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Scripture for the day: Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Thought for the day: Sometimes the simplest things end up being some of the most profound truths we see. Take, for instance, this simple admonition from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Thousands of sermons and expositional paper have been written about these two verses. Rather than draw on them, we’ll take a look at what that therefore is there for. Beginning in chapter one
BECAUSE:
Through Him we have received grace - 1:5
The just shall live by faith - 1:17
There is no partiality with God - 2:11
There is none righteous; no, not one - 3:10
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - 3:23
Faith is accounted as righteousness to the one who believes - 4:5
We have peace with God by faith - 5:1-2
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us - 5:8
We have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son - 5:11
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more - 5:20
We are dead to sin and alive to Christ - 6:11
Sin no more has dominion over us - 6:14
We are not under the law, but under grace - 6:14
We are no longer slaves to sin; we are slaves to righteousness - 6:18
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life - 6:23
Jesus Christ has delivered us from the law of sin and death - 7:25
There is therefore now no condemnation - 8:1
The righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled - 8:4
We live according to the Spirit - 8:9
We have received the Spirit of adoption - 8:15
We have become joint heirs with Jesus Christ - 8:17
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God - 8:28
God is for us! - 8:31
We are more than conquerors - 8:37
And we are convinced that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - 8:38-39
THEREFORE – we present ourselves, body, soul, and spirit, to the Lord our God for His exclusive use. It’s the least we can do. We are not looking for prestige, plenty, position, power, or even paradise. Surrender to Him and to His will is simply a response, bourn of gratitude for His unfathomable grace. Our prayer ought to be: “Lord, the most that You could ask is the least I can do. Send where You will. Do as You see fit. Provide what You determine is best. Withhold what You know is right.”
Now go take on your world. - Bill