e-mail 11/29/6

A few days ago, I was reading in a book and was reminded of a Scripture from Romans 12:1-2. This has always been one of my favorite passages because it helps me to remember where I have come from and what my responsibilities are in this life. Then a very special Aunt sent us pictures of the beautiful "glass butterflies" and I could not help but think of the transformation that these beauties had to go through to become what they are as full grown butterflies.

The Scripture says, "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."

Paul was writing to the church at Rome and he was writing to those that were called Christians and he begged them by God's mercy to present their body as a living sacrifice. Something we need to remember here is that the people he was writing to was familiar with using their bodies as a sacrifice in their idol worship. But Paul wanted them to be different from before their conversion, he wanted them to understand that their bodies were to be living and holy, acceptable to God.

What does it take to have a holy, acceptable body to God? It takes a body that has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ to be a holy body. It takes a body who has the "intent of their heart" to be acceptable to God and Paul says this is just our reasonable service. If Jesus could give His life for us to have eternity with Him, then it is reasonable that He would want us to keep our bodies "holy, acceptable to God".

As Paul continues with his words to this church, he reminds them that they should not be "conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." When we first become a believer, we do not know everything that we will know if we stick with Jesus and learn His word.

I was 13 years old when I got saved, from a nonChristian home, parents allowed me to attend church with friends but I had a Bible believing and knee praying Grandmother who knew Jesus personally. She talked to Him about everything. She could not read or write but there were preachers on the AM radio that she listened to every night. When it was time for them to come on, she stopped everything, pulled up her chair, laid her hand on the radio for a point of contact, she learned the Word and she prayed. If I got sick or she felt the need, she would sometime send me a little piece of cloth or a handkerchief that had been prayed over (This is Scriptural by the way.) Her prayers were wrapping me in the arms of Jesus. I loved my Grandmother and if Jesus was so real and personal to her then I wanted Him in my life and it could not happen overnight." Transformation had to happen over time.

Paul said to not be conformed (accepting or following) the worldly ways but be changed (transformed) by the renewing of your mind. That tells me that the intent has to be deliberate. One cannot decide on Sunday to be a Christian and then not make changes in their behaviors and attitudes. No, it usually does not happen immediately, but as our hearts become more in tune with Jesus, our intent is to become more like Him by renewing or changing our minds that we might prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God. Should that also be our intent? To prove what is good, perfect and acceptable will of God.

Paul also writes about transformation in 2 Cor 3:18. He said "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed from the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Bob helped me a bit with understanding some of what Paul was saying in the last 5-6 verses of this chapter.

When a person does not know God, it is as though a veil is put over their minds so they cannot understand the things of God (2 Cor 3:14-15). The Scripture is beyond the unbeliever's comprehension. I use to think they were just stubborn and refusing to hear and when my neighbor use to go out the backdoor every time I went over to visit his wife, I thought he was just rude. But there is a veil over the unbeliever's mind until they hear a witness or watch a "transformed" believer and God's Holy Spirit begins dealing with their heart. As Christians, the veil has been lifted and we can see and know God through His son Jesus Christ. We should be changing every day from glory to glory because we want to be more like Him.

Our goal - to be like Jesus. We may not make it in this lifetime but it should still be our goal. When we are tempted to behave in a bad way, we should stop and ask, what would Jesus do? When our attitudes get out of whack, stop and pray, what would Jesus do? When someone cuts in front of us when we are driving, instead of yelling at the driver who cannot hear you, pray for him and think of your own attitude, what would Jesus do? And for myself especially, the next time the little girl at the end of the street stands in the middle of the road directing traffic, I will go to the door and speak politely to the mother instead of getting angry that the child is out alone in the middle of the street.

As we are transformed into the image of one who is good, perfect and acceptable in the site of God, we will be...

Sharing God's Love,

Peggy