I have heard it said, "some things are simply, Mind over Matter", but how can that be when what Matters seems to captivate our Mind? This is one of those tough statements that everyone must face from time to time, yet once the matter is dealt with, our minds seem to re-adjust. How can this be?
I can relate to the Disciples who followed Jesus around for 3 years, only to come to an end of the road one early evening on a cool Friday night. Fact is, we all know how Peter instantly forgot about his relationship with Jesus moments after he was prepared to die for his friend when Jesus was arrested. Was the inward battle Peter faced, more about the matter greater than his mind could understand?
I honestly believe we face this kind of turmoil quite often in our lives. Turmoil in our thoughts that expand and enlarge our circumstances more than we understand, more than we comprehend, more than we are able to except in our natural thinking.
Maybe that's it, we deal with matters of life from a foundation of the natural, leaving us limited in our thought life, unable to shift our ideas, our plans, our emotions, and/or our experiences so the outcome of our matters flex and bend in the direction we long for.
In the passage of Scripture heading this devotion; Matthew 10:34, Jesus is speaking to His Disciples, giving them further instruction for service and ministry. He says to them, "Do Not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword!"
WOW... The Prince of Peace is teaching His closest friends and future ministry partners, that He did not come to bring peace..... but a sword! Now if that isn't a Matter quite difficult to wrap around your mind, it sure would have been for those who walked with Him, for He had continually taught on love, on a loving and graceful God, a God of second chances, a God of hope, a God of eternity who longs for them to be with His Father, and now He teaches in one verse something that establishes cracks in their natural minds...
Do you ever feel like your heading somewhere with God one moment, then instantly you find God heading a different direction? This can immediately become dichotomy between faith in God and assurance in human abilities. This is where the rubber meets the road for the depth of our faith. Are we moving about in our lives by what we see, know, experienced, and feel, or are we moving based on faith in an unknown, unseen, God?
The following verses in this passage of teaching, takes us down a road of great concern. Jesus teaches that He has come to set a man against his family, that his enemies will be in his own household, that to find ourselves we must first be lost, to gain life we must be willing to die, etc. What is it about a God who in His very meaning is defined as Love, yet in His teachings, He teaches division? Could this be where the line in drawn in the sand between a Fan and/or a Follower?
I have discovered that the greatest tragedy for a man is that He never truly discovers His true identity & purpose. People live their whole lives never truly living. They have many things, know many things, desire many things, try many things, suffer many things, only to die and never truly live. Why is that?
All of this has to do with a Kingdom mind over a natural thought. It is impossible to know the mind of God, less the Spirit reveals it. It is impossible for a man to think as God thinks, unless He thinks with the Mind of Christ. A Covenant Commitment is never influenced by a Natural response. Only the mind of God can unfold the mysteries of life.
So what's our part, to stay focused. To concentrate on the Lord and practice His presence continually. Every matter of circumstance that arises, should forever be inspected through the lenses of God's eyes. What does He see? How does He see it?
For this to take place, we must stand where He stands, sit where He sits, go where He goes, say what He says, and be moved in life by what He thinks.
May our prayer today be "Lord, remove from me all natural hang ups and give me the Mind of Christ, the eyes of the Spirit, and the power to stand ready to receive your unfailing wisdom."
You landed on many solid points. I believe Jesus never stopped being an all loving God or An all Knowing God. It never cease to amaze me how what he spoke 2000 years ago is so current today. Jesus knew that his disciples that were with him then and us as disciple today would be persecuted for our believing in him and for threatening the beliefs of those who aim to persecute us. Mark 3:25 “If a house is divided it can’t stand.” A family who eats together eats together but a family who prays together lives together forever. The sword is not needed but he knew better because of our sinful nature. Mark
ReplyDelete"For the Word of God is quick (alive) and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, dividing asunder the soul (our mind, will, and emotions) and Spirit, bone from the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." In other words, the Word, in other places called the sword of the Spirit will cause division. Any place the truth is, lies cannot remain, they will be revealed. Lies come from the enemy and cause people to act out in sin. For instance, if a person has believed the lie that they are not worthy of the love of Christ, then that person may say to himself, "what is the use in trying, God hates me." They feel rejected and until their heart is changed by the Holy Spirit bringing life to the Word of God, they remain in their sin. The person may also resent the follower of truth because they seem to be happy and feel so loved by Christ. This brings division, even in families. We should expect it, because God's Word says it will happen. But, what do we do when it does? We choose the high road, we choose to walk in love, unconditional love. Meaning, we do not change the standards that we live by, but we do not try to hold them to that standard. Our job is to love the person to Christ. Chances are, they already are miserable enough without feeling belittled by us. So, we continue to love, to pray, to stand in the gap for our loved ones, even if they have nothing to do with us. Jesus told the Father to forgive those who crucified Him because they did not know what they were doing. Our loved ones may not know what they are doing when they come against us. But, one day they will appreciate the prayers and love that we gave. When the truth hits the lie and changes the heart from stone to flesh, that's when the love pays off. Be blessed.
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