Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “A life that matters”
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 act of 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: “Walk the talk”
In Romans 12:1 Paul urges us to use our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Then he tells us that doing so is actually a form of worship. That then begs the question “How are you currently using your body?” Ladies, do you dress your body modestly or in sexually provocative ways? The eyes are part of the body so guys, what images do you allow your eyes to dwell on and take in? The mouth too is part of the body so we should think about the words which come out of our mouths, do they honor God? The examples could go on and on. Where do your feet take you? How are your hands used? The point is: are you honoring God with the use of your body?
In verse two Paul then goes on to connect our behavior to our thinking. He urges us to not conform to the current trends of the world, or to what the world tells us is ok. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you will then understand the patterns of thinking and the ways of behaving that are in accordance with the good and pleasing and perfect will of God.
This is all about behavior, and it’s more of a problem than many of us realize or would like to admit. For many of us our minds need a good deal of transforming so that our behaviors will get cleaned up.
As we continue to think about goals we will set and plans we will make for 2017, I want to challenge all of us to consider ways in which our actions do not match our professed faith and which therefore need to change. There is something in all of our lives which is not right and which needs to get cleaned up.
Tomorrow we will continue this discussion and I will offer some specific examples to help stimulate your thinking about your own life and what patterns of thinking and behaving that you need to deal with. In the meantime, I urge you to spend some extra time with the Lord today and invite the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind those areas of your life which need some special attention.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 