“Active Mind, Devoted Heart"

"Active Mind, Devoted Heart"

    Walking in the Spirit and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ requires an active mind that chooses to think according to Biblical truth amid countless challenges to view God, ourselves, others, life, and the world in far different terms.

    "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phillipians 4:8).

   One does not have to be particularly brilliant or even smart to live in faith and faithfulness.  We do, however, have to consistently engage our minds in order to make the choices to believe God and His truth that lead to "the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26).  This requires our growing knowledge of the Scriptures, and thus, our consistent exposure to them in a lifetime of reading, pondering, and considering God's Word with fellow believers.  We find honest, just, pure, lovely, honorable, virtuous, and praiseworthy things in the Bible, all of which direct our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Of the Scriptures, He declared, "They are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).  Unless providentially hindered, therefore, the daily opening of God's Book fills our minds with the truths upon which we must think, making possible the active mind that views reality as David proclaimed: "In Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).

    Most importantly, a Scripturally active mind makes possible the personal walk with our Heavenly Father that causes the Christian life to be more than merely adherence to principle (as importance as that is).  God desires that we truly know Him, and that we know we are knowing Him.  Without the Bible, this blessed possibility will not happen, or we will think it is happening when it is not.  Presently, we "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).   The Scriptures are God's voice to us, as applied to our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit, our indwelling Teacher (II Timothy 3:16; John 14:26).  "The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16).  Our Heavenly Father will never be satisfied by our merely conceptualizing Him, even if the concepts are Biblical.  Neither should we merely touch the hem of His garment, as it were.  We must think well, as guided by Scripture, in order to trust and obey.  This leads to knowing God in the living, personal terms for which the Lord Jesus suffering and died.  Indeed, an active mind, guided by the authoritative Word, results in a devoted heart as God's Spirit leads us in His truth to avail ourselves of His greatest gift in Christ, namely, the gift of Himself.

"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."

(John 17:3)

Weekly Memory Verse

   For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

(Romans 5:10)