It seems the winter weather has changed the schedules for our Transformation Series. We will continue the series on Mental Health in NEXT WEEK’S DEVOTIONALS. This week, let’s stay focused on transformation with some additional thoughts on Romans 12:2 and our SPIRITUAL and PHYSICAL transformation. You will find the questions from your Transformed book at the end which you can answer in the Notes pages or on the blank pages in the back of your Transformed book.
Therefore I urge
you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and
acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
NASB
A Deeper Look at Romans 12:1-2
Bible reading is good for
our general inspiration and knowledge of God’s work in history and His desires
for our lives. Reading through the
scriptures we begin to comprehend more of God’s plan and His mighty power. Casual reading of Romans
12:1-2 would cause one to recognize that there is a need for
consecration. But deeper study into the
words and text help us understand exactly what that consecration looks
like.
Many times it helps to
read another translation or transliteration (a paraphrase of the scripture
which is not a direct translation) such as The Message. See how it paraphrases Romans 12:1-2:
So here's what I want you to do, God
helping you: 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. Romans
12:1-2 MSG
50 Days of Transformation was planned to help anyone who has decided that they do
want to grow in Christ to have a way to do just that. It’s not fair for the pastor to keep calling for
deeper consecration if a method is not given for that to occur. The large number of people who have
responded to 50 Days has validated the fact that there are many hungry for a
deeper walk with God and weary of being run over by the world.
It cannot be forgotten
that we are body, soul and spirit. It’s
not hard to determine which is in control of our lives. Our bodies can often take control with physical
drives or physical problems capturing our minds. The deterioration of our health affects our
mind as well with weariness and pain.
The physical body can even control our self-image and attitude.
It is our souls that can
really take over our lives, for this is the seat of our emotions. We will study this in a couple of weeks but
who has not had problems with feelings? Allowing our feelings to override our reason has gotten all of us in
trouble more than once.
Spiritual control of our lives is what we are looking for to
discover God’s promised blessings.
Inside of each of us is that eternal place where we come into contact
with God. It is the center of our being
and the true place of our identity. When
the spirit is given control it can overcome physical pain and emotions out of
control. That is the purpose of
strengthening your spirit. One of the
three, body, soul or spirit, is calling the shots. The strongest will win.
Paul’s desire for the
church from Ephesians 3 16 is our Scripture to Claim: that He would grant you, according to the
riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the
inner man.
