Bible Study Guides - Developing the Mind

Let This Mind Be in You

April 25 – May 1, 2021

Key Text

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Study Help: Education, 13–19; Our High Calling, 119.

Introduction

“To deal with minds is the nicest work in which men ever engaged.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 269.

Sunday

1 ADVANCEMENT ONLY THROUGH CONFLICT AND FINDING PEACE

1.a. What is the “science of Christianity?” Joel 2:1, first part.

Note: “No other science is equal to that which develops in the life of the student the character of God. Those who become followers of Christ find that new motives of action are supplied, new thoughts arise, and new actions must result. But they can make advancement only through conflict; for there is an enemy who ever contends against them, presenting temptations to cause the soul to doubt and sin. There are hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil that must be overcome. Appetite and passion must be brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. There is no end to the warfare this side of eternity. But while there are constant battles to fight, there are also precious victories to gain; and the triumph over self and sin is of more value than the mind can estimate.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 20.

1.b. How should one present himself to God? 2 Timothy 2:15.

Note: “The science of a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life is obtained by studying the word of the Lord. This is the highest education that any earthly being can obtain.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 11.

“Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. … A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 343, 344.

Monday

2 FINDING PEACE

2.a. How can a person be delivered from a source of unrest and obtain peace of mind? Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7.

Note: “The religion of Christ, so far from being the cause of insanity, is one of its most effectual remedies; for it is a potent soother of the nerves.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 444.

“When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light. Rest in Christ’s love and under His protecting care. … Entering into communion with the Saviour, we enter the region of peace.” The Ministry of Healing, 250.

2.b. How can one be relieved of the burdens of anxiety and anxious thoughts? Matthew 11:28–30.

Note: “When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morning; when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does not mark.

“If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be dismissed. Our lives would not be so filled with disappointment as now; for everything, whether great or small, would be left in the hands of God, who is not perplexed by the multiplicity of cares, or overwhelmed by their weight. We should then enjoy a rest of soul to which many have long been strangers.” Steps to Christ, 86.

Tuesday

3 SIN AND ITS EFFECTS

3.a. What does sin do to our minds, the home of our characters, and how can it be eliminated from our lives? Psalms 51:1–4; 32:5.

Note: “Let none flatter themselves that sins cherished for a time can easily be given up by and by. This is not so. Every sin cherished weakens the character and strengthens habit; and physical, mental, and moral depravity is the result. You may repent of the wrong you have done, and set your feet in right paths; but the mold of your mind and your familiarity with evil will make it difficult for you to distinguish between right and wrong. Through the wrong habits formed, Satan will assail you again and again.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 281.

“Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ’s mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore. He opens to us the riches of the universe, and by Him the power to discern and to appropriate these treasures is imparted.” Education, 28, 29.

3.b. How does temptation begin? James 1:6, 13, 14.

Note: “The promises of God are not for us to claim rashly, to protect us while we rush on recklessly into danger, violating the laws of nature, or disregarding prudence and the judgment God has given us to use. This would not be genuine faith but presumption.” Our High Calling, 93.

“The beginning of yielding to temptation is in the sin of permitting the mind to waver, to be inconsistent in your trust in God. The wicked one is ever watching for a chance to misrepresent God, and to attract the mind to that which is forbidden. If he can, he will fasten the mind upon the things of the world. He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good; but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm subjection to reason and conscience. Then Satan loses his power to control the mind.” Ibid., 87.

Wednesday

4 HEALING MINDS AND BODIES

4.a. How does Satan seek to take control of the mind? 1 Peter 5:8.

Note: “Satan’s work is to discourage the soul. Christ’s work is to inspire the heart with faith and hope. Satan seeks to unsettle our confidence. He tells us that our hopes are built upon false premises rather than upon the sure, immutable word of Him who cannot lie.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 32.

“When the character is lacking in purity, when sin has become a part of the character, it has a bewitching power that is equal to the intoxicating glass of liquor. The power of self-control and reason is overborne by practices that defile the whole being; and if these sinful practices are continued, the brain is enfeebled and diseased, and loses its balance.” Maranatha, 229.

“We have found in our experience that if Satan cannot keep souls bound in the ice of indifference, he will try to push them into the fire of fanaticism.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 644.

4.b. How are minds strengthened and healed? Matthew 9:2–7, 20–22.

Note: “Talk courage to the people; lift them up to God in prayer. Many who have been overcome by temptation are humiliated by their failures, and they feel that it is in vain for them to approach unto God; but this thought is of the enemy’s suggestion. When they have sinned, and feel that they cannot pray, tell them that it is then the time to pray. Ashamed they may be, and deeply humbled; but as they confess their sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness.” The Ministry of Healing, 181, 182.

Thursday

5 TRUE DEVELOPMENT

5.a. How can a person be encouraged to gain the strength of an overcomer? Hebrews 11:32–40.

Note: “All minds are not naturally constituted alike. We have varied minds; some are strong upon certain points and very weak upon others. These deficiencies, so apparent, need not and should not exist. If those who possess them would strengthen the weak points in their character by cultivation and exercise they would become strong.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 33.

“All the powers of the mind should be called into use and developed in order for men and women to have well-balanced minds.” Ibid., 152, 153.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How can one obtain the best education in the world?

2 What should you do when stressed out and anxiety-laden?

3 What does sin do to your mind?

4 What is the prescription needed to cure a sinful mind?

5 How do feelings relate to mental weakness and how might a person gain strength in this area?