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Tag: Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

The devil’s scheme (his fall, man’s fall, the world’s fall)

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On June 19, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 3:5 states “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” 1 John 2:16 states “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Notice how, “to eat” is to gratify “the lust (desire) of the flesh”; the “opening of the eyes” has to do with “the lust (desire) of the eyes” and “to be as gods” is intertwined with “the pride of life” – the same kind of pride that the devil (Lucifer) is guilty of, when he tried to usurp the position of God, for he tried to be as God, which led to his fall from heaven (Isaiah 14:12). The devil’s scheme of deceiving Eve by presenting to her, the lust of the flesh (good for food), the lust of the eyes (pleasing to the eyes) and the pride of life (be as gods), hasn’t changed in the world system today, for out of this world, of which the devil is its god (2 Corinthians 4:4), is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

Points to ponder:
Let us not be conformed to the patterns of this world (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) but be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), putting on the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), who being God, humbled himself to be not as God, and became obedient to God the Father. Let us not be beguiled by the evil scheme of the devil, that resulted in his fall from heaven (Luke 10:18), the fall of man in the garden of Eden, and the falling away of this world from God’s grace (Hebrews 6:6; Galatians 5:4) today. Let us watch and pray, lest we fall!

Genesis 3:5 (KJV)
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

1 John 2:16 (KJV)
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Convicted as charged

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On April 16, 2012

In Christian

The Bible states that we must be imitators of God as dearly beloved children (Ephesians 5:1) and counsels us to walk in love as Christ loved us and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice as did Christ Jesus (Ephesians 5:2). We must not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), so that we may prove what is good, acceptable and the perfect, will of God.

Points to ponder:
Someone questioned, “If we were to be arrested for being Christians, would there be enough evidence to convict us?”. Think about this. Are you/I imitators of God? In other words, will we be convicted as charged for being followers of Jesus Christ, proving that our lives are good, acceptable and perfect, according to the will of God?

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 
2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Schizophrenic Christians

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On July 1, 2010

In Christian

When working as a Shark researcher in the Bimini Biological Field Station, Bahamas each of the researchers were assigned a skiff (small boat) that they had to maintain. One day when cleaning the skiff assigned to me, I had one foot of mine on the dock and the other in the skiff. The tether that was holding the skiff to the dock had been released and the skiff start to move away from the dock. Very soon, I found myself doing a karate kid side split, until I could no longer stretch and fell into the water getting completely soaked. I should have made up my mind to have my feet securely anchored on solid ground (dock) or both foot in the skiff to avoid the fall.

Bad outcomes are often observed to occur when the decision maker is double minded. Missed penalty kicks in Soccer or strikeouts in Baseball are testaments to players not being focused . Many times these players are double minded when they miss their shot.

Our frame of mind in our Christian walk has an effect as well. We are asked to renew our mind (Romans 12:2) so that we are no longer conformed to the patterns of this world that is unstable. We are to be with the God given sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) and what is more is that we are to be of a single mind, the same mind that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). We cannot be double minded. In other words, we cannot be schizophrenic Christians, serving two masters. We can pledge our allegiance to God or to the world, not both. To be part of God and be part of the world simultaneously is like having one feet on the dock (solid ground) and the other in the skiff (that is moving away from solid ground); the end result of which will be a sure fall.

Point(s) to ponder:
1. Have you/I renewed our minds to conform to that of Christ Jesus and not to the world?
2. Are you/I double minded in our allegiance? If so, let us choose this day, whom we shall serve!

Image: Christ in the Storm, by Rembrandt

James 1:8 (KJV)
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Habit #7 – Renew your mind

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On June 24, 2009

In 7 habits, Christian

Covey’s Habit #7 – Sharpen the Saw
Christian Habit #7 – Renew your mind

Dr. Covey enlists the habit ‘Sharpen the Saw’ as the 7th habit in his series. This habit is about balanced self-renewal and continuous improvement. The Bible commands us that we should not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed. How can we be transformed? By the renewing of our minds.

What does it mean to renew our minds? It means that we ought to ‘think differently‘
This means that we must

  1. not merely focus but fix our thoughts on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
  2. think in a humble manner, less about ourselves and more about others; Put on the mind of Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God, did not consider it right to be made equal with God, but humbled himself, even to the point of death, death on the Cross.

Point(s) to ponder:

Have you ever seen a butterfly sit and eat leaves as it did when it was a caterpillar? I have not. The butterfly does not think like a caterpillar. It is a new creation. Likewise, when we accept and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and ought not to think like our former selves.

The Bible counsels us that we ought to graduate from being babies (from milk) to grown ups (to meat).  We need to think and act as adults, not babies. Not just in some things, but in ALL things, we are to grow, just as Jesus did. Jesus grew up in wisdom, in stature and in favor of God and man. To be a highly effective Christian, we need to grow lest we remain spiritual dwarfs, a spectacle for the world to be amused about. Our transformation (metamorphosis) should be accompanied by growth and this begins by the renewal of our mind.

Ephesians 4:11-15,22-24 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
…
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Status Quo vs. God’s Quo

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On June 8, 2009

In Christian

In Latin, the pharase Status Quo literally means ‘the state in which’. Many a times, we find ourselves saying of our lives that it is just the way it is. It is the Status Quo. The Bible however counsels us not to be caught up with the Status Quo but instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) and to look at God’s Quo.

If you and I are going to say that “Life is just the way it is, we are never going to see  how it can be different“. The Status Quo may tell us that the life we have been given is what we deserve, but God’s Quo does not want us to settle for life just as it is, because God’s Quo is not just about life, but life abundantly (which we can have only in Jesus Christ).

Status Quo may be about ‘the state in which‘ we live.
God’s Quo is about  ‘the God in which‘ is life, and that is ABUNDANT LIFE.

Which one would you never choose for your life – Status Quo or God’s Quo? Think about it!

John 10:10 (KJV)
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Me against the world as was Antipas …

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On April 7, 2009

In Christian

Antipas is one of the few martyrs mentioned in the Bible by name. Not only is he mentioned in the Bible, he was spoken of by God. Rev 2:13 records the martyrdom of Antipas, who did not deny the Faith and was faithful to the point of death.

His martyrdom cannot be refuted and the most accepted version of his death as recorded in 92 A.D. by Simeon Metaphrastes is that he was roasted alive in a copper bull-shaped altar. Antipas refused to deny Jesus Christ and worship the Roman Emperor, just as the Hebrew boys, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (more commonly known by their Babylonian names – Shadrach, Meshach and  Abednego) did.

Antipas, whose name means “against all”, was advised that “the whole world is against you!” before he was sentenced to be martyred. His response was “Then I am against the whole world”.

Point(s) to ponder:

  1. Can God tell of us that we are faithful and that we will not deny Him? (like he did of Antipas)
  2. Are we against the world, set apart, or are we one with the world? What are we going to be known for?
Rev 2:13
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

James 4:4
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

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