It’s All in Your Mind

.J ] J I l 1 - - had similar experiences. For instance, aft.er a somewhat restless night, you arise on Sunday morning and doubt that physically you are able to teach or preach. (I would remind you that if you have trouble sleeping, it would usually be Saturday night) Your energy level seems to be hit. What has told you that you possibly won't make it? Your mind! Notice Revelation 2:4, ~~-UL 'd, lutiu, JJUn.DDlud llljDllUi ~ httmu, I.Jw.a ho..d l4f. llty. /ii.Al. lruu. » In writing to this fellowship of believers at Ephesus, the Apostle John pointed out their weakness. This is true in each of the seven letters to the seven churches. The weakness at Ephesus was not in their work, or labor, or patience, or even their standing against Satan. Their deficiency was not in what they were doing. but, as I see it, in their attitudes. The same is true today. If our minds are not enthusiastic, we will use physical laxness or weakness as an e,ccuse for not serving the Lord. Or we may serve, work. labor, plan, and prepare but energy is lacking. Why? Because we have left our first love. We decided to do it. We decided to abandon our first love. The word translated hast left is an interesting word. It means to become di~ointed. It is not God that disjoints Himself from us, but \Ye decide to disjoint ourselves from God and, in this case, our first love, Who is Christ. John is saying to the Ephesians, "I have nothing against your labors. your faith, or your service. I have just one thing against you. You have decided mentally to leave your first love." Remember, your mind is important to your service for God. It will affect your physical attitude. I am convinced that many Christians tell themselves that they are physically tired on Wednesday night because -they don't want to go to prayer meeting and they decide mentally not to go. It seems that Bible believers are afraid to talk about the mind. We sing, «If your heart keeps ri9ht, if your heart keeps ri9ht, Every cloud will wear a rainbow if your heart keeps ri9ht." The song certainly is biblical, but I believe possibly that it should say, "Ifyour head keeps right." We have a new heart and a new life in and covered by the blood of Christ. We also need our minds covered by the blood of Christ I love the Lord with my heart or I could not pray. I love Him with my soul or life or 1 could not serve. But if I' m going to have the physical ability, the energy, the enthusiasm to serve biblically, I have to condition my mind. In the parallel passage in Matthew 22, the Lord asked the Pharisees, "70lud think,µ o/. f21uul?,, Here again is a mental term. Christ for the moment is not appealing to their faith. He is asking for an opinion. Their opinion would be based on knowledge. Who is Christ? Where did He come from? What did He come to do? What do you think of Him? We take this out of conteKt, but after Christ said 1 ugh.oa JuJL /,oM, IJu .J!.Ofll!IJ IJuJ,. -l}bd LDif1t alL llt-!J ~ tmd wiilt all thy, IDu4 and willt ol1 lluJ- mind, and wi11,_ all lluJ- ~ » He turned to these intellectuals and asked, "What do you think?n I would like to do the 3