Changing Your Mind
It seems that every new direction requires changing your mind. It has been overstated that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." Yet a truer statement has not been made. It sounds easy enough but changing your mind is one of the most difficult things. it requires humility that says, "either I was wrong in the past or what I thought in the past is no longer adequate." Changing your mind takes great courage because if you declare that you are changing your mind you must now take the risk that this new direction might fail. At least I'm surviving in my present state and no one sees me failing. Changing my mind might bring disaster. Of course it might also bring a new success! It also requires faith. You must believe in the new direction and pursue it with passion and conviction.
Our becoming Christians, followers of Jesus began with a decision to change our minds. We make a lot out of the way we see people converted but the most accurate definition is a changed mind. That is what repentance means, changing one's mind. I can't truthfully find a "sinner's prayer" in the Bible. I have seen many, far too many who prayed that cure all prayer and never fulfilled their commitment to Jesus. I have seen others who focused on the act of changing their mind and they have never looked back. The mind change is a powerful force! My point here is that I have talked a lot of people into saying and praying things that was beyond their mental assent. They didn't stick! Recently someone who loves me was telling me that if I would go to a truly vegetarian diet my health issues would be over and fixed. I thought of all the reasons they were wrong but could find none. I said, "I believe you are right but I'm nor willing to pay that price yet"! I still believe they are right but that kind of believing doesn't bring miracles or new fruit. I have to believe and then come to a place of changing my mind about what I am doing.
What areas of your life do you need a change of mind? You understand, you even have faith but you are not ready to change your mind and commit to the new direction or decision. Consider this verse: Phil. 2:19 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. God is able to give you the very desire that will lead you to obedience through a changed mind. Pray and ask Him to help you today.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
What Will Heaven Be Like?
It's really kind of amazing if you think about it that so little detail is given about heaven in the Bible! The Scripture is clear that heaven is the abiding place of God where our victorious Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. We have hints regarding the beauty of heaven with it's magnificent gates and streets of pure gold. Yet, a lot is left to educated guesses at best. I think the Lord wants it that way to be a reward on the grandest scale. One rabbi has suggested that this life is like a lobby where we wait until that day when we can enter the grand banquet hall! I like that! Regardless, heaven is and will be a wonderful place. Then, as believers we have the promise that when we leave this body we immediately enter heaven.
Heaven is to be with Jesus. I have no angst about any of that. I do however, have a little concern about one part of life after death. It has to do with the judgment seat of Christ. I have always had this deep desire to hear from Jesus those words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant..."
Some have taught that the judgment seat of Christ had to do with rewards for good deeds and punishment for the bad. That isn't possible! Why? Because sin has already been taken care of by the Blood of Jesus. The judgment seat of Christ is a place of reward but not punishment. Yet, I want the highest reward from Jesus because I want to please him as I am sure you do as well. Now here's my point. I believe to get the highest reward, like Paul, we all need to be faithful to the end and make sure we have "run the race" as best we can. I remember as a new believer I sought to learn and grow every day. If I saw it in the Word, I did it or tried as best I could. No one probably grows as quickly as in that first year of discipleship. Just this morning as I read my devotional I was reading in Hebrews and saw the verse that said that we need to be careful how we treat strangers because we could be entertaining angels. That started the process of thought that asks the question, "do I still strive to practice the Word as I once did?" Do I forgive others as I once did? Do I feed the hungry and visit those in prison like I once did? Of course these are personal questions. I in no way want to bring condemnation upon you or me. I do however, ask that you join me in asking Jesus to help us be more aware of opportunities to live as He would live.
It's really kind of amazing if you think about it that so little detail is given about heaven in the Bible! The Scripture is clear that heaven is the abiding place of God where our victorious Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. We have hints regarding the beauty of heaven with it's magnificent gates and streets of pure gold. Yet, a lot is left to educated guesses at best. I think the Lord wants it that way to be a reward on the grandest scale. One rabbi has suggested that this life is like a lobby where we wait until that day when we can enter the grand banquet hall! I like that! Regardless, heaven is and will be a wonderful place. Then, as believers we have the promise that when we leave this body we immediately enter heaven.
Heaven is to be with Jesus. I have no angst about any of that. I do however, have a little concern about one part of life after death. It has to do with the judgment seat of Christ. I have always had this deep desire to hear from Jesus those words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant..."
Some have taught that the judgment seat of Christ had to do with rewards for good deeds and punishment for the bad. That isn't possible! Why? Because sin has already been taken care of by the Blood of Jesus. The judgment seat of Christ is a place of reward but not punishment. Yet, I want the highest reward from Jesus because I want to please him as I am sure you do as well. Now here's my point. I believe to get the highest reward, like Paul, we all need to be faithful to the end and make sure we have "run the race" as best we can. I remember as a new believer I sought to learn and grow every day. If I saw it in the Word, I did it or tried as best I could. No one probably grows as quickly as in that first year of discipleship. Just this morning as I read my devotional I was reading in Hebrews and saw the verse that said that we need to be careful how we treat strangers because we could be entertaining angels. That started the process of thought that asks the question, "do I still strive to practice the Word as I once did?" Do I forgive others as I once did? Do I feed the hungry and visit those in prison like I once did? Of course these are personal questions. I in no way want to bring condemnation upon you or me. I do however, ask that you join me in asking Jesus to help us be more aware of opportunities to live as He would live.
Friday, March 2, 2012
The Old Wine Is Better
Just yesterday I was visiting a home for the elderly. I met a man unexpectedly that I had known many years ago. He was a very successful businessman. I had forgotten that he was living there. I found him sitting on a bench. I walked over and knelt down beside him and we started chatting. I reminded him that I had been out walking one morning nearly thirty years ago and saw him fully dressed headed to work at 5:00 a.m. I told him how I had been impressed with his discipline and how it impacted my life. Suddenly this wisdom started pouring out of him. Just a moment earlier he was an old man whose life was behind him and now he was an old sage with life lessons coming forth like out of a fountain. Today I am wondering how many like him there are out there. How many solutions to our present day problems are hidden away in the treasure chests of our elderly? Most of the time when we are working on our careers we try to find the young men and women who are walking in present success. That is a good thing. They are doing something right or they wouldn't stand out. Yet, if we would seek out the heroes of the past that are still living among us we might be able to add experience and wisdom to present methodology. Just because a person is old doesn't mean they have wisdom. Some are just old! Yet, many more than we might think are cornucopias of answers to many of the questions you may have right now. However, unlike the young who are more than willing to spout it out, these older ones are not always so willing. They have been made to feel they have nothing to offer. That means you will have to have patience as mining for gold nuggets. Yet, I suspect you will find your labor was well worth the effort. Give it a try! If you think afterward that there was no reward, give it some time and you may find you were wrong.
Just yesterday I was visiting a home for the elderly. I met a man unexpectedly that I had known many years ago. He was a very successful businessman. I had forgotten that he was living there. I found him sitting on a bench. I walked over and knelt down beside him and we started chatting. I reminded him that I had been out walking one morning nearly thirty years ago and saw him fully dressed headed to work at 5:00 a.m. I told him how I had been impressed with his discipline and how it impacted my life. Suddenly this wisdom started pouring out of him. Just a moment earlier he was an old man whose life was behind him and now he was an old sage with life lessons coming forth like out of a fountain. Today I am wondering how many like him there are out there. How many solutions to our present day problems are hidden away in the treasure chests of our elderly? Most of the time when we are working on our careers we try to find the young men and women who are walking in present success. That is a good thing. They are doing something right or they wouldn't stand out. Yet, if we would seek out the heroes of the past that are still living among us we might be able to add experience and wisdom to present methodology. Just because a person is old doesn't mean they have wisdom. Some are just old! Yet, many more than we might think are cornucopias of answers to many of the questions you may have right now. However, unlike the young who are more than willing to spout it out, these older ones are not always so willing. They have been made to feel they have nothing to offer. That means you will have to have patience as mining for gold nuggets. Yet, I suspect you will find your labor was well worth the effort. Give it a try! If you think afterward that there was no reward, give it some time and you may find you were wrong.
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