Monday, April 23, 2012
Encouragement For Today: Brace Up Your Minds!
Encouragement For Today: Brace Up Your Minds!: SPIRIT FIRE WORLD OUTREACH, INC. SPIRIT FIRE CHURCH Making a Difference One Family at a Time " Therefore, get your minds read...
Brace Up Your Minds!
SPIRIT FIRE WORLD OUTREACH, INC.
SPIRIT FIRE CHURCH
Making a Difference One Family at a Time
"Therefore, get your minds ready for action, being self-disciplined, and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Holman) I Peter 1:13
"So brace up your minds, and, as men who know what they are doing, rest the full weight of your hopes on the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ reveals Himself." (Phillips) I Peter 1:13
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The "loins" act as a brace and pivotal point between the upper and lower body at the ribs and hipbones (Ezekiel 1:27). When someone was in a hurry in Bible times, they would gather up the loose garments around the loins so they would have freedom for action without getting tangled up and tripping. Peter uses this illustration for our spiritual walk when he writes to "tighten up the loins of your mind." We do not need entanglements which cause us to stop or fall.
God is able to keep us from falling, and we diligently keep girded up, especially in our mind. We study and are careful not to stumble over our own thoughts and imaginations. We guard against being unable to finish the race set before us. Worldly thoughts can easily lead us into doubt and confusion. We do not want to be "a double minded man unstable in all his ways." We will miss what Holy Spirit is doing and He will not be able to lead us into victory.
When the time came for Israel to leave Egypt, they were to be prepared ahead of time. We find this in Exodus 12:11--"with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand." We do not know what will come our way, so we do not allow our minds to wander off in speculation and guessing. The believer needs to maintain a positive vision in Christ with every thought girded up to Truth. The Word of God is Truth. Let your mind be girded up with the Word of God.
"When Levi was yet in the loins of his father Abraham," tells us that the loins are also the generative powers. So also our minds need to be girded with truth, so all that is brought forth from our minds is in harmony with God's Word and His purpose for us in this time.
This verse also speaks of grace. We know that we have just tasted the very beginnings of His grace. We can only imagine the magnitude of the fullness of God’s grace. Grace completes its work in us as we reflect the Truth of God’s Word. Grace will bring it to a successful conclusion to the glory and praise to God our Father. We are secure in the fact that "My grace is sufficient for you." (II Corinthians 12:9). So day by day there is a sufficiency for our overcoming. And that is wonderful, but we have only received "the earnest of our inheritance" until our bodies are fully redeemed. (Ephesians 1:14).
"We don't know what we shall become in the future. We only know that if reality were to break through, we should reflect His likeness, for we should see Him as He really is" (I John 3:2 Phillips). Reality is breaking through!! (I John 4:17b). And we are becoming like Him. Jesus Christ is the true messenger of that New Covenant, and He will fulfill all Truth in us completely. "And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16). As Christ received from the Father, so shall He give to His own, and it will be grace for grace. Praise God!
Dr. Georgie Franklin
Monday, December 19, 2011
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