Scripture: Romans 12.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Oh Lord how great You are! Your Word is nothing short of powerful; amazing; unbelievable; mind sobering; encouraging; loving and aimed at making me the kind of person that will represent You perfectly to a lost world. This whole chapter of Romans was so filled with ‘Nuggets’ this morning that I feel like I will bookmark it to read over and over again, especially those times when I feel poorly about myself or feel like I am being picked on by the world. While Jesus loved the world, He didn’t let the world stop His ministry or prevent Him from doing good. Paul reminds us in this chapter, and particularly in the verses chosen, that when sacrificing an animal according to God’s law, a priest would kill the animal, cut it in pieces, and place it on the altar. Sacrifice was important, but even in the Old Testament God made it clear that obedience from the heart was much more important (see 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 40:6; Amos 5:21 -24). God wants us to offer ourselves, not animals, as living sacrifices—daily laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all our energy and resources at his disposal and trusting him to guide us. We do this out of gratitude that our sins have been forgiven. We do this in response to God’s perfect will for our lives.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Dear Jesus, I am reminded this morning of Your powerful Word, for I found so many truths contained therein that I must apply to my heart today. If I am to truly be Your messenger, Your representative, Your encourager to others, then I will have to do more than just what meets the eye, but I must open my heart to Your will and surrender my life whole heartedly, knowing that You will only accept a pure and holy heart, not one that will easily fly off the handle when provoked by evil, or tempted by Satan. I pray that You will tender my heart to truly be transformed by You, used by You and available to You. Please forgive me for those times that I have allowed self to get in the way, and please give me Your strength to still represent You well, even at those times when I am persecuted for doing what I thought was good. May You look at my life this day and find it good and pleasing and perfect, even as You are good and pleasing and perfect.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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