40 Favorite Scriptures
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 FAVORITE Scriptures
Day 30 | CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK
40 FAVORITE Scriptures
Day 30 | CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK
CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK
Romans 12:1-2
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)
God’s people usually live differently than “the world.” Yes, we all eat, shop, go to school, have jobs, and so on. But we who profess to follow Jesus should not live or act 100% like those who don’t believe in God.
And that’s the challenge.
Paul had the same challenge in his day and was writing this to the church in Rome (and Romans is probably his most outstanding book on theology – the study of God – of all his writings).
Rome, back in those days, was VERY secular and sinful. A non-Christian historian from the time, Tacitus, wrote this in 56 AD: “…but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.”
So, Paul – who lived during these times – was pleading with the Christ-followers in Rome to NOT “copy the behavior and customs of this world.”
We are living in similar times today. Without a growing faith in Christ – the Son of the Living God – and a commitment to honor Him in how we live, Christians can easily default to living like everyone else and not look much different. However, that is not what the Lord desires for His children.
Prayer: LORD, I want to live in a way that is pleasing to You. Show me what You would have me change so that I might live worthy of the name of Christ-follower. Amen.
Romans 12:1-2
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)
God’s people usually live differently than “the world.” Yes, we all eat, shop, go to school, have jobs, and so on. But we who profess to follow Jesus should not live or act 100% like those who don’t believe in God.
And that’s the challenge.
Paul had the same challenge in his day and was writing this to the church in Rome (and Romans is probably his most outstanding book on theology – the study of God – of all his writings).
Rome, back in those days, was VERY secular and sinful. A non-Christian historian from the time, Tacitus, wrote this in 56 AD: “…but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.”
So, Paul – who lived during these times – was pleading with the Christ-followers in Rome to NOT “copy the behavior and customs of this world.”
We are living in similar times today. Without a growing faith in Christ – the Son of the Living God – and a commitment to honor Him in how we live, Christians can easily default to living like everyone else and not look much different. However, that is not what the Lord desires for His children.
Prayer: LORD, I want to live in a way that is pleasing to You. Show me what You would have me change so that I might live worthy of the name of Christ-follower. Amen.