🌟 Stand out like a brightly shining star!

Romans 8:6 KJV
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

What we believe largely determines the life that we live. To be carnal-minded is to focus on the natural more than on the spiritual; to be dominated by the natural. This doesn’t tend towards death but it results in death. Being spiritually minded is best defined in Colossians 3,
 
Colossians 3:1-2 NLT
…set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [2] Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
 
If we are living our lives focused on what the world is focused on; dominated by the natural, it will result in death. But if we “set our sights” on things above; on Christ and His authority, and how we are seated in Him and therefore have His authority (Ephesians 2:6), then you will experience life and peace. We choose life by choosing to focus on the truth of God’s Word, believe the truth of God’s Word, and allow our lives to be directed by the truth of God’s Word.
 
Ephesians 4:17-19 NKJV
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, [18] having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; [19] who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

You will walk according to your mind. Where the mind goes the life follows! Those who do not know God walk in the futility of their minds with darkened understanding. Therefore, the world is getting more and more dark, perverse, and ungodly: because they are “alienated from the life of God” which would transform them.
 
As believers, we should stand out like stars shining brightly! We are not here to blend in but to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) and be agents of change for Him. One of the ways we do this is by allowing the inward flow of grace that we have received, to flow outward. But how do we allow the life of God in us to flow out of us? We need to renew our minds (Romans 12:2).
 
Ephesians 4:23-24 NKJV
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, [24] and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
 
A renewed mind will enable and empower you to walk a renewed life. When we start to think as God thinks about ourselves we will be able to “put on the new man” and walk in true righteousness and holiness. This kind of righteousness and holiness (true) can only be produced by the Spirit of God living in you (salvation). False righteousness and holiness are whatever you try to muster up through your own efforts. God sees this kind of righteousness and holiness as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
 
The moment that we receive the Spirit of God to live in us (salvation) our identity changes and we become truly holy and righteous. We experience that new identity or live it out as we renew our mind (change our thinking) to start thinking according to the new man! As we start thinking according to true righteousness and holiness (which is by faith, not works) we will start to live it out in our actions and in our souls.

Much love,
Shayne