We have the mind of Christ Kenneth Copeland

PURSUIT OF HIS PRESENCE -- DAILY DEVOTIONALSEARCH September 19, 2014 You Can Change Your Mind Kenneth Copeland We have the mind of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 2:16 Some people are baffled by everything about God. You’ll often hear them say something like this: “Yes, amen, but you know that’s the way the Bible says it will be. After all, God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.” Yes, the Bible says that, but if that’s all it says, we can never hope to be anything except stupid. But praise God, the Bible doesn’t stop there. According to Isaiah 55:11, God says, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” In other words, you don’t have to stay below God’s thoughts. Your thoughts can come up to His level. How? Through His Word. God’s thoughts are His Word, so if you’ll think His Word, you’ll think His thoughts. “But wait a minute. To think God’s supernatural thoughts, you’d have to have a ‘supernatural mind,’ wouldn’t you?” Yes—and if you’re a believer, you already have one. You have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). I read that for years, but I didn’t really understand it until I translated the word Christ. It means “the Anointed One.” So to have the mind of Christ is to have a mind that is under the influence of the Anointing of God. A mind that’s not under the influence of God is in opposition to Him. It always goes contrary to His ways. And since God’s ways are right, then a mind without the anointing will think wrong. But hang on...just because you’ve made Jesus Lord doesn’t mean you’ll automatically think God’s thoughts. You only begin thinking God’s thoughts when you begin to fill your mind and heart with the Word of God and make yourself subject to His Anointing. Romans 12:2 calls that process “the renewing of your mind.” It also says that process will transform you. Why does it have such a dramatic effect? Because when you change your mind, you change your choices—and that changes everything. So learn to stir up the anointing on the inside of you. Subject your mind to it. Allow the anointing to transform the way you think. Allow it to change your mind! Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:6-11 © 1999 Kenneth Copeland Ministries All rights reserved.

Christlikeness in The Family written by Phebe Smith (I believe)

He lifts up the Needy by Pastor Rod Parsley

He Lifts Up the Needy Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalms 82:3-4 Maggie was found half-alive in a burning trash pile in Haiti. Mercifully, she was pulled out just in time. Her rescuers learned of the trauma that had been forced upon this poor girl. She'd been sexually abused and she'd been beaten almost to death. In time, Maggie's body healed and she learned to smile again, leaving behind her painful past. More importantly, Maggie came to learn about a Savior who loved her. She embraced Him with all her might and radiated with hope for her future. In the orphanage that took her in, she was loved by the younger children. She cooked for them and helped them in any way she could. Her future was bright and full of hope. But one day she got sick...and there was nothing anyone could do to make her better. Maggie died shortly before I left Haiti. The Bible instructs us to look after the poor, the needy and the oppressed: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor" (Zechariah 7:9-10). Will you follow the Lord's command to help those in need? Further Reading 1 Samuel 2:8 Psalms 113:7-8 Job 30:25 God Bless,

NYC

Fruit of the Spirit: Joy by Pastor Rod Parsley

Fruit of the Spirit: Joy But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalms 5:11 You might think of joy as happiness. But don't be confused; joy is not an emotion-it is a supernatural expression given to us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Unlike happiness, which is a fleeting emotion that often depends on our circumstances, joy is a deep and abiding sense of contentment that provides a foundation for our lives in Christ. Unlike fragile happiness, which can wither during times of testing, joy grows and blossoms in the hard soil of tough times. The Bible is replete with examples of those who continued to rejoice even in the face of persecution. For example, the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians while he was imprisoned, yet his letter is one of joy, exhorting the people of Philippi to rejoice (Philippians 4:4). We will never find joy by seeking self-centered excitement and pleasure. True joy results when we give ourselves to God, wholly and completely, and yield to His will and purpose. True joy is the gift of knowing that our loving heavenly Father holds our future in His hands. Further Reading Psalms 51:12 James 1:2-4 1 Peter 1:8 God Bless,

Who’s Holding All the Cards? by Joe Stowell

“Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz.” Ruth 2:1 To borrow a poker phrase, some people seem to hold all the cards. They are dealt a winning hand while the rest of us do the best with what few resources we may have. And with a “winner takes all” frame of mind, many of these high-profile, prosperous people manipulate and maneuver their wealth and power to pursue their own interests and advance their own cause. We all know the type. In the story of Ruth, Boaz holds all the cards. He enters the scene as a man of great wealth and power. Yet I am struck by several aspects of his life that set him apart from the typical guy who holds all the cards. I love the fact that he willingly aligns his resources with God’s heart for the poor and needy. God outlined in Levitical law that those who didn’t have the resources to survive could be “gleaners”—gathering grain that intentionally was left at the edge of the fields during harvest time. Boaz lived in a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. After a devastating famine, he could easily have ignored God’s heart for the poor in order to secure an abundant harvest for himself. But unlike other wealthy landowners, he still welcomed gleaners in his field. It was a tangible display of God’s love for the needy. God also provided ways in which foreigners could be welcomed in Israel. Again, Boaz aligned himself with God’s heart—even for a Moabite from enemy territory. He could have cast Ruth aside when he learned she was not a Jew. Instead, he opened his heart to her. Sometimes we don’t want other “kinds” of people to move into our neighborhood, but God is actually delighted when they do. It’s an opportunity for us to do what Boaz did—open our hearts to “different” people who could use a tangible expression of God’s love and grace in their lives. Not only did Boaz use his wealth for the benefit of those in need and welcome a foreigner to his field, he also desired to see God’s blessing poured out on her (Ruth 2:12) and then proceeded to be the instrument of God’s blessing in her life (Ruth 2:14). He became the answer to her prayers. Boaz was also abundantly generous in his care for Ruth. Once again he put his treasures where God’s heart is. It is the character of God to be a generous God “able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). So when was the last time you planned to cooperate with God and be the answer to someone’s prayers? You may think, Easy for Boaz—he had all the cards! But we all have some cards. Whether big or small, there’s always something we can do to bring the heart of God to a needy life that crosses our path. Besides, God is the One who really holds all the cards. He shares His resources with us not for us to consume them all ourselves, but to share them for His glory and the good of others. So life is not about holding all the cards. From God’s point of view, it’s what you do with your cards. Use them as God would to bless others who cross your path.

Load Limits by Joe Stowell

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” 1 Corinthians 10:13 Daddy, can I help you?” It was my four-year-old son, Matt, who was watching me carry cartons of empty pop bottles to the car. Back then you could return them for a dime apiece, so after months of stacking them up in the garage, I was off to collect the cash bonanza. I said, “Sure, Matt,” and he picked up a carton of bottles and put them in the car. When we got to the store, he grabbed his carton of bottles and shuffled along next to me across the big parking lot. About half way to the store, obviously exhausted, he looked up and said, “Dad, I can’t carry this anymore.” Count on it, I didn’t say, “Listen, Kid, you started this, so pick up that carton right now and finish what you started!” Of course not! I took the carton out of his hands, because I knew it was too heavy for him to handle. As his earthly father, I understood what his limits were and helped him carry the load. Thankfully, our heavenly Father understands our load limit and comes alongside to help. It’s hard to stick it out during difficult times when the trouble in our lives seems far too heavy and there is no end in sight. It’s in times like these that we feel like giving up—like we can’t go on. But God’s Word reminds us that “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). It’s important to note that this verse is talking about more than just bearing up under temptation. In the original Greek, the word temptation actually means “all kinds of trials.” Ever feel like you’re in the middle of all kinds of trials? The problem with problems is that they have a tendency to drain us of our strength—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And that’s when our adversary likes to launch his attack. When we’re weak, he haunts us with thoughts like: How could a loving God allow this to happen? and God has brought you to this place and has just left you here. Or, You’re beyond help—God can’t help you now. But when you start thinking these thoughts, you need to know that they are flat out lies from the pit. You can be sure that they don’t reflect God’s heart for you during difficult times. In the Old Testament, one of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh—our provider—and He always lives up to His name. He stands ready to provide abundant grace so that we can bear up until He has finished His work in the trial (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). He gives us a peace that passes understanding as we trust and rely on Him with a grateful heart (Philippians 4:6-7). He gives wisdom to see our tough times from His point of view (James 1:5). He gives us the assurance that He will stick it out with us and not leave or forsake us, so that we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What man can do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6). So, chin up! Our troubles and trials have not escaped the notice of the One who comes alongside to help when it seems like the load is too much to bear. The One who knows your load limit promises to limit your load!