A New Mind For A New Year

"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not." - Jeremiah 5:21 ESV

 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Rom 12:2 ESV

 

I have been teaching a good bit of late on the topic of the “Renewed Mind.”  Romans 12 here tells us that we can discern or know the will of God through the process called the “renewing of the mind.”  We won’t just wander around without a clue as to God’s purpose. Every mind must remain in this process of renewal for the entirety of life on earth.  It is not a one-time event only.  I say “only” because there is a miraculous conversion of the mind, body and spirit as an event at the moment of our conversion.  That conversion of the mind however, is only the birth of the new mind.  Just as with any birth there must be nurturing of that new birth.  This is true in spirit, mind and body as well.  There is a lifelong endeavor of bringing our converted self under the Lordship of Christ.  While we are ready for heaven the moment of our conversion, Lordship and the disciplines of Lordship, makes us more and more equipped for living the overcoming life here as followers of Jesus. 

 

This is particularly true of the mind.  Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”  There is a direct connection between “right thinking”, a renewed mind and hearing the voice of God.  Studying the Word of God, meditating on it, is a large part of renewing the mind along with the Holy Spirit which accompanies the Word. As the mind is continually being renewed our eyes and ears are opened and we can see and discern God’s Will.  If believers don’t remain in God’s word through reading and meditating on it there is a weakening of the process of the renewing of the mind and there is a dimming of seeing the will of God. Too many Christians today are giving themselves to too many things that are robbing them from uninterrupted time in the life source of God’s Word.  While they are going to heaven, they are often wandering aimlessly around in this life without hearing and seeing God’s plan and purpose for their lives.   

 

May we enter a new year with a new commitment  to simplify and focus our time less on trivial things, and more on the eternal life source of God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.