Welcome Back to the Path
Renew the Mind
Stepping Stone #6
How to Renew the Mind Counseling
How to Change Your Mind
James 1:4
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing.
I trust you're taking just one step each day. If you try and build on
top of something before the glue dries, your project will not turn
out very strong. We want it to be perfect!
Great to be with you again ...
Today I have an exciting new project for you that will help you
remove your problem(s). As you know, every garden should have the
nutrients it needs to feed and nourish it. No doubt about it, natural
fertilizer is a wonderful answer for a stronger healthier and more
fruitful garden.
Weeds rob your soil from all those valuable nutrients that are
necessary for a thriving garden, so we need to replace the nutrients
that all those pesky weeds have robbed so that it's rich and fertile
once again and you can begin to produce more fruit for the Lord.
Miracle Grow
This new How to Renew the Mind Counseling program is a way of showing God your
dedication to being free of your problem. It's also a way of goal
setting. You've probably heard many times that it's a proven fact,
when you write down your goals on paper, your chances of attaining
those goals are tremendously higher than if you don't.
As we discussed in the Trinity
study ... You are made up into three individual parts yet are one
entity. There is the Soul, the Spirit and the Body. Your Miracle Grow
project will help you to strengthen your mind (soul), body, and
spirit. In doing so, it's like a preventive maintenance program to
avoid and resist new weeds from taking root and old problems from
resurfacing in your life.
As you sojourn along this how to change your mind trail you will need
to remember that your mind (the soul) controls your body (flesh) and
your emotions (spirit), so strengthening your mind is a very
important exercise. Your mind (Soul) tells your body (flesh) and your
emotions (your spirit) to act and react to thoughts that your mind
(Soul) has within.
Sounds strange huh? Well let me show you just how normal it is.
Take a quick Renew the mind side-bar with me ... Imagine if you will ...You
are having an absolutely Son-sational day and suddenly you get a call
from a friend who tells you that your friend of 20 years has died.
You hear this news and it enters the mind (soul) ... You then think
sad thoughts and immediately your emotions (spirit) are affected and
you feel different than you did 30 seconds earlier.
Your body (flesh) changes in that you can feel weak and tears are
created from your eyes. All this from one thought that entered your
mind. It is a natural procedure within humans. This procedure within
us works the same for all thoughts. Whether the thought be that of
anger, jealousy, lust, fear, doubt or pride ... Or good thoughts such
as love, understanding, forgiveness, faith and compassion ...
What you believe is what you receive.
Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all
things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Matthew 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say
unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only
do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto
this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it
shall be done.
Think about this Truth.
But, what if we controlled those thoughts that enter our mind (soul)
... Would we not then be able to control our emotions (spirit) and
our body (flesh)? How do you strengthen your mind (soul)? With
knowledge of the Truth. After removing the seeds within as we have
been performing and filling your mind with Truth, it will help you
discern good seeds from bad seeds (thoughts).
Now, just hold on here a
minute ... Is this one of those new wave or scientific
theories? Where did we get this
ideology from?
The answer is ...
The Bible
We are told to ... Think good thoughts.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
Paul is telling us that we should control our thoughts and think on
these good thoughts. The Bible clearly reveals that we are to gain
control and strengthen our minds. Remember? Be transformed by
Renewing your mind. Put on the new man.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Serve God with your mind.
Romans 7:25
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I
myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Renew the mind.
Ephesians 4:23-24
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Forget the past, think forward, be thus minded.
Philippians 3:13-15
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus
minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall
reveal even this unto you.
Sooooooo, as you can see ... The Bible is clear.
We are commanded to renew our minds.
In the How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow project, you'll be
strengthening the control your mind (soul) has over the body (flesh).
Remember that the mind (soul) controls the body (flesh), so you'll be
using your mind (soul) to control your body (flesh) also.
How to Change Your Mind Forever
You need to strengthen your mind and spirit. Again ... It is very
important for you to understand that your spirit is the part of you
that listens and obeys the things that your mind (soul) tells it to
feel. Let me further elaborate on this topic ... You have many
different emotions. Happiness, sorrow, anxiety, fear, excitement,
love, anger, etc., etc. Your spirit holds these emotions only if you
think thoughts which produce said emotions (spiritual reactions).
Your spirit reacts with these feelings when your mind (soul) tells
your spirit that something is sad as in the example given before,
your spirit says "got it" and you become grieved in your spirit. Your
mind changes your spiritual condition. What a gift, huh? Many people
think that the spirit and the soul are the same thing, but the Bible
provided us with the amazing truth. Your mind is the soul, and it
controls your spirit. Your soul (mind) is like your control center
for your feelings and emotions. Get a leash on those puppies.
Make sure you have read this study (if you have not already) as to
fully understand this Truth before continuing down our path. It will
prove to be vital to your new life's growth.
Your mind (soul) and your spirit can cause physical reactions too.
Tears, goose bumps, shaking, laughter as well as sexual changes. All
this just from a thought planted in your mind (soul). These all
happen because your mind (soul) told your spirit something and it
caused the physical reaction.
You can control your spirit by changing your thoughts. All you have
to do, is send your spirit the signal for a different emotion by
thinking differently. But ... Your mind (soul) has to believe it to
be Truth. It happens with you ... Or without your being aware of it.
Have you ever been thinking of a problem and then got busy with your
daily agenda and all day long you felt this bad feeling of doom,
though the day was going pretty good? It is that your mind (soul) did
not resolve the earlier problem that you thought of, and your
spirit is crying out because it is reacting to the problem that you
were thinking of earlier.
Even though you are not consciously aware of the thought.
You may think that it will be difficult to control your emotions, by
controlling your thoughts because some of these thoughts have been
there for quite some time and are very strong, but with the How to
change your mind Miracle Grow project ... You will be strengthening
your mind with Truth, and you will find that Truth has a way of
breaking the chains and setting you free.
Later on down The Path you'll discover that the Holy
Spirit will be your guide in helping you with controlling your
thoughts and thereby your spirit.
How to Change Your Mind Responsibility
Before we move ahead into the exciting explanation of the
Son-sational How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow Project, let us have a little chat about
... Personal Responsibility.
As you very well know, in any undertaking, there is some measure of
responsibility involved. If you're a student in school, and you don't
do the schoolwork or the homework, you begin to have problems. You
have to write things down, and read things and repeatedly study
things until they become ingrained in you, and then after that, you
no longer need your notes or your books to look them up.
What about practical life endeavors? If you have a checking account,
you have to fill out a deposit or withdrawal slip each time you make
a transaction, or you may count on a computer or smart phone for your
record keeping. If you want to keep your records straight, and not
run into problems, you have to keep current, and you have to keep
records regularly. If you think about it, just about everything in
your life that you want to keep organized, requires documentation of
one kind or another in order to avoid problems. Even a small thing
like keeping your grocery list current may not seem like much, but it
is a very important responsibility.
This documentation isn't mandatory, but without it, things get quite
chaotic.
The same is true of music. If you were learning to play the guitar,
for example ... You will have to look at your sheet music until you
learn the notes, and you'll have to look at your fingers until you
become so familiar with each chord that you can play them without
looking. Then, once you memorize a song, you can play it without
looking at your sheet music or your fingers.
Now, you can read through your "Learn to Play the Guitar" book one
time, and play each chord once or twice, and say that you've done the
work, but if you don't practice regularly, you will never learn to
play the guitar.
But ... If you do practice and choose to get into it, you will play
guitar and will not need the "Learn to Play the Guitar" book
eventually because it is within you.
Why am I going through all this rigmarole? (The word rigmarole is
really a word that is documented in the dictionary!)
Because you're here for a reason.
One of those reasons is because God has led you here, and another
reason is that other methods you have tried using to rid your life of
your problem(s), have not worked.
Do not let the enemy of your soul try to discourage you.
Most rewarding things in life require responsibility. If you want to
have good health, like it or not, you have to be responsible about
what you consume. That pertains to your mental health as well as your
physical health. If you want a nice home, you have to clean it. If
you want a nice car, you have to maintain it. If you want a nice
garden ... You get where I'm going with this ... Freedom of problems
requires responsibility.
The Miracle Grow project likewise requires responsibility. It works
if you apply it, just like every other worthwhile thing in life.
Most people get very defensive if anything looks like an endangerment
to their free time ... However, the good news is ... The Miracle Grow
Program offers not one, but two different, very flexible options, so
that you may choose to customize it to your schedule and adjust it to
perform it at your own pace. Like exercise for the mind and spirit.
How to Change Your Mind Warning
My friend, what is it that causes a lot of problems in your life in
the first place? Spending time with the world, instead of spending
time with God. Some people call it free time ... But, we both know it
always costs something in the long run. This How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow path is
sort of a way to commit your plans to God and when you do this, your
plans will succeed:
Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
I also want you to understand that it is Biblically sound.
Consider the Ten Commandments and all the statutes and ordinances
that God gave to Moses. God Himself first wrote the Ten Commandments
on the first two tables of stone that Moses brought down the
mountain, and told Moses to write down other laws of God for the
people to follow. This documentation was studied until it
became part of their normal routine.
Why? Because organization brings peace into our lives.
1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all
Churches of the Saints.
Why do you keep documentation? Why do you refer to your cookbook when
you cook? Why do you use text books or references to learn or study
something? Why do you keep your receipts for your income taxes?
Because you believe that these things are necessary for
organization ...
They minimize the problems that you could have if you didn't follow
these methods.
Now I ask you, if your worldly, menial, every day life tasks involve
documentation that you don't question performing, wouldn't you want
to do the same ... With even greater enthusiasm for your spiritual
well being ... And wouldn't God appreciate that?
Remember, this little program is not mandatory, but take a
little inventory of your daily routines or rituals and decide for
yourself if you spend more time serving God, or the requirements of
the world. If you're serious about getting rid of your problems and
habits, this is an awesome way to renew the mind as we are taught to
do. There's one last thing I'd like to mention before we look into
what's involved in the Miracle Grow Program.
King David was a Psalm writer ... He wrote poems, psalms, songs and
letters to God. It wasn't mandatory that he write them down, but
because of David's documentation, we are spiritually uplifted when we
read his heartfelt, God inspired words. And we know that God was very
fond of David.
How to Change Your Mind Chart
The most important thing is to remember that during this How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow
Step, you will find that you may not achieve your daily goals at
times. Consider it like being reborn and as a baby you are learning
to walk. You may stumble here and there but if you keep trying, you
will reach your goals. Do not allow yourself to be discouraged.
During the early stages as you adapt to how to renew the mind, you
may need to adjust your goals to be sure they are attainable, yet you
still want them to be a little bit of a challenge. Then, gradually
adjust your how to change your mind procedure as you see fit, as time
goes by and you adapt to the How to renew the mind Miracle Grow
process.
Kind of like fertilizer in a garden, if you put too much or not
enough, you won't get your desired results, so be sure and be patient
as you begin this process and figure out what is the best balance for
you and your lifestyle and daily requirements. This will all make
sense in just a few moments.
It is not a job ... It is an adventure!
You will need to choose to perform this daily, taking one day
off per week for rest, as we are taught to do. (Honor the Sabbath
Day.) This day can be either Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) or Sunday
(the Lord's day) ...
Now, remember I mentioned that the Renew the mind Miracle Grow
program offers two options? Let's call them Option A and
Option B. You are free to choose which one is best for your life,
for your progress, for your schedule, and for your spiritual needs.
Click on an option below to view either Option A or Option B of the
Miracle Grow Charts. If you have access to a printer, you can print
out the PDF or you can make your own chart similar to these with
pencil and paper. The links are below the screen-shot of the chart.
Following the How to change your Mind Counseling charts, we'll discuss how it works.
Choose a link below for a Printable Miracle Grow Chart
Again, if you do not have access to a printer, you can just create
your own on a sheet of paper.
How to Change Your Mind Instructions
Read all the instructions below first to make sure you don't miss anything.
There are 10 categories for Option B per page which means you need 10
columns for said categories. For Option A, you will need 5 columns.
We will talk about the categories in a little bit.
Add a column at far left of page for the date and a column at the far
right for the daily score, or Points.
This means your page will have 12 columns total for Option B, and 7
columns total for Option A.
Fill in the dates along the left hand column.
Along the top row of each area, you will write in the activities that
you choose to do. On the printable charts just write your activities
right over the light gray font that says "Fill in activity here."
As you complete an activity each day, you write Yes in the
column underneath it corresponding with the date.
For the activities that you don't accomplish,
write a big red No in the box.
At the end of each day, total up your points for each separate area
and write the number in the column on the right where it says
"Points."
The grading system is simple ... For each activity that you
accomplish, you will give yourself 10 points for Option B and 20
points for Option A. There are a possible 100 points per day. At the
end of each week, add up the six days and divide it by six and that
is your week's average.
- 100 = A+
- 90-99 = A
- 80-89 = B
- 70-79 = C
- 60-69 = D
- Below 60 = F
You can also add up the points at the end of the week and write them
in the row at the bottom of each area where it says "Average" to see
your weekly grade.
You can do monthly totals as well if you like. Just add all totals
and divide by the amount of days. (Excluding your Sabbath day off)
Free
How to Renew the Mind Counseling Note: Everyone knows that life is not particularly cooperative all the time. Therefore, in addition to your Sabbath days off, allow yourself 3 days each month as Free Days when you can excuse yourself from your activities with no penalty on your grade. If you're sick, or can't find time because of unexpected circumstances, or whatever the reason, this is the time to take a Free Day.
Pssssssst ... Here is another allowable thing concerning your How to renew the mind
Miracle Grow activities. If you do any of your Miracle Grow
activities on a Sabbath or a Free Day, they may be carried over to
the next day. In fact, if you want to get several days ahead because
you anticipate that you won't be able to do your Miracle Grow
activities because of a foreseen conflict in your schedule, you may
do that too.
Perhaps you are expecting out of town company or you have
to take a business trip or are going out of town on vacation, these
are times when you may choose to get ahead. When you do this, don't
neglect God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit on those Free Days. He still
exists in your life, even when time does not allow for certain other
things.
Please take special note of these 2 How to Renew the Mind paragraphs:
The Miracle Grow path is very flexible, because you
can change your activity topics whenever you want to. If you feel
like a certain activity is too difficult or too time consuming to
accomplish every day, you can adjust it, or create a more reasonable
activity. In addition, as you overcome a certain problem or habit,
you can remove it from your How to change your mind Miracle Grow chart and
add a new one that you want to overcome.
Another How to change your mind tip ... You could even have a
"miscellaneous" activity that you change each day, for example ...
Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, so you could designate an
activity that rotates between doing different things that keep your
body healthy ... Just keep in mind that you are doing this to make
yourself spiritually healthy, not attractive to the world.
Be fair. If quitting smoking is one of your activities and you
conquer this, it wouldn't be fair to keep 'no smoking' as an activity
forever.
If you only accomplish part of an activity, then go ahead and give
yourself whatever percentage you feel is fair.
If you ever find yourself dreading your How to renew the mind Miracle
Grow activities, something needs to be adjusted. It is meant to be
uplifting and spiritually edifying.
Set goals ... Set a specific reward for yourself if you achieve your
goals, and promise yourself that the only way you will claim your
reward is if you earn it. Make your reward something you really want
to do or have, and something that will encourage you to
continue on your journey to freedom from your problem(s).
How To Change Your Mind At Your Own Pace
I can give you some ideas for activities, but remember, these are
examples only. You will custom design your Miracle Grow project for
your individual needs and goals.
Your, How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow, project should be
challenging and yet enjoyable.
Strengthen Your Mind
- Pray 3 times a day.
- Read a chapter of the Bible.
- Read 5 Psalms.
- Read one chapter of Proverbs.
- Read a spiritual book for ___ minutes.
- Read the Daily Word.
- Do a Bible crossword puzzle.
- Play a Christian board game.
- (You can also include your Stepping Stones too, until you're
finished, or go back through them again if you like.)
Strengthen Your Body
Here are some how to renew the mind ideas ...
- Fast (or abstain from a habit you have) for ___ hours (unless
Doctor requires you to do so).
- Be completely still and quiet with your eyes closed for ___
minutes. This is a good time to invite the Holy Spirit to commune
with you.
- Break a habit, by only having a certain amount of cigarettes,
coffee, tea, soda, etc., per day, reducing slowly as the weeks or
months progress.
- Cut back on a food item that you know is bad for you ... You can
call it a snackrifice! 😁
- Stop cussing.
- Devote ___ minutes a day toward making a real garden. (While you
work on this, focus your thoughts on how the garden is spiritually
like you. Go ahead and pull some weeds while you're at it, and talk
Truth with yourself.)
- Do a good deed for someone that takes physical effort.
- Exercise ... Specific exercise programs you create.
- Weight loss program.
- Volunteer for a worthy cause. A couple of hours on a Sunday
afternoon could give you points.
Strengthen Your Spirit
- Listen to some Christian music, concentrating on the words. I
encourage you to listen to spiritual music whenever you can, but for
your points, isolate this activity so you can give it your full
attention.
- Spend time alone with the Holy Spirit. (Actually provide a seat for
Him.)
- Attend a Bible study or other church function. (Again, this can cover
as many points as you think is fair.)
- Sing a hymn - singing comes from the spirit.
- Light a candle. (Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.)
- Praising comes from the spirit, too. Spend 5 minutes praising God,
Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
- Write a psalm to God.
Again, these are only examples of how to renew the mind. Customize your program so that your
goals are attainable. Your program should be reasonable to attain.
The last thing you want to do is set up an impossible program. At the
same time, keep the leap of faith factor in there, and count on the
Holy Spirit to help you attain goals that you ask Him to help you
with.
If you find that you don't have a large block of time at any given
time of the day, break up your Renew the mind Miracle Grow activities
into several different segments and that may make your goals easier.
I encourage you to replace your Change your mind Miracle Grow
activities from time to time. Not all of them at once, but one or a
couple at a time. If you use the same fertilizer all the time, your
plants get used to it and they don't grow as well as they did when
you first started. Give yourself variety. Keep it exciting. You
should never grow bored with it. If you do, change the activities
that need perking up.
Before any given month is over, you should have your How to change
your mind Miracle Grow chart for the next month made and ready to go.
It shows God your eagerness to succeed for Him, and when your new
month begins, you won't have to make a chart when you can be starting
your activities.
If the first of the month falls on a Tuesday, start your Miracle Grow
week on Tuesday for that month. You will have partial weeks left at
the end of each month except in February of non-leap years, so just
average your weekly score of that partial week by dividing your total
points by the number of days in that partial week. Then start afresh
each month. A fresh start is always a great and encouraging feeling
that motivates everyone.
Miracle Grow is a spiritual offering to God. You are sacrificing your
time to give it to Him. He sacrificed His only Son's life for you,
now you're giving Him back a piece of your life by sacrificing the
selfish thoughts and deeds as to spend more time with the Holy
Spirit.
How to Change Your Mind Summary
Another way of looking at this is to compare your time dedicated to
the Lord like an analogy to antibiotics. The Lord is not an
antibiotic ... You can't just take a prescribed amount of Him and be
all better forever. You have to take him all the time, more like
insulin! You need Him in your blood ... Steady doses, or you're sure
to have problems.
Remember ... By renewing your mind, body, and spirit, it is a way of
glorifying God.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Another thing the How to Renew the Mind Counseling Miracle Grow does is change your lifestyle. A hard
thing to do when you have a problem is to stop thinking about it.
You're setting new goals for yourself now, and if you ponder on your
problem, keeping it in your memory, you may be keeping it from going
away. Release it into God's hands. Give it to God ... He wants you
to, you know.
Let Go and Let God!
Let Go (of your problem), And Let God (remove it)!
The Apostle Paul said:
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.
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Excellent How to Renew the Mind Counseling Resources
Bible Study Tools ... What Does the "Renewing of the Mind" Look Like - Simply stated, renewing your mind according to Romans 12:2 means interpreting life through the lens of God's Word
Desiring God ... The Renewed Mind and How to Have It - And in it all pray, pray, pray that the Holy Spirit will renew your mind, that you may desire and approve the will of God.
Got Questions ... What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, ...
Holy Spirit ... The Holy Spirit is the best way to discover how to Renew the Mind. No better Counselor or Comforter.
iBlogGospel ... Benefits Of Renewing Your Mind - Benefits of Renewing Your Mind ยท When the mind is renewed, staying out of sin and living a life that is pleasing unto God becomes easy.
Mercy Multiplied ... 3 Reasons to Renew Your Mind - Renewing your mind means to do away with unhealthy thought patterns and to replace them with true, godly ones.
Our Kingdom Culture ... How to renew your mind in 4 easy steps. So, renewing your mind means replacing the old way of thinking with a new way.
Soul Shepherding ... Renew Your Mind in Romans 8 - What do you think about as you go about your day? Every moment of every day you and I have the freedom to think about whatever we want.
After you finish the How to renew the mind discussion on the most powerful methods of how to change your mind, you can also check out some of the other Christian entertainment, games, music, books, mall, studies and programs within our Christian community below: