Matthew 5:14
"You are the light of the world..."
Let our light shine in SUCH A WAY. Not just any way, don't just follow the crowd. A specific way.
It's hard to set people free in JESUS when we're struggling with our own personal freedom. We have the weight of the things we're carrying. These issues are on the forefront of our thought process, and so we have a hard time serving Him. Our first thought should be JESUS, not the trials we're going through.
The battle we are engaging in is a battle of the mind, because our mind is not saved yet. We have the same memories and insecurities that we did before. Our mind is still, in many ways, the same mind that we had before. (Basically, it's a Battle of Wits. Don't go up against a Sicilian.)
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to the patterns 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.
What is the difference between saying you can "test and approve" His will instead of "learn to know" His will? Because NLT says that you will learn to know it, but I think that's much different than the one that I memorized (above). Mine is more like we have to discover it, but NLT sounds more like God will teach it to us. I think both have an element of truth... We can't figure it out without Him.
Ephesians 4:22
1 Corinthians 2:14
In 2:16, it's saying we have the ABILITY to receive truth. We cannot misinterpret this when it says we have the mind of Christ.
What is your first thought about who you are? Because it should be that you are a child of God. That He loves you, and it's amazing.
All of us, if we are accepted into the family, are Godly. We are of God, we are His children. Just like an earthly family, the way we act cannot change our acceptance in the family. We might not ACT like we are part of it, but it doesn't change who we are. That is something that can't be taken from us.
Bondage is any area of our life that is out of control. Any behavior or sin in your life that you cannot stop. Where there's bondage, there needs to be freedom.
Matthew 3:7
John the Baptist speaking. "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance."
***note to self, look up lexical considerations on the term "repentance" and "repent". The Greek word metanoeo seems to have some discrepancies in differences of how it's translated, and just from looking at Google it looks like it may not be entirely correct.
In this life, constantly renew your mind, that you would be able to live out the things He's called you to.
