“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Thoughts on today’s verse:

Don’t be molded by the world. Wow, isn’t that a tough one to obey? It’s a reminder that what we think is one of the places of greatest spiritual warfare. Sloppy thinking is more than sloppy, it’s dangerous because we are fed messages constantly that distort God’s truth and holy values. But rather than being incensed by the world acting like the world, let’s be transformed by renewing our minds and doing what Paul said he did — take every thought, every word, captive for Christ. We often think a tithe is giving ten percent of our money, but an even more vital tithe is giving ten percent of our thought time totally to the things of God!

Prayer:

O Lord, please guard my soul from pride, my heart from callousness, and my mind from too much focus on unimportant things and not enough on your things. Teach me in my heart what it means to be about my Father’s business, especially in the world of my thoughts! Through Jesus, my greatest example of time spent with you. Amen.

by Phil Ware
used with permission

You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on https://www.verseoftheday.com

Further Reading

•  Pressing the Reset Button

•  Stepping Into a Personal Revival

•  We Plan – God Directs

•  Salvation Explained

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“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. “  Romans 12:2

There is a mighty battle going on for control of your mind. Heaven and earth intersect there and the tugs of both spheres influence your thinking. God created us with the capacity to experience foretastes of heaven, but we have to shut out the world and focus on His presence in order to experience it.

The world exerts a downward pull on our thoughts. Media bombards us with greed, lust and cynicism. We must pray for protection and discernment. We must stay in continual communication with Jesus as we walk through the wastelands of the world.

Refuse to worry, because this form of worldliness will weigh you down and block awareness of His presence. We must remain on guard, stay alert and recognize the battle being waged against our mind as we look forward to an eternity free of strife-free living reserved for us in heaven.

Paul tells us in Romans 8:6 that the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. 1 John 2:15,17 tells us to not love the world or anything in the world because the world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

How are you doing in your battle? Who is winning …. the way of the world (Satan) or the way of heaven (Jesus)? Electronic communications, the media and the grip of Satan on the world around us makes this a fierce battle and all the more difficult for those not grounded in the Word of God. It is daily. It is constant, but for those of us who have professed Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we know who will win in the end.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Further Reading

• Practicing the Presence of God

• Prayer – Asking Specifically

•  Salvation Explained

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So many Christians that I’ve talked to recently are not experiencing the power of God in their lives. In different ways they share how life has become dull and grey and their days tend to ebb away with busy activity. Several have used the word “frenzied”. Oh, their faith is still intact, yet their lives lack that dynamic sense of energy and enthusiasm and purposefulness that is the birthright of God’s children.

I’ve thought and prayed about it lately because some days I feel it too. God nudged me to look again at the Holy Spirit; the Helper He gives every believer. The Holy Spirit in our lives offers us the power to be able to live above the frenzy with purpose and enthusiasm and divine energy.

Let’s encourage one another to tap into the enabling power the Lord intended for us to live in.

Let’s become people more dynamic in our faith and victorious in our walk.

The role of the Holy Spirit is to transform us to become more like Jesus; to be filled with the fresh dynamic of His power, willing to undergo the changes He may ask us to make; ready to grapple with our part in spreading the Gospel with energy and purposefulness.

Paul, that dedicated world changing follower of Jesus, understood this and was led by the Holy Spirit to urge others to offer themselves to God as an act of worship. The invitation and instruction remains for you and I today.

“Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

Peter was another follower who understood the dynamic of following Jesus. He talks to those of the faith and encourages us in much the same way.

“Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. …For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ…” 1 Peter 1: 13-18

The first step in our journey of exploring the Holy Spirit in our lives is to allow our minds to be transformed and our hope set fully on the grace that redeemed us from an empty way of life. Join me as we remind one another that it all begins with the way we think.

Prayer & reflection: Holy Father, I need You. Teach me more about Your Holy Spirit. I offer myself to You as my act of worship. Transform my mind. Help me to be self-controlled. Enable me to look beyond the distractions of this life. Show me afresh the dynamics of life filled with Your power as I grow in understanding my part in Your work.  In Jesus’ powerful name I ask this, amen.

by Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

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