It’s All in Your Mind

l I .. ] ] f!Juqdu. 3 <;Jiu 70illimJ JI/ind "olnd. lluJa, Jokmum, tnJJ.. llJ.n, luu,m iluJa du (Jod ol- ihlJ, /.ailu,; tutd ume him umh a fl.U/t>#l luJui and mi1lt a willing, mind.- IN nu .Jl.0(/)fj) UllllH.dJ,, all 1umu, and UJUU.UJ.n.n.deJ all du u,uupnolia,u "' du du,ug.l,h.: ii I/um JL6l him, he will bR. /.nund "'dttt; 1ml ii 1/u,a 1-oualu him, lu will ttUl lhtt o/J /-M- ttU.1-.,, 1 Chronicles 28:9 David's charge to Solomon, given publicly, holds a key to service and the mind. He said, "Knowyour...God." Here again is a mental term. Knowledge comes through the mind. You will note that he said, ":J!.nom.. /Ju,,,1,. llu -lp,d o/ lh.lJ, /ollu,.." He did not speak of the God of Solomon's mother, although that is important. Show me a family that lives by the Word of God, where the father is a biblical father, and I'll showyou children who follow God. Possibly the only real good that David ever did for Solomon was to show him his God. In this verse David gave to Solomon a formula based on knowledge. "&m.e him [God} wiJh a pnµd, lutm." But this did not end his charge. "&m.e him [God] UJ.iJh a willing, mi.n.d.,,, he added. A perfect heart is not enough; there must be a willing mind. We are to love Christ with our mind. You can decide to leave your first love, and at that moment, you are disobedient; you will find sorrow of mind. The key to serving the Lord, even in physical tiredness, is a willing mind. "(lt,,- l1u .i!.0(/)fJ) uanlttlh all ~ and ~e UJUU.UJ.n.n.deJ all du UttlllJUfll,WIU tJ/- du ~" We know God sees our hearts, but seldom do we remind ourselves that He also sees our minds. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5, "~ d6mn inuuJ,inaJiNu mu/, tlJ.Ul,J hbJh IJwuJ, l.hn1 unlhll,_ uull lllJ.(liJul l1u luuu.okdtµ o/- ~ am/, bmtginq, utlJ, enpJi,o1,IJJ., WlllJ- l1«uupd h,. llu oludu.ntt a/ fdluhL" The believer is challenged to guard his mind. David urged, "Have a willing mind.» The New Testament also exhorts us to have a willing mind. Words regarding the believers mind are found three times in 2 Corinthians 8 and once in 2 Corinthians 9. Usually we groan as ~e tum to these chapters because we know they speak of offerings and money. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit, through Paul, was saying to you and me that if He can get us to have a willing mind in regard to our money, He will have no problem in other areas of our lives and service. 9