Have you ever thought about what you’re thinking and how it matters to God?
Please, read 1st Peter 1:13-25 to prepare for today’s lesson. If this is the first time you’ve landed on this page, then read the Reading Plan for 1st Peter, Your Identity as a Christian, and Conduct Before God, Part One: Holiness.
Therefore, preparing your mind for action and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ… If you call on Him who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout your time of exile.(1st Peter 1:13 and 17).
We are what we think, and what we think flows out in our conduct. Do we live in reverent fear and awe of God? Are our thoughts Christ-centered or self-centered? Only you and God know the answer to these questions.
I picked up a book the other day and on the surface it looked innocent enough, but as I started reading, I noticed lies upon lies. Then I noticed the author had dedicated the book to himself: his past self, his present self, and his future self. The book was about setting your mind right. Spiritually, it was all wrong.
We may deceive ourselves, but we cannot deceive God.
As a man thinkers in his heart, so is he.(Proverbs 23:7)
What is Right Thinking?
We set aright our thoughts or our minds when we spend cherished fellowship with God and His Word. We can have discernment in our everyday life as we make the right choice and apply our thoughts to centered on Christ.
We are not the boulders of our character or shapers of our destiny if we belong to Christ.
Dig deep in the mine of your soul and you will know the truth. The beauty of fellowship with God and engaging in Holy Scripture is that the Spirit of God—the Spirit of truth—leads us into the truth. Our heart and soul are taught, marked, corrected and trained in right-thinking and doing.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
Amy Carmichael once prayed, “Holy Spirit, think through me until your ideas are my ideas.”
The Holy Spirit will never mislead you concerning the will of God. He is your Guide, Counselor, and Helper. You should be depend completely on God for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. These are the things of the mind and infiltrate the heart.
In the annals of Sacred Scripture, we discover the profound things of God and find the mind of Christ. Our Savior shaped our minds, souls, and if we live “with God”—if we listen and lean in to learn.
Remember, Peter did not just think about Christ’s death and resurrection only, he was an eyewitness.
The mind Without Christ:
Look around you, talk to your neighbors and friends. You will find those without Christ think differently.
Those without Christ live in ignorance (1 Peter 1:14). They do not know the ways of God, nor do they care to know. They “feel” their way to knowledge and trust no one but themselves. They are lovers of self and will unhesitatingly give you a piece of their mind. Only their opinion counts.
They live a life of desire (1 Peter 1:14). As long as it brings them pleasure, then it must be right. The sheer sensuality of life is of great importance. Sex and self-satisfaction is a billion-dollar business.
Seriously, they live a life without hope. Seize the moment for tomorrow we die. They think there’s nothing to live for—nothing on the other side of death. Such thinking stinks.
The Mind With Christ:
Those “with Christ” live in obedience and holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16). Think about it for a moment. For our sake, God redeemed us and saved us for Himself. There’s no room here to live with a dull mind and futile thoughts.
They live a life of reverence and awe (1 Peter 1:17-21). Reverence is the attitude of the mind. We are aware of God’s presence, and so we live a life worthy of our calling. We know we are temporary dwellers of earth. Just passing through. We think, not for today so much as the future.
They live a life of mutual love. Because of Christ’s perfect love for us, we can love others in a sincere and steadfast way.
The word of God abides in them. The word is a seed set in the soul’s soil and produces right-thinking.
An unknown author wrote, “We can’t choose our relatives, but we can choose our thoughts, which influence us much more.”
Thinking Right Thoughts
Think careful thought to your ways.(Haggai 1:7)
We know what we know what we know. Christ Jesus, the Anointed Liberator, redeems us. We are delivered from sin and death. Before the creation of the world, Bod already set the plans in place for our salvation. He sent our Redeemer at just the right time and place. Soon, very soon, Christ will come in fullness and joy.
Will we be ready? Will our mindset be right?
Is Christ true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy? Think on these things. Does Christ guard your heart and mind? Think on this as well.
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, what is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about these things.Phil 4:5b-8
Call to Action
We have only touched the surface of how our thoughts are important before God. We haven’t discussed the battle of the mind. Not only that, but we haven’t looked at Jesus’ comments on the good soil of the soul in Matthew 13:23: …good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it”.
Nor have we looked at Matthew 17:18, where Jesus speaks of the healthy tree versus the diseased tree. One will bear good fruit and the other not. False teachers are known by what they teach, which begins with wrong thinking. You will know them by their fruits.
You will know them by their fruits, for out of the wellspring of their soul—their thoughts—they speak.
So, be sober-minded, check your thoughts and examine your soul. Plant the good seeds of God’s word in the good soil of your mind. Test what you’re streaming. Is it good for you? Inspect what you’re reading. It is placing deceptive ideas in your head. Is your social media helpful or hindering?
Before I go, here’s a bit of wisdom from another unknown author:
Watch your thought; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer. Amen!
What is your take away from today? Please share with others your thoughts in the comments below.
Yours in the Lord,
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about Conduct Before God, Part Two: Mindset.
