NEW MIND: HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND...???? REALLY!?

  With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
This past weekend I spent my time with those that some might consider the least of these, our youth.  Mind you I don't believe them to be the LEAST by any stretch, I rather believe they are my future, and like Christ sternly instructed us not to keep His children from Him, I took sometime to learn and invest in our futures.   What I want to communicate is simply some of nuggets we received getting away from the culture that we are so steeped in and are affected by, to see what is it that GOD is and would like to say to us.

I submit to you this.....since accepting CHRIST what has changed?  Paul is writing to the Church of Ephesus because He's heard that there are things going on in the CHURCH BODY that shouldn't be...and I believe while that applied to the Ephesian church then, it very much applies to the BODY right now.   He speaks to how closed their minds are and how hardened their hearts have become.   What about you.......are you closed minded to people thinking differently than you?  Are you closed minded to people that live differently, or not in the same locale as you?   Do you judged people based on "What High School, or College they went to or didn't?"    Have you developed a cynical heart towards people of different races, socioeconomic statuses, or based on how they look or are dressed?

Since everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING start with a thought......how is your thought life?  Are there people you would rather just not see at your job, in your church, your neighborhood, your world?   Does Jesus agree with you on YOUR FEELINGS regarding those certain people, and their beliefs? Is it possible He even loves them?  Does your heart beat, and break for ALL people as His does?  

Paul then attempts to turn our attention to the fact that since we have desires and agendas that don't match those of the ones LEARNED by FOLLOWING JESUS that we need to throw off our old sinful natures and have a renewed mind and attitude.  I wonder for those that have taken the time to read this.....what type of attitude would Christ say you have with those considered the LEAST of THESE in our society?   Is it jaded.....is it apathetic......what would your be toward _______________________________ (fill in the blank) and do the homework as it relates to HOW JESUS dealt with  them.....because if I said find the scripture...you'd spend your time looking for one to justify your feelings, which is actually witchcraft, because you are using it for your own selfish purposes......but I challenge you to find HOW JESUS dealt with...even JUDAS who HE KNEW WAS GOING TO BETRAY HIM...how did HE TREAT HIM.   

I DIGRESS....have you lost your (OLD) mind? Or do you still think the old way, and so much so that your heart has hardened to being as loving as CHRIST models and commands us to be.  LGLP