Think on the Good News
Amid all the terrible news which inundates us daily, there is a source of good news. The key to unlocking the good news is, of course, God’s Holy Spirit. The reason is, this good news is beyond the physical. “…no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11).
In our physical environment, the spirit in man is confined to this realm. The mind cannot see anything beyond it. The wisdom of God to this mind is hidden (verse 7). The daily bad news comes from minds that cannot know or understand beyond the physical. However, we do not have such restricted minds. Through God’s Spirit we can access a different source (verse 10).
The good news we need to access are the things which God has freely given to us (verse 12). We are able to compare spiritual things with spiritual (verse 13). We need to appreciate What God has given to us:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (verse 9).
We need to use God’s Spirit to look at the things which God has prepared for us.
Paul referred to this in Philippians 4:8 – a verse we know well. But how well do we practice it? In this verse we are encouraged to think about things that pertain to a positive mental attitude. Things that lead to a peaceful state of mind.
“Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men” (Psalm 31:19).
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world …’” (Matthew 25:34).
“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:16).
If we allow the things developed in carnal human minds to motivate how we think, we will fall into the trap Paul warned about when he wrote: “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines …” (Hebrews 13:9).
Paul also encouraged the Church members by telling them: “…But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). That mind can see and know things which the angels desire to look into (1 Peter 1:12).
The bottom line is this: We need to be spending more time focused on spiritual matters using God’s Spirit than we do the things of the carnal mind.
The Bible is the source of good news. In this, we can gain great encouragement.
Brian Orchard
