Renew your Mind... Become a New Creation in Christ!

Yes... Renew your mind by realizing that you having been born again have the Holy Spirit in you, that means you are now made alive in Christ, a new creation. You are no longer trying to justify yourself in Him. But, crucified with Him, resurrected… transformed in spirit (ruling over your flesh) in this fallen world ... and that can only begin with renewing your mind.

Ephesians 4:23-24
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 12: 1-3 ~Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.…

Alive in Christ
COL 2: 12-14 And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!…

Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.

Ephesians 2:1
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Ephesians 2:5
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

Let the Holy Spirit dwell in you… don’t quench it by having one foot in the world and one in His Kingdom! Let the power of Almighty God raise you up. Trust in Him! Pray His Will be done, seek first the Kingdom and all will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33- 34 ~ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.…

Having the Holy Spirit we can be joyful in tribulation, for we are overcomers of darkness by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony…

Which is… we have been made Alive in Christ! So understand… the gate is narrow, …Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Luke 9:60.

I have not come to bring peace, but a sword...

 

What did Jesus mean when he said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” ~ Matthew 10:34.

Matthew 10: 34-39 ~ “Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Luke 12:51
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.

Does that mean we should be at war with people around us, whether in our own household, community or even nation?  We will have to choose Jesus over family. Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me…

No, we are not at war with our community or nation in the way the world sees ‘war’. We do not wage war as the world does… the Word of God is a two-edged sword and that is enough to bring division.

So yes, there will be division among us. What about loving your enemies? Division does not mean you don’t love the way Jesus instructed us to love… having mercy and compassion -Good Samaritan.

Everyone has the choice to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior… to pick up their ‘cross’ and follow Him. That means to give your life for Him, for His truth not the world’s. You see, folks the gate is narrow… Matthew 7:14.

Hebrews 4:11- 13 ~ Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that ‘gate’ which is a place of rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. That ‘rest’ is His peace within us… to be at peace with being reconciled to Him… and not to the world.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.…

Hebrews 10:30-31 ~ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

Philippians 1:30
since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

2 Corinthians 5:11
Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

Hebrews 3:12
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.

Hebrews 12:29
"For our God is a consuming fire."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do not be wise in your own eyes...

Do not insist that your imagination of what is and is not... is true; as well as, the information you have been given (outside of the Bible) is from God unless that information comes directly from Him found in His Word, the Bible. 

God’s Word never changes. While that is absolutely true, God’s Word never promises to answer every human question, but it does promise to be the basis of truth for the understanding of all things (Psalm 86:11; Proverbs 30:5; John 1:14; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16).

When we base our thinking on God’s authoritative Word, we can confidently answer questions about our world and our life.

When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, he told them his confidence was not in his own lofty speech or wisdom, but in the work of Christ, His Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2).

The Apostle John also displayed this confidence that the Holy Spirit gives all believers sufficient knowledge of the truth: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it and that no lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:20–21). Our confidence lies in the truth God has revealed to us through the gospel and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit

Reading from Proverbs 3:1-12 ~ Trust in the LORD with All Your Heart

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.

Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Be not wise in your own eyes (do not be impressed with your own wisdom); fear the LORD and turn away from evil. (the Lord’s ways are higher than ours) This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. 

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.