Are you thinking what I am thinking? Article estimated around 90,000 thoughts a day come into your mind. Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Isa 55:8  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. Isa 55:9  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. God commands us to think like He thinks. Deut 6:4 Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your strength. Mar 12:28  Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Mar 12:29  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.  Mar 12:30  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' This is the first commandment. There is an absolute need to change our minds. How am I supposed to do that? Eze 18:30  "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Eze 18:31  Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? Eze 18:32  For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!" Define repentance: perceive with your thinking afterwards, or again. Meta - afterwards Noeo - mind Changing the way I used to think before to God's way afterwards The mind is the key to repentance, the way we think. This is where it starts. When God says My thoughts are not your thoughts, we need to think differently. When we repent, what does that do to my actions? Recognizing your faults and changing your ways are two different things. Is there a difference in how someone appears to have repented and true repentance?   Our actions could say one thing, but what are our motives? Two people could do exactly the same actions, but have to different reasons. Are right actions the result of right reasons? Could people follow the law, but do it for the wrong reasons? Just because you don't commit adultery, are you still not sinning? Just by not committing sin does not mean you are repentant. Israel kept the commandments, but did that mean they were repentant? God was concerned with their inward motivation. Why am I doing the right things? Could the Sabbath be meaningless to God? If we are doing it for the wrong reasons. Repentance is something that you cannot see. It may have that same outward appearance. How can I know if I am truly repentant. Eph 4:17  This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, Eph 4:18  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; Eph 4:19  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Eph 4:20  But you have not so learned Christ, Eph 4:21  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: Eph 4:22  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, Eph 4:23  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, Eph 4:24  and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.   Vs. 23 - change our minds - through the power of the spirit of God. We have made a binding commitment to God. When we have gotten our own thoughts out of the way, that is when real change can happen.   How do we change? If we had hands laid on us, we have the power of God's spirit. Spiritually healthy thinking. God gives us the power and ability to change, but it is up to me to be the one to change. I have free moral agency. It is under my control.  We can think different from them world. Look at things like you never saw it before. Reject things that are in opposition with God.   Cognitive restructuring - mind mapping Do we put all of our mental capacities into being like God? We have the mind of God in the Bible - we need to learn and know the truth. If I don't know this, how can I know what the truth is. Psa 119:11  Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. I have stored up your word. I know Your way, it is embedded in my brain. I need to saturate my mind with God's word. What is my prevailing thought during the day. My mind is like a sponge and I have soaked in all of the Word of God. Make it my habit to think about His teachings. If something comes up, how do I act. Col 1:26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. We are to strive for perfection in Christ. This is our goal. Is there change, is there difference. I need to make sure that my dominant thought is pure, and good, and right. Choose not to look at the temporary things. Make it a habit. Make it a choice everyday. I need to think like a disciple.   We need to plant the seeds if we are going to develop the crop. Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,     Let the mind of our Master be the Master of our mind. 

Steve Myers

Beyond Today Presenter, Operation Manager

Steve is the Operation Manager for the Ministerial and Member Services department of the United Church of God. He is also an instructor at Ambassador Bible College as well as a host on the Beyond Today television program.  Together, he and his wife, Kathe, have served God and His people for over 25 years.