Week 2, Day 2: Understanding the Mind of God

Hey, ladies, if you haven't commented yet on Thursday's discussion post, make sure you take time to do that soon!  Can't wait to hear from you!


Week 2 Focus: To put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20)

Week 2 Prayer: That Christ would reveal Himself both powerfully and mercifully as Lord, and that we might respond accordingly.

Please note that Week 2 is a very challenging week.  Our goal is that we might know the Lord more intimately, to love Him more ardently, to follow Him more faithfully.  The first few days we'll focus simply on accepting Christ as Lord, and then we'll focus on letting Him decide what it means for Him to be Lord of our lives.

Each day of Week 2 has some additional readings from the Gospels.  It is recommended that you select only one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and read from that particular Gospel for the additional readings each day.  This will help you get a flavor for what the Spirit is teaching through that particular Gospel. 



“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."  (Isaiah 55:8)

I think most of us would agree that we GET this verse: God's understanding and wisdom so far surpass our own, and sometimes we just have to trust Him, even if it doesn't make sense.

But did you know that because you have His Spirit living in you, you actually have insight into what God is thinking?

Read this passage from 1 Corinthians 2 (verses 10-16).  I've linked it in three different versions because I want you to have a good understanding of what the text is saying, and this is a pretty thick passage.

Here is my best summation:
Because we have God's Spirit dwelling inside of us (a concept that is itself mind boggling!), we have the ability to understand God's thoughts.  His Spirit communicates with us in words and ideas that make no sense whatsoever to people who do not have His Spirit living in them.  But because we have the mind of Christ -- that is, His Spirit in us, transforming our thoughts (Romans 12:2) so that they align with His -- we have the privilege of understanding what God is teaching us!

Give that a few minutes to really sink in.  God's own Spirit, whom He sent to dwell in us, gives us the ability to understand His thoughts!

Take the time now to read one of these passages of Scripture:
Matthew 5-7 ,     Mark 2:1-3:12,     Luke 4:14-30 and 6:7-13,       John 2-3

Had the Spirit not revealed to you that Jesus is the Son of God, would these stories make any sense?    Spend some time meditating on what the Spirit is teaching you about God's Kingdom.