Transform Me Lord
Transform Me Lord
Romans 12:1-2
I encourage you to pause, meditate and make notes in your journal or Bible as you go through this devotion today. Make this time with the Lord count.
Romans 12:1a (NLT)
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.
The word “bodies” means “all that you are.” It means “all of your faculties.” In every area of your life give all that you are to God because of all he has done for you.
Romans 12:1b (NLT)
1 … Let them (your bodies, or all that you are) be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he (God) will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
A “sacrifice” is something that is consumed for the glory of God. You living your life can be all for the glory of God. No matter what you do, whether you’re a student, or a mom, or a businessman, or anything else that lines up with God’s will, you can do it all for God’s glory. The word “holy” means “to be set apart for God’s glory.” Or “to be set apart for God’s use.” It means to be sanctified, to be ready to be used in the worship of God, and for the glory of God.
Let all that you are be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind God will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Our worship is a living sacrifice. Some translations put the word “service” here at the end of verse 1, it’s the same word. True worship is a sacrificial act of service. And whatever your calling is in life, whatever it is that takes up your days, it can be a sacrificial act of worship to God.
And notice, that our sacrificial act of worship must be the kind that God will find acceptable. This means, that we’ve got to evaluate some of the things in our lives and ask ourselves, “Is this lifestyle or area of my life acceptable to God as worship?” May we give God all that we are because of all that he’s done for us. May every area of our life be consumed as a living sacrifice to God. And may our lives be an offering to God in a way that is acceptable to him and for his glory. Because this is truly the way to worship the Lord your God.
Think about that for a moment. Take a few seconds right now, to focus on this verse, to meditate on these words, and to apply them specifically to your life today. This is truly the way to worship the Lord, our God.
Our next verse is the “how-to” verse. This is how we get from wherever we’re at right now, to where God is calling us to be in our lives.
Romans 12:2a (NLT)
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, …
To be a living sacrifice for God’s glory, you certainly cannot be copying the behavior and customs of this world because this world operates in direct conflict with God. Would you ask God to show you where the world may be influencing your thoughts and your actions today? And then, would you begin to ask God daily for the power to crucify the influence of the world over your life? And would you consider making a commitment to keep walking in that power until the behavior and customs of this world no longer have a hold on you?
Romans 12:2b (NLT)
2 … but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
If you are in Christ today, you have a new nature, positionally. But you still need to allow God to transform you into a new person in a practical sense. Meaning, that we need a complete transformation in how we think and how we live. And God does that by giving you a new mind, by renewing your mind, by changing the way you think. In your old life, you thought as the world thinks. You thought as unbelievers think. But now, with your new life in Christ, God wants to transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
We need a full mind renewal. We need a full renovation of the mind. We need to see things through God’s eyes, and we need to view things through God’s truth. We need to recognize how powerful the mind God gave us actually is. And we need to understand that where we set our mind is where we are going to go. And so, we must join God in changing the way we think and setting our mind on Christ, and on the things of heaven. May we learn to choose, moment by moment, to turn our minds away from the world and toward God.
This word “changing” here in verse 2, really means “renewing,” “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And as we’ve already said, it means we get a full remodel, we need a full remodel, a complete renovation of our mind. And God is ready to do that for you. And I promise you, it is the power of God’s living Word being made alive by the Holy Spirit living inside you, that renews your mind. That’s what renews your mind, the combination of the power of the living Word and the power of the Person of the Holy Spirit living inside you. That’s how you become transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2c (NLT)
2 … Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Lord, God, would you please renew my mind today? Would you please renovate my mind? Would you please change the way I think, daily, so that I will learn to know your will for me? Your good and pleasing and perfect will. I know, Lord, that it’s the power of your living Word coupled with your Holy Spirit living inside me that renews my mind. I know that, Lord. So, please help me to be immersed in your Word, and help me to walk in your Spirit every day for the transformation of my life.
Would you take some time now to focus on this verse, verse 2? Meditate on these words and apply them specifically to your life today.
Lord, please transform me into a new person. By the renewing of my mind, Lord, by changing the way I think through your Word and by your Holy Spirit.
Finally, I would encourage you right now to respond to God in some way, in light of what he has spoken to you through these verses. If you can, consider writing out your response to God in a journal or a notebook, or make a note in your Bible. But at the very least, take one more prayer time and respond to God in prayer.
I pray that you have connected with God, today. And I pray that you’ve heard him speak to you. And I pray that you have spoken to him. I know that the Word of God lit alive by the Holy Spirit will absolutely impact your day and your life.
You can get more information about this ministry and contact us at MyDailyChurch.com.
Romans 12:1a (NLT)
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.
The word “bodies” means “all that you are.” It means “all of your faculties.” In every area of your life give all that you are to God because of all he has done for you.
Romans 12:1b (NLT)
1 … Let them (your bodies, or all that you are) be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he (God) will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
A “sacrifice” is something that is consumed for the glory of God. You living your life can be all for the glory of God. No matter what you do, whether you’re a student, or a mom, or a businessman, or anything else that lines up with God’s will, you can do it all for God’s glory. The word “holy” means “to be set apart for God’s glory.” Or “to be set apart for God’s use.” It means to be sanctified, to be ready to be used in the worship of God, and for the glory of God.
Let all that you are be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind God will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Our worship is a living sacrifice. Some translations put the word “service” here at the end of verse 1, it’s the same word. True worship is a sacrificial act of service. And whatever your calling is in life, whatever it is that takes up your days, it can be a sacrificial act of worship to God.
And notice, that our sacrificial act of worship must be the kind that God will find acceptable. This means, that we’ve got to evaluate some of the things in our lives and ask ourselves, “Is this lifestyle or area of my life acceptable to God as worship?” May we give God all that we are because of all that he’s done for us. May every area of our life be consumed as a living sacrifice to God. And may our lives be an offering to God in a way that is acceptable to him and for his glory. Because this is truly the way to worship the Lord your God.
Think about that for a moment. Take a few seconds right now, to focus on this verse, to meditate on these words, and to apply them specifically to your life today. This is truly the way to worship the Lord, our God.
Our next verse is the “how-to” verse. This is how we get from wherever we’re at right now, to where God is calling us to be in our lives.
Romans 12:2a (NLT)
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, …
To be a living sacrifice for God’s glory, you certainly cannot be copying the behavior and customs of this world because this world operates in direct conflict with God. Would you ask God to show you where the world may be influencing your thoughts and your actions today? And then, would you begin to ask God daily for the power to crucify the influence of the world over your life? And would you consider making a commitment to keep walking in that power until the behavior and customs of this world no longer have a hold on you?
Romans 12:2b (NLT)
2 … but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
If you are in Christ today, you have a new nature, positionally. But you still need to allow God to transform you into a new person in a practical sense. Meaning, that we need a complete transformation in how we think and how we live. And God does that by giving you a new mind, by renewing your mind, by changing the way you think. In your old life, you thought as the world thinks. You thought as unbelievers think. But now, with your new life in Christ, God wants to transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
We need a full mind renewal. We need a full renovation of the mind. We need to see things through God’s eyes, and we need to view things through God’s truth. We need to recognize how powerful the mind God gave us actually is. And we need to understand that where we set our mind is where we are going to go. And so, we must join God in changing the way we think and setting our mind on Christ, and on the things of heaven. May we learn to choose, moment by moment, to turn our minds away from the world and toward God.
This word “changing” here in verse 2, really means “renewing,” “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And as we’ve already said, it means we get a full remodel, we need a full remodel, a complete renovation of our mind. And God is ready to do that for you. And I promise you, it is the power of God’s living Word being made alive by the Holy Spirit living inside you, that renews your mind. That’s what renews your mind, the combination of the power of the living Word and the power of the Person of the Holy Spirit living inside you. That’s how you become transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2c (NLT)
2 … Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Lord, God, would you please renew my mind today? Would you please renovate my mind? Would you please change the way I think, daily, so that I will learn to know your will for me? Your good and pleasing and perfect will. I know, Lord, that it’s the power of your living Word coupled with your Holy Spirit living inside me that renews my mind. I know that, Lord. So, please help me to be immersed in your Word, and help me to walk in your Spirit every day for the transformation of my life.
Would you take some time now to focus on this verse, verse 2? Meditate on these words and apply them specifically to your life today.
Lord, please transform me into a new person. By the renewing of my mind, Lord, by changing the way I think through your Word and by your Holy Spirit.
Finally, I would encourage you right now to respond to God in some way, in light of what he has spoken to you through these verses. If you can, consider writing out your response to God in a journal or a notebook, or make a note in your Bible. But at the very least, take one more prayer time and respond to God in prayer.
I pray that you have connected with God, today. And I pray that you’ve heard him speak to you. And I pray that you have spoken to him. I know that the Word of God lit alive by the Holy Spirit will absolutely impact your day and your life.
You can get more information about this ministry and contact us at MyDailyChurch.com.