Weekly Devotional - Gloria Miller
Imago Dei: The Mind of Christ Pt.2 / Week 3
MAY 10, 2026
Genesis 3:1-12 NIV---"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die,’ “you will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God know that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings or themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from The Lord God among the trees of the garden. But The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Adam and Eve were the first humans created in the ‘Image of God.’ God created ‘The Garden of Eden’, a dwelling place equipped with all of their needs. They knew Gods way of thinking and how he wanted them to think, after all He came down periodically to walk with Adam in the cool of the day. So, when they came upon the serpent (the enemy) in the garden, they should have been prepared to refute every lie. Our first Fill-in says, ‘the enemy doesn’t just create lies out of nothing; he distorts what’s true. So, as it was then, so it is now.
Minister Bridget reflected back on nuggets from Pastor Aaron and Pastor Pete’s previous messages: Pastor Aaron said, “True freedom comes from allowing God to dictate our choices, recognizing that we are made in His image, rather than creating gods in our own image.” Pastor Pete said, “Following Jesus won’t cost you everything, but it will cost you one thing.” A great question arose from Minister Bridget, “what’s my one thing that’s holding me back from living in the full ‘Image of God’? What Image do we have of ourselves that was not put there by God? Bridgette reflected on her childhood and how her thoughts originated about her image. Lies that we believe about ourselves can be generational, depending upon family input and how we let what is said define us, even when they are outnumbered, by the truth God speaks over us. Refer to Genesis chapter 3 NIV, again. Why did Eve doubt? Instant doubting on her part, caused humanity to doubt ever since. Again, we need to understand that the devil doesn’t just create lies out of nothing; he distorts what’s true. Creating an alternate reality, all while distorting our thoughts and planting doubt into our minds. After researching Neuroplasticity Minister Bridget, with the help of AI, surmised that the more we think negative thoughts, the more our, brain gets trained to stay stuck in fear, shame and anxiety and it becomes harder to feel peace, hope or emotional balance. Fill in #2—My point of view is dominated by what I consume most. This brings about a question for us, “What point of views about ourself and others have we formed? Whose voice are we listening to? Where are our thoughts originating from? What is stealing our attention from what God is saying to us? Refer to Genesis 16: 1-14 NIV, regarding Sarai and Hagars relationship that soured because of events stirred by disobedience on Sarai’s part initially, causing a split in their relationship and how they viewed one another. Hagar believed that she was not seen until God spoke to her in her wilderness. God set Hagar free of that mind-set. The same way that God set Hagar free is the same way He sets us free today. God does not do this by changing our circumstances but by restoring truth. God spoke life and hope into her and she believed and obeyed. Through His Word today, God does the same for us. The Word (The Bible), is how we Truthfully know ‘The Mind of Christ.’
Minister Bridget referred to Matthew 4:1-11 NIV, when Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. Jesus constantly used Scripture to refute every lie of the devil. Jesus is our Greatest Example of how we are to walk this Christian journey. Fill-in #4---If we know scripture, we will know the truth. It begs the question, when negative thoughts or negative situations come up are we going to stop, and believe the lies of the enemy stay stuck and frozen in our fears or are we going to have the power of a sound mind and believe the truth? Minister Bridget made reference to a statement made by Pastor Aaron, “The choice is ours. We can choose blessings or we can choose curses. At the end of the day, that choice is ours and ours alone.”
Refer to Romans 12:2 NIV---“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Minister Bridget went on to discuss some ways we can get renewed in our thinking and way of life.
PRACTICAL STEPS:
1.Get involved in Events held by Thrive Community Church, such as: Serve Day; Bible-In-a-Year; Growth Track; Dream Team Serving; Small Groups;
2.Practice the art of Solitude, NOT isolation. Give our hearts to Jesus; Surrender our Life to His Will. Meditate on The Word of God and He will speak to us. No music, no phones, just God and our thoughts. God Will Speak to Us.
Living the ‘Image of God’, means allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us what this means. To create new pathways in our minds and to reveal what is true and good and right and Godly and choosing to close down those paths that keep us trapped, depressed, cold and bitter. If anything, but God is creating pathways for you, in your life, it will lead to a dead end. The God Who walked in the wilderness; The God Who formed you, is inviting you to truly learn how to live ‘Imago Dei.’ Minister Bridget invited us to accept Christ, so that we can have ‘The Mind of Christ.’
- Gloria Miller
MAY 10, 2026
Genesis 3:1-12 NIV---"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die,’ “you will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God know that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings or themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from The Lord God among the trees of the garden. But The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Adam and Eve were the first humans created in the ‘Image of God.’ God created ‘The Garden of Eden’, a dwelling place equipped with all of their needs. They knew Gods way of thinking and how he wanted them to think, after all He came down periodically to walk with Adam in the cool of the day. So, when they came upon the serpent (the enemy) in the garden, they should have been prepared to refute every lie. Our first Fill-in says, ‘the enemy doesn’t just create lies out of nothing; he distorts what’s true. So, as it was then, so it is now.
Minister Bridget reflected back on nuggets from Pastor Aaron and Pastor Pete’s previous messages: Pastor Aaron said, “True freedom comes from allowing God to dictate our choices, recognizing that we are made in His image, rather than creating gods in our own image.” Pastor Pete said, “Following Jesus won’t cost you everything, but it will cost you one thing.” A great question arose from Minister Bridget, “what’s my one thing that’s holding me back from living in the full ‘Image of God’? What Image do we have of ourselves that was not put there by God? Bridgette reflected on her childhood and how her thoughts originated about her image. Lies that we believe about ourselves can be generational, depending upon family input and how we let what is said define us, even when they are outnumbered, by the truth God speaks over us. Refer to Genesis chapter 3 NIV, again. Why did Eve doubt? Instant doubting on her part, caused humanity to doubt ever since. Again, we need to understand that the devil doesn’t just create lies out of nothing; he distorts what’s true. Creating an alternate reality, all while distorting our thoughts and planting doubt into our minds. After researching Neuroplasticity Minister Bridget, with the help of AI, surmised that the more we think negative thoughts, the more our, brain gets trained to stay stuck in fear, shame and anxiety and it becomes harder to feel peace, hope or emotional balance. Fill in #2—My point of view is dominated by what I consume most. This brings about a question for us, “What point of views about ourself and others have we formed? Whose voice are we listening to? Where are our thoughts originating from? What is stealing our attention from what God is saying to us? Refer to Genesis 16: 1-14 NIV, regarding Sarai and Hagars relationship that soured because of events stirred by disobedience on Sarai’s part initially, causing a split in their relationship and how they viewed one another. Hagar believed that she was not seen until God spoke to her in her wilderness. God set Hagar free of that mind-set. The same way that God set Hagar free is the same way He sets us free today. God does not do this by changing our circumstances but by restoring truth. God spoke life and hope into her and she believed and obeyed. Through His Word today, God does the same for us. The Word (The Bible), is how we Truthfully know ‘The Mind of Christ.’
Minister Bridget referred to Matthew 4:1-11 NIV, when Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. Jesus constantly used Scripture to refute every lie of the devil. Jesus is our Greatest Example of how we are to walk this Christian journey. Fill-in #4---If we know scripture, we will know the truth. It begs the question, when negative thoughts or negative situations come up are we going to stop, and believe the lies of the enemy stay stuck and frozen in our fears or are we going to have the power of a sound mind and believe the truth? Minister Bridget made reference to a statement made by Pastor Aaron, “The choice is ours. We can choose blessings or we can choose curses. At the end of the day, that choice is ours and ours alone.”
Refer to Romans 12:2 NIV---“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Minister Bridget went on to discuss some ways we can get renewed in our thinking and way of life.
PRACTICAL STEPS:
1.Get involved in Events held by Thrive Community Church, such as: Serve Day; Bible-In-a-Year; Growth Track; Dream Team Serving; Small Groups;
2.Practice the art of Solitude, NOT isolation. Give our hearts to Jesus; Surrender our Life to His Will. Meditate on The Word of God and He will speak to us. No music, no phones, just God and our thoughts. God Will Speak to Us.
Living the ‘Image of God’, means allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us what this means. To create new pathways in our minds and to reveal what is true and good and right and Godly and choosing to close down those paths that keep us trapped, depressed, cold and bitter. If anything, but God is creating pathways for you, in your life, it will lead to a dead end. The God Who walked in the wilderness; The God Who formed you, is inviting you to truly learn how to live ‘Imago Dei.’ Minister Bridget invited us to accept Christ, so that we can have ‘The Mind of Christ.’
- Gloria Miller
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