Words of Encouragement
December - 05 - 2004
Sooner or later we all have to make a decision: Will we be a nonconformist? Will we refuse to be squeezed into the mold of the world? Will we be part of a Christian counter-culture? Will we be God's own person, an alien and an exile in the world, put here to have a redemptive influence? Jesus simply calls us his disciples. Bottom line: until we are really ready to cross the line and live totally for the Lord, we're not going to be able to fully recognize God's will for us. There are no arm-chair quarterback Christians. There are no sideline disciples. There are no back-seat driver Christians. We either chose the Lordship of Jesus, or else we reject it. So what's your decision?
The Bible reading is from Romans 12:1-2.
1 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.
2 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.Let us pray.
Holy God, we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. We believe that he came to earth as a human, lived an perfect life of grace and power, and died for our sins so that we could live for you, and with you, forever. Please forgive us, O God, for the times that we have failed on our commitment to you and flirted with the darkness. We want to live for you with passion, joy, and fulfillment. We want to be transformed to be like Christ.
In the name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.