Beginnings :The Mind Of Christ

 

The Mind of Christ

1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are the beginning of a new creation; the old is passing away; behold, the new begins…

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know…

Dear friends,

If we are not careful, the world will distract us big time! Things that disturb and upset us, that stay in our minds and that threaten us with post-traumatic stress disorder even! I know too many folk who are suffering from the present set of circumstances in the context that the new US admin is creating, abroad, yes, but even worse, at home. The division is so bad. On one side, you have the oligarchs, the filthy rich guys, who seem in today’s world to be able to buy everything. How come? Well, new money is very different from old money, which actually had some civil concerns for the good of society! How so? Well, where’d the sense of 'values and progress for everyone’ come from? Maybe from some of the old-fashioned Christian values. Like John Wesley’s notion of spreading scriptural holiness across the nation!

We must remain focused. That is what Lent this year should be about – not in traditional repentant preparation for Easter, an ‘annual’ celebration, but in preparation for the rest of this year! Old saying - gird up your loins! Time for tough love. Real grace. For the longest time, there have been ‘people’ who have talked about the stuff that will happen in The Book of Revelation that will signify ‘the end’. They never realized that long before that, things would slowly start to go to hell in a handbasket…..as dystopian madness kicks in.

But in response, for starters, to enter that strange, different, grace filled realm (think weird and mystical, maybe?) of the mind of Christ, we must have a clear sense of the limits that the world sets upon such endeavors.

The way life is organized for the ordinary person, there is little free time. Most of our time is spent ‘working for the man’. If you work for yourself, your fighting chances of spiritual growth might be that much better. It depends on the choices you make.

When I was a young Minister, I noted that most colleagues spent Saturday evening working on what to say Sunday morning. Not a lot of preparation. Why? Well, there was too much admin and meeting and community work. Nice social life. So we were never different from the organization of world and society in general. How then to be different? We must each make time. Incrementally. Daily. Then we must work on how that time is spent.

Again, how? Consider how to train your spirit beyond body and mind. The mind is supposedly ‘trained’ when it takes on ‘academic’ work, but all that really happens is a ‘specialized vocabulary’ in most areas that can only go so far. The total rehabilitation of the person, freeing us to move from body consciousness/ego consciousness into spirit consciousness, requires a different sort of work. Which is -

A matter of choice and will. There is no method to attaining to the mind of Christ – it is a test of will, i.e. to synchronize our will with that of the Lord God. Every day, everything we do involves choice. Learn how to choose well. Continually and consistently evaluate your choices, as you make them. It is very easy to say  ‘I’ll review it at the end of the day.’ That almost never works. Engage and work with your spirit as you go. Engage your God given conscience. It is there for everyone!  Every chance encounter is an opportunity to share a little positive energy in their lives that will help them. Amazing thing is, God walks with all of us, and when you do this for no gain, you recoup the spiritual energy almost instantly. God is watching. And God gives. In other words, when folk claim ‘tiredness’ etc. after doing purportedly ‘spiritual’ work, it is not of the Spirit at all, but of human effort. Whether God is a part of that is actually something that you all can see for yourself. So,

1.      Work on your consciousness. For most of us, it is all a physically based body consciousness. We are pleased with youth and all of its physical aspirations when we are young; and so disappointed as we age. It’s fading. It’s this or that happening. It’s getting worse! I’m so sad to look at myself! Those of us who expect these things can work to prevent them to a great extent. So at 75 I function like I’m 55. Not impossible. Sure, there are limits. Know them. No more carrying full buckets of earth in gardening. Had sciatic nerve issues twice on both sides! Took 2 years to slowly get the better of them. Not going back there. ½ bucket of earth only, max. But we are not defined by that which is the body! 

2.      Work to identify the Spirit that is you. To shift from body through mind to Spirit consciousness. That IS you. Psychology and psychiatry have always talked about identity and persona and ID et al. That works with the understanding of mind and personality. The old teaching served its time well. Just as faith and belief, in and of themselves can only get us so far. But choice, our will, faith and belief, can do what Jesus calls us to. Ownership? Yes, of the spiritual beings that we are. Getting beyond the printed words of Jesus and into the real Word takes time and practice. Why do you think so many Christians are so scared of dying? Because, over all of the talk of faith and belief, this is the only life they know, and the only form of life – bodily, that is- that they have. The Kingdom is not yet real to them! More to come about all of this as we get ready for Lent. But

3.      those 3 verses up at the top are key. We must embrace them.

4.      and they will kick in. Or we will discover nothing. We must learn to move from mind to Spirit. That is the key transition. Cognitive ability is great but understand its limits. Beyond analytical and descriptive skills, it does not have the power to transform! This is why the academic mind has its limits. It is not moral discussion that we need. It is moral ability. This is why for all of the journalist articles going out now, how many are able to call a spade a spade, and call out evil for what it is?

Mostly, they say what they are paid to say. As Jesus said, you cannot serve God & mammon. We are in the world, but we may choose to be not of it. Start slowly, build your Spirit. Grow. God will help. Little bits can help, like worship, like music, like prayer. Sure. Comfortable emotional stuff. But they will not carry you very far.  You’ll still be part of the peripheral religious structure that holds the wealth and the earthly power. Like Satan. Be careful. I end with a song to share, on vocals, guitars and keyboards, a little rearranged.  Love in Jesus, G.