As Stan and I were waiting for Ricky to bring our breakfast one morning at the Twelve Baskets Cafe, he mentioned that in his journaling time earlier that day he’d focused on the mindset of a disciple.
“The mindset of a disciple?”
“Yeah, Stan said. “The apostle Paul wrote about that in his letter to the church in Rome.”
“He wrote about the mindset of a disciple?”
“While he didn’t use the word, ‘mindset,’ Stan admitted, “he did write about the consequences of how and where we set our minds.”
“Mindset versus setting our minds,” I replied. “Sounds about the same to me. What’d Paul write?”
“That people who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
“Okay,” I said, “so those people who are disciples, or at least claim to be, would set their minds on the Spirit rather than on the flesh. What do you think that should look like?”
“Pretty much what Jesus said when He was talking to some people about what they needed to do in order to follow Him.”
“Is that the ‘deny self’ thing?”
“It is,” Stan agreed. “Jesus said we are to deny ourselves and take up what He has for us to take up every day. If we do that, then we can follow Him with the mindset of a disciple!”
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Bible verses to consider:
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his own life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” Luke 9:23-24.
. . . I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly. John 10:10.
The fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way to life with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on this side of eternity I don’t have the mindset of a disciple. I don’t deny what I want to do apart from you, I don’t take up each day what you have for me to take up, and, as a result, I don’t follow as you intend. Please forgive that foolishness and help me with what you know I need to have the mindset of a disciple. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Can you have the mindset of a disciple of Jesus because you’ve accepted what He accomplished by His finished work on the cross? If no, why do you choose to remain separated from God both now and forever? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with having the mindset of a disciple? If you sense the need for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need, not only to be a disciple of Jesus, but what you need to have the mindset of a disciple? Spend time studying God’s word, praying, reflecting, and journaling to see what God knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know others who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?