Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 [Sunrise photo April 22]

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 [Sunrise photo April 22]

Day 22 He Opened Their Minds

Then he said, “Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44 MSG )

Then He [thoroughly] opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45 AMP)

According to the Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy there are a total of 1,817 Biblical prophecies; 1,239 are in the Old Testament, and 578 are in the New Testament. These 1,817 prophecies involve 8,352 of the Bible’s verses. Since there are 31,124 verses altogether in the Bible, the number of prophetic verses amounts to about 27 percent, or one-fourth of the total number of verses in the Bible.

Scholars report over 300 Messianic prophecies about Jesus. These include several dozen major, direct prophecies along with scores and scores of Messianic scriptures that include allusions, hints, types, foreshadowings, and Messianic clues in the Old Testament.

That’s a lot of data.

Information overload.

The bible is a big book with a lot of information.

When Luke records that “He [thoroughly] opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures”,   my mind can not comprehend what this really means.

The way Jesus opens the mind to understand is beyond cognitive reasoning.  It is not taught by lecture or explanation. It is beyond learning.

It is imparted. It is received by and through experiencing the presence or spirit of Jesus.  This is a transcendent exchange.

Scholarship and “book learning” alone will not transform your life.

What brings about life change that impacts the world? A mind “opened up” by the Spirit of God to truly understand the Word of God.

Paul says this in Romans 12:2

… Be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude] …

Let’s Pray:

I invite you to pray with me today.

“Lord I pray for a renewed mind. Open my mind as did for your disciples, to understand the wonders in Your word. You are good, and your love endures forever! May Your kingdom come, and Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

About This Devotional Series

According to the historical church calendar, the Easter season is the 50 day period from Resurrection Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.  I’ll post a fresh devotional thought with my sunrise photo of that morning, everyday through Pentecost, commenting as the Spirit inspires. Check out the rest of the series here.

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