The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 12 July 2020 – Conformed Or Transformed?
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TOPIC: Conformed Or Transformed?
READ: Romans 12:1-8 (NKJV)
- 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.
- 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.
- For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
- For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
- so we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
- Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, [let us use them:] if prophecy, [let us prophesy] in proportion to our faith;
- or ministry, [let us use it] in [our] ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
- he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
THE MESSAGE:
Paul in this passage reminds us of the mercies we have received, notably, salvation by grace though faith. He calls us to respond appropriately by presenting our bodies to God as living sacrifices, rejecting any conformity to the world and accepting transformation of our minds. God is interested in the body and what it is used for. Believers are not to offer their bodies for sin, but to dedicate them to the service of God and doing His will. We are to reject any conformity to the world (the spirit or principle of evil that is pervading the world, the love of money, power and immorality) and allow the renewing of our minds by the word of God, prayer and His Spirit so as to become like God in character.
Are you conformed to the world or conformed to the image of Christ? Is your mind being transformed daily by the word and Spirit of God? Conforming to the world separates us from God but transformation draws us nearer Him. Note that it is so easy to conform, to go along with the crowd and fall away from God, but you can say no to conformity by offering yourself to God as a living sacrifice today, allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell in you.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, transform me this day by Your Spirit. Amen
