Romans 12:1, 2 - Surrender and Transformation.
Romans 12:1, 2 - Surrender and Transformation.
Romans 12:1, 2 (TEV) So then, my brothers, because of God's
great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living
sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is
the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves
to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly
by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know
the will of God--what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
True Christian service and living must begin with personal
dedication to the Lord. The Christian who fails in life is the one who has
first failed at the altar, refusing to surrender completely to Christ.
The motive for dedication is love; Paul does not say, "I
command you" but "I beseech you, because of what God has already done
for you." We do not serve Christ in order to receive His mercies,
because we already have them (3:21-8:39). We serve Him out of love and
appreciation.
True dedication is the presenting of body, mind, and will to
God day by day. It is daily yielding the body to Him, having the
mind renewed by the Word, and surrendering the will through prayer
and obedience. Every Christian is either a conformer, living for and
like the world, or a transformer, daily becoming more like Christ.
[Wiersbe Expository Outlines]
Perhaps one of the most powerful and life-changing prayers we
can pray is the prayer of surrender we read about in this verse:
"Lord, I offer myself to you as a living sacrifice." When we yield all
of ourselves to God, he works and loves and thinks through us to
accomplish his purposes, which are far more than we could ask or imagine.
We experience enormous joy as God does his works through us. If we
try to live life in our own strength, we become empty and depleted.
But when we're continually offering ourselves to the Lord, he
continually fills us with his spirit of love, joy, peace, and patience.
Verse 2 is also an important part of the equation: we are to
couple that surrender to God with seeking his transforming work in us.
He makes us into new people from the inside out by changing the way
we think as our minds are renewed with his Word. As this happens,
we will know increasingly that good, pleasing, and complete will of
God for our lives. [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Rom.
12:1, 2]
ILLUSTRATION
The other six hundred guys at the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes youth camp seemed eager to read their Bibles. But I grew up in a
church blatant with hypocrisy, and in my mind that ancient book had
nothing to say to me. Still, because it was "quiet time," I arbitrarily
opened my Bible and began to read Romans 12. Unexpectedly, I was
overwhelmed by the painfully clear picture of my life: I was a phony. In the
locker room I was the tough guy. To the girls, I was sweet. I totally
conformed to the world. And this verse diagnosed the fact that I needed to
be transformed.
Best of all, Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome
prescribed the treatment: I needed to renew my mind. That was the only way
to become a living sacrifice. Since then, I have been drawn to
memorize hundreds of verses and am almost fanatical about what I allow
into my mind. Let me be clear. I didn't change me. All I did was
position myself so the Spirit of God could use the Word of God to work in
the life of a pagan guy who didn't have a clue.
Now I've come full circle. Out of my pain came a passion for
the church and a vision for people everywhere to renew their minds
and know God's perfect will for their lives.
Chip Ingram, a radio teaching pastor on Living on the Edge,
is the president and CEO of Walk Thru the Bible. He is the author
of God, As He Longs for You to See Him; Love, Sex, and Lasting
Relationships; and Effective Parenting in a Defective World [The One Year Bible
Live Verse Devotional re Rom. 12:1, 2]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Be still in My presence, even though countless tasks clamor
for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with
Me. While you wait in My Presence, I do My best work within you:
transforming you by the renewing of your mind. If you skimp on this time with
Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the
richness of what I have planned for you.
Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember
that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I might impart
to you. Though I delight in blessing My children, I am deeply
grieved when My blessings become idols in their hearts. Anything can be
an idol if it distracts you from Me as your First Love. When I am
the ultimate Desire of your heart, you are safe from the danger of
idolatry. As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all:
Christ in you, the hope of Glory! (Rom. 12:2; Rev. 2:4; Col. 1:27)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Come to Me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close
walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old
ways. Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your
journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind.
As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully
attentive to you. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span
is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts
embrace you in everlasting Love. I also know the plans I have for you:
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing
attentiveness to My Presence. (Rom. 12:2; Jer. 29:11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
I am renewing your mind. When your thoughts flow freely, they
tend to move toward problems. Your focus gets snagged on a given
problem, circling round and round it in attempts to gain mastery. Your
energy is drained away from other matters through this negative focus.
Worst of all, you lose sight of Me.
A renewed mind is Presence-focused. Train your mind to seek
Me in every moment, every situation. Sometimes you can find Me in
your surroundings: a lilting birdsong, a loved ones smile, golden
sunlight. At other times, you must draw inward to find Me. I am always
present in your spirit. Seek My Face, speak to Me, and I will light up
your mind. (Rom. 12:2; Psalm 105:4) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Worship Me by living close to Me. This was My original design
for man, into whom I breathed My very breath of Life. This is My
desire for you: that you stay near Me as you walk along your life-path.
Each day is an important part of that journey. Although you may feel
as if you are going nowhere in this world, your spiritual journey
is another matter altogether, taking you along steep, treacherous
paths of adventure. That is why walking in the Light of My Presence is
essential to keep you from stumbling. By staying close to Me, you present
yourself as a living sacrifice. Even the most routine part of your day
can be a spiritual act of worship, holy and pleasing to Me. (Genesis
2:7; Psalm 89:15; Romans 12:1-2) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090729-2141.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
http://www.lastdayofprophecy.com/
[March 21-26, 2016: Charlotte, NC in person with live streaming
and multiple outreach locations]
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
