It Starts in the Mind

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. - Romans 12:2 (KJV)

We've all heard the phrase, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" (Arthur Fletcher). We've heard it and maybe even internalized it. But many of us are still wasting away our minds. We can't make necessary changes in our lives because of the state of our minds. There are things that we want to do, but we simply do not put forth the effort to do them because of what's in our minds. And more often than not, what's in and on our minds is not us; it's someone else. We are concerned about what they will think, what they will say, how they will respond, if they will support or turn away, and the list goes on. 

Most of our time and energies are spent on making the actual plans instead of executing them. Our plans are well thought, and we even know that God is IN them. We have the faith to execute them. But a plan without action is simply just a plan. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). 

Our thoughts can sometimes push us out of a blessing and a breakthrough. We spend time thinking about frivolous things that end up causing up frustration, worry, mischief, and the list goes on. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to think on things that are honest, just, pure, praiseworthy, of good report, and true. That should drive our hearts and will to move in the direction of God and the things of God.

This week, let's put our prayer focus on our minds. Read, meditate, pray, and even journal on one scripture a day. In your journal, write out the actual scripture, write what you understand of it, and write how you want to God to give that Scripture life in your life. Let's see how God moves when we make up our minds that it's time for a transformation in our lives. It's a process, but we have to know that the change starts in our minds.

Romans 12:2 (above)

Isaiah 26:3

Romans 8:5-6

Colossians 3:2

Psalm 119:15

Philippians 2:5-8

Prayer:
Dear God, we thank You for minds to seek You. As we go through this week focusing on cleansing our minds, we ask that You remove anything that is not like You. Draw us closer to Your Word and grant us understanding. Let Your Word give us life and breathe new life into our minds. We desire a change in our thinking. We desire to let go of thoughts that hold us bound...stuck. To go forward in this thing called life, we know that we need an infilling of You. Speak to us. We're ready. We're hungry. We're desperate. Have Your way in this journey. Open our minds to receive from You. In Jesus' Name...amen.

Be blessed,

Tee

Seasons Change

Season comes from the Greek word KAIROS meaning - unique moment in time, a predestined era.  According to Webster, a season is a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature.  We are presently upon a season that everyone’s familiar with – fall. We know when it’s upon us because we start to see the leaves change color.

When the leaves change color, it’s because certain factors both inside and outside the plant cause the chlorophylls to be replaced at a slower rate than they’re being used up.  There is a sugar-breakdown, and the chemicals and nutrients needed to keep the green color in the leaves moves out of the leaf and into the stem.

While I know this isn't a "science" blog or class, it's important to make an analogy for you between what’s happening in the natural realm and what’s happening in the spiritual realm.  Just like the trees, some of us may be dreading “fall” because we are ill prepared for the transformation/changing of seasons that God’s is instructing to take place in our lives!

Transform: to change in composition or structure; to change the outward form or appearance; to change in character or condition

I’m reminded of Saul/Paul – we’re all familiar with something about this apostle in the Bible. Acts 9 speaks of his conversion/transformation. Paul was a blasphemer of Christ; a persecutor of Christians. His plan to seek out and prosecute Christians in Damascus was a plan of destruction. Christians fled Jerusalem and Judea to Damascus for safety and refuge. Saul had a plan that was tweaked by the almighty God himself!

Paul was sniffed out and snatched up by God to turn around the evil for good. In the same manner, God has to snatch some of us up to get our attention! In order for us to be receptive and fully understand our change, we must understand that the timing is solely in God’s hands!

God oftentimes tests us to see where we are. The tests only come to make us stronger. We are tried in the fire to come out as pure GOLD! In spite of what may come our way, we must do as Paul instructed in 1 Timothy 6:12 – fight the good fight of faith!

In order for God to fully work in and through us, we must align ourselves with His word! God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 that our thoughts are not His thoughts; neither are our ways His ways. Further down in verse 11, it says, ‘my Word will not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which it was set out to do’.

With that said, I'm ready to embrace fall and all the change that He says is necessary in my life. What about you? I have made a choice already to make some adjustments in my life by the nudging of the Holy Spirit. And while some of those changes weren't easy or didn't feel good to my flesh, I believe they were ALL in His timing and necessary for my divine purpose.

In Him,

~Tee