TRANSFORMATION**INFORMATION**REFORMATION
Lesson for 2:24:17
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
God wants us to daily lay aside our own desires and follow Him. Putting all our energy and resources at His disposal, and trusting Him to guide us.
We do this out of gratitude, that our sins have been forgiven, and because he has given us a clear path to Heaven.
If we will do that God has good, pleasing and perfect plans for us, His children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey Him.
Because He only wants what is best for us, and because He gave his Son to make our new life possible, we should joyfully give ourselves as living sacrifices for His service.
Paul warned Christians not to copy the behavior and customs of the world. That wise Christians decide that worldly behavior is off limits for them.
Our refusal to conform to the worlds values must go even deeper than just behaviors and customs, it must be firmly planted in our minds.
We must let God transform us into a new person. The Holy Spirit will help to change the way we think. He will renew, re-educate and redirect our minds. Then we will truly be transformed.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Paul divides people into two categories: those who let themselves be controlled by their sinful nature and those who follow after the Holy Spirit.
All of us would be in the first category if Jesus hadn’t offered us a way out. Once we say yes to Jesus, we will want to continue to follow Him, because His way brings life and peace.
Daily, we must consciously choose to center our life on God.
Information
Inform… to tell or give knowledge of something to someone… a word of wisdom from the Holy Spirit informs you for direction.
We must have wisdom to use knowledge. Ignorance is the curse of God, knowledge is the wings wherewith we fly to Heaven.
Proverbs 9:10 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Wisdom begins with knowing God, He gives insight into living: because He created life, to know God you must not only know the facts about Him, you must have a personal relationship with Him.
James 1:5 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
By wisdom, James is talking not only about knowledge, but the ability to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances. Whenever we need wisdom we can pray to God and He will generously supply what we need.
Christians don’t have to grope around in the dark, hoping to stumble upon answers. We can go directly to God and ask Him for wisdom to guide our choices.
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
God will bless you with His special favor and peace as you come to know Jesus our Lord more and more.
Many believers want an abundance of Gods special favor and peace, but they are unwilling to put forth the effort to get to know Him better through bible study and prayer.
The power to live a godly life comes from God, because we don’t have the resources to be truly godly on our own. God allows us to share in His divine nature in order to keep us from sin, and help us to live for Him.
When we are born again, God by His spirit empowers us with His own goodness, called grace….
Reformation
Reformation means to make a permanent change in one’s life, when we repent of our wrong doings.
Repent means we are heartfelt sorry for our sins and we will endeavor to not make the same mistakes over and over again.
We must reform to become better Christians. Behave better, abandon things which are corrupt and improve or correct our faults by renewing our minds with the word of God.
To reform we must be informed, we must transform into the children of God in the word of God, under the leading of the Holy Spirit and His guidance, with his anointing.
After we are transformed, then we can be the responsible people God desires as his servants.
Being a transformed Christian, means you have changed for the good, and you will never be the same as your old self.
Philippians 2:13 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
God helps us desire to obey Him and then gives the power to do what He wants. The secret to a changed life is to submit fully to Gods control and let Him work in your life.
When God works in your life you rest; when you work, God rests. When God works in your life it is called grace, when you work it is called the Law. Under the law, you will fail, because it was done in your effort, not Gods.
Gods grace is sufficient in our lives, as we walk holy, because we are allowing Christ in us, the transferring is taking place. When Jesus is being formed in us, it is not what we do, it is what Jesus already did.
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