Thinking God’s Thoughts
God’s Word has a lot to say about our minds and our thinking. God has given us new lives as well as a new way of thinking. We have to let God’s truth determine how we think and live.
Change Your Thinking
(5) Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
How does what controls us affect our thinking?
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
(2) Do not conform to the pattern 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.
Ephesians 4:23-24 (NIV)
(23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
(24) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
How does God transform us? What do we need to do?
(7) For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
What has God given us to help us with our thinking?
God’s Thoughts
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
(7) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
(8) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord .
(9) “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
How is God’s thinking different to ours?
Psalms 139:13-18 (NIV)
(13) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
(14) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
(15) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
(16) Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(17) How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
(18) Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
(11) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
What are God’s thoughts about us?
Good Thinking
(25) “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
(26) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
(27) Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
(28) “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
(29) Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
(30) If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
(31) So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
(32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
(33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Why should we not worry?
When we think God’s way we will have His peace and we will know His will. (Philippians 4:9, Romans 12:2)
Philippians 4:9 (NIV)
(9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
(2) Do not conform to the pattern 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.
Match the following verses with the things we should be thinking about.
Psalm 1:2-3 (NIV)
(2) but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night.
(3) That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
Psalm 119:148 (NIV)
(148) My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
(4) not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
(8) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
(9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Colossians 3:2 (NIV)
(2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)
(24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
Heaven, Eternity
God’s Word
God’s promise
Other people
Encouraging others
Good things
Ask a Friend
- Can you share a story of changing your thinking?
- What can you do to stop thinking the wrong way?
Application
(23) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
What part of your thinking do you need to change?
What verse can you apply to the areas that you need to change?
Prayer Model
Father God, thank You for giving me new life and a new way of thinking. Please help me to change the way I think as I study Your Word.
Key Verse
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern 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.”
