John 5:39 - "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."
THIS SAYS CLEARLY THAT REVELATION IS MEANT TO BRING US INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD, AND IF IT DOESN'T, IT ONLY MAKES US MORE RELIGIOUS.
RENEWING THE MIND IS NOT MERELY READING WORDS ON A PAGE AND HAVING A MOMENT OF REVELATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR VERSE. RENEWAL COMES AS REVELATION THAT LEADS YOU INTO A NEW EXPERIENCE WITH GOD.
MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE AT TIMES EMBRACED A ROUTINE OF READING SCRIPTURE WITHOUT LETTING THE READING LEAD TO EXPERIENCE.
Affirmation:

TO RENEW MY MIND I MUST NOT JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY BUT LIVE DIFFERENTLY, IN A NEW EXPERIENCE OF THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Luke 14:26 - "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple."

SOME OF JESUS' STATEMENTS ABOUT HIS OWN EARTHLY FAMILY WERE CONSIDERED MORALLY WRONG AND THE ULTIMATE IN DISHONOR BY THE CULTURE AROUND HIM.
JESUS' STATEMENT WAS REVOLUTIONARY.
THIS, HOWEVER, WAS NOT THE STATEMENT OF AN EXTREMIST. IT CONVEYED JESUS' JEALOUS LOVE FOR HUMANITY. HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO LEAVE HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN, AND HE EXPECTS NO LESS FROM US - ASKING US TO ABANDON ALL OTHER LOVES FOR HIM.
Affirmation:
AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS I TREAT EVERYTHING ELSE AS LESSER IN COMPARISON TO HIM, THE GREATER.

Luke 5:4 - "When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

Luke 5 is a great example of the Church in our day. We have been fishing all night and have not caught much. Many of us have not ventured out of the shallow water, out of the zones of safety and comfortableness, to find the fish where they are.
The fish are in the deep water; they are outside the Church, and outside our opinions and prejudices. As we are obedient to God's call and venture into the deep water and into relationships with people "on the streets," we will be overwhelmed by the response and will need to network with other churches to accommodate the great numbers of people who will come to Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 - And Jesus said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY