Ken: I know we're living in a time where everything is hitting the fan. A lot of anxiety, a lot of things going on. It's about our heart holding the word. David said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Philippians chapter four, verse eight: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true.” Now, I think you have to relate this to the word. I don't think this can just be out of your nominal thinking about what's good and what's bad or what's true and false. This has to be based on the word that was being spoken by Paul to the Philippians. Whatever is right, whatever is honorable, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
I think there's something in that which is very important for these days we're living in because there's just so much flack. It's just everywhere. One person will say this, another person will say that. And if you hear that and buy into it, you're going, “Wow, I'm confused. I don't know what's right and what's wrong.” Paul had instructions for that: whatever’s true, whatever’s right, whatever is of good report—dwell or think on these things.
Then I thought, Mike, one of your favorite scriptures in Romans 12:1-2. The second verse is, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.” As He ministered out, do you think He ever thought of anything that was untrue or not righteous or this sort of thing? He only spoke those words He heard from the Father. I'm sure that He battled the same things that we battle all the time, but there was something that kept Him in a place where He was hearing from the Father and He wasn't listening to all the controversies and all the things going on around about Him. And I think that is a course of action that we really need to think about. Whatever is true, whatever is right, if it's a good report, if it's something that is beneficial, if it's something that blesses, if it's something that's true—all of these things.
Dale: The atmosphere that you maintain around yourself—and I think that's the key to what you're talking about, Ken. There’s tons of stuff going on all around us. I think a first step in controlling my atmosphere is choosing what do I want? What battles do I want to fight? What do I want appropriate to close the doors? All this crap going on around me—what am I focusing on? And I love to do that first thing in the morning. Ask God, “God, what do you want for today?”
Ken: We're living in a new day, and it's a new way of thinking. In the past, we heard people telling us how to think. They presented different sermons about lifestyle and all of those kinds of things. Today, we've come to a place where the Lord's speaking directly to us as sons and we're being led by His Spirit. In order to hear Him and keep hearing Him, we have to keep our mind set upon Him. That's why “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ,” because Christ always was led by the Father's Spirit.
In order to enter into a new day, you have to leave the old day—and the old day of reference to a lot of things that we've referenced to now. Those are in our hearts. You have them in your heart. Why not be led by the Lord? And it's a very positive thing, and I think that's what we're getting at this morning. It is so positive. There’s nothing negative about God. It is absolutely moving forward, loving God with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind—and your neighbor as yourself.
Mike: There is so much in the word of God these children, these young people need to hear because they are so lacking in the truths of the Spirit to bring their spirits alive and realize they have a power and a force within them. Their own spirits can overcome and override everything from that soul-flesh realm. But they're not being taught this. They're not being exposed to the truth and the reality that this can become on a daily basis for them. Open the Scriptures up to them about “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Realize who you are. Begin to operate from that level. Things change immediately when you're moving on that new level, and you begin to go in that direction and lay hold to the truths of God.
Debbie: I set my mind on the things that are above and not on things of the earth—not things in the physical realm, but in the Spirit.
Ken: As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So we can think, “Lord, I believe your word. I'm just going to stand, believe your word will happen right now. I'll just expect it. I'll believe it.” And keep that in your heart and in your mind. It's amazing how things work out, and instead of just believing the Lord, a lot of times we just get in confusion looking, instead of saying, “Lord, show me.” And you come to a place where it's all still and quiet and everything, and you're focused on the Lord, and the Lord shows you.
I think that's part of the whole entering into His rest. I really do. And I think what He's showing us—every time we struggle and then finally quit struggling and just rest in Him—He shows us.
Dale: What I realized personally is I've got to pay more attention to what is already in me instead of trying to look at something and say, “That's not in me; I've got to strive for that answer.” When it is already in me, what I rejoice in is waiting on the Lord, because if I approach—whether it be a physical thing or whether it be a spiritual thing—if I approach it that I already have it, then I'm releasing what God's gift within me that He placed within me. And He's more interested in that, what He has placed within me, than what I'm interested in. I put my interest on the shelf, and I say, “Okay, Lord, I am following You.”
Ken: You're hitting on something I think that's a foundation of what God's speaking. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Are we going to believe the symptoms or are we going to believe God? But faith never fails. If there is a failing, it's because we don't believe. I know that really hits at a lot of us because we have all believed and yet not seen things. I think God tries our faith, don't you? He tries our faith because when we come through the trying of our faith, we'll be like pure gold, according to Malachi.
Monnie: And God has spoken the end of being double-minded—subconscious to the conscious. God help us where we stop being separated from the fullness and wholeness of Christ. Futility is separation from the Father, but Christ came to end separation. As we enter into sonship, we're not separated from the fullness, the wholeness of Christ in us. It's wholeness in our thinking—spirit, soul, and body. It's not just one part. It's all: spirit, soul, and body. But we bring that upward flow here on earth. Everything—Thy kingdom come here on this earth as it is in heaven.
