Gardener’s Question Time

We are so blessed to have a garden in our home. When we first moved here much of our garden was overgrown. It’s only when you start pulling weeds and cutting back bushes that have got ‘leggy’ that you realise how much work there is to do. So much of it needs redesigning and rethinking.

I began to think of my mind as a bit like that too. If I allow a thought to take root and pay no attention to where it is going, it will become like one of those plants that shades out others and takes over. I also thought of how beautiful a garden can be. I want to be able to walk through my garden with Jesus, admiring the good thoughts he has put there, seeded by my time in the word. But alas, there are still some unkempt areas that, if I were walking through this garden, I’d be ashamed of.

Then I realised it wasn’t an original thought.

Lots of people have said that the mind is like a garden. Here’s one:

 “A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”

(James Allen)

In our last verse we were talking about our bodies and how important it is for us to offer them as a living sacrifice. This is our proper and fitting worship towards God. But the key to doing this consistently is found in the mind. Have a look at these two verses together:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Romans 12:1-2)

This Means War!

We have looked at some of the ways we are at war with our flesh – the natural, ungodly desires that take place in our bodies. We have seen that the best way to defeat the flesh, is to offer our bodies to God. In fact, to do this is only to offer what is reasonable and logical after all he has done for us in his body.

When we put our bodies in the right place, getting into habits, rhythms and routines that are healthy, we give our flesh less of a chance to be led into sinful behaviour patterns.

But the key to doing all of this is to start with the mind. You will see that from last week’s verse about offering our bodies, Paul moves straight into the idea that we must renew our minds.

Today I’m going to give you some very practical and powerful tips on how you can make that work, and the rewards are fantastic – we get to test and approve what God’s will is!

Patterns of Behaviour

Look at the two words here, ‘conform’ and ‘transform’.

The verse suggests that the world follows a pattern.

It’s an either-or option. You will either conform to the pattern of the world, or you will be transformed.

I have listed below 7 areas in which the world might follow a pattern that we as followers of Jesus must prayerfully and intentionally examine in our own lives:

1. Values – principles I live by
2. Beliefs – what I consider to be true with little or no doubt
3. Lifestyle – behaviour patterns
4. Accepted Norms – I know what is normal because everybody else does / thinks it.
5. Priorities – what I give most time, energy and money to
6. Coping Strategies – what I turn to when times are tough
7. Measures of Success – How I decide if I have done well or not

Think about how people in the world, without Jesus as their saviour, without the Holy Spirit living inside them, might be different from someone who is living a Spirit-led life.

What is the ‘pattern of this world’ with respect to the list I have created?

1. What are some of the values in the world that are no longer acceptable to the born-again believer?
2. How have our beliefs changed?
3. What is different about your behaviour and lifestyle as a Christian?
4. What does the world accept as normal that you and your Christian brothers and sisters do not?
5. How is the general pattern of the world set up to prioritise things differently from the way we as Christians should?
6. What are some of the coping strategies when times are tough that we would not consider?
7. How does the world measure success?

I want us to look at these 7 areas one more time. Ask God to reveal to you any areas in which he would want to do a transforming work.

Lord,

1. Are you pleased with the principles I am living by?
2. Do my beliefs match your Word in every case?
3. Is my lifestyle one that reflects your glory?
4. Are there things of the world that I have unintentionally gone along with as normal that you would have me re-examine?
5. Have I got my priorities right?
6. What or who have I been turning to when I have been troubled?
7. Am I seeing success the way you do?

Chances are you are aware of changes you’d like to see in your own life! If not, you’re deceiving yourself! We are not perfect! The question is, what would our loving gracious God like to work on with you today?

Renewing the Mind

One practical way I can renew my mind in order to be transformed is to measure the time and energy I spend on various inputs to the mind. Here’s what I’ve been working on…

Limit the following:

• Time on social media
• Watching the news
• Secular TV shows
• Time listening to negative people

Note, for me this is a case of limiting these things and not deleting them completely. We are, after all, in the world and we must reach out to it and be a light within it. Good things are from God, and there is good in all these things as long as there are boundaries.

Increase the following:

• Prayer
• Bible reading & study
• Fellowship – time with godly Christians
• ‘Unplugged’ minutes and meditation

Seeing Differently

Both lists are difficult to follow. I have to chip away at each bit day by day. I’m rubbish at meditation because I can’t sit still. But my soul really wants it. I am at war. But I know what the Word says, If I get this right,

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

I will start to see things the way God sees them, know how he thinks. That’s better than absorbing the ways of the world.

We see in verse 2 of Romans 12 that God’s will is, “good, pleasing, and perfect” which reminds me of what my life will be if I get this right: verse 1 tells me that I am “holy and pleasing” to God. How much more will I be so when I start to limit my activity within the patterns of this world and increase the time setting my mind on things above, not on earthly things?

So the key to living out verse 1 (offering our bodies as a living sacrifice) is to practice verse 2 (renew the mind).

Renew your mind and your body will follow. You will be thinking and acting more like our good, holy, pleasing saviour.

 

Testing and Approving God’s Will

The Greek word translated ‘will’ here is ‘thelema’, one of three Greek words translated as ‘will’ in the New Testament.

It’s important to know the other two words used for ‘will’ so we can see the emphasis Paul is and isn’t using.

‘Prothesis’ means ‘to plan in advance’, and usually means God’s predetermined and unchangeable will. You can see why Paul doesn’t use this word in the context of our testing and approving it. Who would we be to test God’s unchangeable and eternal will?

‘Boule’ is the second Greek word translated ‘will’ and refers an intention which is fixed and cannot be changed by others. There are things that God intends to happen and nothing can stop it. Again, these are not things we would test or approve.

The third word for ‘will’, the one used in our verse today is ‘thelema’, meaning ‘desire’. It usually refers to a desire which God has for us but will not force upon us. It’s the word Paul uses in the opening chapters of his letters when he says he’s an apostle by the ‘will’ of God.

In our verse today, Paul is talking about the things God desires us to do in the situations we encounter in life, which we may or may not comply with. This is why we both ‘test’ and ‘approve’ of his will in this verse.

We don’t need to test and approve the 10 commandments or Jesus’ teachings as they are clear in scripture. Paul is talking about the things that are not in the bible but God has a ‘will’ about, e.g. where you work, whether this relationship is going somewhere good, where you go to church.

There are some things that we just need to test-drive. You could look at cars online all day but until you drive one, you don’t really know what it’s like. God allows us the adventure of testing and approving his will. When you look for a house, you might look around several, asking the Lord if it is within his will for you to buy it. You might look for signs that he is leading and guiding you. You are testing and approving God’s will.

This is part of the intimacy God desires to have with us; that we would weave conversation with him into every aspect of our day and into every decision. How can we do that if we are setting our minds on earthly priorities and values? This is why we want transformed minds! This is the very reason we limit the access we have to worldly attitudes and increase our intake of God’s holy word. Then our minds will be renewed as we grow closer to his heart and mind. We will understand more intuitively what he thinks and how he feels. His will becomes clearer.

I’d like to encourage you to include God in all your decisions. We have been praying along the P.R.A.Y. acronym, where the ‘Y’ stands for ‘yield’. We want to give way to God on every area of our lives. Let him in! Don’t just seek him when it comes to big life decisions, but ask for him to guide you in the little things. Then you will be exercising your faith muscle, ready for the bigger choices life throws at you.

In John 10:27 Jesus tells us that his sheep listen to his voice. Let’s practice that with the small things from today and watch as he builds us up to hearing him and knowing what it means to test and approve his perfect will in bigger areas too.

Then our lives will be holy and pleasing to him, not just because we are saved but that we are being saved daily from poor choices!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Romans 12:1-2)

 

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Respond to the Word

1: Spend some time quietly asking the questions I’ve talked about already:

Lord,

1. Are you pleased with the principles I am living by?
2. Do my beliefs match your Word in every case?
3. Is my lifestyle one that reflects your glory?
4. Are there things of the world that I have unintentionally gone along with as normal that you would have me re-examine?
5. Have I got my priorities right?
6. What or who have I been turning to when I have been troubled?
7. Am I seeing success the way you do?

 

2: Which of the following would be most beneficial to you?

To limit…

• Time on social media
• Watching the news
• Secular TV shows
• Time listening to negative people

To increase…

• Prayer time
• Bible reading & study
• Fellowship – time with godly Christians
• ‘Unplugged’ minutes and meditation

 

3: When we do these things, we are more and more able to test and approve his will for our lives.

Where are you seeking his will right now?

• Ask him to reveal his heart and mind to you, even in the little things.
• Let me know of any testimonies as to how God has spoken in this area.

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