Renewal of the Mind - Part II

Writing about renewal of the mind is not easy.  The reason is because we all know the teachings on the mind as a battleground, or why we need to renew our minds, etc.  

So I can't help but ask the question to the Lord:  "If we have all these teachings, Bible Studies, sat under many sermons for who knows how many years, why are more lives not transformed?  Why is there not greater maturity, great capacity for strong meat of God's Word?

We are called to ask the Lord questions - this is what being a student of God is about.  Ask a question, get an answer.

This is what happened to me yesterday.  It was rather busy because of prior commitments and I had written something, but was not quite satisfied.  So I did not send it out - just kept praying and pondering.

In the middle of the night, the Lord helped me to see something that ministered to my heart about what I penned in the first paragraph.

For one, we all know the parable He taught while here on earth regarding the Word of God being sown.  He describes His Word going forth and how it falls on the heart.  First, there are those where the Word is given but the devil immediately steals it.  Then those who do receive the Word of God with joy, but have no root and for a while believe, but then when trial or temptation arises (and it does), they fall away.

Next the Word of God falls among the thorns and after hearing go forth, but because of the cares of this world, desires for riches and pleasures of this temporal life, bear no fruit to maturity.  Then lastly, those with honest and good hearts, hear the Word and keep it and bring forth genuine fruit with patience.

(If you want to read this again, please go to Luke 8:4-15)

Jesus also says that the Word of God is the seed to be sown.  And this is what I had a further elaboration on in the middle of the night.  When Satan had the conversation with Eve in the garden, he twisted and perverted what God said as well as planted doubt.  He did the doubt part first when he said to Eve, "Has God said?"

But afterwards he indeed twisted it.  When God speaks, and when His Word was written, of course we all would agree, it came in purity.  Therefore God's true Word is the pure seed.

When man tampers with God's Word in any form or fashion (by the cunning craftiness of the devil), he contaminates it, making the Word of God of none effect in the lives of people.

Jesus Christ said to the Pharisees:  "Your traditions have made the Word of God of none effect."  Now, really in Truth man cannot change God's Word.  For God has spoken this:  "The Word of God lives and abides forever."  So it's not really changing God's Word - it's adding to it, making up something beside it, mixing it with traditions, man's ideas, all sorts of the serpent's ideas.  Yes, the devil is behind it all.

It is up to us then to rely completely on the Holy Spirit to examine what is being said.  For God's Word is life.  Also, after examining it, we must possess the Truth in the heart.  The heart is the hub which produces the understanding in the mind by the power of God's Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  And how we get there is given to us.  The precious Seed of the Word of God, and our Glorious Friend and Teacher, the Holy Spirit of the Living God.

It does not hurt at all to examine our fruit.  We can pay attention to our daily lives as a clue if we are maturing, understanding, etc.  - whether or not the devil is stealing God's Seed, His Glorious Word from our hearts. 

God will show us.  And when He does, He is there to take us further along - this is His will,  His perfect will.  It is His will for us to become fruitful in our spiritual understanding in all things.  It is His will for us to "grow up into Christ in all things."  (Ephesians 4).  It is His will NOT to be tossed to and fro with the devil's cunning craftiness, serpent teachings, doctrines of demons, etc.

As we grow in the true grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, detecting "serpent breath," will become easier and easier. 

One thing I feel is good.  Just get plain ol' mad at missing out on God's treasure, determined, or however we want to put it.  Determined to possess God's wonderful Word and allow this Glorious Person within our hearts to teach us more than we know right now.  If we made this the focus of doing God's PERFECT WILL, instead of first asking where do we go, what do we do, we will, all those other things will indeed come to light.  In closing, read what beloved Paul writes in Colossians:

"Rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith..." (Verse 7)

"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and UNTO ALL RICHES of the full assurance of UNDERSTANDING, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in WHOM are hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  (Verse 2)

Get your shovel out beloved, the treasure is yours and mine!

Sue Gaither