Memorise:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5.
Read: Mathew 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Message:
The Lord Jesus Christ invites us into His rest in today's Bible text. However, before we can obtain His rest, we must have the same mind as His. To have the same mind as Jesus, we must learn of Him.
Many would-be Christians fail to realise that what makes Christ unique is not His complexion or stature, but the life that He lived while on the earth-a sanctified life of love, compassion, holiness and perfect obedience to His Father. He said in John 17:19 that: "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." This statement reveals His mind, and the guiding principle of His lifestyle.
Some people desire to know God without first knowing about Him. How can one have the mind of Jesus and get to know Him without first learning about Him? Jesus in John 7:17 says, "if any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.'
We are called to learn of Jesus Christ. We should allow Him to teach us through His human agents under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. This is why Bible study services and Sunday School classes are very necessary. Daily study of God's word in devotionals like this will enhance your knowledge of Jesus Christ in order to know and have His mind.
What then is the mind of Christ? The mind of Christ is the mind of humility ( Philippians 3:5-8). This is an all-encompassing Christian virtue that takes root from the very first day of your conversion.
As a matter of fact, the acceptance of the gospel lays the foundation of humility, because you cannot accept that you are a sinner without a humble heart. The natural man tends to either rationalise his evil deeds or assume that sin is not so bad because "everyone is doing it". However, when the spirit of Christ comes upon an individual, He convicts him of his sins (John 16:8-11).
This leads to repentance and sets the stage for the process that brings about the formation of the mind of Christ in that individual,even as he or she continues to learn of Christ. Learning of Christ entails imbibing His ideals, which many so-called brilliant theologians and churchmen think are no longer valid for the 21st century Church.
My prayer for you is that any knowledge which will invalidate the ideals of Christ as contained in the Bible will not come your way in Jesus' Name. For you to find rest for your soul, you must have the mind of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Point:
Father, give me the same mind You gave to Your son Jesus, and help me, in this evil and perverse generation, to live by the ideals He brought to this world.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 2:27-4:22 and Mark 3:1-30
AUTHOR: Pastor E.A. ADEBOYE
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