The Honor of a Continual Walk with the King
http://www.everyonesapostolic.org/articles/256/1/The-Honor-of-a-Continual-Walk-with-the-King/Page1.html
Brittany Holt
I'm not very old or very wise. I have a God given legacy in the truth, but it isn't one that I've earned with either my goodness or my constancy. But I'm growing and learning. I'm currently growing in Augusta, GA under the pastorship of my amazing dad. It's always interesting, sometimes difficult, but God's been here with us always. I am nothing without His love and strength living in me. By Brittany Holt
Published on 08/8/2008
Romans 12 reminds me of what I often forget: That this
I'm Not Doing God a Favor
Every now and again I try to see what the Book has to say about things.
And I am just being facetious about that "every now and again" part
Mom. :) But I've been reading in Romans, and I think I basically
decided that Romans 12 is going to be added to my list of favorite
passages in the Bible. There's just so much to it!! I actually read it
Saturday before leaving for Augusta, but I've been chewing it over the
entire weekend, trying to make sure I get all that I can out of it. Ew,
the mental image there wasn't pretty, but I'm sure you'll get over it. But moving on to something substantial.
1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2. 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.
That word "reasonable" just pops out to me. I think that sometimes, especially for those of us that have as much Pentecostal as plasma in our blood forget that this way of life isn't some great overachievement in the kingdom. You couldn't go to some crazy party last week because of youth group? Sorry, that's not adding another star in your crown. You actually didn't talk during the preaching the other night? Amazing, but still, no ticker tape parade. As I've said before, living for God isn't done in these great, big, high rush emotion moments that everyone sees. It's presenting your body a living sacrifice on a regular basis: facing criticism, witnessing with both with your words and actions, being willing to endure rejection, going against what good sense would dictate in deference to what you know you should be doing for the kingdom. And guess what? Living for God like this, wholly and completely, isn't considered doing God a favor. He doesn't owe any of us a single favor for our sacrifice. It doesn't matter how many times I go to work with a hoarse voice because I prayed it out the night before. God left perfection in Heaven to be brutally slaughtered for me. He endured unimaginable humiliation, rejection, suffering, and the list goes on. I'm sorry, but I don't see my embarrassment over being told to "Buzz off preacher girl" as a comparison there.
That next verse gets it too: Be ye NOT conformed to this world; but be ye TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your mind. Being the English nut I am, I like to dissect verses to find what nuances of meaning could be hidden inside. If I lose you here in my nerdiness, just read slower, lol. But the use of the word "transformed" and the continual tense of "renewing" seem to be important to me. I guess it says to me that our human nature will naturally gravitate towards being conformed, which is common sense. People have a natural desire to be accepted by society. Being "different" (even though we're not the ones that have changed) is hard. So we have a tendency to drift towards what's more normal. To avoid this, Paul says that we have to continually renew our minds to transform that drift. We have to delve into the Word and a relationship with God with passion and determination often, not just every now and again. We have to continuously allow ourselves to be subjected to the will and mind of God so that we can continue to give ourselves as that living sacrifice. In this, we prove or allow for God's will to be active and exhibited in our lives, which is a definite must for me.
Just some thoughts. Maybe it did something for somebody. I feel better anyways ;)
1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2. 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.
That word "reasonable" just pops out to me. I think that sometimes, especially for those of us that have as much Pentecostal as plasma in our blood forget that this way of life isn't some great overachievement in the kingdom. You couldn't go to some crazy party last week because of youth group? Sorry, that's not adding another star in your crown. You actually didn't talk during the preaching the other night? Amazing, but still, no ticker tape parade. As I've said before, living for God isn't done in these great, big, high rush emotion moments that everyone sees. It's presenting your body a living sacrifice on a regular basis: facing criticism, witnessing with both with your words and actions, being willing to endure rejection, going against what good sense would dictate in deference to what you know you should be doing for the kingdom. And guess what? Living for God like this, wholly and completely, isn't considered doing God a favor. He doesn't owe any of us a single favor for our sacrifice. It doesn't matter how many times I go to work with a hoarse voice because I prayed it out the night before. God left perfection in Heaven to be brutally slaughtered for me. He endured unimaginable humiliation, rejection, suffering, and the list goes on. I'm sorry, but I don't see my embarrassment over being told to "Buzz off preacher girl" as a comparison there.
That next verse gets it too: Be ye NOT conformed to this world; but be ye TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your mind. Being the English nut I am, I like to dissect verses to find what nuances of meaning could be hidden inside. If I lose you here in my nerdiness, just read slower, lol. But the use of the word "transformed" and the continual tense of "renewing" seem to be important to me. I guess it says to me that our human nature will naturally gravitate towards being conformed, which is common sense. People have a natural desire to be accepted by society. Being "different" (even though we're not the ones that have changed) is hard. So we have a tendency to drift towards what's more normal. To avoid this, Paul says that we have to continually renew our minds to transform that drift. We have to delve into the Word and a relationship with God with passion and determination often, not just every now and again. We have to continuously allow ourselves to be subjected to the will and mind of God so that we can continue to give ourselves as that living sacrifice. In this, we prove or allow for God's will to be active and exhibited in our lives, which is a definite must for me.
Just some thoughts. Maybe it did something for somebody. I feel better anyways ;)