Sound Mind Set

Isaiah 55:8-9 is a powerful passage. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, exhale, and listen closely. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” This is not meant to discourage us but rather to...

We talked about Psalm 23 and David calling God the Good Shepherd this week. Today, we look at where Jesus called His followers sheep. This is one of the most intriguing passages of Scripture because the heart of God is made very clear as to what He cares about and what gets His attention. Mathew 25 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his...

Today, we will return to Ephesians again. Ephesians 4 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us...

Today, our Scripture focus will be on two of Paul’s prayers found in the book of Ephesians. First, listen to Ephesians 1. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has...

Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known chapters in the Bible. We hear these words read in so many settings. But in this beautiful poetry by the shepherd-turned-king David, he speaks of God the Father as his Shepherd and relates life to what he offers his own flock. Listen with your heart, and hear about the life that God offers you, just as he did David … The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I...

In Mark 12, Jesus was asked which of the ten commandments was most important. His reply surprised them: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” What is the first key phrase in this passage? The action verb Jesus began with...

Ephesians 2:14-15 (The Message)  The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two group...

Ephesians. 4 1-3   In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. … I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves...

John 14:25-27  I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.     In this passa...

Colossians 1:19-20   “For God in all his fullness   was pleased to live in Christ,   and through him God reconciled   everything to himself.   He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth   by means to Christ’s blood on the cross.“    What an amazing thought, the God of the universe, in all his fullness and completeness, was pleased to live as a human. And he did it all to reconcile everyt...

Luke 2:8-14Living Bible That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the...

ISAIAH 35 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.    The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers    and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,    as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory,    the splendor of our God. With this news, st...

Matthew 1:18-25 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they enjoyed their wedding night, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a drea...

Luke 1:46-56 And Mary said, I’m bursting with God-news;     I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.  God took one good look at me, and look what happened—     I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!  What God has done for me will never be forgotten,     the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.  His mercy flows in wave after wave     on those who are in awe before him.  He bared hi...

Luke 1:26-38 MESSAGE In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you. She was thoroughly shaken,...

1 John 4  We’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.  God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and...

Philippians 2:7-8 (Message)  Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibl...

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT    For the Lord your God is living among you.      He is a mighty savior.   He will take delight in you with gladness.      With his love, he will calm all your fears.[a]      He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”    This prophecy talks about what came to be, what actually, historically happened. It is undisputed by atheists and believers alike… Jesus was born in Bethlehe...

2 Titus 3:4-6 ( Living Bible)  But when the time came for the kindness and Love of God our Savior to appear, then he saved us—not because we were good enough to be saved but because of his kindness and pity—by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us with wonderful fullness—and all because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did.  Kindne...

Isaiah 49:13-16 (MESSAGE)  Heavens, raise the roof! Earth, wake the dead!      Mountains, send up cheers!   God has comforted his people.      He has tenderly nursed his beaten-up, beaten-down people.  But Zion said, “I don’t get it. God has left me.      My Master has forgotten I even exist.”  “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,      walk away from the baby she bore?   But even if moth...

Romans 15:12-13 Isaiah’s word: There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! The good tidings of great joy from...

Isaiah 9:6-7 A child is born, a son is given and all authority will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The ze...

Isaiah 9:2, The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned. Have you ever turned on a light on your phone in bright sunlight? There is little affect at all. But that same light in pitch darkness illuminates everything around it. There is a direct correlation between the effectiveness of light and darkness. Without darkness t...

Isaiah 7:14 Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us). Impossible is a word that comes to mind when reading this passage. God defies, smashes, destroys what we perceive to be impossible. Even in the word impossible are the words I’m Possible. What situation in your life right now seems impossible? Think, a virgin womb....

From now until Christmas we will be focusing each week on a tradition of advent. Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. This week we focus on the first tradition HOPE. Micah 2-4 But you, Bethlehem, David’s country,    the runt of the litter— From you will come the leader    wh...