THE MIND OF CHRIST

Louis G. HulseyJanuary 10, 2010Casa Grande, Arizona

Israel’s Greatest Days

The greatest days for the nation of Israel were when it was ruled by David and Solomon.

The Messiah shall rule from the throne of David.

Solomon’s Provisions I Kings 4:22, “And Solomon's provision for one day

was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,”

I Kings 4:23, “Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.”

I Kings 4:24, “For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.”

I Kings 4:25, “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”

I Kings 4:26, “And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.”

Solomon’s Provisions I Kings 4:27, “And those officers provided victual for king

Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.”

I Kings 4:28, “Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.”

I Kings 4:29, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.”

I Kings 4:30, “And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.”

I Kings 4:31, “For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.”

I Kings 4:32, “And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.”

Judah and Her Kings

The lives of the kings of Judah reveal the right and wrong choices they made.

As the king and the leaders lived so did the nation.

When the king was wicked so was the nation.

When the king repented he led the nation to do the same.

Right Thinking

Right living comes from right thinking.

You cannot live like Solomon unless you think like Solomon.

You cannot live like Jesus unless you think like Jesus.

The Mind of Christ

That is why Paul said, “But we have the mind of Christ,” I Corinthians 2:16.

You may argue, “But I did not inherit what Solomon inherited.” That is correct. The greatest inheritance that Solomon inherited was not money, power, or fame, but wisdom. 

The greatest inheritance you can give your child is not houses, lands, or money, but the knowledge of the Word of God, wisdom, and godly character.

Wisdom Prov. 1:20, “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth

her voice in the streets: Prov. 1:21, “She crieth in the chief place of

concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

Prov. 1:22, “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Prov. 1:23, “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Prov. 1:24, “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

Wisdom Prov. 1:25, “But ye have set at nought all my

counsel, and would none of my reproof: Prov. 1:26, “I also will laugh at your calamity; I

will mock when your fear cometh; Prov. 1:27, “When your fear cometh as

desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Prov. 1:28, “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Prov. 1:29, “For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Wisdom Prov. 1:30, “They would none of my

counsel: they despised all my reproof. Prov. 1:31, “Therefore shall they eat of

the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.”

Prov. 1:32, “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

Prov. 1:33, “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

Wisdom Wisdom is a Person. His name is the

Word of God. Proverbs 8:1-36, “Doth not wisdom cry?

and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places,

by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of

the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice

is to the sons of man.”

Wisdom 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye

fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;

and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

Wisdom 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver;

and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all

the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Wisdom 15 By me kings reign, and princes

decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles,

even all the judges of the earth. 17 I love them that love me; and those

that seek me early shall find me. 18 Riches and honour are with me; yea,

durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea,

than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

Wisdom 20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in

the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may cause those that love me to

inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

Wisdom 25 Before the mountains were settled, before

the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor

the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Wisdom 30 Then I was by him, as one brought

up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Wisdom, Watching at the Gate 34 Blessed is the man that heareth

me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

What the Leaders Know I have often wished I could attend an ivy-league

school for just a while. I would like to know how the leaders of America

really think.   As a child I observed that it was the children of the

leaders of the church who became the leaders. There were top-level national leaders, state leaders,

and there were local leaders. At first I thought this was just nepotism and not fair,

but then I learned something more profound. I learned that it was not necessarily who you were,

but how you were trained to think and to relate to people as a leader.

I wanted to know what the national leaders knew.

The Greatest Heritage The greatest heritage you can give

your child is the heritage of a godly, stable character who knows the mind of Christ.

The Mind of Christ The mind of Christ begins with the

knowledge of the Word of God. The mind of Christ continues by

meditating day and night in the Word of God, Joshua 1 and Psalm 1.

The Mind of Christ The mind of Christ continues to

flow through daily prayer and worship.

The mind of Christ is a continually flowing river of life.

You must continually seek first the Kingdom of God.

After Solomon was greatly blessed and walked in wisdom he began to go astray because he did not continue to seek the Lord.

Faithful To Seek Wisdom The priest Jehoiada was faithful to

seek God until the end of his old age, II Chron. 24:14-15.

If you fail to seek God in your old age, you become an old fool.

Folly is inappropriate in the life of the aged. Ecclesiastes 10:1, “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”

The Faith of God The mind of Christ is the revelation of

the Father that flows from the throne of God.

The faith of Christ flows from the throne of God.

Mark 11:22, “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God,” (KJV).

“And answering, Jesus said to them, Have faith of God,” (Literal Translation).

“και αποκριθεις ιησους λεγει αυτοις εχετε πιστιν θεου”

The Faith of God

The faith of God created the universe.

The faith of God established His plan from eternity.

The faith of God healed the sick.

The faith of God redeemed mankind from sin.

The Faith of God The faith of God raised Jesus

from the dead. The faith of God will bring

the resurrection of all men. The faith of God will bring

the New Jerusalem and the Eternal Kingdom of God.

The Faith of God The faith of God comes from

His Word. Love the Word. Read the Word. Eat the Word. Memorize the Word. The Word of God will sustain

you.

Let the Word Rule Let the Word of God rule in your

heart and mind. Col. 3:15, “And let the peace of

God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

Col. 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to bring honor and pleasure to the King.

The gospel is not to serve man.

The gospel is to serve and please God.

The purpose of the gospel is not man-centered but God-centered.

Christ’s World View The foundation of all

education must be the Word of God.

God has a Christian world view.

With a Christian world view every decision is weighted with the knowledge of the Scripture and in the light of eternity.

The Mind of Christ

The Scripture establishes what we value.

We value what God values. That’s how we can have the

mind of Christ.