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Romans 12:1, 2 - Surrender and Transformation.

Romans 12:1, 2 - Surrender and Transformation.

Romans 12:1, 2 (TEV) So then, my brothers, because of God's 
great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living 
sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him.  This is 
the true worship that you should offer.  Do not conform yourselves 
to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly 
by a complete change of your mind.  Then you will be able to know 
the will of God--what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. 
 

   True Christian service and living must begin with personal 
dedication to the Lord. The Christian who fails in life is the one who has 
first failed at the altar, refusing to surrender completely to Christ. 
 
   The motive for dedication is love; Paul does not say, "I 
command you" but "I beseech you, because of what God has already done 
for you." We do not serve Christ in order to receive His mercies, 
because we already have them (3:21-8:39). We serve Him out of love and 
appreciation.  
   True dedication is the presenting of body, mind, and will to 
God day by day. It is daily yielding the body to Him, having the 
mind renewed by the Word, and surrendering the will through prayer 
and obedience. Every Christian is either a conformer, living for and 
like the world, or a transformer, daily becoming more like Christ. 
[Wiersbe Expository Outlines]  

   Perhaps one of the most powerful and life-changing prayers we 
can pray is the prayer of surrender we read about in this verse: 
"Lord, I offer myself to you as a living sacrifice." When we yield all 
of ourselves to God, he works and loves and thinks through us to 
accomplish his purposes, which are far more than we could ask or imagine. 
We experience enormous joy as God does his works through us. If we 
try to live life in our own strength, we become empty and depleted. 
But when we're continually offering ourselves to the Lord, he 
continually fills us with his spirit of love, joy, peace, and patience.  
   Verse 2 is also an important part of the equation: we are to 
couple that surrender to God with seeking his transforming work in us. 
He makes us into new people from the inside out by changing the way 
we think as our minds are renewed with his Word. As this happens, 
we will know increasingly that good, pleasing, and complete will of 
God for our lives. [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Rom. 
12:1, 2]  

ILLUSTRATION

   The other six hundred guys at the Fellowship of Christian 
Athletes youth camp seemed eager to read their Bibles. But I grew up in a 
church blatant with hypocrisy, and in my mind that ancient book had 
nothing to say to me. Still, because it was "quiet time," I arbitrarily 
opened my Bible and began to read Romans 12. Unexpectedly, I was 
overwhelmed by the painfully clear picture of my life: I was a phony. In the 
locker room I was the tough guy. To the girls, I was sweet. I totally 
conformed to the world. And this verse diagnosed the fact that I needed to 
be transformed. 
   Best of all, Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome 
prescribed the treatment: I needed to renew my mind. That was the only way 
to become a living sacrifice. Since then, I have been drawn to 
memorize hundreds of verses and am almost fanatical about what I allow 
into my mind. Let me be clear. I didn't change me. All I did was 
position myself so the Spirit of God could use the Word of God to work in 
the life of a pagan guy who didn't have a clue. 
   Now I've come full circle. Out of my pain came a passion for 
the church and a vision for people everywhere to renew their minds 
and know God's perfect will for their lives. 
   Chip Ingram, a radio teaching pastor on Living on the Edge, 
is the president and CEO of Walk Thru the Bible. He is the author 
of God, As He Longs for You to See Him; Love, Sex, and Lasting 
Relationships; and Effective Parenting in a Defective World [The One Year Bible 
Live Verse Devotional re Rom. 12:1, 2] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

   Be still in My presence, even though countless tasks clamor 
for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with 
Me. While you wait in My Presence, I do My best work within you: 
transforming you by the renewing of your mind. If you skimp on this time with 
Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the 
richness of what I have planned for you.   
   Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember 
that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I might impart 
to you. Though I delight in blessing My children, I am deeply 
grieved when My blessings become idols in their hearts. Anything can be 
an idol if it distracts you from Me as your First Love. When I am 
the ultimate Desire of your heart, you are safe from the danger of 
idolatry. As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all: 
Christ in you, the hope of Glory! (Rom. 12:2; Rev. 2:4; Col. 1:27) 
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

Come to Me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close 
walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old 
ways. Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your 
journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. 
As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully 
attentive to you. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span 
is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts 
embrace you in everlasting Love. I also know the plans I have for you: 
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a 
future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing 
attentiveness to My Presence. (Rom. 12:2; Jer. 29:11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah 
Young] 

   I am renewing your mind. When your thoughts flow freely, they 
tend to move toward problems. Your focus gets snagged on a given 
problem, circling round and round it in attempts to gain mastery. Your 
energy is drained away from other matters through this negative focus. 
Worst of all, you lose sight of Me. 
   A renewed mind is Presence-focused. Train your mind to seek 
Me in every moment, every situation. Sometimes you can find Me in 
your surroundings: a lilting birdsong, a loved ones smile, golden 
sunlight. At other times, you must draw inward to find Me. I am always 
present in your spirit. Seek My Face, speak to Me, and I will light up 
your mind. (Rom. 12:2; Psalm 105:4) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

Worship Me by living close to Me. This was My original design 
for man, into whom I breathed My very breath of Life. This is My 
desire for you: that you stay near Me as you walk along your life-path. 
Each day is an important part of that journey. Although you may feel 
as if you are going nowhere in this world, your spiritual journey 
is another matter altogether, taking you along steep, treacherous 
paths of adventure. That is why walking in the Light of My Presence is 
essential to keep you from stumbling. By staying close to Me, you present 
yourself as a living sacrifice. Even the most routine part of your day 
can be a spiritual act of worship, holy and pleasing to Me. (Genesis 
2:7; Psalm 89:15; Romans 12:1-2) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090729-2141.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782

Musical Devotional On Christian Living: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c  

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/

LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:

The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
http://www.lastdayofprophecy.com/ 
[March 21-26, 2016: Charlotte, NC in person with live streaming 
and multiple outreach locations] 

Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw: 
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/  

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657