Having The Mind Of Christ
Having the mind of Christ means to derive all from Him by faith, trusting Him for the grace to think His thoughts after Him, as revealed in His word. As He is the Giver of the words of our mouths, so He gives the thoughts of our hearts, as we trust Him, and meditate in His word. His truth becomes our own when we take it, believe and obey it.
Christ The Great Physician
Christ is our Healer, the Great Physician who alone can heal the soul in a world of affliction, sorrow, and suffering. He is also the healer of our bodies, that One who responds to the believing heart, according to His will.
Christ Our Keeper In Peace
Jesus Christ is the believer's peace. He becomes this in the experience in a consistent way when we "take" His peace as our own, trusting Him to give us His peace as we walk in communion with His. It is as Marston put it: "I take Thee for my peace O Lord, My heart to keep and fill, Thine own great calm amid earth's storms, shall keep me always still."
The Danger Of Deviation
Deviation means departure, a slight turning away in the beginning, which could result in great error and abandonment with time. One step off the path of life can lead to another and another, but for the grace and mercy of God. Christ is our keeper, and the Light of our path. He is that One who first drew us to Himself, and then, brought us to faith. He it is also who will keep our steps from slipping, and guide our feet in the right way, if we trust wholly in Him.
The Compassions And Mercies Of God
Who is this "God we adore, our Faithful, Unchangeable Friend? His love is as great as His power, And knows neither measure nor end." What do we know of His mercy and compassion, but that only which the Spirit can reveal to us? How shall we know Him, except we seek Him, and find Him to be as Scripture declares: Compassionate and merciful?
The Blood Of Christ Applied
It is one thing to know that the blood of Christ was shed on Calvary about two thousand years ago. This is a face. It is quite another to benefit from the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse from sin, wash from all iniquity, and become clean and pure before God. What does it mean to be forgiven, but to be washed in Christ's blood which removes every stain, and the stench of sin. As Wesley put it, "...come feel with me the blood applied, My Lord, My Love, is crucified."
The Abundant Supply
The God who freely gives us all things in Christ, is the One who daily showers blessings upon us. He it is who has blessed us abundantly in Christ with all things in heavenly places. How shall He not provide for our needs, so that we might love and serve Him? Indeed, as Paul so clearly put it, "...and my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Seeking The Things Above
What are the things that we seek? Are they heavenly, and eternal, or of this earth that is passing away? It is hard to imagine what eternity is like, but suffice it to say, that time cannot be compared to it, for time is limited, and eternity is without bounds, or limits. It is forever. Perhaps this is one of the greatest reasons that the soul is so precious to God. It is without end.
Fulness Not An Option
The reason for which Christ was able to overcome all temptation and deceit by the devil, was not only because He was the Son of God, but that He was constantly filled to the full with the Spirit of God. There was no moment of any day when He was not strengthened, empowered, led and kept by the Spirit. Scripture tells us that He overcame the ordeal of Calvary by the Eternal Spirit. The fulness of the Spirit is the great deterrent to sin and Satan.
The Time Is Now
In the economy of God the present moment is of monumental importance, for it possess the possibility of the unveiling the glory of God in answer to believing prayer. The time is now to seek God, especially when there is even the smallest desire to do so. He puts those desires in our hearts, in order to fulfill them. How will we use our time today? Certainly the Lord will lead us and show us how.