CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH
#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI
BIBLE SHARING (26/03/2017)
TOPIC: STEPS UNTO FOLLOWING JESUS (Part 4)
B. Unsetting
the “Settings” of the Old Mind
The way our old mind is set
is the basis of our action and behavior. Hence the need to examine the old
natural mind in the light of God’s words in order to unset it.
ii.
What is
the mode of life and conduct that the old mind was set upon? (Rom. 8:4-8; Eph. 4:17-20, Phil. 3:17-19;
James 4:4-5; 1 Jn. 2:15-17)
It is clear that the
old mind was set on what the human nature wants, not what God wants and no
matter how you try to serve God with that mind, it will only achieve what the
human nature wants. It was a futile mind that works all uncleanness with
greediness. It was a mind set on earthly things.
Look inside, what are
the things you have set your mind to achieve in life or even in your marriage?
Don’t rush over this. Bring them out sincerely one by one and see whether they
are things on the earth or things above. That will help you to cry to God and
unset those things as a preparation for setting your mind on things above.
QUESTION
1. What do
you understand by unsetting the setting of the old mind?
2. What is
the mode of life that explains best the old mind?
3. Explain with
examples what the human nature wants according to our teaching?
4. Give
various examples of the things God wants that is different from the human
nature?
5. Give a
practical example of when one is trying to serve God with the mind of the human
nature and its result?
6. Explain
how your pursuit in life can depend on what God wants for your live different
from the human nature?
7. A
brother/sister whose heart is set in quarreling, finding faults, gossip etc,
how will the person set his/her mind to start being at peace with everybody?
8.
What are the ways to overcome the influence of
the human nature in our lives?
CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH
#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI
BIBLE SHARING (2/04/2017)
TOPIC: STEPS
UNTO FOLLOWING JESUS (Part 5)
B. Unsetting the “Settings” of the Old Mind
The way
our old mind is set is the basis of our action and behavior. Hence the need to
examine the old natural mind in the light of God’s words in order to unset it.
iii. For example, discuss the already set
understanding of the world system (the old mind) about the following concepts:
ü Prosperity and success
ü Beauty
Compare this with the biblical (or spiritual)
understanding of the same concept. Gen. 39:3, 21; Josh. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:3-5
What
did you discover?
In
the world, prosperity or success is synonymous with wealth, popularity, power,
position. But in God’s own perspective, none of those things make a man
prosperous. A prosperous man is someone who has God on his side. Joseph was a
slave later a prisoner; yet he was described a prosperous man because the Lord
was with him. What would make Joshua prosperous, and have good success was not
money or popularity; it was as he walked closely with God, studying and
meditating on His word day and night.
In
the world, someone is said to be beautiful depending on her external
appearance. But in God sight, even though someone may look beautiful in
appearance, she is not beautiful in God’s sight unless she has a meek and quiet
spirit. That is the set spiritual understanding of beauty.
Before
you can successfully have your mind set on things above, there is need to
carefully unset the settings of the old mind and have your mind renewed and set
on heavenly things. Your understanding of things must change and be in line
with God’s own understanding of such things so that your desires can become
right.
As
we are coming to the end of this topic today, what decisions have you made to
unset all the understanding of the old mind to God’s way (true/right way).
QUESTIONS
1. Give a summary of all our previous discussions on
our topic “Unsetting the settings of the old mind”
2. From our study, how can you define ‘prosperity’ and
‘success’
3. Is a man with all the riches, cars, good houses,
best certificates and all the world wants said to have prospered or succeeded
in life? YES/NO, Explain.
4. Explain God’s standard of beauty from our study?
5. How can studying and meditating God’s word,
righteousness etc. makes one prosperous?
6. How can we describe a Christian who is wholly
following God but lack the basic needs of life. Is he/she prosperous or said to
have succeeded? Explain.
CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH
#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI
BIBLE SHARING (23/04/2017)
TOPIC: STEPS UNTO FOLLOWING JESUS (Part 6)
C. Cultivating the mind of Christ
Cultivation requires
clearing off, breaking up the ground and planting of a new seed followed by
proper weeding and watering. Discuss how we can cultivate the mind of Christ
taking the following steps:
i.
Clear off the
old mind; Jn. 3:3-7; Eph. 4:17-22; Ezek. 36:25-27; Psa. 51:10
There
is need for a saving encounter with the Lord, a supernatural removal of the
natural heart by God as you surrender to Christ to save you. It cannot be done
by the energy of the flesh; the natural heart cannot be improved upon; it has
to be removed and replaced.
Thereafter
the settings of your old mind have to be identified and put off deliberately.
ii.
Break up your
fallow ground; Jer. 4:3; Hos. 10:12; Joel 2:13, Psa. 34:18
What does that mean and
how can we achieve this? Be concerned about the fallowness of your heart. Mourn
over your situation. Let it touch your heart and not just your face. When you
understand what you stand to lose if you continue with thorns and thistles in
your heart, you will cry out. You will pray. A broken and a contrite heart God does
not overlook. It is a necessary preparation for receiving heavenly seed,
heavenly understanding on the soil of your heart.
QUESTION
1. Cultivation requires clearing off, breaking up the
ground and planting of a new seed followed by proper weeding and watering. How
does this apply to our mind/heart?
2. How can we have the mind of Christ?
3. Do we have people in our church who have the mind of
Christ?
4. What are the things obtainable in the life of those
who have the mind of Christ?
5. What are the steps to take in other to break the
fallow ground in our life?
CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH
#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI
BIBLE SHARING (7/05/2017)
TOPIC: STEPS UNTO FOLLOWING JESUS (Part 7)
C. Cultivating the mind of Christ
Cultivation requires
clearing off, breaking up the ground and planting of a new seed followed by
proper weeding and watering. Discuss how we can cultivate the mind of Christ
taking the following steps:
iii. Cleanse and renew your mind
Eph. 4:22-23; Rom. 12:1-2; Jas 4:8; Eph.
5:26; Ps. 119:9-11
While
the blood of Jesus washes and cleanses the heart from sin and its guilt, the
word of God is God’s instrument for cleansing and renewing the mind. There is
need for constant, daily, regular reading and studying of God’s word for this
purpose. You cannot be lazy at studying the word of God and hope to be renewed.
The mind of Christ is embedded in the word of God. It only becomes yours as the
word of God gets engrafted inside of you.
iv. Feed and fill your mind with the word of God
1 Pet. 2:2; Col. 3:16; Josh. 1:8; Ps.
119:11; Isa. 5:13-14
A
sparing sowing of God’s word in your mind is not enough. Any little space or
aspect of your life not filled with the word of God will soon grow weeds, the
weeds of the natural mind. It will also become the loophole through which hell
(the devil) creeps in to trouble you. Rather let the word of God dwell in you
richly in all wisdom. Make no room (Provision) for the flesh.
QUESTION
1. What are the various ways to cultivate the mind of
Christ from our study?
2. How can one cleanse and renew his/her mind?
3. Explain the significance of the word of God in
cultivating the mind of Christ?
4. Explain different ways from our teaching that weeds
of the natural mind can grow in your mind though you read the word of God?
5. Why do believers make mistake in specific areas of
life like marriage, fashion, doctrine etc even when they read the word of God?
CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH
#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI
BIBLE SHARING (04/06/2017)
TOPIC: STEPS UNTO FOLLOWING JESUS (Part 8)
C. Cultivating the mind of Christ
Cultivation requires
clearing off, breaking up the ground and planting of a new seed followed by
proper weeding and watering. Discuss how we can cultivate the mind of Christ
taking the following steps:
v. What is the attitude and goal of a renewed mind?
Phil. 1:20-21; 3:7-11; Heb. 10:5-7
Set your heart, mind
and body to know and to please the Lord at all cost. Let that be your goal,
your only goal in life. Let it be your
life pursuit. Then, it will not be difficult to follow Jesus.
Conclusion
The
Lord Jesus Christ has perfectly won God’s approval over His life. Anyone who
wants to walk with God and please Him must diligently cultivate His mind and
follow the path Jesus trod. He must embrace Jesus’ pattern of life and service.
The steps He took, the focus He had, His manner of doing things must become the
standard for anyone who desires to please God.
Jesus
Himself declared: “I am the way”; that means He is the method the path, the
strategy and pattern of living and service for mankind to follow. But no one
can follow Him without having denied himself and taken up his cross daily.
What
is your response in all these?
QUESTION
1.
Outline the
different ways of cultivating the mind of Christ as studied previously?
2.
Explain the
attitude of a renewed mind?
3.
What are the
ways to set your goal only to please God?
4.
How can one win
God’s approval over his/her life as Jesus did?
5.
What are the
steps for denying ourselves and following God wholly?
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