Becoming like Jesus part 5 The renewing of the mind continued

Part 11 Becoming like Jesus part 5

The renewing of the mind continued
We will continue with the scripture

Romans 12:2

Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

The Bible clearly states that Jesus is the Word of God.

John 1:1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14	And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

If Jesus is the Word of God, then the scriptures contain a portion of that mind.
We need the scriptures in our heart and mind in order to replace false concepts with truth.
As truth from the scriptures is made real to us by the Holy Spirit, that revelation renews a portion of our mind. It is not enough to just read the scriptures; revelation is needed to renew the mind. Note what Jesus said in regards to this.

John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It is very important that you understand this. As a child I grew up in a Godly home and I was taught every day to read a portion of scripture, I diligently did this, but no one told me how to receive revelation. When Jesus quickens the Word to us, it has a life changing affect upon us. You can read right through the bible but it will not have a life changing affect on you unless, it is made real, or quickened to you by the Holy Spirit.
Mediation
Often when the word meditation is mentioned people think of New Age practices. Firstly let us understand, Satan counterfeits everything in the Kingdom of God, and the fact that there is a counterfeit, indicates that there must be the real thing.
Meditation is one of the most important spiritual laws of the spirit realm. The new age movement only recently discovered this law relatively speaking. When they began to practice this it took them into the spiritual ream, however because the focus was not upon Jesus, His word, and His kingdom, they entered the dark realm of the satanic.
There was nothing wrong with the law; it is the focus that makes the difference.
I read a report the other day by a Christian leader who was criticizing the prophetic movement, in this report he used the phrase (I paraphrase) this teaching is lifted strait out of the New Age movement?, he is fundamentally wrong. These truths the new age movement lifted this strait from the bible. What you focus upon you will connect with, good or evil.
Both the Hebrew and the Greek words for meditation have similar meanings.

Hebrew Meditate	hagah	means to mutter, murmur, speak, study.
	hawgooth	means to muse or musing.
	siyach	means to ponder with oneself aloud.
Greek Meditate	meletao	means to revolve in the mind, to imagine.

Biblical meditation means to contemplate, to talk over with yourself, to muse, to ponder, to revolve or turn over in your mind, to imagine.
How to meditate
1st you need to know, what you are going to meditate upon.
This can be very varied; you could start with a scripture verse, or maybe meditate upon God or Jesus. You can meditate upon what God has called you to, or upon a promise God has given you. The list goes on. You must then still your self and become very quiet within, then you ponder talk over with your self, imagine, muse over, as you do this with your heart toward God in love, revelation will begin to flow. It takes practice and it takes time but as you do it revelation will come, faith will be imparted and you will be strengthened. This is part of the process of mind renewal.
Rhema and Logos
It is important to understand and distinguish between the two Greek words Rhema and Logos. The word Rhema is used 70 times in the New Testament and Logos is used 331 times.
Rhema has the thought of a s personal word, a spoken word to the heart, a quickened word, that which is spoken in speech. Whereas Logos refers to the whole of the word of God the scriptures
3056. logos, log'-os; from G3004; something said (including the thought); also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extens. a computation; spec. (with concerning, doctrine, X have to do, intent, matter, reason, + reckon
4487. rhema, hray'-mah; from G4483; an utterance ( saying, word.)
You can read the Logos the written word and not have revelation or the Word quickened to you. It takes Rhema a quickened word to impart revelation.
Examples:

John 6:63	It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (Rhema) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
17	And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (Rhema)of God:

We live, or receive life from the Rhema the quickened word of God, and it is the Rhema that renews or mind.
When you receive Rhema or a quickened word from God, old values, and concepts that are contrary to Gods Word (Mind) are erased as new values and truth replace them.
The problem is incompatibility between our Spirit and our soul or mind. This blocks the flow of light through us.
Two kinds of knowledge
Two Greek word for knowledge are used in the New Testament.
Gnosis and Epignosis
Gnosis is the Greek word for intellectual knowledge, that which is learned by the mind.
1108. gnosis, gno'-sis; from G1097; knowing (the act), i.e. (by impl.) knowledge:--knowledge, science
Epignosis is the Greek word for knowledge acquired through a spiritual encounter
922. epignosis, ep-ig'-no-sis; from G1921; recognition, i.e. (by impl.) full discernment, acknowledgment:--(ac-) knowledge (-ing, -ment). Implies a thorough participation, on the part of the person receiving it.
Epignosis is knowledge by encounter or participation i.e. revelation by a supernatural encounter with the spirit of revelation.

Eph 1:17	That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
1:18	The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

As we allow love to become our only motive, and we continue to behold the Lord meditation on him, as we allow the quickened word to reprogram our minds with truth, transformation will begin and we will change rapidly more and more into His image as the process of transfiguration gets under way
God Bless you
Neville Johnson © 2004