Thought for May 23

 History:

  • 1430: Joan of Arc captured and sold to the English
  • 1785: Ben Franklin announces his invention of bifocals
  • 1863: Seventh-day Adventist Church organized in Battle Creek Michigan
  • 1873: First Preakness race 
  • 1900: William Harvey Carney is first African-American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Civil War
  • 1922: Walt Disney incorporates his first film company--Laugh-O-Gram Films
  • 1934: Bonnie and Clyde killed in Louisiana
  • 1958: Mao starts "Great Leap Forward" in China
  • 1958: First use of Cliff Notes
  • 1980: "The Shining" released
  • 2018: NFL adopts rule requiring players to stand during National Anthem if they are on the field
  • Born: Carl Linnaeus, Ambrose Burnside [Sideburns], Douglas Fairbanks, John Bardeen [co-inventor of transistor], Rosemary Clooney, Mason Rudolph, John Newcombe, Marvin Hagler, Drew Carey, Ken Jennings, Aaron Donald
  • Died: William Kidd [pirate], Kit Carson, Henrik Ibsen, John D Rockefeller, Heinrich Himmler, Sam Snead, Roger Moore, Eddie Sutton, 
Thought: 

Romans 12 begins with a "therefore" based on the preceding chapters. Because Jesus is the source, the force and the course of our lives; because there is no condemnation among those who are in Christ Jesus; because we know that God is working out His plan for our eternal good and His glory, how should we live. 12:1-2 answers this question. 
  • Present your body as a living and holy sacrifice. Paul has told us that Christ died to save our souls. Now we respond by presenting our bodies. A couple of things grab me here. First, I must present my body, God does not compel me or make me. Presenting my body is an act of worship, and God loves a cheerful giver. So I present myself as a sacrifice voluntarily, gladly, joyfully--not hesitantly, reluctantly, begrudgingly. My body is to be holy. No, I'm not perfect and my sacrifice is only acceptable because of the blood of Christ. But, I want my body to be holy, so I pursue holiness. And my body needs to be alive. We have all seen people who although living, give the appearance of death. There is no life in them. God is looking for us to present ourselves as lively, holy sacrifices ready to serve Him.
  • Dying to self and presenting ourselves as living sacrifices for God's service is not an unreasonable request from the Lord--it is our reasonable service of worship. In view of all that Christ has done for us, what sacrifice could we bring that is acceptable and reasonable--all that we are and have. 
  • Our goal is transformation not conformity. In Christ, we are born into another kingdom--our words are different, our ways are different, our reactions are different, our attitudes are different. To the extent I examine my life and see the world, I need transformation. 
    • How am I transformed? By renewing my mind. Every day I put on the mind of Christ. It is His thoughts that control and direct me. It is His desires and wishes that I pursue. It is His goals that become my goals. 
    • Why am I transformed? To be like Him and to prove, bear witness, be evidence of what His will is for man. I am to be a living example of what a follower of Christ looks like, talks like. The world needs to know what the will of God looks like and Jesus placed us here to be His witnesses--not just speaking the Gospel, but being living examples of a Gospel centered life. 
Lord, today I am a willing sacrifice--dying to myself and living for You. Fill me with Your Spirit and with Your Word so that I am transformed more and more into Your likeness. 

Blessings
Larry

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