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Title:
"Renewing,
Rethinking, Repenting"
Author: Joan-Editor
& Publisher
Heavenly Notes
JoyPals.com-ReformedWomen
“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. 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.”
Romans 12:1-2
*
* *
I have just completed my
second reading of “Mind Renewal in a Mindless Age”
(Preparing to Think and Act Biblically), by the late Dr. James
Montgomery Boice and I commend it to you.
It is a book I believe we all could do well to read over and over
again because it is a subject that, try as we may to work on it, we
often forget. I find this
especially so for us women in today’s hustle-bustle world of events,
activities, schooling, chores, church activities, car-pooling the
children to and fro, and as we go about our daily responsibilities,
caring for our husband, home and children. Renewing our minds and
rethinking how we live as Christ’s servants in this present evil world
is of vital importance to us in how we live the “truly biblical”
Christian life daily and live it “all to the glory of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to be
“living sacrifices,” “holy” and “acceptable to God.”
In other words, this means sacrificially, every waking moment of
our life, not just some of the time, but all of the time, living a life
that is pleasing to Christ. God
has said that this is our “reasonable service.”
Our “reasonable service” is what we owe in obedience to Him
for this great and marvelous life of salvation that He has so freely
given to us. We are to be
“Christ-centered” and “Christ-thinking” in all that we do, all
of the time, in mind, body and spirit.
We are to be “thinking and acting” biblically “24-7.”
We are to be “spiritually-minded” thinking, acting
Christians.
The world wants us and
it wants us bad. And unless
we are totally fooling ourselves, we too fall victims to the “wants”
“needs” and “methods” of the world.
We suffer falling into the same “ism” errors that the world
believes. Dr. Boice says
the world or the “pattern of this age” wants to conform us to its
image by those user-friendly little “isms’ of worldliness,
secularism, humanism, relativism, and materialism. We are not to buy into this “pattern” of the world’s
system but we are to “renew” our minds so that they are transformed
to “Christ-centered, God-honoring” minds.
We are to shine as His lights in the world, and show the world
what is “that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
What is “that good,
and acceptable and perfect will of God” for us?
We know that it is to “be conformed” to the image of His Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ and that encompasses a great deal. We can open God’s Word and find His will everywhere in it.
He has given to us as our guidebook for instruction in righteous
thinking and righteous living. Dr.
Boice states that God not only has a “specific will” for our lives
(which He reveals in our lives on His timetable) but that He has given
us in His Word certain truths about His will that we can know for sure:
- It is
His will that we
- love
one another;
- should
pray;
- should
worship Him;
- give
thanks;
- forsake
sin and disobedience;
- train
our children in righteousness;
- go
into the world with the gospel;
- do
what is pleasing in His sight;
- know
that His will is perfect;
- know
His will, which we find in His Word.
It is the will of God
that we love, serve and obey Him. We
are His “called out” (set apart) children who know His will to be
good, perfect and pleasing. We
must therefore be about His work of renewing our minds to think His
thoughts, to repent of all of the sins, “isms” and failures and
press toward the mark of the high calling we have in Christ Jesus.
Thinking Christians are Christ-pleasers.
We are “women of the Book” and thus we must be
“Christ-pleasers” in everything.
Have you thought about how you can “renew” your mind today so
that you will be conformed to that good and perfect will of God?
Be encouraged to do so!
“Of
the fashion of the world, it may truly be said that the more you try
it, the less you will find it to be satisfying….
It is altogether otherwise with the will of God.
That often looks worst at the beginning. It seems hard and dark.
But on! On with
you in the proving of it! Prove
it patiently, perseveringly, with prayer and pains.
And you will get growing clearness, light, enlargement and
joy.”
Robert S. Candlish (1807-1873)
* * *
The JoyPals
Network, ReformedWomen and its affiliates are Bible-based Titus 2
outreach ministries to women of faith for biblical instruction, ministry
and an outreach mission to women and children with the message of
salvation through Jesus Christ. For more information, visit our website
at JoyPals.com - http://www.joypals.com
_________________
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