Sunday, September 3, 2017 - A DISCIPLINED MIND
Pastor Roger Marcos
September 3, 2017
"God has given us a spirit of discipline" 2 Tim.1:7
"The fruit of the Spirit is self-control" Gal.5:22-23
Discipline is what modern believers need the most but want the least.
Much of the restlessness and the instability in the lives of many Christians can be traced to the basic fault of an in-disciplined way of life. There may be other secondary causes, but somewhere behind all of them is a fundamental need for discipline.
Our mind is like a garden our thought are the seeds, you can grow flowers or the weeds.
Our minds already have tremendous control over one thing: our behavior.
The Way We Think determines the Way That We Live.
For that to happen we must have minds that are disciplined - minds that are transformed to the mind of Jesus Christ - we must learn to think like Jesus, & as a result, begin acting like Jesus if we are going to fulfill our purpose in this world.
1. DO I NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY I THINK?
Do not conform 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
What the world puts into our minds will demonstrate itself through our behavior, unless we are continually going through this process of transformation.
- What the world puts into our minds will demonstrate itself through our behavior, unless we are continually going through this process of transformation.
- Because the world will continually beckon us to conform to its behavior patterns, we must continually seek to transform our minds into the mind of Christ
- “If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer.” - Warren Wiersbe
The Purpose of the Renewed Mind
- So that we do not become conformed to this world. Rom. 12:2
- So that we do become transformed by the Word
- It is through this process of transformation that we are able to not only understand God’s will for our lives, but will have the ability to live it out in our day-to-day experience.
2. WHAT STANDARD CAN I USE AS A GUIDE?
Every time we decide to learn something new, we need a guide of some kind to lead us - the same is true when we are learning to have the mind of Christ.
- I’ve described the Bible to you before as The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual - because that is what it is - it is our guide for living the Christian life.
The Process of the Renewed Mind - Romans 12:2b
The two agents involved in the renewal of the mind
- The Holy Spirit - Titus 3:5
- The Word of God - Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:10;
It only makes sense that to be transformed to the mind of Christ that I would consult the Word of Christ as my guide for the transformation process.
The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual Says My Mind Should Be.
ALIVE
- If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. - Romans 8:6 (NLT)
Same is true when we are learning to have the mind of Christ.
- I’ve described the Bible to you before as The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual - because that is what it is - it is our guide for living the Christian life.
- It only makes sense that to be transformed to the mind of Christ that I would consult the Word of Christ as my guide for the transformation process.
- Life comes from choosing the message of Christ.
The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual Says My Mind Should Be.
PEACEFUL
- If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. - Romans 8:6 (NLT)
The spiritual mind is peaceful, & the source of that peace is God.
- The problem is that sin separates us from God, the source of our peace.
- Your sins have cut you off from God - Isaiah 59:2 (NLT)
- Jesus wept over Jerusalem & said, "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.” - Luke 19:42
- Jesus desire was to be their source of peace.
- Jesus had peace because His life was completely free from sin & the ravages of the world system.
- We find peace when we turn to Jesus, when we take His yoke upon us, when we obtain His mind.
The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual Says My Mind Should Be.
FOCUSED
- I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. - 2 Cor. 11:3 (NLT)
Paul is telling us that the mind of Christ is a focused mind, one that it not distracted from the course.
Jesus entire life is a flawless example of a focused mind.
- As Jesus was headed toward the cross the Bible tell us, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. - Luke 9:51 (NLT) - He was entirely focused on the task at hand.
John 17:4 Jesus prays to the Father, I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do.
- From beginning to end nothing could divert Him from His purpose.
- Are we like that? We are if we have the mind of Christ.
The Original Maker’s Maintenance Manual Says My Mind Should Be.
HUMBLE
- Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. - Phil. 2:3 (NLT)
- Just a few verses later it says concerning Jesus, He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. - Phil. 2:7 (NLT)
True humility comes when we have a full appreciation of God.
Those who met God in the Bible never needed to be convinced of the need for humility.
3. HOW CAN I OBTAIN THE MIND OF CHRIST?
- As I stated earlier, obtaining this transformed mind, the mind of Christ is an ongoing process that will never end.
- None of us will ever reach a point where we can say, “Yes, I have the mind of Christ” - but in the journey to reach this goal we are becoming more & more like Him every day.
- I am going to give you three ways to obtain the mind of Christ, & all three of these ways must be followed if we are going to reap the results.
- These ways are not new to you, but they are often overlooked in search of some quick & easy way, but I’m telling you now, while the journey is pleasant, it is not easy because we are fighting the enemy every step of the way.
1st - We Must Immerse Ourselves in the Word of God.
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. - Hebrew 4:12 (NLT)
- What does the Word of God do? It comes into our mind, down into the deepest level, convicts us of sin, & leads us toward God.
- As I stated earlier, obtaining this transformed mind, the mind of Christ is an ongoing process that will never end.
2nd We Must Pray
- Jesus said, “When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.” - Matt. 6:6 (NLT)
Now what kind of reward do you imagine He is referring to here?
It is the reward of an intimate relationship with God - it is the reward of becoming one with God as our minds are transformed to know His will.
3rd We Must Allow the Holy Spirit to Guide
- And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. - 2 Cor. 3:18 NIV
- We are transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.
- And notice again that it is a process of transformation, an ever increasing glory.
- The more we rely on the Spirit to lead us, the more our minds are transformed.
Conclusion:
- All three of these steps to the Mind of Christ are entrance points to connectivity with God.
- God speaks through His Word, WE speak to Him & He speaks to US in Prayer, & the Holy Spirit speaks to US as WE walk with Him through life.
- If you are serious about obtaining the Mind of Christ, I want to leave you with this challenge - begin today by reading the Word of God; if anything stands out to you as you are reading it might just be that God is trying to get your attention - stop right then & begin to pray - open yourself up to God, tell Him about what you’re thinking & where you are on your spiritual journey - promise Him that you will keep your eyes & ears open to the Holy Spirit & begin to see transformation take place.
- I will guarantee you that if you follow these three ways that I’ve given you this morning; you will be well on your way to transformation Our mind.