Our Master's Free Mind

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world." Romans 1:8

Memory verse: Psalm 42:2(New American Bible )

"My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God?"

Today's reading: Psalm 110-112 1 Corinthians 5

Our Master's Free Mind

Everything about God is perfect. Paul says He is our God of peace.

1 Corinthians 14:33 ►"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people."

Paul also says   that God has given us a 'spirit' of self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7 "...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Let's consider for a minute the mind of the prodigal son(Luke 15:11-31). We most often conclude this discussion with the negative reaction of the elder son but we need to not miss what happened to the prodigal.

What we read: The youngest son demanded what man's tradition said was his and he took this treasure and spent it all on a sinful life. note 1: the enemy says that the world owes us something and if we follow the world's rules, we can get it and use it anyway we want.note 2: the world's rules result in a mind void of real joy and hope and sound reasoning.

The prodigal was at the bottom. He longed for the pigs feed because that is what he thought he needed-physical food. Then he thought of the security that his father's servants knew because he no longer felt entitled to anything. So, he reasoned he could get a job as a servant for his father. With a broken heart and a contrite spirit he went home where he knew he could, at least, humble himself before his father and beg for mercy.(begging is what poor people of the world have to do, right?)

The son goes home. In the distance, his father sees him and runs to him and hugs him and throws a great celebration.

The son does say in verse 21, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son", but the father is too excited to respond with anything but celebration.

We can only imagine what was felt by this young and broken man. All that had been wrong was suddenly right. He was not just forgiven but celebrated? "Me, the pig feeder, the low-life partier-the destitute-the nasty- now being celebrated?"

No matter how long we live, the world of the enemy will always remind us that we 'fed the pigs'-whatever that was in our lives, the lowest point of our sin. This is the mind of natural man.

The mind of the born-again returns to God and is celebrated. God's mind is free to choose to never remember our sin and in Christ Jesus, does that-and we have the mind of Christ(1 Corinthians 2:16).

This is one more great reason to meditate deeply. We have the mind of Christ-the mind that chooses to remember no more.

 Hebrews 8:12 ►For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Mind-blower? Absolutely. For each of us in Christ-eternally!

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

You are perfect in Your peace-in all Your ways. Teach me the Heavenly mind of Christ and how to live in it here by Your daily bread. Forgive me my wallowing in old guilt that you do not remember.

Merciful and glorious Father,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen