Changing

Changing

Repentance …  changing of the mind that results in a changing of life

Renewing the Mind – an oft mentioned part of becoming a disciple of Jesus

Romans 12:1-3

Eph. 4:23

Titus 3:5

Psalm 51:10

2 Cor. 4:16

Col. 3:10   (note vs. 1-2 of this chapter)

This requires losing an argument with yourself.  We have learned to think by adapting certain viewpoint – basis of our very thinking process. These are often ‘unarguable’ starting points – and it is HERE that we must begin our argument with ourselves.  It is of utmost importance to ask ourselves WHY we believe what we believe. Back to the noble Bereans  (Acts 17) -  when we hear that God teaches differently than we have believed, do WE search the scriptures to re-evaluate our thinking (or proof text to ‘confirm’ our old beliefs)?

We in fact do NOT think as God Thinks…  and that is OUR problem..

Isa. 55:8-9

1. invitation to ‘come to the LORD’ –

2. The offer is couched in a new covenant – the mercies of David..

3.  It involves a new leader - 

4.  It includes an offer to GENTILES as well as Jews…

5.  It requires that we forsake our old ways and our unrighteous life styles  and return to the LORD

6.  WHEN that it done He will abundantly pardon –

7.  BUT he emphasizes yet again – we must forsake OUR THOUGHTS and OUR WAYS… 

OUR ways – the ways of ‘the world’ – of the ‘carnal man’ – the man that has struck out on his own without the revelation of God.   Cp. 1 Cor. 2 … 

Even many that claim to be such ‘spiritual men’ have wrong belief about God’s word – thus end up rejecting IT as the final say-so in their thinking.  Thomas Jefferson approach – Jesus Seminar approach – relegating it to ‘1st century literature’ that has little or no application to modern problems.

HOW to change our minds / our thinking… 

YES it is POSSIBLE to change your thinking process. It is NOT ‘natural’.. but it is also not easy to change.

Not only is it possible – it is REQUIRED. (note scriptures above). 

Learning ..

a.  God HAS revealed himself – we to ‘learn of me’ – make disciples –

b.  The absolute importance of teaching / doctrine in the life of a Christian..

* below

c. Yet – many turn away at this point, wanting an emotional ‘experience’…  but not only does such NOT last, it is hard (if not impossible) to verify such as truth. 

d.  The difficulty is that God’s teaching often directly opposed to the thinking of the world !

1. concerning power, money, life’s goals, success

2. Such confronts our very core beliefs about the world, life, purpose… 

Believing –

a. Believing facts – trusting Jesus / God … 

b. Such become a conviction of life principles.

c.  Such is ‘receiving’ the implanted word .. James 1:

d.  Such is letting the word DWELL in us..  the control factor..  Col. 3:

e. The life – live by THE FAITH of Jesus… 

Doing –

Be ye DOERS of the word and not hearers ONLY…

Not like many that claim to know God but deny him by their life style…

The renewing of the MIND results in the change of LIFE…

To think we have renewed our mind when there is no change in our life is to deceive ourselves… 

Training

1.  Discipline – perseverance – practice –

2.  Hard part – giving self TIME while not excusing short-comings and errors.

3.  Part of such is improvement – a goal, and progress towards such.. 

Importance of Teaching

Jesus – came teaching… Mark 1:14-15

Commission – teach them Mtt. 28:

Acts 2:    continued in apostles teaching

2tim  Paul’s last letter --

2:2 … teach others…

2:14 – remind them of THESE things… (cp. 11-13)

2:15 -  present self – workman of God… rightly dividing the word

4:2…  preach the word…  reprove, rebuke, exhort, patience / teaching

Once your mind gets moving in a direction, be it a left-brain direction (logical, mathematical, judgmental, analytical activities) or a a right-brain one (creative, visual, spatial concepts), it tends to keep going. To illustrate this, try this easy test suggested by Timothy Foster6:

What do you call a funny story? – joke

What are you when you have no money? – broke

What's another word for Coca Cola? – Coke

What's the white of an egg? --------------------

It isn't yolk, it's albumen. Were you tricked? Most people are. The brain likes to race ahead, because it already knows the answer.