Dupes or Disciples?

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

The problem with the human mind is not just that in its natural or unconverted state, the mind is contrary to God. That's bad enough. But there's also a cosmic battle being waged for the control of your mind. This world, under the control of Satan, is filled with every kind of “philosophy and empty deception” imaginable - and people by the millions are buying into these false systems. But Satan isn't satisfied with that. He's also after the minds of believers.

Now he knows he can't mess with our salvation, because we are secure in Christ. But if the Devil can mess with our minds and get us thinking like pagans, he can render us useless in our impact for Christ.

Let me give an example of how hard Satan is working to capture people's minds. Someone has pointed out that although the New Age movement has no world headquarters, no full-time missionaries on the field, and no coherent organization, it is attracting disciples at a dizzying rate.

Now we know that the New Age philosophy is about as mindless and silly as any “ism” going. Pay a few hundred bucks and learn how to be your own God. So if it's so mindless, why are millions of people flocking to New Age teaching? Who's behind it? I'll give you one guess. No human is smart enough to pull this off.

That's a good example of what passes for thinking out there in the world. But look whom we have to pattern our minds after: Jesus Christ, “the fulness of Deity… the head over all rule and authority” (vv. 9-10). Because He is complete, we are complete in Him - including our minds. Everything you need to develop a Christlike mind, you will find in Him.

The problem with many of us is that we are listening to John and Joe and whomever instead of to Jesus. When we stand before Christ, some of us will have to say, “Well, John told me…” To which Jesus will answer, “John's not even up here. What were you doing listening to him?” So I ask you the question I ask myself: Are we going to be Satan's dupes or Jesus’ disciples?

If you've ever wondered why you need to develop a Christian mind,
Colossians 2:8 should answer your question.
Excerpt from "Time to Get Serious" - Tony Evans

Music: "Help My Unbelief"

Jesus Wants You To Know...

"When you start to feel lonely or afraid or worthless, call out My Name. Tell Me you trust Me. Speak out loud, if you are in a place where you can do that. If not, even a whisper will do. The devil will know that you are not alone - that I am by your side, fighting for you. And then, like the cowardly bully that he is, he will run away."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

"Jesus Calling for Kids" by Sarah Young

Free For Sure

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36 (NIV)

One of the things the Holy Spirit has set us free from is the bondage of the flesh. In Romans 7 Paul described the onslaught of the flesh that sought to bring him under its control.

But then in chapter 8 he makes this great declaration of freedom. The flesh no longer has a vise-lock on you. If you know Jesus Christ, a new person has been placed inside your old flesh. You are a new person, but you are a new person living in an old house - your flesh, your body that has become so contaminated by sin that God views it as worm food. The flesh is bound for the scrap heap, but it's going down kicking and screaming.

Praise God, then, that although we are still living in this old prison-house of our flesh, we don't have to be its prisoner. The Holy Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death. I have been liberated from having to follow my passions. I am not perfect. I fail, just as you do, but we no longer have to be in slavery to the flesh.

But don't get the big head about your freedom, because Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.” This is God's work.

When we try to get free in our own power, there isn't much to draw on. So we stay in bondage. That's why, for example, Christian counseling has to be more than helping people understand the history and causes of their problem.

If you come to me as your pastor, and I don't help you understand how the Spirit works in freeing you from your problem, how you are to walk in the Spirit, what it means to depend on the Spirit, and how you appropriate the Spirit's power, then I am asking you to use your human resources to solve a problem you can't solve.

The “law of sin and of death” is so strong the only thing that can break it is the “law of the Spirit of life.”

You are free not because of you, but because there is a greater Power at work in you.

Excerpt from "Time to Get Serious" - Tony Evans

Prayer: Deeper

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

    my hope comes from him.

6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;

    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;

    pour out your hearts to him,

    for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV)

God, pull me like a magnet into your presence. Let me sink deeper and deeper into your love, past every distraction. You are the core of who I am; the center of all I do and think. You have unlocked my heart and poured in your Spirit. Such a beautiful mystery - you in me and I in you.

At times I can do nothing more than wait on you in absolute stillness. I may not hear your voice or feel you near, but you give me a sense of peace that all is well. Even when you seem far away, it is my delight to lavish you with my songs of love and whispers of adoration. You are worthy of my affection - always.

Oh, but then there are the times when your tangible glory touches my skin, hovering so close that I wonder if I can finally touch you. Your beautiful love floods my senses, making me fully aware that you are here. You never forsake me. Without fail, you always come.

Excerpt from "Prayers On Fire" by Brenna Stockman