Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

Joshua 1:8, This Book of the Law [the Word of God] shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Congratulations! You’ve reached the conclusion of this devotional book, but not the end of your journey. Use this final day to review the principles you have learned and the decisions you’ve taken.

Wrapping Up

• Look over your daily notes and comments.
• Pray, asking God for wisdom and a plan to follow through on what your have gained.
• Think about people you can help grow stronger or find new life in Christ. Share the RENEW book with another person.
• Praise God and celebrate His goodness in your life!

Use the link below or send me an email with your testimony about how this book and devotional process has blessed you.

~ Pastor Bryan Hudson

Online Form: My Testimony of Change and a Better Life

www.BryanHudson.com
www.NewCovenant.org
www.VisionBooksMedia.com

Jesus asked His disciples a question they could not answer from their intellect alone.

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Most of the disciples could only compare Jesus with people they could think about, like John the Baptist or Elijah. However, Peter reached beyond his intellect to receive information from God. This was an example of having the Mind of Christ.

The only person who can tell us about God is the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

If we live only by what is familiar, we will be unable to handle the greater challenges and opportunities of life. Operating in the Mind of Christ is the single most important factor to understand the ways of God and living in consistent victory.

What is the mind of Christ?

The mind of Christ represents special grace to share in the thoughts, plans and motives of God. Having the Mind of Christ is one of the benefits of being a Christian. He who is joined to the

Lord is one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

This is the reason that the task of renewing the mind is so essential. We cannot have the mind of Christ apart from renewing our mind. When we learn to think on a higher level, we will be able to live on a higher level.

Reflection Question: What are two examples of the mind of Christ active in your life?

Philippians 4:8, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. (Proverbs 16:3)

Thinking works like a thermostat. You set the temperature and the device signals the HVAC to turn on and distribute either heating or cooling. More than any other factor, how we think regulates our environment and either stabilizes or destabilizes our lives.

Factors that affect us have two sources: Extrinsic and Intrinsic. Extrinsic means, “Coming from the outside of something.” Intrinsic means, “Belonging to the essential nature of a thing: occurring as a natural part of something.”

Circumstances like your work environment, economic state, or actions of other people are all extrinsic factors that you cannot always control. Thinking is an intrinsic factor that you can entirely control. I once heard a person say, “When you change, your circumstances will change.” I did not agree with the statement until I considered the power of thinking and living in the presence of God.

“Commitment” happens first in the heart. According to Proverbs, commitment leads to established thoughts. Combining instructions from Philippians and Proverbs, it is easy to see the benefits of thinking positively.

Reflection Question: What extrinsic factors can you control or change to support better thinking? Key insight I gained today:

http://inspirationimages.zenfolio.com/p746634892

NOTE: Excerpt from "Renew: Principles of Change for a Better Life." Get the ebook or book
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“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you and why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:2-3)

Critical Listening • The word “critical” is defined as, “exhibiting the spirit of one who looks for and points out faults and defects.” Communication often fails because of critical listening that is more concerned about finding faults than in understanding the content and meaning of the message. Critical listeners are not motivated to learn and grow. Critical listeners often develop a self-righteous attitude that seeks to obtain or maintain a superior position. At the same time, such persons are often frustrated with others for not listening to them.

Active Listening • Active listening allows us to hear without the limitations of passive, convenient, or critical listening. This should be our goal. “Active” is defined as: “Not waiting to be acted upon. Prepared to apply what is heard and act on it—regardless of the circumstances.”

James 1:25 says, “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

Active listeners always hear because they are prepared to do what they have heard. According to James, such persons are “blessed” in their efforts. People who rise to positions of authority and responsibility are usually those who have learned to be active listeners. People of strong faith have learned how to listen to God, meditate on the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to lead them in every endeavor of life. Again, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Reflection Question: What are 1-2 ways that you are going to practice active listening?

Hebrews 2:1, Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

What measure of hearing do you use? That is, to what degree do you open your mind and heart to hear instruction and direction? There are four ways in which all of us choose to listen, which affects how we hear.

Passive Listening • Passive means, “not active, but acted upon.” Passive people are generally sluggish and disengaged—believing that “whatever will be, will be.” Passive listeners only “perk up” when something is said that has the promise of easing their burdens or bringing more comfort into their lives.

A passive listener is the kind of person who ignores the importance of changing the oil in his automobile every 3000-5000 miles. Passive listeners tend to take action when trouble arises. Passive listeners tend not to act until they are acted upon. Passive listeners labor under a great number of self-inflicted problems.

Convenient Listening • Convenient is defined as, “Situated within easy reach.” The convenient listener only applies his heart to hear when the information or task is within easy reach. The best things in life are not usually within easy reach. We should not live with a sense of entitlement. We should live with a sense of purpose and responsibility.

Jesus says something that sounds strange on first hearing, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (John 11:12).

He was not talking about physical violence in this text. He was talking about being willing to take action. We call it being “proactive.” Convenient listeners do not embrace this approach to life.

Reflection Question: What areas of passive or convenient listening need to be corrected?