Posts Tagged ‘reading’

Renewing Your Minds

September 23, 2015

Paul brings so much wisdom into his writing of the letter to the Romans. And to think, he may have been happy just to know that it reached Rome at all. Let alone be studied by so many thousands or millions over the years.

He leads Chapter 12, where he moves from theology to practical matters by talking about being transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Renewing our minds???

I’m pondering that phrase. What did he mean? More important, how do we accomplish that?

First–transforming ourselves. Most of you know the cartoon (or whatever) Transformers. Even I know a little, pop culture challenged that I am. That’s what-a car that transforms into a robot or person or something?

So, we started out as something or someone. Then we become someone else. 

That’s a little like when Bill Hybels recommended that you decide who you want to be when you construct your calendar and to do list. Not so much what you want to do.

In the context of Romans, we want to transform ourselves from a person who is captive to our emotions and base instincts into a follower of Jesus. From a prisoner (even though we think we’re free) into a free person living in the spirit.

We decide what we want to be. Now, how to get there.

Well, by transforming our minds.

Here are some of my first thoughts. Feel free to comment with your own thoughts.

Read the Bible daily. First thing in the morning. So you fill your mind with higher thoughts. A mind filled with God has no room for thoughts that will get you into trouble.

Read books about the Bible, about leadership, about  successful people, about the needs of other people.

Develop an open mind that is receptive to the right messages coming in and disrupting complacency.

Practice real listening. Pay attention to other people to reduce your own selfish thoughts.

Volunteer for service. While you are acting for the benefit of others, you don’t have time to fill your mind with junk.

I wonder how else I can transform my mind. I keep trying.

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Cause and Effect

August 1, 2014

If…Then…Else

This is a basic statement in computer programming. It is also a basic statement in life.

On a machine in a factory, for example, I could tell the controller “If switch A turns on, Then start the motor, Else remain in wait mode.”

But there is a universal Law of life.

The old prophets of Israel can all be read as, “If you continue to do as you are doing, Then destruction will come, Else you can live with The Lord and be saved.”

Wisdom literature such as found in the book of Proverbs can be read, “If you do this, Then you are a fool, OR If you do that, then you are wise.”

This is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. Or, as it was stated in the Bible, “As you sow, so shall you reap.”

Now, not all illnesses or calamities that strike people are caused by themselves. But an amazing amount of bad things happen to us because of our lifestyle choices. Many of the chronic diseases in America today are a direct result of things we do to ourselves–smoking, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet.

The Willow Creek Foundation did a study several years ago of more than 10,000 people. One question asked if the person had ever drifted from God. The follow-up question was, how did you return.

Those people all said they practiced some form of Spiritual Discipline–usually reading from the Bible every day.

As you sow…. If you rise early in the morning and spend at least 15 minutes reading spiritual and motivational material, especially the Bible, then you will change your life for the better.

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