Today’s devotional reading suggests that the mind of Christ is both a disciplined and powerful thing. The more discipline a Christian has, the more we are set free from the superfluities of life.
When I am at prayer, I have pencil and
paper handy for often that is when the best ideas pop into my head. When God fills
me with His Spirit, I am more organized, highly creative and have more energy. The
reading also says that a disciplined mind produces a more beautiful countenance
on those who have it. I don’t know about that last part, but I do know that
when someone is filled with the Holy Spirit, they look wonderful. Joy is better
than cosmetics.
Discipline also takes care of fears. Timothy
was Paul’s young disciple, and from the two letters he wrote, Timothy seems to
have had a tender and timid heart combined with his genuine faith. He was
gifted, but his fears threaten the use of his gifts.
Paul wrote the following to him . . . “I thank God whom I serve, as did my
ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers
night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be
filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first
in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in
you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not
of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:3–7)
The Greek word for self-control has also
been translated as “having a sound mind.” This is about having the mind of Christ,
because both self-control and love are included in the description of the fruit
of the Spirit . . . “But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control . . .” (Galatians 5:22–23)
Power is also from the Holy Spirit. Jesus
told His disciples: “But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This power overcomes
many obstacles, include fear. It makes those who have it a formidable force to
share the good news with the world.
Another example is Stephen. He preached
to the Jewish religious leaders, and “when
they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ But they
cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.
Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down
their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning
Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his
knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’
And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:54–60)
Stephen not only died with his eyes on God,
he was quick to forgive those who killed him. Christians don’t get this way by
living undisciplined lives. Paul told Timothy to “fan the flame” or rekindle
his gifts, and get on fire for God. Such an attitude and the action that goes
with it is both costly and challenging. However, the disciplined life produces
a freedom that rises above anything it might cost. Not only that, “the
disciplined mind is a beautiful mind.”
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