It’s All in Your Mind

l J ] church at Thessalonica was formed in trial and tribulation. Paul had to leave the city in order to save his life. The Thessalonican believers were a grand group, but do you know there was a greater, at least more noble. group of listeners than those in Thessalonica? Acts 17:10 and 11 says, aol.n.J. #Ju hmlrnn. inun.eduthlJJ, uni f1lJJlllJ, q)aul a.nd Ji.Im, b1,1 ni.gld lUl.llJ- (}Jena; mJw_ '-"ffllll(/, lhilJu,. UH.HJ udb- tJu ,Ujlt.lllJl'(Jlll t,/ tJu ~ giuJ£ t1'J('ll mBll m,/,h IJuut t/tc.u. in g/un.1JJJ.nha in llwL lhnJ r-ttdLnd flu WNd widt all umlhuu o/ mind, and u.onlud tJu Jlliphuu daibJ wlwJw,. llwu i/tinq.1, wue w." Here the willing mind is connected with the Word of God and an attitude of receiving the Word. The Holy Spirit comments that this is noble. A willing mind is one that is yielded, submissive, and obedient to what God says. Also implied in a willing mind is a spirit of sacrifice. A willing mind does. not stop and take into account what something will do to our plans. Whether in service or giving, praying, reading or responsibility, you can have a right heart and an unwilling mind. David told Solomon not only to have an obedient heart, but a willing mind. There are times when I do not feel like reading the Bible. If I don't, do you know what happens? I decrease; I go down and down and down until finally I say, "Well, I guess 1111 read the Bible." With my mind I decide to read the Bible, and the moment I do, my entire attitude changes. Did you ever have a child who didn't want to do something and you forced him to do it7 Sometimes children are funny. They are invited to a party. or possibly a youth activity. Although they say they are not going, you believe they should go. The effort has been made to offer a wholesome activity for them. They go and when they return, they can't stop talking about how good it was. Did you ever have that happen? Well, the same thing happens spiritually. It even happens with Christians and church attendance. Christians go home from the morning service and decide they will not go in the evening. But the Holy Spirit somehow .pricks them through their minds and they end up going. They decide to attend with their minds. And usually they are the people who meet the pastor at the door and tell him that the service was e)(actly what they needed. You see, there has to be submission to God without any desire of thinking of ourselves; that's a willing mind. That's what happened to the Corinthians. They honestly made the vow; they had good intentions; they had readiness; they had the right attitude, but they didn't carry it out because they thought they could not afford it. A second principle is found in 2 Corinthians 8:12, namely, that you only have to do what you have promised to do. "("ft,,. i/. dun ~ /lm a wdli.mJ mind, ll u nttq>l,d aeeJ.Wlinq w dud a 1tU1.1t ludh, and IWf ~ le- dud he haJh lf.lJ.f." A person is not required to give what he doesn't have. Not only is this true with money, but also in service. First, there has to be a decision to be willing, submissive, and obedient, and then with that willing mind, God only demands that you do what you have ability to do. Strictly on ability, that's all God said. Now remember something, Christian, most of us have abilities we do not use. Most of the time we say, "'No," or "I can't," when we really mean, "I don't want to," or "I won't." What is a willing mind7 Being submissive and obedient. Then God will only ask your ability. 11