FEBRUARY 2023 MONTHLY LETTER
Roman 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
In these two verses, we can see here that Paul was urgently asking the believers in Rome to present themselves to be a living sacrifice to the Lord and not to be conformed to the system of this world. Perhaps some Christians in Rome were looking to the system of the world and Paul was warning them to be careful of their lives as believers. At the same time, he was saying that you must renew your mind, because when you do this, you will live a life pleasant to the Lord. This is our reasonable service to God, that we must present our lives to be acceptable to God, living for Him!
We must heed to the word of the Lord for us, just like He used Paul to speak to the Romans, He is speaking to us today. Do not harden your heart, but be humble if the Lord is speaking to you, if this is not for you, it could be a warning so that you don’t fall. The word of God is the same today, like it was back then.
When you start to see yourself through the lens of the word of God, then you can align your life to it. This is something that every believer must make, the individual choice to live for the one who saves us.
This is not a corporate thing. It is an individual choice that we must make, to live for Him. God gives us a free will. This free will can hurt you or help you to be transformed. It’s up to you! You make that decision on your own, no one can make this choice for you. It’s not magic at a snap of the fingers, it’s a sacrifice of obedience that we must make.
Our mind many times hinders our progress of transformation as a believer. Allowing the word of God to enter into your heart leads you to maturity, equal transformation. There is nothing else that will bring transformation in an individual, if you continue thinking like the old man, the process of transformation will not begin. When you embrace the word of God, your mind is renewed and the process of transformation begins. It will change you inside out. Remember, everything starts when you’re born again, but you have to continue applying yourself in the knowledge of God through His word.
Stop looking to the world, put your eyes on Jesus, the one who saved us. This world doesn’t have anything for the believer. Only live for Him and allow His Glory to be manifested in your life.
We must accept that we no longer belong to the system of this world. Individually surrendering our lives to the will of the Lord in order to be able to walk in His ways. We must present ourselves as a living sacrifice to the Lord. It’s a choice we must make, He will not make this decision for us. He gives us a free will and it’s a free choice to live for Him.
We know there is a process of transformation, but that process of transformation only begins when you surrender your life to Him. For some, that process may be more evident in some individuals more than others, but the fruit of that transformation is the evidence in the life of the person who receives all the council of the word of God. It only depends on your surrender to Him.
When our mind is renewed, we live by the word of God, and we do not make any excuses. Excuses will not take us anywhere and the transformation will not take place.
Our thought patterns manifest in our behavior. If your mind is not transformed by the word of God, your behavior will manifest what is in you.
God desires is that we surrender everything to Him. We cannot hide anything from Him, He knows us very well and where we are with Him.
Take a moment, Selah, and examine yourself, this is something we all must do to determine if we are living pleasant to the Lord or not. Remember, after this examination, if you need to repent, please do. Start new, the Lord loves you and He wants you to live a victorious life.
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
