Experiencing Him As Transforming Me By The Renewing Of My Mind

Today, as I walked with the Lord, I shared how grateful I am for the insight he has given me regarding how He renews my mind through the transformation of the inner man. Some months ago He had began to open my understanding of this process by taking me to the Beatitudes that He taught in Matthew 5:1-12. He had shown me that the Beatitudes are like different progressive points of awareness that allow me to participate in seeing and welcoming His changing how I think, how I feel, and how I act or behave.

The first part of the process described as"blessed are the poor in spirit" is the point at which I repeatedly become aware and recognize that I know more about how to follow my own heart than I do about following the Heart of God the Father through Jesus. This awareness happens, for example, each time I find myself being impatient. Suddenly I know, once again, I am following my own heart and not His heart. I am invited, in that moment, to participate in allowing Him to gently and lovingly show me that I am poor in spirit.

The second part of the process continues with "blessed are those who mourn". This is the point at which I am grieved, once again, that I have missed following the Lord's heart. It is the point at which I am further invitated to particpate in His changing me. Once again my grief is not built on guilt, fear, or shame but on a loving and ever so gentle invitation to particitate in allowing Him change me.

The third part of the process follows very closely with the second as "blessed are the humble". This is the point at which I find I am invited to participate in the transformation and renewing of my mind by refusing past patterns to make excuses and justify myself. I am invited, again and again, to keep my conscience and spirit tender and open to His loving correction.

The fourth part of the process is "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness". This is the point at which I am invited to desire deeper and deeper relationship with Jesus. I am invited to say, "What I have gained today will never be enough because I continue to hunger to know Him more and more with each new day".

The fifth part of the process is "blessed are the merciful". This is the point at which I am invited to share with others the same mercy and kindness that Jesus has allowed me to experience in knowing Him. There is a sense of being less critical of others and a desire to understand the uniqueness of what their life has been like and the experiences that have shaped them into who they are today.

The sixth part of this process is "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God". This is the point at which I am often more and more clearly know the difference. The difference between the presence and guidance of my depraved heart and that of Jesus. This is perhaps one of the greatest threats to Satan because his consistent goal is to get us to follow our own heart and not learn to follow the heart of Jesus.

The seventh part of this process is "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God". This too is the point at which not only do we know the difference between following our own heart and the heart of God, but the point at which others begin to notice how Jesus is being allowed to change how we think, how we speak, and how we respond to situations. Now Satan is really angry because people can see the Master's work changing us though our daily living.

And finally, the eight part of this process is the point at where we find ourselves"blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of God". This is the point at which Satan goes into full attack because we are increasingly becoming a threat to his political correctness, performance orientation, guilt, fear, and shame campaign, and the desire to be in control so that we can be our own god. Each one of these threats represent what we brought with us from Satan's kingdom of this world and are more and more refusing to bring into the kingdom of God. Satan hates that we are more and more becoming the salt and light that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 5:13 and 14.

Thank you for joining me in my walk today. I have pondered much and invite you to join me in this important and life transforming journey, as well.