Be transformed

At the close of the Have you enrolled into Bible School post, we established that time spent in His presence, or the hearing of the word, changes our understanding and insight, conforming it to the mind of Christ.  Likewise, I find it is safe to assume that not spending time in the word will cause our mind to conform to the views and ways of our surrounds.  

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  (ROMANS 12:2 KJV)

 Let’s define transformed: it is to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of.  Another synonym of transformed, commonly used throughout scripture, is converted.  Similarly defined as: to change the nature of.

We have been so created by God, that our mind has the ability to be molded and influenced to perceive information a certain way. Either we will think as the world has conditioned us to think, or we will see the world through the eyes of scripture.  There is a constant battle between the two, the fight is to have dominion or influence over your soul, which is made up of the mind, emotions, and will.    

Perhaps I can illustrate. Last summer I took my children to a local park.  A young mother was there with her son, and as the children were playing, we gradually began conversing and exchanging our experiences of the joyful and/or stressful demands of parenthood.  I learned she had recently relocated to our small town with her spouse and son.  Both parents, very friendly and hardworking, were recently employed with honorable positions by our top private colleges.  As we shared our stories, I marveled at her academic achievements, but soon began to realize how different our outlooks and views really were. First, she was pleasantly surprised, if not dismayed, when I told her that my husband and I had recently celebrated our 10-year anniversary.  “It’s such a big number!”, she exclaimed, as if it was unattainable to her.  What stunned her most was the fact that my husband and I were both in our early 20s when we got married, and that we already had four children.  She politely confessed that she was under the impression that young adults at that age really cannot make such rational decisions, let alone raise well-behaved children.  I was saddened a bit of how critical she was of her 3-year-old son, referring to him as her “nut-case”.  A realization had occurred to me, her views were grounded on studied and proven secular standards, and also on the cultural statistics of our time.  I would have developed the same views, had I not been conditioned to believe otherwise.  

Psychology will tell you that repetitive and constant intake of a certain information or message will get stored from your short-term memory, the conscious mind, into your long term-memory, the subconscious mind. Biblically, the subconscious mind is referred to as the heart.    

The world is constantly sending us messages, through television, social media, and other such sources.  We willingly and unconsciously conform to them.  For instance, here is a common one: happiness and content is looking a certain way or the possession of certain things.  I am certain most will verbally acknowledge that this is a deception, however, will also admit feeling unwillingly naturally drawn to those things.  It was through the repetitive exposure of this message, that the deception became embedded in the heart (the subconscious mind).  The fact that they are able to verbally acknowledge the deception with their conscious mind doesn’t change how they truly feel (subconsciously).  The change has to occur in the subconscious mind, or biblically, the heart.   

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he... (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)

 

This is why Jesus boldly declared:

 

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (Matthew 15:8 KJV)

 

 

The Word is so powerful that it is able to alter and influence the heart, your subconscious mind.  

 

The psalmist writes:                                                                                                                                          The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Ps. 19:7 KJV).

Also, Paul writes to the Hebrews:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

Every deception must be confronted or replaced with the truth, in the heart. 

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31 KJV).

Notice: If you continue in my word. 

The vitality of remaining in the word is constantly emphasized throughout scripture! Either you will allow it to mold your heart, or the world will.  Begin by filtering the messages you are allowing to become embedded into your heart.  

Russell Kelfer of DTM ministries, one of my favorite Biblical teachers, has once explained it this way. We have been downloaded with a malfunctioning computer software program, that is on a collision course.  We need to reprogram the software by deleting the existing one, and replacing it with one proven to be able to complete all the functions it was designed to complete. 

(I reworded it to the best of my remembrance as I was unable to locate the actual written source.)

Supporting text:

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (Hebrews 10:16 KJV)

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 KJV)

 

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8 KJV)