Hi Everyone!

Verse of the Day

2 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.

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Quote of the Day

“Whatever we focus our attention on is what will dominate our thoughts (Proverbs 23:7). If our thoughts are dominated by the things of this world then we are going to get worldly results in our lives. We need to focus on God to get godly results.”

– Andrew Wommack

Reflection

It’s easy to acclimate a sinful nature to the patterns of this world. Conversely, it takes deliberate effort to turn our attention away from the world and toward our Maker. When we do that, we not only renew our minds, as today’s verse clarifies, but we condition ourselves to align with the ways of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While our sinful inclinations may never disappear completely on this side of eternity, God equips us to combat them for our good and His glory.

That’s why the subtle changes we make over time are crucial. Today, I may feel strong in my faith, but it doesn’t take long for a slippery slope of compromise to arrive if I don’t keep my mind in the right place. For instance, if I allow my attention to drift toward the patterns this world finds acceptable, I would slowly erode my conviction to fear the Lord and to obey God’s commands. We may attend Church on Sunday, but if we don’t make it a habit to sustain our spiritual discipline beyond Sunday morning, we open the door for trouble.

I know I have faced this dilemma. First, I may allow myself to watch a morally questionable TV show. Then, perhaps I don’t attend Bible study for a week or two in a row. Suddenly, I gravitate toward secular music instead of praise and worship music. The nail in the coffin comes when I have chosen to spend more time surrounding myself with some friends who don’t share my faith as often as my Church friends. If this track continues for a prolonged period, it’s only a matter of time before my spiritual discipline is in shambles.

In a short time frame, I would have transitioned from living as a faithful believer to drifting into alignment with the world’s ways. I would need to feast on God’s Word, turn things around quickly, and repent of any newly established pattern of sinful behavior. Otherwise, there’s no telling how much further I would fall before God may use more drastic measures to draw me back into the fold. We know God corrects those He loves, but there’s wisdom in learning our lesson before we reach rock bottom.

Both today’s verse of the day and today’s quote suggest we don’t let it come to that. We want to submit to God’s will and avoid conforming to the spiritually risky habits the culture would have us believe are normal. In isolation, one of these decisions is not necessarily sinful. The problem comes when they become a form of idolatry and disrupt the intimacy we have with Jesus Christ. It would be legalistic to look at someone who exercised their Christian liberty to make a decision similar to the ones above and judge them harshly.

You aren’t any less of a Christian because you watched a worldly TV show or listened to a secular song. My point is that, in the aggregate and over an extended time frame, these seemingly harmless distractions can become footholds or strongholds that the devil would love to captivate our attention with (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). As soon as we realize we are not redeeming the time, we should establish better habits that honor God. There’s no need to wait for these issues to become idolatrous or establish that stronghold to repent.

That’s where we must reflect on verses like Romans 12:2 and adhere to its suggestion: “be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” We can pray to God and confess that we’ve drifted away from His ideal path. The longer we live a lifestyle of persistent concession to sin, the more challenging it becomes to rectify our path. The more we delve into questionable territory with our thoughts, life, actions, and habits, the more acceptable we will find them. What we once considered a spiritual crisis suddenly becomes more palpable and less convicting (Hebrews 3:8-15). That’s the last thing we want if our goal is to please God.

Application

Since our hearts are easily captivated by the allures of this world, we need to be vigilant (1 John 2:16, 1 Peter 5:8). We must guard our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. In a previous devotional, we discussed the impact our thoughts (Philippians 4:8), words (Proverbs 16:3, Proverbs 18:21), and actions (Ephesians 4:32) have on our dynamic with unbelievers. But all of this starts with us, and the same principles apply. However, our priorities are not in order if we’re more concerned about how others perceive us than our behavior. We must start with ourselves first. God is our ultimate audience. Our chief concern isn’t optics with others and maintaining a good reputation with them.

Mankind’s opinions are fickle, and people can turn on us at the drop of a hat. God’s knowledge of our character, who we are, our intentions, and our motivations for everything we do matter more. Of course, I am not saying that a reputation with men isn’t valuable; on the contrary, it’s a blessing when others look up to you for the right reasons. It simply requires us to emphasize God’s perspective on us first and foremost.

There are times when God will allow us, in this lifetime, to have a good reputation in the eyes of God and man (Proverbs 3:3-4). But if you are in a situation where you must choose, the former is unfathomably more meaningful than the latter.

My challenge to you and myself is to focus on God in whatever season you’re in. Let’s not get caught up in dwelling on the past (Isaiah 43:18-21), worrying about the future (Matthew 6:34), or trying to force things to happen in our timing. Everything will always fall into place according to His will (Romans 8:28); keep putting Him first in as many aspects of your life as possible (Matthew 6:33).

Embrace the season you find yourself in (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9). Trust God has a reason for the situation in which He has placed you. There’s no need to doubt Him. We need to immerse ourselves in His will. All the other things we want, which are not essentials but perhaps important life goals for us, will come if they align with God’s will. If they’re not part of His plan for us, He will protect His children from those things that are more of a liability than a blessing (Psalm 46:1).

We don’t need to focus so much on life’s extras. Focus on Him and His kingdom. If we have Jesus Christ, we have everything, and if we have everything else, we have nothing of eternal value (Mark 8:36-37).

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for another day of life. Thank You for the gift of salvation and the opportunity to store Heavenly Treasures. Please help me focus on matters of eternal significance. I desire to entertain thoughts that are pleasing to You.

I have opened the door to unnecessary exposure to the world many times. Acclimating to the world is no badge of honor for any of us. As Your children, we should exemplify critical distinctions in our lifestyle.

Please help me not to become self-righteous nor think of myself more highly than I should. If it were up to me and my strength, I know it’s only a matter of time before my morals fade into compromise. I must rely on You for guidance. Please help me maintain the discipline and motivation to always turn to You and Your Word for sustenance.

The world and its fleeting treasures, accolades, and trends will never satisfy my soul. Only in Jesus Christ, Your Son, can I find everything I need. Without Him, I am nothing and cannot do anything of eternal significance. But with Him, I know I am empowered to make a difference for Your glory and my good.

Please help me stay focused on Your mission. To find lasting satisfaction, I need a sense of purpose that I only see in You. Your Word is my moral compass, and I know I wouldn’t have the capacity to navigate this world without You.

Please forgive me, dear God, for all of my sins. Thank You for drawing me to You and saving me. I must remember that part of the mission You’ve assigned to me includes discipleship, teaching, and evangelism. Thank You for giving me the strength, wisdom, and discretion I need to accomplish Your will. I need Your continuous help to persevere. I want to surrender every area of my life to You and submit to Your sovereignty.

Please help me with every significant decision point and steer me far away from the world. I know that I am in the world, but I am not of the world. Thank You for all You have done, still do, and will continue to do with me. It’s an honor that You would see it fit to use a morally bankrupt sinner like me to do anything of eternal magnitude, but I believe that’s what You’re doing, and I am grateful for it.

Many of our ancestors whom You involved in Your plan were among the least likely to partake in Your purpose, yet You still used them. I could never repay You or thank You enough for calling me to make a meaningful difference for Your kingdom.

I pray that many fellow children of God will see the same opportunity to open themselves to You and to utilize their gifts, talents, and resources to pursue the avenues of service You have placed in their hearts.

May Your will be done in my life and the lives of those around me.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.