Friday, 2016-10-21

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 12:1-2

Bible Text:  ….Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take

We sometimes refer to kids as being ‘rude to the core’, meaning that we struggle to see any good thing in that particular child that we are dealing with at the time! Unfortunately I believe that adults probably say similar things about other adults also, and when we consider how devious we are in our minds, especially for those without the love and impact of Christ, then we should not be amazed by that statement! Friends, it is unfortunate, but we easily ‘melt away’ or blend into the culture around us. In other words, I believe that if a typical Christian settles into a community away from all churches, and filled with constant parties and celebrations, it may not be long before that ‘Christian’ is persuaded that if they expect to ever make friends with the neighbors then they had best ‘fit in with the crowd’. Paul encourages us in these verses to take every aspect of our lives and place it before God as an offering. I believe this means that we give what we have to God, ask Him to bless it, multiply its usefulness, and use us for His glory – so that His kingdom may benefit from every aspect of our lives. As indicated in the verses, when we fix our eyes and our attention on God, and not on what our friends, or the church, or the world can do for us, then God will be convinced that we are ready for His service and He will begin the change process – from the inside out. I believe this means that He will do away with the old thoughts and habits, and fill us with the glories of the heavenly, so that we may be usable instruments by the King of glory! In another part of scripture, Jesus warns that it makes no sense placing new wine into old wine-skins. Likewise, it would be highly unlikely for Jesus to leave the filth of the ‘old man’ in place and then ‘top him off’ with the joys and glories of heaven. I am convinced that God will empty us of the old sinful man and fill us with His grace, His love and His Holy Spirit, for our lost world will only be impacted when they see the purity of Jesus when they look at us. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will not reside where sin abounds. So to my unsaved readers, may I plead with you to not be tricked into making a superficial decision to accept Jesus as Lord in order to satisfy mom, or the pastor, or that friend that keeps bugging you. Instead, be ready to allow God to wash you clean – from the inside out, and then fill you with the beauty of Himself. Ask a beggar to act like a rich man, and he wouldn’t know what to do. The totally opposite is also true. Asking a sinner to continue in sin and wear the look of Jesus is also a total misfit. However, to ALL who calls on the Lord Jesus Christ, to them will He accept (save) and totally change from the inside out. I pray that will be your decision today friend!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please forgive us for the decisions we make that are so superficial that we change our minds at the whim of every wind or circumstance of life. Please help us to think deeply about offering ourselves as a total sacrifice, or offering, to You, for Lord we desire a heart like Yours, and the humility to please You in every way possible. We already dedicate ourselves in similar fashion to our workplace so that our business owners could succeed. Please teach us to be even more committed to surrender totally to You so that Your eternal kingdom may flourish through our witness. Lord, we have family and friends who are destined for eternal damnation and unless they see, understand and believe on You, they will never see the glories of Heaven. Please grant us the deep desire to allow You to rule and reign in every way through us, so that they may recognize the King of glory and desire to know You personally. Change my heart oh God, make it ever true, change my heart oh God, may I be like You! AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!