Seeing Jesus - Mind (Ready for Action)

	Jesus has the hands of a carpenter, a fisherman, a physician, a farmer, a teacher and a parent.  They reach down in love, out in support and up in praise.  His eyes look backward for lessons from the past.  They look forward with determination. They always look with love.  Certain things never come from His mouth.  However, He always speaks up when the situation calls for it.  At all times, His words are those of God.  The feet of Jesus are often tired.  But this does not stop Him as he pursues His critical mission.  These feet are willing to step forward and stand firm.  They are powerful.  And they are beautiful.
	It is of major importance that we comprehend and develop in ourselves the mind of Christ.  Developing the mind of  Christ involves a transforming renewal.  The christian mind is motivated by love.  And it is founded on the word of God. Developing the mind of Christ requires that we eliminate certain negative elements from our minds.  These include things which are bad, misinformed or useless.  We must in turn fill our minds with positive traits.
	As we have seen, bad thoughts would include those which are physically, mentally or spiritually corrupted.  Those which are worthless involve minds which have been hardened, blinded, led astray or embittered.  Thoughts are worthless when they come from vanity, disputing or weariness.  Our minds must be cleansed of all these if we are to develop the mind of Christ.  But, as the Bible indicates, it is not enough to simply eliminate the negative.  We must add that which is positive.  As we have noted, a christian mind is sincere.  This means that it is associated with a pure life, a pure love and a pure doctrine, all based on the pure Word of God. A christian mind is sober.  This kind of mind is controlled, watchful and moderate.  A christian mind is wise.  This wisdom is that which comes from God and not that which comes from the world.  And the christian mind is spiritual.
	We must be of the same mind if we are to have the mind of Christ.  We must stand in the same position when it comes to doctrinal matters.  We must walk in harmony on the same pathway.  And we must strive for the same purpose.
	Let's consider one final positive trait of the christian mind as we conclude our examination of the mind of Christ.  Knowledge is of little value if we do not act on that knowledge. Christianity is not a philosophical endeavor.  To develop the mind of Christ, we must formulate minds which are ready for action. And this action is not some insignificant pursuit.  It involves the most critical of battles: the battle for our spiritual survival.
	The young shepherd David finds himself face-to-face with a crucial battle when he prepares to challenge Goliath.  But David has a mind which is ready for action.
	"Then Saul said to David, 'You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are {but} a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth,'" we read in 1 Samuel 17:33-37.  "But David said to Saul, 'Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued {it} from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized {him} by his beard and struck him and killed him.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.'  And David said, 'The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul said to David, 'Go, and may the Lord be with you.'" 
	There are four aspects of a mind which is ready for action.
	First, it is a mind which is girded up.  It is dressed and ready. It is prepared.
	"Therefore, gird your minds for action," 1 Peter 1:13 instructs, "keep sober {in spirit,} fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
	"Therefore, take up the full armor of God," Paul advises in Ephesians 6:13-17, "that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil {one.}  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
	"Be dressed in readiness," Jesus cautions in Luke 12:35-37, "and {keep} your lamps alight.  And be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open {the door} to him when he comes and knocks.  Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself {to serve,} and have them recline {at the table,} and will come up and wait on them."
	The christian mind is girded up for action.

	The christian mind is girded up for action.  It is also well-guarded.  It is a foolish...and disappointed...warrior who charges into battle with vulnerable parts exposed.  It is a failed defender who rushes off to the battle field while leaving the home undefended.  The christian mind is guarded in Christ.
	"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension," Philippians 4:7 promises, "shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
	"{We are} destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God," Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 10:5, "and {we are} taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."
	The christian mind is ready for action.  It is girded up.  It is guarded in Christ.  In addition, the christian mind is fully persuaded.  What happens when a soldier goes into battle without being persuaded about the mission?
	"Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind," Romans 14:5 advises.
	Paul aptly expresses what must be the model for the christian mind.
	"For this reason I also suffer these things," the apostle writes in 2 Timothy 1:12-13, "but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."
	The christian mind is ready for action.  It is girded up.  It is guarded in Christ.  It is fully persuaded.  And, finally, it is not soon shaken.
	"That you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come," Paul assures the readers in 2 Thessalonians 2:2.
	What can shake the christian mind?  Let's consider what Paul has to say in Romans chapter eight.
	"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God," he promises in verse 28, "to those who are called according to {His} purpose."
	"What then shall we say to these things?" this passage continues in verses 31-39.  "If God {is} for us, who { is} against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Just as it is written, 'For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
	This sounds like a mind which is not soon shaken.  And what about Paul's observation in 1 Corinthians 15:54-58?
	"But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable," this passage states, "and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not { in} vain in the Lord."
	We must make every effort to see and to emulate Christ.  We must find patterns in His hands, eyes, mouth, feet and mind.  We must develop minds which are ready for action.  They must be girded up, guarded in Christ and fully persuaded.  They must not be soon shaken.  What is in it for us if we develop christian minds, minds which endure until the end?
	"Do not fear what you are about to suffer," Revelation 2:10 encourages.  "Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
	Let's be faithful to the truth...and that truth will set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."