Please read the scripture first – Let this speak louder than how I have challenged you to live your life.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this [c]world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may [d]prove what the will of God is, that which is good and [e]acceptable and perfect.”
ROMANS 12:1-2 – NASB
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 – THE MESSAGE
Hey,
As I write this to you, I am reminded of my role and purpose. My purpose is to help you live a life for Jesus that is growing in effectiveness. Sometimes I get it wrong. Other times I get it right and the responsibility then rests upon you.
If I am right in what I am about to say, then this is a game changer. I will let you decide.
If I were to create a step-by-step process relating to this scripture then it could look like this.
FIRST – PRESENT YOURSELF LIKE A LIVING SACRIFICE
SECOND – THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN OUR MIND CAN BE RENEWED.
Futile thinking says that I can partially surrender to God and therefore be completely renewed in my mind. How can one worship when one is only partially surrendered?
How can my thinking and therefore my living be effective in the Kingdom?
Full surrender says – “God, I trust you to lead me through the process of surrender and addressing what needs to be addressed at the right moment, right time and in the right way. With your help I surrender to you”
Partial surrender thinks – Yes Lord I surrender this area to you – therefore I can only worship you from the perspective of where I am surrendered. Guess what – you will only have victory in the area that you are fully surrendered to Jesus.
Here are some examples – David Commits adultery with Bathsheba – 2 Samuel 11. David could not have victory over the lustful thoughts in his mind because these were not fully yielded to the Lord. One thought led to the death of a man.
Rich young ruler – Mark 10:17-27. The young wealthy man walked away discouraged as his possessions had him. Jesus knew the one thing that was a key in his heart. He had to surrender an inferior way of living for something that was far superior.
Surrender is a process but starts with a decision. That is why the bible says that key word “renewing of your mind” – this is an active and ongoing statement.
As you Surrender you are Renewed and then Released to Worship in new levels. This is called “Belonging to God”
Now it is up to you to decide. Is this right?
Much Love
Matt
