August2020 | Kristi's Morning Devotional

Thinking like Jesus is our thought for today.

“Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, ²then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. ³In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. ⁴Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too.

⁵In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought.

⁶He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit. ⁷Instead, he gave up everything, even his place with God. He accepted the role of a servant, appearing in human form. During his life as a man,
⁸he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross. ⁹So God raised him up to the most important place and gave him the name that is greater than any other name. ¹⁰God did this so that every person will bow down to honor the name of Jesus. Everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bow. ¹¹They will all confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and this will bring glory to God the Father.” Philippians 2:1-11 ERV

A few days ago we saw where God the Father was in Christ to fulfill His plan of reconciliation. And now we receive this admonition from Paul to “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”. We have the mind of Christ when we are born again. We have the Holy Spirit in us creating God-like thoughts and inspiring us to do God-like actions.

Our thoughts are created by what we hold in our heart. Jesus came to earth with the goal of serving man and telling them of God’s love. His heart was filled with love – love for the Father and love for those who accepted and those who rejected Him. His thinking and His actions didn’t change because of what others thought or did to Him. He was single-minded.

The Apostle Paul, who wrote those verses in Philippians, also gave us this instruction in the Book of Romans.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ²Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 NLT

These verses above teach us how to develop that thinking. We are to be humble and loving, placing God’s desires over ours. If we copy the pattern that Jesus gave us our thinking will be completely transformed.

So I will say with the Apostle Paul today – Let this mind be in me, I want to think like my Father!

Normally I will hear the dogs in the neighborhood barking, coyotes howling, an early bird warbling its song but this morning there is nothing. It is almost unnerving. I have the doors open to let in the cool morning air and with it comes the silence.

I almost hate to do any keyboarding because the touch of the keys break into the absolute quiet and disturbs my time alone with the Father.

Silence.

Having this time alone with my Father is wonderful. One of my favorite hymns when I was girl was “In the Garden”. It still is one of my favorites. And this morning I am singing it in my heart as I treasure these quiet moments with Him.

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Sitting here this morning while it’s still dark , enjoying the warmth of a good cup of coffee and seeking the Father for the day’s direction, I am very thankful.

Thankful that my Father is in control. He hasn’t fallen off His throne, His omniscience is superior to the knowledge of the world’s wisest men and His omnipresence penetrates to the farthest reaches of the universe. With all He has before Him this day He says to me, come and get to know me better.

“My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.” Matthew 11:27 CEV

Jesus has taken the time to tell us about the Father and through what Christ has done we’ve been adopted by the Father. We can call Him “Abba Father” (Papa or Daddy) and we can experience firsthand His love and compassion.

In the silence, I feel His embrace and sense His love. In a small way, I imagine how things might have been when Jesus would pull away from the crowds for time alone with the Father.

I don’t have to have all the answers and I don’t have to learn by “hard knocks”. I can trust the Father and learn from Him.

“With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

Well, the coyotes are beginning to howl and there’s a hoot owl in the mesquite tree telling me it’s time to start the day. Let the Father lead you.

Listen to the Father speak in the silence of your heart!

Category: August2020

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