Sound Mind Set

1 Peter 2:9-10 For you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” Chosen. Royal. Holy. God’s very own. These are all words He chose to describe us as His redeemed and restored community through the sacrifice of Jesus. This position offers us new identity, access to light in any darkness, mercy and grace that we now share with those in need. Can you accept and receive God’s identity and position that He offers you as His child? How will this new Identity change the way you approach this day? Let’s adapt and personalize this verse. Listen to how the God of the universe talks about you: For “you” are chosen. “You” are a royal priest, part of a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity; now you are God’s. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”  (1 Peter 2:9-10 NLT) Right now, in this moment, accept, receive the truth that you are chosen by God. You are a royal priest; God’s very own with a new identity; His child that He now trusts to share His love with all those in your circles. To receive and share His mercy. To embrace and give His grace. To take in His light and be His light. Pray with me now: “Father of Light, what an awesome privilege to be Your vessel through which Your love, grace, mercy, and light can flow in, out, and through to others. Help me to receive all You have for me, not because of my own merits, but Jesus. Help me to accept what You say about me as what I believe. As above, so below.”

Various verses from 1 John, chapter 3: This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. (v. 1) We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. (v. 16) Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. (vs. 18-19) And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. (v. 23) The kind of love we come to understand from God’s Word is vastly different from the love we learn from the world. Today, the definition of love seems to be a moving target. Yet to God, love never changes because He is love. He is the Author of Love. And God wants to write a new message of His love on our hearts every day. How can today’s verses help you keep re-shaping, re-defining your own definition of love? How can it reorient your thinking about the way to love a specific person that comes to mind? Read once more this time from the Message Bible: What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. (v. 1) This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. (v. 16) My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. (vs. 18-19) Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. (v. 23) To God, unconditional love is not optional. Love has no on/off switch. Love is to be found, given, accepted, embraced, and given away from knowing the very heart of God, the only endless supply that impacts the course of our lives, every day. Let’s pray: “Father, thank You that You show us how to love, provide us with the love to share, and then multiply the love we give in Your name. Teach me today to love like You love. As above, so below.”

Acts 4:32-35 NLT All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. All were united in heart and mind. Sharing what they had. No one needy among them. Only God can change the human soul to cooperate, unite, and love like that, selflessly, literally bringing Heaven to earth. Today, His life is available. His love is available. His Spirit can touch our lives to love, care, and share like those first disciples. This passage creates a longing to be united in heart and mind with other believers. Can you make yourself available to love selflessly today? Read once more this time from the Message Bible: The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them. And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need. No matter how independent we may think ourselves to be, we need care. We need help. We need others. True community is finding common ground coupled with unity. Focused on what draws us together, rather than divides. Peace over chaos. Responsibility over rights. Giving. Caring. Loving like Jesus. Let’s pray together: “Lord of all, thank You for Your Spirit that unites us in one heart and mind. Thank You that in You we can meet one another’s needs, share our blessings, and love with the kind of love that only Heaven can give. As above, so below.”

Psalm 95:6-8 NCV Come, let’s worship him and bow down. Let’s kneel before the Lord who made us, because he is our God and we are the people he takes care of, the sheep that he tends. Today listen to what he says. Once we begin to understand that life itself, our very breath, every heartbeat, is provided by and ordained by the Creator, our response is gratitude and adoration for His care and attention to our lives. The analogy of God as a Shepherd is a wonderful picture as we are so often like helpless sheep navigating this life. When was the last time you stopped to just sit quietly and listen to God speak to your heart? Will you do that now Read the psalmist’s words again of God’s care this time from the Message Bible: So come, let us worship: bow before him, on your knees before God, who made us! Oh yes, he’s our God, and we’re the people he pastures, the flock he feeds. Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks: In this moment, worship Him. Bow your heart. Bend your knee. Feel His care. Listen as He speaks to You. Let’s pray: “Great and Good Shepherd, thank You for Your never-ending care. I worship You. I bow both heart and knee before You. I want to listen now as You speak to my spirit. As above, so below.”

Acts 2:42-44 NLT All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. In these few verses, we can feel and sense the community, camaraderie, and commitment among Christ’s followers. God’s Spirit had united His community following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. That same Spirit is alive and available today. To unite us. Lead us. Make us far stronger together than we could ever be alone, sharing our lives with one another and our faith with the world. Do you have this sense of biblical community with other believers in your life? Read again for the Message Bible: They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. Teaching. Fellowship. Sharing. Prayer. Awe. Miracles. Those are the supernatural dynamics that set God’s Kingdom apart from all other communities throughout history. Bringing the supernatural into the natural, the miraculous into the mundane. You were created, born, and destined to be a part of all God is doing today, just as surely as those first disciples. You are here right now for a reason, for a purpose. Think of your community, those you find harmony with. Can you ask God to set your community apart, that others would be in awe at the depth and commitment your have to one another, through Christ that binds you. Ask God to perform wonderful signs through you and your community so that His presence would be magnified. Let’s pray: “God of Wonders, thank You that Your Spirit transforms lives from ordinary to extraordinary. You are still the God of miracles and the God of awe. Thank You for giving me a place in Your community of believers and inviting me to help You change the world. As above, so below.”

Today, we close out Psalm 139 and our focus of how we were each created and designed to be a part of God’s creation and community: (Psalm 139:17-18, 23-24 NLT) How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! … Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:17-18, 23-24 NLT) As good parents, we think of our kids when they are not with us. We wonder what they’re doing, if they are okay, and hope they know we love them. God as the perfect Father is always with us, but even still He keeps us on His mind. His love, grace, and care keep us on His path to a full life today and eternal life to come. Invite God into your thoughts, your heart. Give Him room to show You His love and keep You close to Him today. Take in these words once again, this time from the Message bible: Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! … Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.. How does it feel to know the God of the universe thought are about you right now? You are on His mind, right now. Let’s make the psalmist’s words our prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. As above, so below.”

Psalm 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. The psalmist David tells us how God planned each of us, mapped out our days, every moment with purpose. And then inside our mother’s womb, He formed exactly and accurately the person we would become who could accomplish His plan inside His community of creation. When you have those days where you think your life is random, or an accident, or you question your purpose, remember this truth about your life. Have you considered that no one else in history has ever had your fingerprints, as if God signed the masterpiece He created in you? Listen once again to key phrases this time from the Message Bible: You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. God does indeed have a plan for your life. He made you to fit into His creation and community. No one else can ever be who you are or do what He intends for you alone to accomplish. PRAYER: “Thank You, Father, for my life. Thank You for forming me, as well as Your plan for my days. Help me to trust You and walk with You in each moment You have mapped out for me. As above, so below.”

Psalm 139:7-12 NLT I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Today as we continue in Psalm 139, we are reminded once again that the Kingdom, the community of God is everlasting and ever-present. David’s poetic words paint a picture of a faithful Father always watching, always protecting, always lighting our path, when we find ourselves in dark places, even at times, by our own hand. Psalm 139:9-12 MESSAGE Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. On your best days, God is there. On your worst days, He is there. Even in the darkness, even when the light is hard for you to see, His hand is there to guide you. His strength is available to support you. He can overcome any darkness. All you have to do is just call on Him. There is no where you can go, no depth that you can sink to, no shame that keeps you from your Father’s presence, acceptance and protection. Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, thank You there is no darkness with You. You can shine Your light anywhere I am because of Your always-available presence. Today, I invite Your hand into my life. I receive Your light into my life. As above, so below. AMEN”

Psalm 139:1-5 NLT O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Living within the care and community of God means that He sees every aspect of who we are. What we do and what we don’t. What we say and what we won’t. From our hearts to our homes. From our ways to our work. No matter where we go, He is there. Aware. Available. Active. Can you sense God’s presence everywhere in your life? Listen to the shepherd, king, and psalmist David’s words again this time from the Message Bible: God, I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.… I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. Take a moment to reflect on the last verse: “your reassuring presence, coming and going..” Invite … allow … accept … feel … the Lord’s presence on you right now—for no reason other than to bless you. Let’s pray together: “Thank You, Father, that You know me intimately. My heart. My words. My actions. Everything I do and everywhere I go, You watch over me. Thank You for your blessing today. May my life bless You. As above, so below.”

Genesis 1:26-27, 30-31 NLT Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. … And that is what happened. … Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! God said “let us”—us being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—“in our image.” We were created by a Community, in community, for community. The Father made us, the Son saves us, the Spirit guides us. Right now, when God sees you, when He looks at who you are, He sees you as “very good.” Can you, will you accept today that God looks at you with eyes of love and goodness? Listen again to these key phrases, this time from the Message Bible: God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature. … God created human beings; he created them Reflecting God’s nature..… God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! (Genesis 1:26-27, 30-31 NLT) Right now, close your eyes and picture Your loving heavenly Father, Your Creator, looking at You, inviting You into His community, caring for You, and pleased with who He made you to be. Can you accept that He says this of you right now - God looked over everything he had made, He looks over you and says; it is so good, so very good! Pray with me: “Creator God, Father, thank You that you made me with purpose, for a purpose. You created me to live in community with You and for You. Help me to always remember that I am made in Your image. As above, so below.”