Let Us Mind the Same Thing

So, it has been a pretty long time since my last post, but it has been a great and busy semester. This semester, more than any other the Lord, Himself, has taught me lessons. Lessons that are not learned in a classroom, lessons that cannot be tested with a pencil, lessons that cannot be graded by a teacher. But every truth the Lord has taught me must be learned, will probably be tested, and will be graded by God himself. I love the Lord because He teaches us these kind of lessons. It is the lessons that we are taught by God, himself, that truly change our lives.

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Philippians 3:15-16

Paul says here to the Philippians that there is no need for one man to try to convince the mind of another man; the Lord Himself will reveal to the seeking soul the next step to take that will draw that soul closer towards Himself. But, he admonishes this group of believers to keep the ground God has given them.

So the encouragement for the day is to keep the ground God has given you - don't draw back from it. In Hebrews, the holy Spirit gives an example of this principle:

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward...Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Hebrews 10:35, 38-39

Maybe the Lord has taught you a lesson about faith - keep your confidence in the Lord; don't draw back. Regardless the lesson, the principle is the same - "Let us mind the same thing."

In the gospel of Mark, we are given the story of the disiples' long night on the water. Mark records nothing about Peter walking on the water. But, we learn from Mark the reason for the disciple's distress and fear. In the last verse of Mark 6, the Bible says, "for they remembered not the miracle of the loaves." The cause for their fearfulness was that they did not "mind the same thing." They had just seen Jesus feed the multitude, but they failed to remmber the lessons they should have learned. They should have learned the lesson of God's provision and His faithfulness. They should have learned when God initiates our service, He will fulfill it. They should have learned that Jesus had compassion. But they learned none of these things; they drew back; they failed to "mind the same thing." Again, I say, be careful to truly learn the lessons that the Lord teaches you; Let us mind the same thing.

In the next couple posts, Lord willing, I will share some of the lessons God has taught me this semester. May the Lord help me to mind these lessons for all of my life, so that the Holy Spirit can make full proof of the lessons He has taught me.