07/27/19 HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST

07/27/19 HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST
 
Being of the same mind (understanding, attitude) is essential to success in marriages, families, churches.

The asterisk (*) designates the specific verses.

Romans 12:16
* 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

1 Corinthians 1:10
* 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Romans 15:5-7
* 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
* 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 2:12-16
* 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
* 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
* 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 1:27
* 27 Only let your conversation (better translation: conduct, behavior or manner of life) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2-5
* 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
* 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
* 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
*5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

POSTS FROM THE PAST

01/05/19 GO TEAM
God's perfect team lineup: person/Christ, husband/wife, parent/children, siblings, local church.
Biblical order/goals, one mind.

GO TEAM
God's plan started with family and He has not changed His mind. Teamwork should be part of the family experience. It use to be that the family worked as a team in order to put food on the table and resisting those who would invade and destroy the family.

God did plan on Human Government, but He never planned for Human Government to replace the family. God had a national team through Israel/Judah in the Old Testament, but He switched it to the Church in the New Testament. The Church is not a national grouping, but the Local Church is God's plan for spiritual teamwork for ministry in the local community and around the world.

BUT IT ALWAYS comes back to family. We all came from family, and even those who are single are part of the church family. This includes leadership, whether through husband/father or through pastor. Each member of the family is to have the same mind and focus their energies and abilities toward the same tasks and goals. We are all to be of the same mind.

Nothing is more awesome, beautiful, effective than a single minded, Spirit led, unified body of believers (family, church) working together in the service of God and other people. Sadly, we seldom see this kind of teaming and ministry. Still, it is God's plan and His will.

01/31/19 CHRISTIAN LIFE AND MINISTRY
Our Life & Ministry overlap, but are different. LIFE is our daily walk with God. MINISTRY is our dedicated work for God.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
This is particularly applicable to our CHRISTIAN Life and our CHRISTIAN Ministry. These two aspects of our lives intersect and make up the person that we are. Yet there is a distinction, if not a division, between the two.

The reason for this article is that people often live as if their ministry is fulfilled because they are living their daily lives in subjection to Christ. They trust and follow Christ in their relationship and responsibilities to family, friends and society, but they don't see their opportunities or obligations to serve God, the church and the watching world through a corporate endeavor with their local church. I think it is a lack of vision and a failure to sense the call of God in their lives that leads them to neglect a ministry through their local church. One should be done, but the other should not be neglected.

I am using the word, "LIFE," in the sense of our walk with God in the various relationships and responsibilities of normal daily activities, such as, family, friends, associates, strangers, habits, vocation, recreation, education, social, private. Anything and everything that is part of our basic human journey, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit.

I am using the word, "MINISTRY," in the sense of our specialized work for God in conjunction with other believers (the church), requiring the gifts of the Spirit.

All Christians are expected to live their daily lives in faith and in subjection to the Lordship of Christ, including men, women, children, singles, marrieds, parents, family, friends, foes, citizens. Though we are each different and have different circumstances, we all have the same responsibilities to serve God as His children. However, we each have our own calling to specific service in the body of Christ, and spiritual gifting to accomplish that special service, to which He assigns us.

We are not two people living two different lives, with two different levels of commitment. Our success in one will be related to our success in the other. For instance, no one should neglect family or personal responsibilities in order to serve God through their local church, but neither should anyone neglect his/her corporate ministry because of their home commitments. No one should lose their family because they are trying to win the world, but neither should the world go to hell because we think that our only world is our family or work life.

Service to God, both personally and corporately, is dynamic, changing, living. Life's obligations are more stable, while ministry obligations are more fluid. Everyone should develop their skills in serving God in life and ministry, and sometimes ministry responsibilities will need to be less demanding because of life responsibilities.

As Christians, we should seek to live every day in faithful service to God. Likewise, we should fulfill our ministries.

Two reasonable goals and questions.
First, Lord what would You have me do with my daily journey; and Lord, what have I done as a person, family member, friend, citizen, that will leave a positive influence.
Second, Lord what would You have me do with my ministry; and Lord, what have I done as a servant in your church that will leave a positive influence.