MInd of Christ

Monday, April 8, 2013

Paul writes, Let this mind be in our which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5

How can we think like Jesus? We need to be students of Jesus to learn what he said and how he acted because of these actions began with thoughts. Paul struggled with the same thing we struggle with. After his conversion when he began to speak to others about Christ, he did it “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” Then he too must have realized he needed to be a student of His heavenly Father. He realized he had to rely on the Holy Spirit to speak through him. He refers to speaking words of wisdom which he calls the “mystery of God” that he says are revealed to him through the Holy Spirit.

When we try to think like Christ we really must rely on the Holy Spirit.

We cannot think, speak, feel, and act like Christ without the help of the Holy Spirit. That is way beyond our human ability. Look what Paul tells us in I Corinthians.

13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2: 13-16

This is a very powerful message! Only those who live in the spirit have the mind of Christ. THE world and OUR world can be changed when live in the spirit because then we can truly reflect God’s glory in the world.

Is it any wonder that the world is in the mess that it’s in! Is it any wonder that people strive against each other? That people lash out, live immoral, self-centered lives?

When people live in and for the Holy Spirit, they have the mind of Christ. Then they think like him, feel like him, speak like him, and act like him. Let’s remember the cycle ---what we think becomes how we feel, speak, and act. God planned it this way! Let’s think like him.

Grace

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

How does the Holy Spirit fit into our lives? John Wesley describes grace as having 3 components:

1. Prevenient grace

From birth God's grace prepares us for new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit goes before us (prevenient) preparing us in order to bring us to faith. Consider the image of a path that leads to our spiritual house. It is on the path where God pursues us. The Holy Spirit goes before us, pursuing us in gentle and love ways. How might that look and feel?

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32

2. Justifying grace

We accept this grace offered to us and come into new life in Christ. Justifying or Accepting Grace describes the way we receive forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life when we repent and ask forgiveness. Consider the image of a porch at the end of the path where God has been pursuing us. At the porch of our spiriutal house we receive God’s forgiveness of sin and accept Christ as Lord. This is the grace that brings us to faith and salvation. This comes to people at various times – some are young, some are not.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not form ourselves, it is the gift of God --not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

3. Sanctifying grace

After accepting God's grace, we move into God's sanctyifying or sustaining grace. This is the beginning of our new life in Christ. Day to day we are being made perfect in love and motives. In our image we've moved from the path and from the porch to the inside the house where we open every room of our lives to the Holy Spirit. This grace accepts us for who we are but wants to make us better. Our goal is to open all the rooms of our spiritual house so that God can heal the broken places and motivate us to leave the places where we are stuck.

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

When we are willing to open all of our rooms for Christ, we will have transformed lives. The key to real peace and happiness is inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and walk with us every day.