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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Know the Mind of God

When we come home to the Father through the Son, we receive the Holy Spirit.  God’s Spirit is given to us as a gift.  This is a part of God’s Grace to us.

Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8 NIV)

Often times, we will focus on the Holy Spirit Gifts that are given to us.  We won’t focus on that here, except to say that any gift or gifts God gives you will be personal, specific, and for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ (The Church). There are other benefits and blessings that the Holy Spirit provides to all of us and we are going to focus on some of those this week.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3 NIV)

Today, we will focus on the insight that God’s Spirit gives us.  Remember, God knows everything.  The benefit and blessing for us is that God is willing to share that knowledge.  When we learn what God knows, that is called wisdom.

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:20-21 NIV)

Wisdom that comes from “the world” is not wisdom at all.  In fact, the world is being deceived regularly by the great deceiver who is a liar and the father of all lies.  God, however, does not lie.  So, when we turn to God for knowledge, we are turning to one who speaks the truth AND who knows everything.  That gives us amazing insight.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:5-8 NIV)

I know it sounds a bit high-minded to say we can know the very mind of God, but I’m not the one who said it.  God did, with HIs own Words.

[T]he Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)

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 NIV)

How about you?  Do you trust God to have all wisdom?  Do you turn to God for wisdom?  Are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind?  Are you learning what is in the very mind of God?

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