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

The First Disciples

“Behold the Lamb of God!”

John 1

Surrendering Control

Jesus calls you to follow Him with your whole life. Not halfway. Not casually. Not “when it’s convenient.”

We’ve made discipleship comfortable. Manageable. Something that fits into our schedules. But Jesus never said, “Add Me to your life.” He said, “Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Follow Me.”

“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves… For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it.”

That means surrendering control. It means letting Him redefine your ambitions, relationships, money, time, and reputation. It means saying: “You can have all of it.”

When you truly see who He is - the Holy One who was slain and now reigns - casual Christianity becomes impossible. The only reasonable response is to lay your whole life at His feet.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

- David Delfeld

Provided by "I Am With You Always"

Throw The Pebble

A man once threw a small pebble into a quiet pond. It seemed insignificant in his hand, barely enough to notice when it hit the water.

But the moment it landed, ripples spread far beyond the point of impact, reaching places the pebble itself never touched.

That is how the gospel works. When we share the truth of CHRIST, it may feel small, awkward, or unnoticed.

A single conversation, a single act of obedience, a single testimony offered in faith. But GOD never wastes faithfulness.

What begins as a quiet word can move hearts we will never meet, affect generations we will never see, and reach depths we cannot measure.

We are not called to control the ripples. We are called to throw the pebble. GOD handles the water.

Provided by "God's ARMY-Soldier Of Faith"