How Does Jesus Think?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

There are two questions that need answering. How do I think and how does Jesus think? The WWJD wrist bands that many were sporting a few years ago were on the right track yet I feel they were lacking in real life examples. Of course I know that you can’t put all that on a wrist band!

Today I am going to share some examples of how my thoughts contrast with how Jesus thinks. This comparison is a very revealing exercise. I think that right now would be a very good place to say that changing the way I think to the way Jesus thinks is a life long learning experience and a process. Some of my thoughts are Christ like and others not so much! Falling deeply in love with Jesus and desiring his thoughts to be mine requires spending much time in the garden of my heart.

Some of us have good thoughts that come to us naturally because we have a caring personality that wants to please, serve and care for others. Other people are more aggressive in setting goals and making things happen for themselves. Some people are more laid back and others more out going. As for me, I am the type of person that most of the time everyone around me knows exactly what I think and where I stand. Many times my mouth gets ahead of my mind. That is never a pretty sight! As a result, God is in the process of changing a lot of my thoughts. I would also like to point out to those of you who do know how to keep your mouth shut, that doesn’t necessarily mean you always have right thinking. Some of you quiet people have some really mean, nasty, selfish, thoughts and may be standing up screaming on the inside! The only difference is I look foolish and you don’t and there is something to be said for that! Regardless of who we are, it does my heart good to know that God is not finished with any of us. He has a wonderful plan for or lives and that includes changing our thoughts to his thoughts and our ways to his ways.

Some of the many thoughts that pop into our heads may be thoughts of jealousy and envy, but Jesus teaches us to be happy for the success of others. We often have angry thoughts toward God, when in fact we need to accept his will. We can also have bitter thoughts towards others who have offended and hurt us, but Jesus wants us to show compassion and mercy which can then evolve into forgiveness and love. We may also take pride in our position in life, our looks, our abilities, or our “perfect” children, and our perfect parenting skills. It is even possible to be prideful regarding our own spirituality! But Jesus teaches that we are not to be proud and self-centered. Jesus teaches us to be repentant and humble. The world teaches that we need to “look out for number one,” Jesus teaches us that he will provide for us even when we can’t provide for ourselves. The world compromises and we are to think in terms of faithfulness.

I will admit that this reversal way of thinking is hard to accept and implement. However, I assure you that it has been my experience, that when I do allow God to change the way I think regarding any situation, I am a happier, more positive, contented person as I allow God’s peaceful behavior to settle in my heart. The more deliberately we practice this habit of changing our thoughts the more natural it will become. When we choose to adapt our thoughts to Christ’s thoughts we will become a person of influence for Jesus and his kingdom. The deeper we fall in love with Jesus the easier surrendering our thoughts to his thoughts will become.


Questions:

What do you think is the number one thought in your mind that God would like you to change to his way of thinking?

Can you pinpoint why changing the way you currently think and respond would be upsetting to you?

If you were to accept God’s way of thinking regarding that matter, how would you be benefited? How would others benefit?

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I confess to you that many of my thoughts are not your thoughts and many of my ways are not your ways. Please show me today what one thought you would like to change in my mind and heart. I invite your Holy Spirit to come to my aid and give me your divine discernment, strength and courage to be able to trust that your ways are higher than my ways and that your thoughts are higher than mine. I love you Lord, and do want to learn to think more and more like you every day.

In Your Name I pray. Amen.

My Thoughts

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:”
Proverbs 23:7a KJV

Everyday my mind is filled with so many thoughts. I can’t even attempt to count them all. On some days I may have a predominate thought that keeps surfacing over and over again. If it is a troublesome thought I am prone to shift my emotions to fear or worry. If it is a thought from the Holy Spirit I can either find myself convicted of a wrong, called to obey, or delightfully loved. If convicted of sin I tend to struggle with God. If called to obedience I tend to argue with God. If the thought reveals to me that I am extravagantly loved by God my emotions shift this time to peace, joy and thanksgiving.

I have come to realize that I have no control over what thought pops into my head, but I must take personal responsibility for what I do with that thought. As believers, we must choose to take captive all of our negative thoughts. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We must seek to know how Jesus would respond to all of our negative thoughts. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 KJV

There are many ways that we can come to know how the Master thinks. We hear God’s truth spoken through ministers, teachers, and Christian mentors. We also learn how Jesus thinks by reading the Bible. It is through all of these avenues that we learn how Jesus Christ thinks. How Jesus thought had everything to do with how he behaved. His thoughts and attitudes are the thoughts and attitudes that we must aspire to imitate in our life.

It seems to me that there is a huge connection between the spiritual heart and the mind. I would like to suggest that if they are not one and the same, they are strongly connected. I am absolutely sure that what I do with my thoughts is very important. Because how I think is how I will behave. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:” Proverbs 23:7 KJV.

I am reminded that I live in a world that thinks differently than God and whose values are not the same as God’s values. Because I am surrounded by such a constant flow of negative influence I must work to learn how the Master thinks so that I can counter that worldly view. As a mother, I learned early on that every negative, selfish, greedy thought that was tossed out to my children had to be countered at home with a double measure of positive godly influence.

Every moment of my life I must choose to give up all of my selfish, greedy, get even, unforgiving, angry, fearful thoughts to the Spirit of God. The power of the Holy Spirit is what gives me the power to purposely choose the Master’s thoughts over my thoughts. When I replace my thoughts with Jesus’ thoughts my life will reflect Jesus to others.

Jesus’ thoughts are always loving, trusting, giving, selfless, compassionate, merciful, forgiving and peaceful thoughts. His way of thinking is developed within us moment by moment day by day as we go about our life. It is always good to remember that our first thought does not have to be our last thought on the matter. Somewhere between our first thought and our last thought flows God’s amazing, thought changing grace. I will be the first one to say that some thoughts are easier to let go of than others. The thoughts that cause us the most pain seem to want to stick like Satan’s super glue. Take heart, there is a higher power! It is found in the solvent of God’s mercy and grace. When this solvent of mercy and grace is applied to our heart by the Holy Spirit our pain, our anger, our fear, our unforgiveness, and our hatred all melt away. The healing balm of Jesus’ mercy and grace is massaged into our heart by the hand of our loving God. This balm is only available to us when we choose to think like Jesus and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help us willingly relinquish each sinful thought.

Questions:

Are you this day experiencing thoughts of God’s peace and love for you?

Is there a negative predominate thought that keeps plaguing you?

What would the opposite godly thought be?

What do you think about the possibility of choosing to give up that negative thought?


Prayer:

Dear Master,

I am so thankful that you do not hold me accountable for every thought that pops into my head. However, I am beginning to understand that I am accountable for what I choose to do with that thought. I admit that I am human and I cannot control the thoughts that enter my mind. I also admit that sometimes changing my thoughts to your thoughts is a struggle. My sinful nature does not want to allow my flesh to give in to your Spirit. I am grateful that through the power of your Holy Spirit I can choose to overcome the struggle and reject the thought that is bringing me down. Help me Lord, to stay alert and quickly recognize those ungodly thoughts. Help me to cast them out of my mind before they take root in my heart. Lord, teach me every day how you think. I do desire that my negative thoughts will become your thoughts, thoughts that reflect your love.

In Your Name I pray. Amen.

The Loneliness of Disconnect

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…”
Philippians 2:5 KJV

Do you ever feel that you are stuck in the sameness of your Christian life, or that you have relapsed into the routine of religion? In your heart you desire to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ but you seem to have reached a plateau and you are simply drifting along, yet at the same time you have a longing for more of Jesus.

This morning I am back in the garden. I’m not sure how long I can stay today. February is not the best time to sit in the garden! The hood of my coat feels good as it protects me from the chill of winter. My gloved hands grip a steaming thermos of coffee. Just as my coat provides outer warmth, the coffee warms me inside in a very comforting way.

Today I am a bit sad as I ponder the estrangement I am feeling. Why does my spirit seem so cold? I long for the “Son” shine of summer and the smell of sweet honeysuckle drifting through the air.

I know that Jesus is here with me but neither of us have much to say. I begin reflecting on older lessons I have learned in the garden. In my mind I travel back to one of the times when I really experienced God’s nearness. It was a time when his Holy Spirit was teaching me in leaps and bounds! I felt vibrant and alive in my spirit.

Today I am becoming lost in the memory of that time. It was a time when I was presented with the idea that we are commanded to have “the mind of Christ”. The first time that I heard that phrase was about thirty-five years ago. Our minister repeatedly commented on the importance of having “the mind of Christ”.

What strange words, yet they were taken directly from scripture. At times I wondered if that idea didn’t somehow boarder on blasphemy. The nerve of me to think that I could ever have the mind of Christ! Today I am remembering that over the years that phrase has continued to find its way into my life. Surely God wants me to consider this command.

Even though Jesus doesn’t have much to say today, I still sense that he is looking at me and smiling because he knows that the previously learned truth will serve as a spring board that will fan the flame in my heart. He knows that new growth is just about to pop out. Jesus knows that spring is just around the corner!

If you are married there is a strange phenomenon that happens over the years. You begin to finish your mate’s sentences because you know exactly what he or she is thinking and about to say. This comes from living together in close proximity. You and your mate have developed a close relationship through constantly being together. You may have also experienced this with a very close personal friend, a parent or a sibling.

As I continue to walk with Jesus Christ I begin to know exactly how he thinks as well. I have learned this through the study of his Word. What did Jesus teach and what did he model? I find it amazing that God not only says, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 2:5 KJV, but that God has given us the plan, the example, the blue print for us to follow. God’s Holy Bible shows us how to have the mind of Christ! The truth is that it is possible to know the mind of Christ and to choose to have his thoughts.

Sometimes work, distance, and circumstances crowd into my life and the presence of these interruptions drives a wedge between me and someone I love. When this happens I begin to feel lost, lonely, and estranged. Coldness settles in and I find that I need personal time alone with that person. But it is possible to fan the flame, dig back into the relationship, spend time with that person, share our deepest feelings and longings, express our love and grow together again. The same is true with our relationship with Jesus Christ.

So today I want to open up my heart and mind and learn more about Jesus. I want to know him intimately. I desire that his thoughts will be my thoughts, and his ways my ways. I want my responses to be his responses. I believe that having the mind of Christ is something that we can all aspire to by intentionally praying that the Holy Spirit will develop the mind of Christ Jesus within our spirit.


Questions:

Are you experiencing a time of spiritual growth or loneliness and disconnect?

Has God ever spoken to you through his Word?

If yes, reflect back on that time of personal spiritual growth. What did you learn?

Are you longing for more?

What do you think about the command that we are to have the mind of Christ?


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that you are so faithful to teach us great and marvelous truths that are found throughout your Word. Help me Lord to continue to desire to learn. Father I never want to stop learning. I am intrigued by the thought of having your mind and the possibility of learning to think as you do. I know your ways are higher than my ways and I want to understand how to think more like you. I want to experience knowing you intimately in such a way that we will begin to think alike. I pray that I will choose to allow your mind and your thoughts to be in me. Thank you Father for the Bible because it is your precious words sent from heaven to guide all humanity.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen

Love is in the Air

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11 NIV

Valentine’s Day can conjure up all kinds of emotions. Sad feelings of a lost love, a love that is yet to be experienced, or a current love that brings with it immense happiness. Even as a child I remember decorating Valentine boxes at school. The most popular children received Valentines from everyone in the class, other children got a fair amount, and still others got precious few. Unlike God, we are very selective in who we choose to love. As a result we base our self worth on how many valentines we get, how we look, what we do compared to what others do, or how much we have.

As Valentine’s Day draws near we are inundated with perfume and jewelry ads on television. But today I am reminded that God’s Word says it very simply. The very best Valentine we can give to another person is “A word appropriately spoken.” This verse further explains that this word, this compliment, this encouragement is like golden apples set in beautiful silver!

This morning I am imagining that today when I go out to my mail box and open it out will spill hundreds of red, pink and white valentines in all shapes and sizes. They will be flying everywhere. Some I will be able to retrieve and others will fly away unread. The Bible, God’s Word to you and I is that mailbox. When we open up the Bible there are hundreds of wonderful valentines that will fly out as you read and study. These are your personal Valentines straight from the heart of God. They will remind you of God’s love for you. They will encourage you because they will be a word aptly spoken. These Valentines will give you self worth because they will remind you of who you are in Christ Jesus!

Over the years God has given me many wonderful Valentines from his Word. These valentines are the scriptures that have taken root deep in my heart and will remain there forever! Many of those verses were given to me in times of darkness and despair. Others were given just too simply delight my spirit. Still others remind me of something that God has promised me. God has also given me valentine scriptures of hope and assurance for myself and for those I love. Today I am thinking that it is no coincidence that I have underlined in my Bible each of these “God Valentines” and drawn a small heart next to that verse. As I read my Bible, again and again I am drawn to these special verses revealed to me by the Holy Spirit. As I re-read these scriptures time and time again, God always brings to mind exactly where I was in my life when I received his valentine of love to me, and I am reminded of why I was in need of that special valentine. Yes, these loving words are among my finest pieces of jewelry. They are indeed apples of gold in fine settings of silver. They always remind me of my self worth. They tell me of who I am in Christ Jesus, and they remind me of the faithfulness of the lover of my soul. Yes, God’s love for you and me is in the air. In fact it is the very air we breathe!


Questions:

When was the last time you spoke a word to another person that was appropriate for them as a source of encouragement in their time of need?

Can you remember a time when someone spoke a word to you that you still cherish in your heart?

Has God given you Valentines from his Word that he sent specifically for you?

What are those verses and how do those verses still make you feel?


If you have not had a Valentine from the Word of God, begin reading his Word regularly and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help you find those verses meant just for you. Be patient as you read. Do not seek the verse, rather seek the giver of the verse and you will be amazingly surprised when the Valentine comes. It will be a Valentine that you will cherish forever and ever.


Prayer:

Dear God,

I thank you for the Bible, your Holy Word to humanity. I admit that there have been times that I did not understand your Word because I did not know you. I confess that there have been times that I have not made reading your Word a priority. I am thankful that somehow in your divine plan for my life you continue to draw me back again by giving me a desire to read and understand your Word. I thank you for the opportunity to understand your Word through listening to ministers and Bible teachers. You have said if we seek you we will find you. Help me God to seek to know you through reading your precious Word. Help me to find those Valentines that you have for me to treasure and store up in my heart forever.

In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen.

I Stand Joyfully Amazed

“My prayer is not for them alone.

I pray also for those who will believe in me
through their message.”

John 17:20 NIV

Today I am sitting in my garden looking down at the word “JOY” engraved on a stone along the garden path. On this winter morning, not much is blooming and it is a bit chilly but my spirit is soon to be warmed by the memory of a time when I was joyfully amazed! It was the first time that I experienced joy while reading the Bible. I was reading in the book of John. The setting was in the upper room right before Jesus was about to go out and experience the dreaded agony of Gethsemane and the cross.

Jesus began to pray. First of all he prayed for himself. He prayed to his Father saying, “Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” John 17:1 NIV Jesus prayed that his obedience to the will of the Father would bring glory to God the Father. Jesus was all about pleasing his Father!

Then Jesus prayed for his disciples, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:1 NIV Jesus prayed that God would protect the disciples from the evil one and that God would purify them through the truth of his words. Of all the things that Jesus could have prayed for the disciples, like health, wealth, and power, he simply did not. Instead he prayed for what he knew to be important. Jesus’ prayer for them was for protection from Satan and that they would always know God’s truth and that by accepting that truth they would be able to live a sanctified life even in the midst of life surrounded by trouble.

Then Jesus prayed for all believers, “…I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, …May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them, even as you have loved me.” John 17:20, 21b NIV Jesus prayed for all future believers, that through the message of the disciples they would be brought into complete unity. Why? To let the world know that God sent Jesus and that Jesus loves them in the same way God loves Jesus. It was easy for me to see that Jesus loved his disciples but it was hard for me to wrap my mind around the full extent of Jesus’ love for me! The truth is Jesus loves me and you in the very same way that God loves him. Jesus prayed that you and I would know his amazing love for each one of us!

I cannot tell you the joy that I felt when that spiritual truth soaked deep into my heart. Up until that time Jesus was just kind of out there. I had accepted him into my life but there was still an impersonal relationship between me and the “Holy God.” Until that day I was not aware of the fact that Jesus is very personal. Jesus is so personal that he prayed for me personally more than 2000 years ago! Even before I was born, Jesus Christ prayed for me! When I realized that the “they” in that scripture included me I was moved to tears. I now understood the heart of Jesus through this scriptural prayer. The content of this prayer filled me with supernatural joy! Talk about a rush! The God of the universe had now become very personal to me. I have read this story many, many times since that first reading, and each and every time as I read it I am again touched. I still continue to stand joyfully amazed that Jesus prayed for me personally even before I was born.

I cannot say it enough. God is interested in each one of us on a very personal level. He not only wants us to receive him as our Savior, he also wants to be our personal friend, our helper, and our intercessor in prayer before the throne of God.

I am a little taken back when I realize that Jesus is praying for me this day and everyday. He always has and he always will pray that I will be in complete unity with him and the Father. He wants my actions and words to mirror his love. When that happens I become a witness to others of his amazing love for all of humanity. As believers we have a message of truth to deliver. Jesus continues to pray that others will hear the message and come to know him through the message that he asks each of us to deliver to all those he has given to us.


Questions:

Has God ever spoken to you through his Word?

What was the message of that scripture?

Did you have a sense that those words were written just for you?

As a result, did you stand joyfully amazed?

Who are the people that are within your sphere of influence that God has given to you?

What does God want you to share? Your faith? A word of encouragement? A prayer?


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for your Word. I pray that you will continue to speak personally to me through your Word. Thank you for the happiness and the joy that you bring to my life through the revelation and understanding of your Word. I stand joyfully amazed to know that you prayed for me before even one day of my life began. I am so glad that you felt it was important for me to know how much I am loved by you. Thank you for praying for me 2000 years ago and that you continue to intercede for me before the throne of your Heavenly Father. Help me to share with the ones that you have given me, your love for each one of them.

In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Serendipity

“Every good and perfect gift

is from above,

coming down from the father

of the heavenly lights…”

James 1:17a NIV

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays is over and the reality of winter sets in I often suffer from seasonal depression. I think it is partly because I love light and color so much. My gardens are dull, the sky is often gray, the trees are bare and it’s cold! Sometimes the sunshine is scarce for many days.

Some people love winter because of skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ice-skating, building snowmen and making snow angels. They look forward to snow days that cancel work and school, a crackling fire in the fireplace, and a cup of hot chocolate! I like all of that too, but sometimes that is not reality and the gray days must be dealt with.

All of us are busy keeping our job, maintaining our home, and caring for our family. All of these responsibilities mixed with the limitations and drabness of winter can get us down. Adding children to that mix takes most of your thought time and your energy giving you less time to even realize that you are depressed, if you are! If you are a woman, there is also the chance that your hormones are raging! If you are a man you may get the back lash of those raging hormones! Just in case any of you readers are sharing my feelings about the winter blues or if you are having any other emotional instability that is threatening your well being, here are a few ideas that may help you combat the very real attack

During times of feeling downhearted I try to focus on spending additional time in God’s Word and investing in my relationship with Jesus. I also look for opportunities to touch base with friends and send notes of encouragement. Taking the time to think of another person is always beneficial to my mental health. During the winter months I typically schedule those projects that I don’t have time for during the other seasons. I also try to make some time to catch up on some of the things that I enjoy such as writing, scrapbooking, reading, and planning my garden for next spring.

But during the down days of winter or even dog days of summer, or any other time that you seem to be depressed or restless in your spirit, the never fail “Serendipity List” is always an emotional booster! Webster’s dictionary defines serendipity as “The gift of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.”

When I begin to make a “Serendipity List” I start early in the day, right after I pour myself a cup of coffee. Now with pen and paper in hand I head for my favorite chair and begin the “Serendipity List.” I write down all of the wonderful things that have already happened to me on this not so glorious day! As the day moves along I carefully list all of the valuable and agreeable things not sought for that began showing up in my life as soon as I woke up that morning.

At the top of my list I make note of the amazing feeling that I have because I am rested. I write down the absolutely beautiful full moon that is lighting up the backyard in the pre-dawn sky. As morning arrives I notice the way that the light filters through the trees. This too must go on the list. I jot down the enjoyment I get out of my first cup of coffee. Other things worth putting on the “Serendipity List” are the first kiss of the day when my husband comes over and says good morning. Later on is the refreshing hot shower that I am privileged to enjoy. As the day progresses it is a phone call from my son. It is also watching two squirrels scampering in a chase up one side of the tree and down the other. It is listening to my husband talk to his granddaughter on the phone. It is connecting with an old friend. Serendipity is hearing my daughter tell a funny story about my grandson. It is receiving an encouraging note in the mail. It is the happiness that I find in making a hot pot of steaming soup for us to enjoy at dinner on a cold winter day. In the evening it is the feel of crisp clean sheets as I climb into bed. But most of all it is feeling the love of God as I lay down to sleep. It is having a peace that passes all understanding even in difficult times; it is the joy of Jesus that is indescribable.

Yes indeed, the “Serendipity List” is food for the emotionally unstable depressed soul. It is acknowledging all of the wonderful valuable things that have happened to me throughout that day that I didn’t even ask for or seek out. Yes they are gifts, his amazing gifts from above. I guess the “Serendipity List” is just another way of counting my blessings. I must pay better attention to the small things in life because I don’t want to miss a single gift tomorrow!

If you are reading this and you are struggling to find even your basic needs met, I pray that you will pray and ask God to comfort, protect, and provide for you. God loves you and wants to show you his love. Look up, look down, look all around and ask God to show you something that he has made that will delight your heart. Receive comfort and hope in knowing that God loves you and he hears all who pray.


Questions:

1. Are you feeling low, downcast, or depressed?

2. Have you ever made a Serendipity List?

3. Do you think it could be a beneficial exercise in recognizing God’s love for you?

4. Today are you experiencing the love, peace, and joy that can come only from God?

If not, simply bow your head in prayer right now and ask God to take your feelings of depression and in its place give you his love, peace and joy.


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I need for you to show me your love for me this day. The truth is, you do show me your love everyday, yet somehow some days I seem to be so self-absorbed that I miss your love for me completely! I pray that this day I will rejoice in your serendipity gifts! I am thanking you in advance for all of your good and perfect heavenly gifts. Father, please keep me from being caught up in seeking your gifts but rather may I be drawn to you, the giver of all gifts. I especially thank you for all of the delightful surprises found in the gifts that you consider to be of valuable and delightful importance. Just as I love to give good gifts to my children, I know that you love giving good gifts to me. Thank you Father, you make me smile!

In Your Name I pray, Amen.