Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Grace”
Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Transformation is by the grace of God, as a gift from God.”
Yesterday I mentioned the enduring popularity of that great old hymn “Amazing Grace”. It was written in 1790 by John Newton. John was the Captain of a slave ship and as far as slave-trading sea captains went, he was one of the worst. John was known to be exceptionally cruel and brutal. By his own admission he was a despicable person.
I don’t have time to tell the whole story John Newton right now, but in the middle of a life threatening situation at sea John came to faith in Jesus Christ and quit his profession in the slave trade. He then went on to become a pastor and preacher, as well as one of the most influential voices to get the slave trade abolished. John also wrote many great hymns, the most famous of which was Amazing Grace. And, he wrote it about himself. “Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!”
People who knew John Newton in his slave-trading years could never have envisioned the man God eventually transformed him into. That was an amazing work of transformation and grace and it came about in his life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is what Paul was referring to in Romans 12:1-2. He calls his readers to completely surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ, and then to be slowly and progressively transformed into the man or woman He wants you to be.
Chances are you’re not a slave-trading sea captain, or anything even remotely resembling that. But neither are you the man or woman God wants and intends for you to be. That is a process that occurs slowly over time as you submit yourself to the work of the Spirit in your life each and every day. And it is a process of transformation which continues right up until the day this life ends and you cross the threshold into eternity.
We are all in-process. None of us has arrived yet. The grace of God is still at work in each of us to transform us into the people He wants us to be. As with John Newton we can all proclaim, “I know I’m not yet what I should be, but thank God I’m not what I used to be.”
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 