Tag: #resetyourmindset

Humble Yourselves…

James 4:10 (NIV)

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Our Verse of the Day might be short, but it has a profound theological application for us. Let’s look at the context first:

James 4:1-10 (NIV)

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people (those unfaithful to covenant with God)! Don’t you know that friendship with the world (desiring the things of the world) means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (Cf. Proverbs 3:34) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

When we look at our verse in context, it takes on deeper meaning and challenges us to look at the issues of humility and submission. James begins with the desires of our own hearts. He exposes the intensity of desire by describing the “carnal” behaviors associated with it … when personal desires exert themselves above what God wills for us. Sometimes our own desires drive us to murder or kill (and that could be with the tongue). Sometimes our own desires drive us to quarrel and fight. Sometimes we believe that God should grant us what we pray for, but we have asked Him with wrong motives in our hearts. What we want is often self-gratifying and not God glorifying! James describes all of these behaviors as “friendship with the world” because they come from the desires of our flesh … and not from the Spirit of God. And when a believer acts in these ways it creates “enmity with God.” He or she is in opposition to what God has called them to be in Christ Jesus.

James confronts believers who have allowed themselves to be filled with everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life— because these come not from the Father but from the world. (Cf. 1 John 2:16) He admonishes us to submit ourselves to God and to resist temptation and to flee from what will destroy intimacy with God. James calls for repentance … a change in direction … a change in our mindset lest the enemy gain a foothold; and then become a stronghold. James advises that if we desire something for ourselves, then we are to humble ourselves before God and allow Him to grant it according to His own will and purposes. Indeed, our Lord Jesus afforded the greatest examples of what humility before the Father should look like.

Philippians 2:3-11 (NIV)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 13:3-5; 12-17 (NIV)

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.

When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Mark 10:42-45 (NIV)

Jesus called the disciples together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Oh, what this world could be … what the Body of Christ should be … if we would just submit ourselves to God and humble ourselves before Him. As Jesus taught, “All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Cf. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14) Throughout the Scriptures, God asks His people, those who He called to be His own, to humble themselves! And I believe humility begins with reverence for God; understanding that His Will and His Word have final authority over all He created, including us! God is sovereign; and we are to obey the Lord our God in all that He has commanded us. As Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 8:3, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.” Likewise, God opposes the proud … those who would exalt themselves. For the proud do not seek God; in their thoughts there is no room for God. (Cf. Psalm 10:4) As King Solomon observed, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Cf. Proverbs 11:2) And, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Cf. Proverbs 16:18)

Lord, I pray that we your people will humble ourselves under your mighty hand. For you will not yield your glory to another … and whoever exalts themselves will be humbled. You, Lord, are the potter; and we are the clay in your hands. You, O God, determined in advance the works you have prepared for your people to accomplish. You, O Lord, appointed gifts for your people as you determined. What you chose for one you did not choose for another … so that we might submit ourselves to one another … so that we might serve one another in love as you taught us. So, I pray Lord, that we will respond to this wisdom you have given us in Your Word … that we, your children, might be meek and lowly in heart … that we might not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Let us exercise our gifts according to your grace so that You, and You alone, are exalted! In your Sovereign Name, I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand so that He may lift you up in due time. ~ 1 Peter 5:5-6

Think About These Things…

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Ever find yourself stuck in a negative thinking pattern? I know that I have; and sometimes I have struggled to get out of its ditch. But what is the source of negative thinking? Why does it overtake us at times? I believe one of the reasons is unfulfilled expectations. We expect something to happen, and when it does not come about, we feel disappointed. We might feel rejected when a relationship becomes severed. We might feel hurt when that new job opening at work was not granted and given to someone else. Such situations can cause our emotions … our flesh … to take hold of disappointment and allow it to fester into bitterness, or perhaps, even anger….

Sometimes negative thinking is rooted in low expectations and feelings of worthlessness. A person could believe that life is too hard, unfair, or unkind, and might not expect that any degree of happiness in this life is attainable. There are very real situations such as extreme poverty, oppression, the effects of violence and abuse, which can easily discourage or obscure reasons for hope. Yet, some of the most emotionally and spiritually healthy people that I have met in life have suffered these types of situations and circumstances. People I have met in third-world countries, who endure personal hardships beyond my imagination, have truly inspired me with their faith, joy, hope, and love. What causes their countenance to shine under such conditions? What changes low expectations or unfulfilled expectations into attitudes of gratitude? I believe it stems from how we choose to think about the contexts of our lives … the thought patterns that express our relationship with God.

In our Verse of the Day, Paul provides us some exhortations to elevate our thinking patterns, and it encourages us to not be unduly swayed by the temporal circumstances of this life. Things did not always go the way Paul wanted them to go. He bore a “thorn in the flesh” which he pleaded to the Lord to heal … but He did not remove it. Paul did not allow even this unfulfilled prayer request to sever his relationship with the Lord. He eventually learned there was a greater reason to keep it in place … to humble him … so that he might better understand the power of Christ to overcome our weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10) Paul suffered many things at the hands of those outside the church … as well as inside the church. Yet, Paul stayed focused on the hope of the resurrection. Paul declared, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Cf. Philippians 3:10-11) Yes, in spite of the sufferings and disappointments he experienced, Paul would write:

Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Our thought life is critical to having a positive, emotionally healthy outlook. The thoughts of our hearts are manifested in the exercise and expression of our faith. And though some of us might have been victims of unconscionable violence, abuse, hatred, cruelty, oppression, or injustice; our thinking patterns do not have to take up permanent residence in the darkness of those experiences. There may be deep wounds and visible scars … profound emotional or spiritual brokenness … justifiable anger … yet, in Christ Jesus we can find the healing and deliverance we need! In Jesus, we have access to a sanctuary of peace for our souls. Jesus is our refuge of light and hope! He is the peace of God which transcends all understanding.

I think the greatest precipitator of negative thoughts within our hearts are the emotions and memories that form during human interactions which fail to meet our expectations for love, acceptance, respect, trust, devotion, and so forth. Beyond physical interactions with others are the words we use to express our thoughts, ideas, and emotions. There are words which can speak love and affirmation into the heart of another. But more often than not, we tend to dwell on the words which cause piercing wounds to our souls. Harsh words spoken in haste … demeaning words spoken in hate … words spoken that inflict emotional, and possibly, spiritual harm. Such words reveal the inner thoughts of our fallen humanity. And so, I think it is important to examine and address our attitudes and mindsets which can have a more positive impact on our relationships:

Philippians 2:1-8 (NIV)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Jesus knew first-hand the sorrow of humiliation; the dejection of being misunderstood; the painfulness of rejection; and ultimately the trauma of psychological and physical abuse. But on the cross of impending death, we find Jesus still interceding for us: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Cf. Luke 23:34) And despite the suffering and hardship that Paul endured to spread the Gospel, he did not let his mistreatment from the words or actions of others keep him from the zealous pursuit of intimacy with Christ. Paul allowed the transforming power and example of Christ to change the attitudes of his heart … and it is evident that his new way of thinking changed how he related to others.

Ephesians 4:22-27 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

There will always be disappointments in our lives. There will always be the failure of others to meet our expectations. There will always be situations and circumstances which God will allow to test our faith. So, when discouragement comes … when frustration arises … when bitterness or anger attempt to take root, Paul encourages us to think on better things – to take the higher road and a proactive approach regarding our thoughts – to follow the example of our Lord Jesus who suffered all these things and more. Paul advised: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things:

True:              Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. ~ John 17:17

Noble:             But noble people make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand. ~ Isaiah 32:8

Right:             The word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. ~ Genesis 4:7

Pure:              Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51:10

Lovely:           How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! ~ Psalm 84:1

Admirable:    If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is admirable before God. ~ 1 Peter 2:20

Excellent:       And yet I will show you the most excellent way of love. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:31

Praiseworthy:            We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. ~ Psalm 78:4

Paul urges us to meditate on these types of thoughts. Indeed, we will find the healing and deliverance we need when we seek what is true; moral; good; pure; attractive; and praiseworthy. When we do so, we demolish the strongholds of brokenness, unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger in our lives. Yes, we equip ourselves to take every negative thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) So, I pray these scriptures will empower you with wisdom and perspective to reduce the negative thinking and its unhealthy impact on your life.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ~ Colossians 3:1-3