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The Master's Mind: The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts
God Wants to Help You Overcome Your Greatest Battle of All
What we think and believe determines who we are. If that's so, then why are we so insecure, defensive, lonely, empty, fearful, depressed, self-absorbed, dysfunctional, angry and confused? We are a mess. But that's not what God has in mind for us.
In fact, the Master has hope, strength, beauty, joy, love, creativity, freedom, power, peace, patience, goodness, laughter, organization, effectiveness and purpose for us. So, what went wrong?
We lost our identity in our sin. We've become unanchored, tossed about on the sea of a million influences, none of which is our Master's heart or mind. Between the world, the flesh and the devil, we don't know what to think and therefore our lives are filled with hurt, pain and regret. Someone is running the show in our minds and it's not us, at least not the real us, nor the real owner.
Jesus is not okay with this. He died to save us from our sins and set us free. He made a way for our souls to be rescued from our enemies. He bought the territory of our minds and planted His flag of holy ground.
It's time for us to get angry enough to take back control of our minds, to master them and bring them back in alignment with the Master's will. It's time to return to The Master's Mind.
What we think and believe determines who we are. If that's so, then why are we so insecure, defensive, lonely, empty, fearful, depressed, self-absorbed, dysfunctional, angry and confused? We are a mess. But that's not what God has in mind for us.
In fact, the Master has hope, strength, beauty, joy, love, creativity, freedom, power, peace, patience, goodness, laughter, organization, effectiveness and purpose for us. So, what went wrong?
We lost our identity in our sin. We've become unanchored, tossed about on the sea of a million influences, none of which is our Master's heart or mind. Between the world, the flesh and the devil, we don't know what to think and therefore our lives are filled with hurt, pain and regret. Someone is running the show in our minds and it's not us, at least not the real us, nor the real owner.
Jesus is not okay with this. He died to save us from our sins and set us free. He made a way for our souls to be rescued from our enemies. He bought the territory of our minds and planted His flag of holy ground.
It's time for us to get angry enough to take back control of our minds, to master them and bring them back in alignment with the Master's will. It's time to return to The Master's Mind.
- GenresNonfictionChristian
240 pages, ebook
Published September 19, 2017
9 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 21, 2017
First off-- isn't that cover awesome? Love the typography and imagery. This book was a solid read-- as someone who is in the thick of counseling and working to address the lies I tell myself, the fears I believe, and how I see myself, it was extremely relevant and applicable to my life. There were chapters focused on addictions, the monsters in our lives, our identity, temptations, resistance, and who the boss is in our lives. I found the tone to be helpful and not condescending, which I appreciated, and it was clear Lance himself has wrestled and worked through much of this in his own life. There were many very helpful and directly applicable thoughts and ideas in this one, and many nuggets of wisdom I wrote down to remember in the future.
September 20, 2017
Author: Lance Hahn
Title: The Master's Mind: The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year of Publication: 2017
It took a disheveled, German-born theoretical physicist, who developed the theory of relativity, to give us perhaps the greatest idea of the impact of thinking. Albert Einstein once quipped, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” What an amazing indictment of our tendency toward haggard living after “stinking thinking.” As my grandfather might have opined, “Son, your problem is that you need a check-up from the neck up.”
In the second letter penned to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul spends a fair amount of time detailing the fact that his authority arises from the Lord. In Chapter 10, we read:
In between duties as the senior pastor of Bridgeway Christian Church in Rocklin, California, he has developed a fitting devotional guide in The Master’s Mind. Therein, he touches all the verses you would expect should you do a search for what the Bible says about thinking. The title seems a little off, however, as the preponderance of the book seems to be a theological primer on salvation, temptation, and the place the enemy plays in deluding our thinking. While not downplaying what he has written, those with a balanced biblical education will find it rehashes the need for a proper biblical (and salvific) orientation and provides very little fodder regarding changing one’s thinking.
I do not disagree with the author’s conclusions. Essentially the premise is, “Do you want to think right? Well, walk in a relationship with Jesus.” Hahn provides quite a bit to chew on and draws heavily from his seminary training taking the time to develop his thoughts in a very readable way.
Taking each chapter apart would be a fitting study in a small group where there were a lot of new Christians or in a church that is steeped in topical preaching. This book would be an excellent resource for a newcomer to Christ or even an unbeliever who is struggling with toxic thinking and has not made up his mind about God.
Perhaps a more fitting title would be something akin to, “Walking with Christ – the Only Way to Shape Your Mind.”
Title: The Master's Mind: The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year of Publication: 2017
It took a disheveled, German-born theoretical physicist, who developed the theory of relativity, to give us perhaps the greatest idea of the impact of thinking. Albert Einstein once quipped, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” What an amazing indictment of our tendency toward haggard living after “stinking thinking.” As my grandfather might have opined, “Son, your problem is that you need a check-up from the neck up.”
In the second letter penned to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul spends a fair amount of time detailing the fact that his authority arises from the Lord. In Chapter 10, we read:
“…For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. [2 Cor 10:3-5, NET]It is the assumption of this writer that this act of “taking every thought captive,” is not as easy as it sounds. Every day, we are deluged by a plethora of inputs that can tarnish our thinking: social media, news streams, acquaintances. Is there any hope for our thinking? Lance Hahn thinks so…
In between duties as the senior pastor of Bridgeway Christian Church in Rocklin, California, he has developed a fitting devotional guide in The Master’s Mind. Therein, he touches all the verses you would expect should you do a search for what the Bible says about thinking. The title seems a little off, however, as the preponderance of the book seems to be a theological primer on salvation, temptation, and the place the enemy plays in deluding our thinking. While not downplaying what he has written, those with a balanced biblical education will find it rehashes the need for a proper biblical (and salvific) orientation and provides very little fodder regarding changing one’s thinking.
I do not disagree with the author’s conclusions. Essentially the premise is, “Do you want to think right? Well, walk in a relationship with Jesus.” Hahn provides quite a bit to chew on and draws heavily from his seminary training taking the time to develop his thoughts in a very readable way.
Taking each chapter apart would be a fitting study in a small group where there were a lot of new Christians or in a church that is steeped in topical preaching. This book would be an excellent resource for a newcomer to Christ or even an unbeliever who is struggling with toxic thinking and has not made up his mind about God.
Perhaps a more fitting title would be something akin to, “Walking with Christ – the Only Way to Shape Your Mind.”
October 10, 2017
I had high hopes for this book based on the title. We are told in Scripture to have the mind of Christ and I hoped this book would help me see how that happened. While Hahn does a good job explaining our identity in Christ and what that looks like, I was frustrated with a lack of practical suggestions as to how I help bring that reality to pass.
Hahn explains how our thoughts are powerful. “If we can master our minds and bring our thoughts into alignment with the Lord's will and perspective, the rest of our lives will follow suit.” (2) We are to align our identity with Christ's. We are to change our minds and follow His direction. We are to fight the enemy and the barriers he places in the way of our getting to the right mindset. Good so far. Just give me a practical strategy to do that.
Here are some examples of Hahn's suggestions. “If we have baggage from our pasts, we need to let the Holy Spirit sort it and throw out what we no longer need.” (91) Yet he gives no strategy, no suggested prayers nor Bible passages to use. “We need to pray and ask God for His wisdom to rule our thoughts.” (168) A good idea but no help with suggested prayers or other strategy.
He writes that we need to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that He forces out the evil. (175) He mentions the benefits of spiritual disciplines but pretty much leaves it up to us to figure out what they are and how to practice them. (181) The closest thing to a strategy I found was this: “God is not as interested in our getting things right as He is in our getting out of the way and allowing Him to make things right.” (170) So I guess I'll just get out of the way and let God work.
If you are looking for a good exploration of the importance of our thoughts and our beliefs about our identity, this is a good book for you. If you are looking for a book with practical suggestions on how to change your thoughts and conform them to Christ, you will have to look elsewhere.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Hahn explains how our thoughts are powerful. “If we can master our minds and bring our thoughts into alignment with the Lord's will and perspective, the rest of our lives will follow suit.” (2) We are to align our identity with Christ's. We are to change our minds and follow His direction. We are to fight the enemy and the barriers he places in the way of our getting to the right mindset. Good so far. Just give me a practical strategy to do that.
Here are some examples of Hahn's suggestions. “If we have baggage from our pasts, we need to let the Holy Spirit sort it and throw out what we no longer need.” (91) Yet he gives no strategy, no suggested prayers nor Bible passages to use. “We need to pray and ask God for His wisdom to rule our thoughts.” (168) A good idea but no help with suggested prayers or other strategy.
He writes that we need to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that He forces out the evil. (175) He mentions the benefits of spiritual disciplines but pretty much leaves it up to us to figure out what they are and how to practice them. (181) The closest thing to a strategy I found was this: “God is not as interested in our getting things right as He is in our getting out of the way and allowing Him to make things right.” (170) So I guess I'll just get out of the way and let God work.
If you are looking for a good exploration of the importance of our thoughts and our beliefs about our identity, this is a good book for you. If you are looking for a book with practical suggestions on how to change your thoughts and conform them to Christ, you will have to look elsewhere.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
November 1, 2017
"The Master's Mind" explores how what we think and believe shapes our behavior. "Transformation always begins in our thoughts." By studying what God teaches us to be true about ourselves and Him and aligning our thoughts to these truths, we will change our emotions and behaviors. The author quoted Scripture or provided Scriptures in the footnotes to support or illustrate his points. He stayed focused (so no filler) and clearly explained his points. Overall, I thought the author did an excellent job of explaining the battle for our minds and how to find victory.
He talked about the influences that can lead to wrong thinking and common lies that we believe. If we learn to identify lies and Satan's strategies, then we can reject them and replace them with God's truths and right thinking. Of course, this means that we need to learn God's true and good things to replace them. He talked about temptations to addictions and issues like anger, anxiety, and depression. He also explained how to resist attacks by Satan.
The author didn't spend much time on personal stories, but he did provide advice on what helps from people who struggle with depression, anxiety, and such. He suggested practical steps like regularly engaging with a supportive community (especially with those who understand your struggles and can give good advice), daily reading of the Bible to learn the truth of God and thinking about these truths, engaging with God through prayer, and avoiding the situations that usually lead to wrong thoughts or emotions. Don't expect a quick solution. It's a process of learning to make right choices, which makes it easier to make right choices in the future.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through BookLook.
He talked about the influences that can lead to wrong thinking and common lies that we believe. If we learn to identify lies and Satan's strategies, then we can reject them and replace them with God's truths and right thinking. Of course, this means that we need to learn God's true and good things to replace them. He talked about temptations to addictions and issues like anger, anxiety, and depression. He also explained how to resist attacks by Satan.
The author didn't spend much time on personal stories, but he did provide advice on what helps from people who struggle with depression, anxiety, and such. He suggested practical steps like regularly engaging with a supportive community (especially with those who understand your struggles and can give good advice), daily reading of the Bible to learn the truth of God and thinking about these truths, engaging with God through prayer, and avoiding the situations that usually lead to wrong thoughts or emotions. Don't expect a quick solution. It's a process of learning to make right choices, which makes it easier to make right choices in the future.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through BookLook.
October 25, 2017
Starting a bit slowly, Lance Hahn’s, The Master’s Mind eventually picks up speed and delivers a commentary full of wisdom. The book’s introduction sets the perfect stage with these words, “We are a mess. We are insecure, defensive, lonely, empty, fearful, depressed, self-absorbed, dysfunctional, angry, and confused.” #ouch #true
Readers not fed up with their, “Woe is me attitude” and ready for a change in perspective may find Hahn’s observations frustrating. He speaks the hard truth when he says things like, “We are full of contradiction and sin, despite our best efforts. We cannot even follow a diet and exercise plan.” “So much of our challenge is that we don’t know who we are or why we’re here.”
The Master’s Mind packs incredible nuggets of wisdom in just over 200 pages. Each page reminds the reader that we share a common enemy and are not alone in our sufferings. He warns that each attack in our life is a notification of future attacks.” We must be ever vigilant lest our enemy gain victory in our lives.
This is not a read it once, and throw it on the shelf kind of book, it’s an encyclopedia for life that compliments the believer’s Holy Bible. A sentence from Chapter 10 beautifully sums up the essence of treasure found within its pages, “..We underestimate the influence of good, shortchanging the freedom and power that God has given us to change. Not only is change for the better possible; it’s probable.”
For anyone dissatisfied with their Christian walk, or anyone desiring to solidify their identity in Christ, this book is for you!
*A complimentary copy of the book was provided in exchange for this review.
Readers not fed up with their, “Woe is me attitude” and ready for a change in perspective may find Hahn’s observations frustrating. He speaks the hard truth when he says things like, “We are full of contradiction and sin, despite our best efforts. We cannot even follow a diet and exercise plan.” “So much of our challenge is that we don’t know who we are or why we’re here.”
The Master’s Mind packs incredible nuggets of wisdom in just over 200 pages. Each page reminds the reader that we share a common enemy and are not alone in our sufferings. He warns that each attack in our life is a notification of future attacks.” We must be ever vigilant lest our enemy gain victory in our lives.
This is not a read it once, and throw it on the shelf kind of book, it’s an encyclopedia for life that compliments the believer’s Holy Bible. A sentence from Chapter 10 beautifully sums up the essence of treasure found within its pages, “..We underestimate the influence of good, shortchanging the freedom and power that God has given us to change. Not only is change for the better possible; it’s probable.”
For anyone dissatisfied with their Christian walk, or anyone desiring to solidify their identity in Christ, this book is for you!
*A complimentary copy of the book was provided in exchange for this review.
October 4, 2017
If you know me, you know that I currently have a bit of trouble facing a new day. I suffer from intermittent morning anxiety, dreading waking up. I’m not depressed, I think I’m just trying to cope with meeting everyone else’s expectations — so I exhibit nervousness in those first few moments of rising and shining. Get me through that, and I’m fine. So when a Christian book with the subtitle “The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts” comes along, I was game for it. Maybe it would help quell any discordant thoughts I have when I’m still groggy from sleep.
Now, I knew walking into this book that it was going to be evangelical in nature as the publisher’s blurb talked about Jesus dying for your sins and all that. Still, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to peek and maybe there’d be something that I could pull out of the book that would resonate. Turns out I was wrong. Pretty dead wrong. At no point in this book does Lance Hahn, the author (who shouldn’t be confused with a deceased punk rocker who shares his name), make any prescriptive insights into how to change your thinking patterns. In fact, he admits that he suffers from anxiety himself! So this is, alas, a classic case of the blind leading the blind. I really don’t know what prompted the writing of this book when its author admits that he has no solution for the problem he’s out to unravel — except for, maybe, going to Church, reading the Bible regularly and praying often.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
Now, I knew walking into this book that it was going to be evangelical in nature as the publisher’s blurb talked about Jesus dying for your sins and all that. Still, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to peek and maybe there’d be something that I could pull out of the book that would resonate. Turns out I was wrong. Pretty dead wrong. At no point in this book does Lance Hahn, the author (who shouldn’t be confused with a deceased punk rocker who shares his name), make any prescriptive insights into how to change your thinking patterns. In fact, he admits that he suffers from anxiety himself! So this is, alas, a classic case of the blind leading the blind. I really don’t know what prompted the writing of this book when its author admits that he has no solution for the problem he’s out to unravel — except for, maybe, going to Church, reading the Bible regularly and praying often.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
October 27, 2017
I found this book to be thought provoking. Although good, not quite as interesting and grabbing as I had hoped. The content is really informative and helpful. Having a mind like Jesus is the goal. The author shares how important it is to have a healthy mind. We need to be Christians who live well, and to do that, we must think well. It is key that we know who we are in Christ, and who our enemy is, as well as, the tactics he uses against us. Through his lies he attempts to steal our identity. It's essential that we overcome the enemy through Scripture and God's help and our minds are paramount to that happening.
The author provides lots of food for thought. He goes over quite a bit of information - there were times I just had to take a break and process. I could not read this book quickly as I would have liked; there was much to digest. Some of it seemed a bit repetitive at times. Of course repetition is the key to remembering. The beginning of the book kind of sets the stage, shows the problem, while the latter part addresses how to begin the process of thinking like Christ and re-training our brain. However, as with all books of this type, it is important to read and compare to God's Word, not just accept everything the author says as fact. Most of what I read, seemed to be insightful information, but I have not yet completed the entire book - as I said, takes time to process, and is not a quick read. I do however, plan to finish in the near future.
I received this book from Handlebar to read. I was not asked to review positively.
The author provides lots of food for thought. He goes over quite a bit of information - there were times I just had to take a break and process. I could not read this book quickly as I would have liked; there was much to digest. Some of it seemed a bit repetitive at times. Of course repetition is the key to remembering. The beginning of the book kind of sets the stage, shows the problem, while the latter part addresses how to begin the process of thinking like Christ and re-training our brain. However, as with all books of this type, it is important to read and compare to God's Word, not just accept everything the author says as fact. Most of what I read, seemed to be insightful information, but I have not yet completed the entire book - as I said, takes time to process, and is not a quick read. I do however, plan to finish in the near future.
I received this book from Handlebar to read. I was not asked to review positively.
September 29, 2017
Thoughts Determine Actions
The premise of Hahn’s book is that thoughts influence actions. Our thoughts shape who we are. If our thoughts are focused on anxiety and temptations, we don’t leave room for Jesus. What the book suggests is that we can order our thought to live a more godly life, a life of peace and happiness rather than anxiety and fear.
The book makes important points for not only our individual lives but for how our communities can be better places to live. One of the most important chapters for me was Chapter 10, Replacement Therapy. Hahn makes the point that God wants us to be filled with love and peace. Too often we are encouraged to remove things from our lives, sin and wicked ways. Hahn makes the point that it’s important to fill our live and learn how to make our thoughts close to the mind Christ. When we’re full of good thoughts there is no place for sinful imaginings. Chapter 11, Who’s the Boss, is also an excellent chapter. God is the boss and we need to train our thoughts to bring them into conformity with that idea.
This is an excellent book. If you’d like to free yourself to lead a happier more peace life in conformity with God, I highly recommend it. It’s not a particularly easy book to read. It’s filled more with Bible teaching than examples from everyday life. However, it’s well worth taking the time to read and appreciate it.
I received this book from Handlebar for this review.
The premise of Hahn’s book is that thoughts influence actions. Our thoughts shape who we are. If our thoughts are focused on anxiety and temptations, we don’t leave room for Jesus. What the book suggests is that we can order our thought to live a more godly life, a life of peace and happiness rather than anxiety and fear.
The book makes important points for not only our individual lives but for how our communities can be better places to live. One of the most important chapters for me was Chapter 10, Replacement Therapy. Hahn makes the point that God wants us to be filled with love and peace. Too often we are encouraged to remove things from our lives, sin and wicked ways. Hahn makes the point that it’s important to fill our live and learn how to make our thoughts close to the mind Christ. When we’re full of good thoughts there is no place for sinful imaginings. Chapter 11, Who’s the Boss, is also an excellent chapter. God is the boss and we need to train our thoughts to bring them into conformity with that idea.
This is an excellent book. If you’d like to free yourself to lead a happier more peace life in conformity with God, I highly recommend it. It’s not a particularly easy book to read. It’s filled more with Bible teaching than examples from everyday life. However, it’s well worth taking the time to read and appreciate it.
I received this book from Handlebar for this review.
September 10, 2017
Interesting and Needed Topic
The well-done cover and subtitle (The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts) attracted me to this topic. I did not read the first book from Lance Hahn and recognized none of the four pages of endorsements in the front of this book. As written in the introduction, “It’s time for us to get angry enough to take back control of our minds, to master them and bring them back in alignment with the Master’s will. It’s time to return to the Master’s Mind.” (Page xvii)
The teaching in this book is focused on Biblical lessons and yet it is chapter after chapter with teaching—and lacking story with little information about the author or others. The result is a challenging book to read with little to hold reader’s attention. I read the book cover to cover. In the section called “A Renewed Mind,” Hahn says, “This brings us back to the premise of this whole book: our thoughts affect our actions. As a man thinks and believes, so will he live.” (Page 180). I probably was not the target audience for this book. The lack of story is a huge gap in the teaching of this book and why I believe it is just OK rather than excellent.
The publisher furnished this book review copy in exchange for my honest review.
The well-done cover and subtitle (The Art of Reshaping Your Thoughts) attracted me to this topic. I did not read the first book from Lance Hahn and recognized none of the four pages of endorsements in the front of this book. As written in the introduction, “It’s time for us to get angry enough to take back control of our minds, to master them and bring them back in alignment with the Master’s will. It’s time to return to the Master’s Mind.” (Page xvii)
The teaching in this book is focused on Biblical lessons and yet it is chapter after chapter with teaching—and lacking story with little information about the author or others. The result is a challenging book to read with little to hold reader’s attention. I read the book cover to cover. In the section called “A Renewed Mind,” Hahn says, “This brings us back to the premise of this whole book: our thoughts affect our actions. As a man thinks and believes, so will he live.” (Page 180). I probably was not the target audience for this book. The lack of story is a huge gap in the teaching of this book and why I believe it is just OK rather than excellent.
The publisher furnished this book review copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 15, 2020
If you've read Lance's first book, be prepared - this one is meatier. It's a good one to chew over a chapter at a time. Initially, I wondered if a book about strengthening our minds would be condemning. This is not that. The author is so insightful into God's grace and the value of process. He makes the point that sometimes Jesus heals slowly because He's healing deeper layers than we're asking for.
I noticed one review argue that this book gives no practical tools for how to reshape our minds. I had a different experience. I loved the list of 6 Things That Make Depression Words and Things That Help Me Get Out of Depressive Episodes. Plus, the section on temptation has a lot of practical tools, such as asking yourself the question, "How did I get deceived last time?" I've already used some of these and am glad I read the book.
I noticed one review argue that this book gives no practical tools for how to reshape our minds. I had a different experience. I loved the list of 6 Things That Make Depression Words and Things That Help Me Get Out of Depressive Episodes. Plus, the section on temptation has a lot of practical tools, such as asking yourself the question, "How did I get deceived last time?" I've already used some of these and am glad I read the book.
October 13, 2017
Yes. Yes. Yes. We need this book. I know I did. So powerful and so true.
If you have read Joyce Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind then you will love this book. I so needed this book, it came into my life at the perfect time. The way Lance talks about shaping our mind to the mind of Christ just really struck me and took me deeper. This was a non-fiction book I made time to read because I need my mind reshaped.
If you struggle with your thought life in any way, if you know you aren’t thinking how Christ designed you to think you must read this book. It’s like taking a breath of fresh air over your thoughts.
A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own.
If you have read Joyce Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind then you will love this book. I so needed this book, it came into my life at the perfect time. The way Lance talks about shaping our mind to the mind of Christ just really struck me and took me deeper. This was a non-fiction book I made time to read because I need my mind reshaped.
If you struggle with your thought life in any way, if you know you aren’t thinking how Christ designed you to think you must read this book. It’s like taking a breath of fresh air over your thoughts.
A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own.
February 27, 2019
Rich in Biblical wisdom, reflecting our Master’s love, compassion, and care for His children.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews