Thinking Renewed Mind

Thinking

Renewed Mind

We live in our thoughts

Every house we live in needs renovating

Houses are built because of a popular style

Popularity and customs change

We can get stuck in an old style or change with every new popular idea

  Make sure your first love is not the style

But the person Jesus Christ who met you in that style

The renewed mind is more about keeping Jesus fresh in us

Than staying in the old or joining the new 

Renewed Mind

“Renovations”

I built the house I live in 20 plus years ago.

I have renovated 6 houses.

I have learned a lot about

renewing from these houses.

Two of the houses I renovated

are about 100 years old.

In their beginning, they were the homes

for the middle to upper class of income.

Good solid structures with oak floors and trim.

Several things happened to

these houses over the years.

Things that happen to all houses

from one degree to another…

“Style”

You can look at a house and have a

good idea when it was built by its style.

Style is the popular ideas of the time.

It amazes me how much we

are controlled by popularity.

Remember when kitchens were yellow or green?

Wood paneling was the in thing.

Hardwood floors were covered with carpet, and now

we have trended back to hard surface flooring again.

Our minds are affected by the

style and trends of our times.

There are some who think the old is good and

still have a flip phone or no cell phone at all.

We can get stuck in a trend.

Others, like an aunt I had,

remodeled her house every year.

It’s all because of popularity.

The world around us influences all of us.

Whether we like the popularity of the good old

days or the changing of new trends, our minds

are affected by popular trends, past and present.

The old houses need renovation, the old windows,

insolation, wall and floor coverings need renewing.

Our minds also need to be renewed.

History reveals Church life styles

have always been changing.

Most of us find the culture of our first love for

Christ to be our lasting love of that culture.

Whether you love the praise band or

the choir or some other popular style

of worship, it becomes old and dated.

I am not saying we need to

jump on every new popular trend.

What I am saying is we need to renew

the reason of why we do what we do.

Things can get familiar and we lose its value.

God’s intent for us is to grow from glory to glory.

The testimonies of yesterday are great

but we need to be walking with God

today in ways that create new testimonies.

Make sure your first love is not the style, but

the person, Jesus Christ, who met you in that style.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,

today and forever even though the

styles of worship keep changing.

The renewed mind is more about keeping Jesus

fresh in us than staying in the old or joining the new.

 

 “Living the life out of a house”

     

Another thing I have learned from renewing

houses, is most of us live out the life in a home.

Some home owners just live in their houses.

They don’t plan for repairs and up keep.

The house over the years begins to get

run down, the grass grows, the walls need

fresh paint and the roof begins to leak.

Renewing our minds is all about works.

It is not enough to live by faith.

Faith must have works.

There are the daily works like cleaning

and mowing the grass, as well as, those

big works that come along every 5, 10,

or 20 years, like replacing the roof.

       

The renewed mind is always looking

and planning on working for the Lord.

“Cookie cutter vs. unique”

   

Do not be conformed any longer

to the pattern of this world.

God made you unique.

The renewed mind changes

our lives, makes us different.

When we live the transformed life, the Creator

of the universe’s creativity will come out in you.

Your life will stand out and people will know

you have a personal relationship with God.

Is your mind being renewed?

 Is your relationship with Christ

 fresh and clean?

Is the renewing of your mind changing

your world and the world around

you by your works of faith?

  

Renewing your mind is a daily thing of

getting rid of some things and adding others.

It is waking up with these things in mind…

“This is the day the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it”…

 Because God made this day for me.

“His mercies are new every morning”…

That gives me a fresh start every day.

Keep your mind fresh.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Scripture Reading

Romans 12 NIV

12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer 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.

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.