Rodney Howard Browne Louisville

A Clear Mind by Rodney Howard Browne

You cannot think wrongly and live rightly. If you are thinking properly, your life will be on track because the Holy Spirit will enable you to achieve and become what He has in mind. As Christians, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). That means that we have the capacity to think the way the Lord Jesus Christ thinks and to view our circumstances from His perspective.

To see as Christ does is often at odds with how the world sees. For example, to the non-spiritual mind, there appears to be nothing positive about death. But believers know the truth about death and life eternal—for them, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8) Similarly, when we encounter other hardships, we can be thankful because “ . . . we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28). But since the world doesn’t understand that, they accuse us of being confused. We’re not confused—knowing what the Scriptures say on the subject, we understand God’s viewpoint, which is truth.

So how can we keep our minds from being confused by the world, cluttered with its vain philosophies, and corrupted by its system? Romans 12:2 tells us, “ . . . Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Just as a computer needs good software, we must program our minds with truth: daily meditation on God’s Word and His principles.

• 1.
• Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

• 2.
• Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

• 3.
• Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

• 4.
• I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

• 5.
• That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

• 6.
• Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

• 7.
• So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

• 8.
• Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• 9.
• God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

• 10.
• Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

• 11.
• For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

• 12.
• Now this I say , that every one of you saith , I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

• 13.
• Is Christ divided ? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

• 14.
• I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

• 15.
• Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

• 16.
• And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

• 17.
• For Christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel : not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect .

• 18.
• For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

• 19.
• For it is written , I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

• 20.
• Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

• 21.
• For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe .

• 22.
• For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

• 23.
• But we preach Christ crucified , unto the Jews a stumblingblock , and unto the Greeks foolishness;

• 24.
• But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

• 25.
• Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

• 26.
• For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

• 27.
• But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

• 28.
• And base things of the world, and things which are despised , hath God chosen , yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are :

• 29.
• That no flesh should glory in his presence .

• 30.
• But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

• 31.
• That, according as it is written , He that glorieth , let him glory in the Lord.

MEEKNESS by Rodney Howard Browne

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MEEKNESS

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

The Greek word for “meekness” here does not mean weakness, but rather it has to do with humility. When you have humility you have a teachable spirit and you esteem and regard others more highly than yourself. You are humble toward God and man. You do not promote yourself, but you exalt the Lord in everything.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a Cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:3-11 NIV

Humility is not selfish, nor is it pushy. Humility puts the interests of others above its own. Jesus did not first consider His own welfare or His own best interests when He agreed to be born into the earth in the body of a man. He was not thinking of Himself when He took the place of man, taking man’s sin upon Himself, being judged on man’s behalf, and dying a cruel death on the cross. Jesus was thinking only of His Father and of us. His Father asked Him to take our place and bring us back into His family. His sacrifice would save and redeem us. And because Jesus humbled Himself – Almighty God highly exalted Him!

The meekness – humility — demonstrated by Jesus was not weakness, but it was the fruit of power. He was not meek because He could not help Himself — He was meek because He had the infinite resources of God at His command! When the soldiers who were sent by the chief priests came to arrest Jesus, His disciples tried to defend Him. He told them to put their swords away because He had more than 60,000 angels (twelve legions) at His disposal — all He had to do was to ask for them (Matthew 26:53). Jesus humbled Himself by laying His life down, even though He had heaven on His side. No one could have laid a finger on Him without His consent.

Therefore putting aside all filthiness and {all} that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:21-22 NAS

When you are humble you are teachable. You receive God’s Word for your own life and allow it to discipline and correct you. You hear the Word and you do it. When you are humble you allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and teach you without excuses or rebellion. You obey the Spirit instantly and precisely. You conduct your life in the way that the Word and the Lord leads you to.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 NIV

When you are full of God’s Word and when you have grown in His wisdom then you will display humility. A wise person is also a humble person. Proverbs 12:15 and 15:5 says that a person who thinks that he knows everything and refuses instruction is a fool.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 KJV

Even when you have grown in the Lord and have become a very spiritual person, bringing correction and speaking into the lives of others, you must do it with a humble attitude. If you have a humble attitude then you will protect your own heart and you will not be tempted to fall into sin yourself. People who try to bring correction to others in an arrogant, know-it-all attitude tend to end up falling into sin themselves. When you are humble, you do not believe that you are infallible. You do not have to walk in constant fear of falling into sin, but by the grace of God you should guard yourself, never allowing yourself to be put into a situation where you could be faced with temptation. You avoid the very appearance of evil.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” When your head is lifted up in pride – you can’t see where your feet are going. You cannot see the trap that the devil would like to set for you. Humble yourself and let God do the exalting. You know that you are humble when you don’t care about being exalted anymore!

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 NKJ