Like-mindedness

by | Oct 29, 2020 | Articles, Mentors Corner

2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Romans 15:5 “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,” Mind (phroneō) – to be of the same mind, i.e. to agree together, cherish the same views, be harmonious Here we have two of many examples in the Bible where we are commanded to be like-minded with other believers. I ask myself in today’s world with all the differing opinions and thoughts, how do we do this? This is a huge problem if we think this means we need everyone to think and act exactly like us. Paul says to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and that he and the other apostles have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The only way we can agree, cherish the same views and be harmonious is by imitating Paul as he imitates Christ. The same mind we seek is Christ’s, rather than convincing others to agree with our thoughts and opinions. I next ask myself what are some practical things that lead me to think I am seeking after the mind of Christ? What are key things to look for in like-minded brothers and sisters? This probably isn’t an all-inclusive list but i think it’s a good starting point. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is from God and is authoritative in my life. 1 John 1:1-4, 2:24, 4:5-6 The interpretation of scripture is on...

Remember, Watch, Hope

by | Oct 16, 2020 | Articles, Mentors Corner

As Christians, we are called to live and minister in a fallen world while not becoming a part of it.  That anyone succeeds at this is a miracle.  The world around us is so “real,” our needs so strong, and the promise for which we labor so ill-defined, that to walk the narrow path that leads to salvation is impossible.  Thankfully we are reminded that what is impossible with men is possible with God.  To succeed in this journey, He gives us three imperatives:  Remember.  Watch.  Hope. Make no mistake, each of these is a command by itself, but they do not stand alone.  The life well lived in Christ requires all three, because each of them speaks to a different part of our life.  They are three legs of a stool supporting the sanctified life by directing us how to live and relate to the past, the present, and the future. The command to remember speaks to the past as in Ephesians 2:11-12, “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision ….. remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” We remember so that we never go back.  Once you set your shoulder to the plow, there can be no retreat, and remembering where you came from is the key to knowing where you are going. We are commanded to watch in the present.  Watch not just for his coming (Mark 13:35), but also...

“Waiting”

by | Oct 1, 2020 | Articles, Mentors Corner

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” – Romans 8:25 Hope is the unseen benefit we long for.  It drives us. We walk by faith because of it.  Hope is powerful—it defines our realities. They may be unrealistic, indescribable and unobtainable. But nevertheless, our actions in faith are a function of our hope.  Most of us likely eat, work, exercise, spend our money, worship, love and rest because of it.  You define a man’s hope, you can predict his actions.  And conversely, you can see a man’s hope by his behaviors. The thing we hope for is a noun, as in the Blessed Hope.  But it is also a verb as in our verse:  “We hope for what we do not see.” What we hope in determines what we hope for.  I.e. we hope in God of the scriptures because of the goodness and integrity of His character and the promises He holds for us.  He then defines in our lives what we hope for.  We hope for the return of Christ, a new body, salvation, heaven. These things were defined in us as our hope in Him was developed, i.e., as our minds are renewed toward a deeper understanding of God, so our eternal hope is developed. For what do we wait? We wait for that which we hope.  We wait because we hope.  And the object or power of our wait determines the validity of our waiting. Waiting can be a challenge.  It requires patience and trust in the things we don’t see or control.  But it...