Scripture of The Day
April 5, 2021
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7, NKJV)
By Ed Henderson
What is this “sound mind” that God has given us? The original Greek translation of this word means disciplined; controlled; sober. It includes qualities such as: *Being self-controlled. It’s not controlled by anyone or anything outside of itself—including people, circumstances, impulses, emotions, intellect, and especially not fear. It stays in control at all times. Even when faced by problems with no easy solutions, it remains anchored to the truth as defined by God and His Word.
*Being discerning. It distinguishes wisely between alternatives. It discerns between reality and fantasy, good and evil, effective and ineffective, worthwhile and worthless. It’s the faculty that enables us to make good decisions in difficult situations. *Being focused. Like a laser beam, it has the capacity to lock in on a desired target. Like a finely tuned receiver, it can minimize distortion and resist competing sound waves. It limits interference, uncertainty and confusion. Once it’s “set on task,” a sound mind will help you concentrate your energies on fulfilling the important priorities in your life. *Being orderly. It is a process-oriented mind, operating with cause/effect logic. It’s concerned with getting you from A to B—goal to realization—by a series of orderly steps that contribute to the fulfillment of your purpose. Your mind is a wonderful gift from God that can help you make wise decisions and avoid tragedies. I am reminded of that great line in the movie “The Help” where Aibileen repeatedly spoke these encouraging words to the young girl she was helping to raise, “You Is Smart, You Is Kind, You Is Important”. YOU ARE TOO!!! There are no limits to this gift, so use it wisely and use it for His Glory!
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14, KJV) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:16, KJV) I will bless the Lord, who advises me: even at night I am instructed in the depths of my mind. (Psalm 16:7, CEB)
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10, KJV)
*(Thanks to Bob Gass Ministries for some of the wording that has been reprinted in this devotional.)
