"Walking As He Walked" - Pt. 2

  To walk in the steps of Jesus one has to know they are saved. I know that scares some. Some think it is arrogance, but it's not. It is simply embracing by faith the salvation given. Paul knew he saved (II Timothy 4:8).

  What are we to do with our salvation? Grow in it. Grow in respect to salvation (I Peter 2:2). We must grow to walk as He walked. We must become conformed to the image of Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:29). How do we do such? It begins with the mercies of God and offering yourself back to God, as a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1). You must make a presentation of you back to God. This leads us to transformation and transformation results in renewing your mind and to stop conforming to the world around you. What you were in the world, you stop! How you think and approach life?  You change by renewal (Romans 12:2).

  How do we renew our mind? Obviously one may say to read scripture and that's true. But it is more than reading. It's about what you dwell on. There are 8 key elements we must dwell on and practice if we are going to be transformed into the image of Jesus. We find these in Philippians 4:8.

(1) True - Our minds need to dwell on true things. To renew our minds on true things is to stop thinking about rumors and false ideas. We need to think on reality. Stay away from "what if's." When faced with a situation some immediately think, "What if this happens or that happens?" That's not reality. "What if's" create doubts and fears. We hear on the news of some disease and immediately people think they have it or could get it. Fear. That's not the mind being renewed to think on true things. Jesus always dealt in reality, despite what others around said.

(2) Honorable - We need to dwell on things that are dignified rather than degrading and cheap things. Judas is a great illustration. He was concerned of the money Mary spent on costly perfume for Jesus when it could have been given to the poor (John 12:3-5). Honorable things were not his mind-set. He wanted to steal the money (John 12:6). It's easy to speak honorable or say honorable things and the mind is going another direction. How honorable is it to think of how to take advantage of someone? How honorable is it to think about how you were mistreated? These thought processes never lead to helping a situation and walking as Jesus walked.

(3) Right - We need to have our minds set on doing the right thing when faced with situations and do it with the right attitude. Too many never think in terms of right and their transformation stops. Jesus did things rightly and we need to dwell on the same in our minds in difficult situations.

(4) Pure - To dwell on things that are pure is keeping from mixing things together. You can't mix the things of God with the things of the world. That is no longer pure. Too many mix psychology of man with the word of God. That's not pure. Our minds need to be fixed on purity and not allow other distractions to enter our thinking. If we are to gain the wisdom of God, the first thing His wisdom is based on is being pure. (James 3:17) That should tell us something.

(5) Lovely - This mindset carries the idea of what is pleasing and agreeable. When you are hurt by another, what do you dwell on? The hurt? That is what leads many into bitterness and wrong reactions. Is this pleasing? To think on the lovely you must think on what is beneficial for others and pleasing to God. Do you ever wonder why people can't let a wrong or hurt go? It's a mindset! They aren't willing and there is no help from God, no transforming.

(6) Good Repute - Words and comments that help situations. When people get into arguments, how helpful is slinging stinging comments at one another. This is the opposite of good repute. Look careful at Ephesians 4:29 and let your mind dwell on this good repute.

(7) Excellence - Let's tie this with the last mind-set.

(8) Worthy of Praise - How many times do you focus on your failure or weaknesses? Is there anything of excellence in that? Is that leading you into anything worthy of  praise? It becomes all about you. What if we think and focus on Jesus and His offering of Himself for us? Is that something excellent and praise worthy? People talk about how terrible of a childhood they had, an abusive parent or someone else. They state they want you to understand what they came out of. What is excellent about that? What about being "born anew" in Christ with a new Father?  Is that worthy of your praise?

  Our mind-set is vital to growth and our walk with Jesus. Dwell on these thing by renewing your mind and your walk will begin your transformation into the image of Jesus.