Are you craving new beginnings and refreshments these days?
PART 1 – WILL BE CONTINUED.
“Now, fellow Israelites, I know you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” (Acts 3:17-20).
Four points I want to bring to your mind from this passage.
First, human opposition does not stop God’s foretold promises in the scripture. You see, the incarnation of Jesus Christ- His birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection was foretold in the old testament scripture hundreds of times. All these prophecies regarding Christ were fulfilled exactly as it was prophesied. There is no other book on this planet Earth like the Bible because it has hundreds and hundreds of prophecies fulfilled precisely as predicted. Why don’t you find out by yourself this truth?
This is why the Bible has always been the most-read and best-sold book in the past, and even today, this is true. Bible is God-inspired, and God originated. It is not a book produced on this earth by earthly human beings. Peter, in His preaching on the day of Pentecost, says to the thousands of people gathered there, Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did you, leaders. However, this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets (in the Bible), saying that His Messiah would suffer.
The point I want to impress in your heart is this. No human opposition can stop God’s promises given in the Bible. Peter said in another preaching that Jesus was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of the wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. However, God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. It says God gave Jesus to us for our salvation according to His pre-determined and deliberate plan and foreknowledge. However, with the help of wicked men, they put Jesus to death by nailing Him to the cross. However, you see, God raised Him from the dead because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.
What is this means? If God decrees and appoints something to fulfill in our life, no matter what people’s ignorance or opposition, God will make it happen. If someone or something stands in the way of fulfilling God’s purposes and plans, it will ultimately fail. God even uses enemies, ignorance, and determined opposition to serve His ultimate purposes. Is this not what happened in the incident of Jesus? Jewish people, especially the religious leaders, opposed and acted against God’s decree and purpose. They thought they would end the movement of God by killing Jesus. They did all they could to stop the plan and purpose of God. However, God raised Him from the dead because death could not hold its grip on Him. Therefore the first point is that you can grab on the promises of God with no doubt because if God promised, it would happen no matter what. No human opposition, plans, enmities, or acts can stop God.
Some of you can agree with this point in your personal life experience. People and your friends thought your life was gone. They thought you were history. They believed God left you and abandoned you. However, now you are in the church praising God, worshipping, and serving the Lord. What happened? No human opposition, from whatever sources it might be from, can stop what God has started in you. He is the God who turns the coin and works in favor of you as He did to Jesus, the savior of the world. You see, you, and I are serving the same Lord who raised Jesus from the dead. He is able and powerful to do that in your personal life. When David was fleeing from His kingdom by fearing his own son and his team, David might have thought that was the end.
Absalom and his crew thought they won. However, God turned the coin eventually. David came back to his kingdom and ruled again. Joseph was the victim of his brother’s severe jealousy, and they initially tried to kill him and then sold him to Egypt as an enslaved person. All people, including his jealous brothers, thought the life and story of Joseph had ended. However, God was with Joseph and became the Prime Minister of Egypt, second office to Pharoah, the king of Egypt.
What are you facing today? No matter what happens or what the oppositions and enemies talk about you and do to you, God is the same God today. God is the God of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, and so forth. No human opposition can stop God’s plans and promises in your life
When you think about it, nothing is stable or constant in this world. Even the places you and I were familiar with do not look the same over the years. When I walk on the roads I walked with my Dad, the streets are still there. However, He is gone from me to the presence of the Lord.
In an ever-changing world, you and I crave something do not change and stays the same. The Bible reminds us of two that do not change- God and His Word in the Bible. Peter wrote, “the grass withers and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:25. Psalm 90:1 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
And Hebrews 13;8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” When we recognize all around us changes, God is everlasting, and Jesus never changes.
None of us wants unhappy days in 2023, do we? What does the Scripture say about a happy and blessed life? Is there a secret to happiness and blessedness? Any prescription God gave to us?
Psalm 1:1-3 gives us three negative and one positive steps as ingredients of true happiness. The verses give three negative steps and one positive step that yields the four most blessed rewards. It says:
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. NLT
Healthy people try to avoid certain things to remain healthy. They avoid addictive habits of drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes which can harm their healthy nature.
Similarly, happy and blessed people avoid certain things to remain satisfied. Three things God prescribes are:
-the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Wicked means ungodly. The ungodly are those who do not honor and fear God. They do not belong to God.
-the one who does not stand in the way of sinners.
-the one who does not sit in the seat of mockers.
Intended Progression:
You will likely notice an intended progression in these verses. It is truly intended to ponder.
Ungodly nature– a sinner, a mocker. A walker, stander, and sitter.
A walk in the counsel of the ungodly results in sinning. Sinning results in mocking those who belong to God.
The progression is noted in the verbs as well.
Walk-stand, and sit.
A person begins to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. This results in standing in the way of sinners-standing and gazing the way of sinners. Consequently, he gets comforted in sitting and mocking.
A man starts walking, then stands, and finally sits down.
Do not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Do not stand in the way of sinners. Do not sit in the seat of mockers.
The passage also gives one positive step to take for happiness and blessings. What is that?
It says, “but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law, he meditates day and night.”
What you and I delight in tells volumes about you and me. You can delight in making money, gathering wealth, possessions, and human love. What motivates you? God says a happy person delights in the Bible. As a result, he meditates day and night. How often- day and night? This means he reads and meditates on the Bible continuously. Meditating means chewing the cud like cows and bulls. You read, reflect, repeat, and memorize the Bible verses and God’s beautiful promises.
Now, the three negative steps and one positive step described above result in four divine and wonderful rewards. Let us look into the four rewards God promises.
“He is like a tree firmly planted by streams of water. Firmly planted indicates stability and strength. Trees on streams of water have a wide root system, which gives them strength and stability even amid the harsh forces of nature. The nutrient-rich roots hold the tree in its place to stay stable and strong during severely dry summer and winter weather. Such trees won’t fall and remain standing during the difficult dry and winter seasons.
You and I develop rich roots by reading and meditating the Bible day and night. As a result, God gives the reward for standing firm, stable and strong even in adversities.
2. Fruitfulness.
It says, “which yields its fruit in season.” The nutrient roots produce fruit in season. It has fruit in season. You meditate on the scripture day and night. You will be fruitful. Sometimes we need to forgive- the robust root system supplied by the Bible verses readily gives the fruit of forgiveness. Need to love- it produces the fruit of love. Needing patience, courage, and perseverance, the rich root has the fruit of patience, courage, and endurance.
3. Evergreen Leaf.
Always green leaf- it says leaves do not wither. Due to rich nutrients and ongoing nourishment of the Word of God, the tree has fresh green leaves. Every day brings new food from the Word and stays in green leaves. A man who delights and meditates God’s Word gets new daily vitamins and proteins.
4. Prosper in all things.
The fourth reward is that he prospers in all that they do. What is real prosperity? If richness or wealth is the real prosperity, we misunderstood the Word prosperity. People who are rich, wealthy, and celebrities end up suicide. That does not look like real prosperity.
What is true prosperity?
Romans 8: 36-37 says, “Just as it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
You see, we may face trials as other people do. We may face failures, get rejected, get sick, hear bad news about our dear ones, and face tragedies. However, amid it all, a child of God becomes more than a conqueror because God makes them thrive. You become a conqueror.
The same idea is presented in 2 Corinthians 2:14 when Pauls wrote, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.
The context is given in 1st Corinthians 1:8-10, For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who rescued us from so great a danger of death, and will rescue us, He on whom we have set our hope.”
Also, refer to 7:5-6, “even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts on the outside, fears inside. But God, who comforts the discouraged, comforted us by the arrival of Titus;”
The context is an affliction, excessive burden, despaired of life, a sentence of death, great a danger of death, no rest, afflicted on every side: conflicts on the outside, fears inside, discouraged.
But remember, he wrote in the middle of it all, “thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14). How often? “Always .”Who leads us in triumph? God. Through whom God leads us in triumph? In Christ Jesus.
This is what true prosperity means. Always, God leads us in triumph because you are a child of God in Christ Jesus. God loves you and delivers you from all peril that comes your way because you belong to Christ. Now that is true prosperity.
Prosperity is not mere richness, wealth, or possessions. It is a broader and deeper concept. God makes you prosper in all things because you avoid three negative steps and keep one positive step described above.
As we enter a brand new 2023, God’s secret of happiness/blessedness is 3+1=4. Three negative steps to avoid and one positive action to take. Three negatives and one positive result in four rich rewards.
Are you ready to enter a brand new year? Keep God’s prescription for blessedness and happiness close to your heart.
Worship is more than Sunday Attendance! Part 4.
“Then you will be able to test and approve God’s will- His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
People often ask how they know and do the will of God. The question is answered here. Three things must concur to test and approve God’s will according to Romans 12:1-3.
One dark and starless night, while crossing the Irish channel, F.B. Meyer, a contemporary and friend of D L Moody, stood on the deck by the captain and asked him, “how do you know Holyhead harbor on so dar a night as this?” He said you see those three lights? Those three lights must line up behind each other as one, and when we see them so united, we know the exact position of the harbor.
Romans 12:1-2 gives the three prerequisites for testing and approving God’s will in our personal lives. So far, we have seen in view of the mercies of God- how he loved/loves you, saved you, forgave/forgives you, protected/protected you, blessed you-(a) dedicate your body as a living, holy & pleasing sacrifice to God, (b) do not be conformed to the present age but (3) be transformed by the renewal of your mind (by the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God which is the Bible). Then the following sentence is connected by “Kai” which means ‘and then.’ It says, “then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing & perfect will.”
Now, the Bible reveals three kinds of the will of God.
First is His sovereign will or decree, meaning God’s supreme and sovereign control over all things. Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”
You see, everything in this universe works and moves according to His sovereign will and decree. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. God governs from the throne in heaven according to His will. God’s sovereign will or decree is unalterable. Bible says in Acts 4:27-28, “Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will.”
Jesus would die, be buried, and rose again was the sovereign, eternal and unalterable will of God. 1 Cor. 15:24-27 says Jesus wraps up the whole history standing at the end of it (History is indeed His story) and embraces all who would come to him in faith by raising and transforming them, that he destroys death as the last enemy to be destroyed and that God the Father has put all things under the authority of His Son, Jesus Christ, is yet another sovereign will or decree of God that would fulfill in the near future.
Secondly, there is the revealed will of God that includes God’s commands and desires for us to follow or do.
We can do it or fail to do it, for Example:1 Thes. 4:3-8 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no one violate the rights and take advantage of his brother or sister in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you previously and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification. Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”
1 Thes. 5:18-22 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, do not utterly reject prophecies, but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil.”
Thirdly, there is the personal will of God in our lives.
Your parents, how God brought them together, your unique DNA, the generation in which you are born, and living are all part of His plan for your personal life. Acts 13:36 says, “For David after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his father, and underwent decay.” NLT says, “after David had done the will of God in his own generation, died, and was buried with his ancestors.
Psalm 139:16 says, “you saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Isn’t it mind-boggling? Each moment of your life was laid out before even one existed.
Jesus, in his earthly life, lived each moment according to the direction and plan of God. He was not early or late in reaching a place, talking, or reaching out to a person in need. You see, He moved according to God’s clock of the divine plan. It was all pre-determined. So is your life when you think about God’s will for your life. Now, we can live in obedience to His plan, or we can disobey His will. This is where God’s will and our choices either match or do not match. However, it always paired with God’s will and plan in Jesus’s life.
NIV says, “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. In God’s sovereign and revealed will, you and I do not test and approve of God’s will in our personal lives. However, in the individual will of God, you will be able to test and approve the will of God.
Remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane; He tested and approved the Father’s will there. There the sweat of Jesus became like the drops of blood falling on the ground when all humanity’s sin was placed on him. In his describable agony and mental anguish, in the garden, Jesus said, “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” The Bible indicates Jesus fervently prayed in agony and thereby tested and approved the will of God for his earthly life.
Beloved, there will be times like this in our personal lives- that you should test and approve the will of God for your life. You would also say, not my will, but yours be done.” Not easy, but difficult. In a lifelong journey, like Jesus said, picking up the cross-dying to self means dying to our desires to accomplish His divine purpose, to grab hold of something higher and sacred. You see, Jesus, the light of the world, becomes the ruler of your life, not the Devil, the ruler of the present and dark age. He becomes the master and king of your life on a going basis.
Listen, because of the manifold mercies of God, He poured out on you, which Paul explains from Romans 1-11, it is only reasonable and proper that worship becomes daily and not on certain days of the week. Worship becomes a daily and moment-by-moment life style that includes presenting your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the world (present evil, lustful and sinful age) but be transformed by renewing your mind by leaning on the Holy Spirit moment by moment and meditating on the Bible. Turn from the world’s ways of life to what Jesus and the Bible say.
This is how you and I would test and approve the will of God in our personal lives. His will is good, pleasing, and perfect for you.
Remember what the captain said to F. B. Meyer while standing on the deck next to the captain. In these dark and gloomy days of the earth, where the present age system and its sinful, lustful ways destroy many, let the three things of Romans 1-2 line up behind each other. Then we would test and approve will of God, which is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Worship is more than Sunday Attendance! Part 3.
“but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2b).
Last time, we learned the negative command of God that says, “do not be conformed to this world.” Today’s insight gives a positive aspect of it. How can I not conform to the culture, standards, customs, and ideas of the Aion- the present sinful and lustful age? You see, the natural propensity of our mind is to give in to the cultural pressure around us. The transformation should happen inside us to avoid following the present evil age and its standards and lifestyles. And the transformation occurs through the renewal of your mind. Transformation here means a total change in your value system or the way you think, as we listened before, and the renewal of your mind accomplishes it.
The positive aspect of the command is “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God wants you not to conform to this world but to be transformed by renewing your mind. The question is how I can get this done.
The word ‘transformed’ is the Greek word ‘metamorphoo’. From it, we get the English word metamorphosis. It means a change from one form of thing to another form or type. This word describes an unpretty worm caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. Metamorphosis is a powerful illustration of being transformed or transfigured. The lay egg becomes a caterpillar initially in the feeding state called larva. The only job of the caterpillar is to eat, eat and eat. Food taken is stored and used in the later adult stage. It is said it grows 100 times its size in this eating stage.
The next is the Pupa stage, the stage of transformation. By eating and eating, it becomes a pupa. Nothing is visible outside during the scene, and it may look like nothing happens. However, rapid growth happens inside. It develops legs, wings, eyes, and other parts.
Finally, the butterfly stage is the adult stage. The caterpillar’s state is to eat and eat. The Pupa state is of significant transformation inside. The butterfly stage is the final and most beautiful adult stage. It starts reproducing by mating and laying eggs and has a brief life span of a few weeks, generally up to 2 months.
Let us dig deeper into our verse of ‘be transformed by renewing your mind.’ TPT translates this verse, “but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think.”
Holy Spirit has a significant role in the renewing of your mind. The same original word for ‘renewal’ –ananéosis- is used only in one other place in the New Testament, and that is in Titus 3:5, where Paul said, “He (God) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and ‘renewing by the Holy Spirit’. You see, the agent who renews our mind so that you do not be conformed to this present age is none other than the Holy Spirit. It says you are saved, not because of anything good you have done, but purely based on God’s mercy. He saved you by washing you from your old sinful and lustful lifestyle and by renewing your mind. The Holy Spirit of God causes, begins, and leads the transformation process by renewing your mind.
Although accurate in teaching the permanent dwelling of the Holy Spirit in a Christ believer, we often underscore or do not teach much about the role of the Holy Spirit in the transformation process by the renewal of the mind. From the get-go, the Bible reminds us to lean on the Holy Spirit and walk by the Holy Spirit because He is who teaches, reminds, guides, and illuminates the truth.
From the get-go, the Bible reminds us to lean on the Holy Spirit and walk by the Holy Spirit because He is the one who leads us into all the truth. He teaches, reminds, guides, illuminates, reveals, etc.
However, Beloved, there is another side to the renewal of your mind. Jesus, in his intercessory prayer to the Father, said this, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” The context is Jesus is going back to heaven after his sacrificial death for our sins. However, the disciples are going to be here in this present evil age. So he prays to keep them safe from the evil one because they do not belong to this world any more than he does. Jesus Christ does not belong to this world, and they do not either. They must know the truth, which is the Word of God, the Bible. They are sanctified or set apart for him progressively by the word of God. Let God transform you into a new person by changing how you think by knowing the truth -the word of God, the Bible.
You see, the second agent in the renewal of our mind is the word of God- the Bible. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, ‘beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The passage says we are being transformed into Christ’s image from one degree to another when we behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The same Greek word is used here. How do we behold the glory of the Lord? We do not have Jesus Christ in his body form to look at him as the disciples looked at his glory and got transformed, do we? However, we have the Bible, the word of God- to behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. His glory is proclaimed from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. As we continuously look at Christ’s glory in the pages of the Bible, wonder at the work of Christ by hearing the good news of the Gospel and Bible preached and taught, the Holy Spirit who is inside you renews your mind by imparting God’s value system replacing aion or present age value system.
Many true believers in Christ are conforming to the world these last days and not being transformed by the renewal of their minds, not because they do not have the Holy Spirit inside them. God saved them by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. However, they do not let the Holy Spirit get control over their life. They allow the flesh and present age value system to influence them. Knowingly and unknowingly, it happens as they live day by day. Secondly, the word of God- the Bible- is dusty in their bookshelves and sanctified by the word of truth is not happening on an ongoing basis.
Beloved, if you have not accepted Christ as your savior and Lord yet, there is no potential for transformation by the renewal of your mind. Why? It is because the renewal of mind and transformation happens through the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of the world of God. Jesus said, and it is recorded in John 7:39, who would receive the Holy Spirit. He said this, The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. If you believe in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. And if you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you do not have the Holy Spirit inside you. Listen! Per Jesus’s words, when you come to Him and believe in Him, He gives the Holy Spirit inside you freely as a result of your belief in Him and initiates the transformation process.
Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, Thank you for the Holy Spirit you gave me. Thank you for the word of God-the Bible you gave to me. Please help me not to conform to this present and evil age value system. Help me to get transformed by the renewal my mind by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. I believe Jesus died and rose again for all of my sins. Please forgive me and save me today. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. “
“Do not be conformed to this world”—Romans 12:2 (a).
As we live in this world, all of us are pressured to conform to the culture & standards of this world. No one is exempt from this temptation.
The term ‘word’ is used in different meanings in the original Greek language in which the NT is written. The first word, ‘kosmos’ itself, is used differently based on the context in which it occurs.
In John 3:16, when Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” the ‘world’ means the ‘mankind or ‘human beings. God so loved you and the people of the world that He gave His Son to save and grant you eternal life with Him in heaven. This is for whoever believes in Jesus Christ. However, He didn’t love the sinful, lustful value system of the world.
The 2nd word, ‘aion’ means the present age, in contrast to the age to come. More specifically, the ways, standards, and customs of this world. Ephesians 2:2 says, “when you followed ‘the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air,’ the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”
In the Bible, the present age contrasts the age to come. The Present age is a pretty long period from the garden of Eden and the thought process behind its ways, customs, aspiration, and standards are according to that fallen nature. Ephesians 2 says the present age is under the influence of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, who is the Devil. And his spirit, who is at work in the present age, causes disobedience and rebelliousness. You see, the present age is an antithesis of the kingdom of God.
The Bible says in Galatians 1:4, “Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” You see, you and I needed to be rescued from the present evil age and its ways, and that is why Jesus paid his blood to deliver us from its corruption and bondage.
The Bible says in Colossians 1:13 that “For God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves (Jesus Christ), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The Bible says in Colossians 1:13 that God had already transplanted a believer in Jesus from the Devil’s kingdom to the kingdom of His Son, Jesus Christ.
When the Bible says in John 2:15 & James 4:4 that you cannot love the world and God simultaneously, it means you cannot love the world’s value system and its offers-practices, norms, thought processes, and goals-and love God at the same time. You see, the value system of God and the value system of the present age are opposite.
Our verse says, “do not be conformed to this world.” TPT translates, “stop imitating the ideas and opinions of the culture around you.” Other translations give a little bit more insight into the concept here. GNT says, “do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world.” NLT says, “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world.” Now I hope you understand the point- it simply means do not allow this world to influence or drag you in its ways, standards, or thought process. Do not allow the value system of this world to shape and mold your thinking process.
Why? Because in Paul’s language in Romans 1:18 onwards, the present age or this fallen age suppresses the truth of God, for they want to enjoy wicked and sinful things without restraints. Due to the heightened ingratitude toward him, God gave the present age to shameful lusts. God gave them over to a depressed mind, and as a result, they do not want to retain the knowledge of God. As a consequence of the depraved mind, they do what they should not have done.
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed & depravity. Without God and His revealed truth in their value system, they become full of envy, murder, strife, deceit & malice. They gossip, slander, hate God, and are arrogant and boastful. They disobey their parents and have no understanding, fidelity, love, or mercy. They know God’s righteous standards and decree in their heart. Stil not only continues to do these things, but they also approve of those who practice them.
Beloved, is this not what we see in the USA and worldwide these days? This is the picture of the ‘aion’-the present, fallen, depraved, sinful, lustful, and shameful age that does not honor and thank God.
They hate the knowledge of God and suppress the truth of God. Every time God is mentioned, even though they know in their hearts God is in existence, they don’t want to hear it and continue suppressing the truth of God.
Did you notice the verse under consideration- do not be conformed to this world (aion-the present sinful and lustful age) is not a recommendation or suggestion? It is a command of God. It is in an imperative mood.
Listen! Many once faithful believers shipwrecked their faith life by conforming to the desires of this present age. Lot, Bible affirms a righteous man (1 peter 2:7) flirted with the attractions of this world and ended up in destruction. Paul says about Demas, a once a fellow worker of Paul, in 2 Timothy 4:10, “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.” NLT translated he loved the things of this life. The word used here is for ‘new age’ or ‘present age’. Paul earlier wrote in Philemon 24 that Demas was a fellow worker with him. Demas & Luke, together with Paul, sent Christian greetings to the believers in Colossae. However, later when Paul wrote his letter to Timothy, just before his departure to the Lord, he sadly wrote Demas loves this aion (present age)- which means he loved the age and its desires and aspirations- and consequently left him. We don’t know the details of Demas’s situation. However, in short, it appears he decided that what satan offer in this life is better than what God offers because satan is the ruler of this present age (Ephesians 2:2). What a foolish decision. Bible does not say the restoration of Demas.
Beloved, may this never happen to you. When flirting with the aion, the present sinful and lustful age, and its value system, please keep this solemn warning in your hearts.
We see the Bible or the heavenly value system in opposition to the present value system daily. Our verse commands do not to be conformed to this world- the present sinful, lustful value system of the world. We must adhere to the heavenly value system revealed in the pages of the Bible. It is called Bible values.
For this purpose, one must be born again first and born from above. Jesus said to a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” After this, Jesus explained how to be born again. John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
By believing in Jesus Christ, the only savior of the whole world, you will be born again to God’s family or household. Upon your faith in Jesus, he grants the Holy Spirit inside you who would help you differentiate the present value system and God’s Kingdom value system revealed in the Bible’s pages.
Are you born again? If not, today is the day you can be born again into God’s family by your profession of faith in Christ Jesus.
“Father in heaven, I know I am born by my parents into this world. However, I want to be born again into your heavenly family. I believe Jesus is my savior; he died, was buried, and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my Savior and Lord. Please save me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”
“I appeal to you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1 (RSV).
Worship is more than attending a church to praise and thank God. Of course, attending a Bible-teaching church to praise him is vital. God instructed us to do this in the Bible. However, worship the way God reveals is more than open public worship in a building where the church gathers.
The Lord said in Isaiah 1:13-14 to the worshippers who brought sacrifices these words. “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.”
1. The Motivation for Worship.
What motivates you to worship the Lord? Our passage above says the motivation to worship is His mercies and kindness toward you. It says “by the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are all things He gave to you that you do not deserve. His love, kindness, forgiveness, favor, hope, reconciliation, peace of God and with God, Christ’s death for your sins, eternal life, His protection, deliverances, health, well-being, and the list goes on.
Especially in the context of the book of Romans, God’s mercies are His salvation-that Christ died for you while you were yet sinners and enemies to him and paid in full all the debts that you owed to God. 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In the immediate context of chapter 11, he says, you were gentiles, away far away from the covenants and promise of God, away from the commonwealth of Israel. But through their rejection of the promised Messiah, you who were the branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted into God’s special olive tree, sharing the rich nourishment from its root. Listen, how much God extended His lovingkindness toward gentiles who were not Israelites! By the rejection of Jesus Christ by the children of Israel, God offers salvation to you, the gentile who was not part of the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New covenants and special promises. God’s mercy and salvation come to you in Jesus Christ upon the disobedience of Israel. How great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!
Apostle Paul says, therefore, I urge you, brothers & sisters, in view of God’s mercies- the varied and manifold mercies of God toward you- is the motivation to worship God.
2. The Manner of Worship.
A. Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.
There is an intended connection between this verse and 6:13 & 19. It says there, “do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have a new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
When it says to offer your body, it does not mean you sacrifice your body like the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament time. Hence he used the term, “living sacrifice”. You don’t kill yourself or another person. But offer a living sacrifice. You live and offer your bodies. You offer your whole being-body, soul, and spirit to the Lord. You see, your whole body belongs to the Lord. He has a definite plan and purpose for it. God said to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah in their lowest time of life and is recorded in Jeremiah 29:11. It says,” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
You must continue living even if life gets tough and present your life as an offering to the Lord. God will empower you to do it even in the most difficult circumstance of your life.
B. Holy
Holy means moral and ethical wholeness. Your character must be morally and ethically upright. There is another meaning for the word ‘holy’ and that is ‘set apart’ or ‘sanctified’. You as a believer in Christ are set apart for God and His plans and purposes. You are otherly in the sense that you as a believer are different from others. The Holy Spirit sanctified/set apart you and sealed you for God’s purposes and kingdom. You don’t belong to the present age or present world system and its desires and thought process that is under the rulership of the devil.
Colossians 3 says, “since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears then you will also appear with him in glory.” You see your standards, goals, and thought process are different from others. You progressively become more like Christ. Certain things you like in the past, you would start hating as you are set apart for him and his purposes.
C. Pleasing to God.
What is pleasing to God means. I will especially highlight certain points here. You as a believer should not try to please men around you. You are called to please God. The Bible says in Galatians 1:10 that you cannot please men and God at the same time. Many believers try to please others. The fundamental question is this- Am I seeking the approval of men or God? When you seek the approval of God, then you will stop getting the approval of men. Simply, you cannot please men and God. If you try to get pleasing of men, you would not be able to continue as God’s faithful servant to fulfill his plans for your life.
Pleasing God also means having the mind of Christ. Christ is full of grace, compassion, love, kindness, goodness, humility, patience, perseverance, and long-suffering. His sweat becomes drops of blood in Gethsemene, but he still, fulfills God’s plan and did not deviate from it in severe beatings, pains, and crucifixion.
Christ loved all with no bias of their backgrounds. He never discriminates against people. He reached out to sinners with love, grace, and compassion. You can not be like the elder brother who did not like the return of his lost younger brother. Be like God the Father, and Jesus Christ. Forsake pharisee attitude and mindset. Embrace Christ’s attitude and mindset. Only if you got a glimpse of the fullness of grace in Christ and Father, you would be able to respond in grace and kindness.
This is how you would please God.
We have discussed the motivation to worship. We also discussed three manners of worship- offer your body as a living, holy, and pleasing to God.
In short, what is true and proper worship? Beloved, worship is more than just attending Sunday services, though they are essential. Worship is the dedication of your whole being every day to the Lord in view of His manifold mercies toward you. You must attend regularly church services and corporate worship because the Bible says in Hebrews “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As you grow spiritually understand spiritual worship is more than gathering together to remember the Lord once a week. It’s a daily day-by-day and moment-by-moment lifestyle that the Lord urges you to do.
The Message Bible transliterates the above verse this way. Listen! “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”
“Father in heaven, I dedicate my body and whole being as a living, holy and pleasing sacrifice to you. May your plans and purpose be fulfilled in my life. The grace you have heaped on me, may it flow out of me to others around me. May I not try to please men but only please you, Lord. I fully surrender myself to you. Use me for your glory. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my savior. Amen.”
Worship Is More than Sunday Attendance! Part 1
“I appeal to you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1 (RSV).
Worship is more than attending a church to praise and thank God. Of course, attending a Bible-teaching church to praise him is vital. God instructed us to do this in the Bible. However, worship the way God reveals is more than open public worship in a building where the church gathers.
The Lord said in Isaiah 1:13-14 to the worshippers who brought sacrifices these words. “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.”
1. The Motivation for Worship.
What motivates you to worship the Lord? Our passage above says the motivation to worship is His mercies and kindness toward you. It says “by the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are all things He gave to you that you do not deserve. His love, kindness, forgiveness, favor, hope, reconciliation, peace of God and with God, Christ’s death for your sins, eternal life, His protection, deliverances, health, well-being, and the list goes on.
Especially in the context of the book of Romans, God’s mercies are His salvation-that Christ died for you while you were yet sinners and enemies to him and paid in full all the debts that you owed to God. 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In the immediate context of chapter 11, he says, you were gentiles, away far away from the covenants and promise of God, away from the commonwealth of Israel. But through their rejection of the promised Messiah, you who were the branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted into God’s special olive tree, sharing the rich nourishment from its root. Listen, how much God extended His lovingkindness toward gentiles who were not Israelites! By the rejection of Jesus Christ by the children of Israel, God offers salvation to you, the gentile who was not part of the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New covenants and special promises. God’s mercy and salvation come to you in Jesus Christ upon the disobedience of Israel. How great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!
Apostle Paul says, therefore, I urge you, brothers & sisters, in view of God’s mercies- the varied and manifold mercies of God toward you- is the motivation to worship God.
2. The Manner of Worship.
A. Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.
There is an intended connection between this verse and 6:13 & 19. It says there, “do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have a new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
When it says to offer your body, it does not mean you sacrifice your body like the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament time. Hence he used the term, “living sacrifice”. You don’t kill yourself or another person. But offer a living sacrifice. You live and offer your bodies. You offer your whole being-body, soul, and spirit to the Lord. You see, your whole body belongs to the Lord. He has a definite plan and purpose for it. God said to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah in their lowest time of life and is recorded in Jeremiah 29:11. It says,” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
You must continue living even if life gets tough and present your life as an offering to the Lord. God will empower you to do it even in the most difficult circumstance of your life.
B. Holy
Holy means moral and ethical wholeness. Your character must be morally and ethically upright. There is another meaning for the word ‘holy’ and that is ‘set apart’ or ‘sanctified’. You as a believer in Christ are set apart for God and His plans and purposes. You are otherly in the sense that you as a believer are different from others. The Holy Spirit sanctified/set apart you and sealed you for God’s purposes and kingdom. You don’t belong to the present age or present world system and its desires and thought process that is under the rulership of the devil.
Colossians 3 says, “since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears then you will also appear with him in glory.” You see your standards, goals, and thought process are different from others. You progressively become more like Christ. Certain things you like in the past, you would start hating as you are set apart for him and his purposes.
C. Pleasing to God.
What is pleasing to God means. I will especially highlight certain points here. You as a believer should not try to please men around you. You are called to please God. The Bible says in Galatians 1:10 that you cannot please men and God at the same time. Many believers try to please others. The fundamental question is this- Am I seeking the approval of men or God? When you seek the approval of God, then you will stop getting the approval of men. Simply, you cannot please men and God. If you try to get pleasing of men, you would not be able to continue as God’s faithful servant to fulfill his plans for your life.
Pleasing God also means having the mind of Christ. Christ is full of grace, compassion, love, kindness, goodness, humility, patience, perseverance, and long-suffering. His sweat becomes drops of blood in Gethsemene, but he still, fulfills God’s plan and did not deviate from it in severe beatings, pains, and crucifixion.
Christ loved all with no bias of their backgrounds. He never discriminates against people. He reached out to sinners with love, grace, and compassion. You can not be like the elder brother who did not like the return of his lost younger brother. Be like God the Father, and Jesus Christ. Forsake pharisee attitude and mindset. Embrace Christ’s attitude and mindset. Only if you got a glimpse of the fullness of grace in Christ and Father, you would be able to respond in grace and kindness.
This is how you would please God.
We have discussed the motivation to worship. We also discussed three manners of worship- offer your body as a living, holy, and pleasing to God.
In short, what is true and proper worship? Beloved, worship is more than just attending Sunday services, though they are essential. Worship is the dedication of your whole being every day to the Lord in view of His manifold mercies toward you. You must attend regularly church services and corporate worship because the Bible says in Hebrews “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As you grow spiritually understand spiritual worship is more than gathering together to remember the Lord once a week. It’s a daily day-by-day and moment-by-moment lifestyle that the Lord urges you to do.
The Message Bible transliterates the above verse this way. Listen! “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”
“Father in heaven, I dedicate my body and whole being as a living, holy and pleasing sacrifice to you. May your plans and purpose be fulfilled in my life. The grace you have heaped on me, may it flow out of me to others around me. May I not try to please men but only please you, Lord. I fully surrender myself to you. Use me for your glory. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my savior. Amen.”