Comments on: Your Mind Matters 3: The Mind in Christian Life http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2009/06/your-mind-matters-3-the-mind-in-christian-life/ From InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:44:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: miller peck http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2009/06/your-mind-matters-3-the-mind-in-christian-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1096 miller peck Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:43:52 +0000 http://blog.emergingscholars.org/?p=1114#comment-1096 It may be that new believers need pushing like a mule (psalm 32:9). But later we have more of the mind of Christ in making wise decisions. I rely on James' encouragement: "if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God who will respond without belittling us" It's not a voice. The Holy Spirit works through our normal thought processes. I usually prepare class at the last minute, and have to ask for His wisdom fast. Thankfully new thoughts often come to mind on what to do in today's class. Why do charismatic signs feel more spiritual I am pleased to see students able to do most of a project using their own thinking, and not expecting me to prod them at each step. I want to give guidance and encouragement, but not do it for them. Could God be pleased to see us making wise decisions based on our growing understanding of His Word , His ways of thinking, and His presence in our intimate times with Him Why are we afraid to make decisions? So we pray, study Scripture, consult others, think through options, knowing the Holy Spirit is in all of this. Then we make a decision and move forward. (One senior said she wasn't doing anything about plans for the following year. "I'm just waiting to hear from the Lord"). As we move forward we do know that God can stop us when He has plans we don't know about. Proverbs 16:9 "We make plans with our minds, but the Lord directs our steps." The reality for me is not much on seeking guidance but on "the Lord is my Shepherd, He leads me"... usually in ways unseen except in retrospect. It may be that new believers need pushing like a mule (psalm 32:9). But later we have more of the mind of Christ in making wise decisions. I rely on James’ encouragement: “if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God who will respond without belittling us” It’s not a voice. The Holy Spirit works through our normal thought processes. I usually prepare class at the last minute, and have to ask for His wisdom fast. Thankfully new thoughts often come to mind on what to do in today’s class.

Why do charismatic signs feel more spiritual I am pleased to see students able to do most of a project using their own thinking, and not expecting me to prod them at each step. I want to give guidance and encouragement, but not do it for them. Could God be pleased to see us making wise decisions based on our growing understanding of His Word , His ways of thinking, and His presence in our intimate times with Him Why are we afraid to make decisions?

So we pray, study Scripture, consult others, think through options, knowing the Holy Spirit is in all of this. Then we make a decision and move forward. (One senior said she wasn’t doing anything about plans for the following year. “I’m just waiting to hear from the Lord”). As we move forward we do know that God can stop us when He has plans we don’t know about. Proverbs 16:9 “We make plans with our minds, but the Lord directs our steps.”

The reality for me is not much on seeking guidance but on “the Lord is my Shepherd, He leads me”… usually in ways unseen except in retrospect.

]]> By: Micheal Hickerson http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2009/06/your-mind-matters-3-the-mind-in-christian-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1094 Micheal Hickerson Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:49:14 +0000 http://blog.emergingscholars.org/?p=1114#comment-1094 Kelly, great comment about the connection between mind and emotion. In the contemporary West, we tend to assume a sharp distinction between mind and emotion, a distinction that did not exist in ancient Hebrew culture. Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us to love God "with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength," yet Jesus cites that verse as "with all your heart, all your soul, <b>all your mind</b>, and all your strength." Jesus is not adding a new idea to Deuteronomy, but the Hebrew word (poorly) translated as "soul" - <i>nephesh</i> - means something more like "your entire self, your being, your innermost essence," while the "heart," in Hebrew culture, was considered the seat of reason (at least, so far as I understand). Jesus' words - brought to us in Greek - had to add "mind" to the list so that the Greek translations of Hebrew words would not misleadingly exclude our reason. In this book and in ESN in general, we focus on the mind (partly to correct a neglect we see elsewhere in the church), but we must always include these other aspects of ourselves - emotion, heart, body, and so on. Thank you for the reminder. Kelly, great comment about the connection between mind and emotion. In the contemporary West, we tend to assume a sharp distinction between mind and emotion, a distinction that did not exist in ancient Hebrew culture. Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us to love God “with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength,” yet Jesus cites that verse as “with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Jesus is not adding a new idea to Deuteronomy, but the Hebrew word (poorly) translated as “soul” – nephesh – means something more like “your entire self, your being, your innermost essence,” while the “heart,” in Hebrew culture, was considered the seat of reason (at least, so far as I understand). Jesus’ words – brought to us in Greek – had to add “mind” to the list so that the Greek translations of Hebrew words would not misleadingly exclude our reason. In this book and in ESN in general, we focus on the mind (partly to correct a neglect we see elsewhere in the church), but we must always include these other aspects of ourselves – emotion, heart, body, and so on. Thank you for the reminder.

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2009/06/your-mind-matters-3-the-mind-in-christian-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1066 Kelly Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:39:26 +0000 http://blog.emergingscholars.org/?p=1114#comment-1066 I've been thinking as I've been reading this book that in practice Christianity is about a blending of the mind and emotion/feeling. Obviously this is a book about the mind, so other aspects of Christianity are not going to get as much attention. But I think that's the neat thing about God and faith - it's attributes are encompassing and capable of reaching anyone. I am in science - a highly technical and intellectual field. Our brains are on overdrive all the time, and generally in critical mode. So I've noticed that what touches me the most is the fact that God is love, and can speak to us through beauty and art and a friend's shoulder to cry on when we need it. It stands out from all the other "background noise" of every day life, because it makes me stop and take notice. At the same time, as an intellectual person, I do appreciate that faith is supported by history and what I see in the world around me. So it makes sense to me that Christian faith and guidance should make proper use of the mind. I’ve been thinking as I’ve been reading this book that in practice Christianity is about a blending of the mind and emotion/feeling. Obviously this is a book about the mind, so other aspects of Christianity are not going to get as much attention. But I think that’s the neat thing about God and faith – it’s attributes are encompassing and capable of reaching anyone.

I am in science – a highly technical and intellectual field. Our brains are on overdrive all the time, and generally in critical mode. So I’ve noticed that what touches me the most is the fact that God is love, and can speak to us through beauty and art and a friend’s shoulder to cry on when we need it. It stands out from all the other “background noise” of every day life, because it makes me stop and take notice.

At the same time, as an intellectual person, I do appreciate that faith is supported by history and what I see in the world around me. So it makes sense to me that Christian faith and guidance should make proper use of the mind.

]]> By: Amy http://blog.emergingscholars.org/2009/06/your-mind-matters-3-the-mind-in-christian-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1062 Amy Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:21:33 +0000 http://blog.emergingscholars.org/?p=1114#comment-1062 "…although God promises to guide us, we must not expect him to do so in the way in which we guide horses and mules. He will not use a bit and bridle with us. For we are not horses or mules; we are human beings." Thanks for posting that quote. I think I often have the same hesitations as you do about making decisions. The perspective of the quote is something to chew on! “…although God promises to guide us, we must not expect him to do so in the way in which we guide horses and mules. He will not use a bit and bridle with us. For we are not horses or mules; we are human beings.”

Thanks for posting that quote. I think I often have the same hesitations as you do about making decisions. The perspective of the quote is something to chew on!

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