Today Derek presents the second objective of God to our thought life: that is, the need for excellence. Derek uses creation as his example. All that God created was counted as “good.” But when all of creation is taken as a whole, it was considered “very good,” or excellent. God wants excellence in every area. That was His standard at creation, and He’s never lowered it.

Derek looks at four main areas in our thought life that needs to change if we are to bring our ways in line with God’s ways and God’s thoughts. These four areas are: objectives, priorities, attitudes, and categories. The first objective in living should be to aim for God’s glory and His satisfaction. For all things are from Him, and through Him, and to Him.

In this study, Derek looks at what it means to change our minds—another way of understanding repentance. He shows us through Scripture how repentance precedes forgiveness. Derek then explains the benefits of meditation on God’s Word and how this process of renewing our mind will cause us to prosper.

Derek returns today to Isaiah 55 to examine how we can receive God’s ways and thoughts. As rain, it immediately soaks in. But as snow, it is sometimes a hard saying. The temperature has to change, we need time to let it melt. If we respond rightly, it ultimately brings God’s ways and thoughts to us.

Today Derek begins a study on agreeing with God. To agree means to harmonize our ways and thoughts to God’s. God has said in His Word that His thoughts are not ours and His ways are higher than ours. Since God does not change, then it is up to us to agree or harmonize with God. We need to line up our ways and thoughts to His.

In this final study on this topic, Derek talks about our need for resting, and letting God choose what is best for us. Instead of worrying and being anxious we need to learn to trust our heavenly Father to take care of us, as He has said He would. If we truly want God’s best, we will leave these choices to Him.

Today Derek looks at the eternal—that which can’t be seen, and the temporal—that which we can see all about us. The temporal is passing away and will leave us empty, but the eternal is where God and His promises can be found. These are what He has for us if we keep our eyes on that realm, and not on current circumstances. If we chase after riches they will flee and leave us destitute in the end.

Continuing with the theme of hearing the Lord, Derek stresses our need to be discerning of what and how we hear. Where is our direction coming from? Is it scriptural? We cannot just accept any impression as being godly, or from God. Choose your friends and associates with care.

Today Derek talks about the importance of hearing and obeying when God speaks to you. Using examples from Scripture, he shows how receiving from God is based on hearing the voice of the Lord and obeying Him. Jesus said His disciples are those who hear and follow Him, and we need to cultivate hearing the voice of God.

Derek shares on the importance of knowing the Holy Spirit as a Person, the third Person of the Godhead. Jesus referred to Him as “He,” not “it,” and talked about the role He would play in our lives when He came. Paul spoke about the importance of the Holy Spirit when he said that as many as are led by the Holy Spirit are sons of God. The word “sons” implies maturity, which is what God expects of us.