderful He is in our lives.

Through life, we have “considered” many things for varied reasons. As I have thought of the verse, I've looked at the word and what it has said to me through time. In using that word “consider”, I know I have taken perhaps something new into account...it's meant my thinking seriously about something especially in making decision. For instance: “I'll consider going on a date with Brian. (Many years ago.)...I'll consider taking that job...I'll consider teaching that class”...all required a decision to be made on my part, usually a serious and sometimes life changing one. In every day living, we might consider what we'll fix for supper, what we will wear on a given day, planning a vacation, painting the house...any number of things. We make decisions all the time, most of which is without considering what Jesus might think. We should know that everything about us concerns Him. I'm afraid we don't consider Him in the very small details of life, BUT He is still interested in every little thing that concerns us.

I'm wondering how often we stop and just consider what Jesus really means in our lives or do we just take Him for granted? In considering Him, I believe we are called upon to make Him the vital part in everything in our ordinary days. Sometimes I think we have Him on a handy kind of shelf where we can pull Him down when we need Him. Yes, He's with us always and could really push Himself into our daily living, but He's much too much of a gentleman to do that. He wants to be a part of our decision making down to the most trivial of things. When we do that, our trust in and love for Him are both indicated.

So how do we get back to considering Jesus more than we already do? Not disregarding His death on our behalf on a cross, Jesus wants to be more beyond our salvation experience. He wants to be engaged with us in every day living. This will mean a renewed relationship with Him, perhaps falling in love with Him all over again. This will take time in the Word of God, soaking in it and considering it as we read. Prayer will be that wonderful chain of communication that can bind us to the heart of God. My love and consideration for Jesus should be greater than I have for any other human being.

As I found myself in a serious relationship with Brian and even after his proposal of marriage, I studied him. I wanted to know his favorite food, colors, cars, etc. In idle moments at work, I wrote his name on a piece of paper and then under it wrote what would be my new name just to see what it would look like. I couldn't wait for the next time I would see him, usually at church. He live and worked at a distance so our times together were limited. I know it sounds “teenager-ish” but I believe Jesus would love that kind of attention from us.

I have to ask myself now if I have that kind of love for Jesus...looking forward to time with Him, reading His love letters, wanting to talk to Him often and worshiping Him often in every day life. In the scope of our lives, do we make it a point to CONSIDER JESUS?

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive my negligence in being consistent in my relationship with You. You have provided life for me and an abundance of provision daily. I praise You for Your Word and the privilege of talking to You any time, any place. May I consider You in all of my dailies. In Your precious name....Amen