Transformed by the renewing of the Mind

I have been praying and seeking God all week as to what I should write to you this Monday morning.  I am currently doing an in depth Bible study of Joshua with the kids, studying biblical finances with a small group at church, reading through the Psalms with the kids, studying the sermon on the mount with Jeremy, and reading the book of Ephesians.  I am also reading through a blog study of the book of Revelation, for the second time.  Lastly, I just started today, a blog study on the book of 1 Peter (thanks Anne, really excited about it).  So, you would think with all this time in God's word something would just jump out at me to share with all of you today.  But the funny thing is the passage the Lord keeps bringing me back to is not in any of my Bible studies.  No instead it is from the book of Romans.  But before I share from it.  I want to share a little about myself.  You see it hasn't always been that I could spend hours of time in God's Word.  When I was a child, I had some health and learning problems.  Because of those problems, I spent a lot of time in special education classes.  My parents never limited me and never made me think I was not able to achieve just as much as their other kids. But, I was passed from grade to grade, but never really learned how to read and comprehend until I was about fourteen.  As a small girl, I loved learning about God and the Bible.  But, I had to rely on others to teach it to me. As I became an adult the thought of studying the Bible for myself was overwhelming.  I would convince myself that just reading it a few minutes a day, and having a strong prayer life was enough.  But then one day, I made the mistake of asking God to give me a love for learning His Word.    I really thought this was a good prayer to pray, and I sincerely thought it would be easy if God did it. My first experience with the love of learning came when Jeremy and I went off to college.  When I was a senior in high school I begged God not to call me to go to college.  I had truly hated school from junior high through high school.  It was not a place of learning for me.  It was not fun or enjoyable in anyway.  So, I asked God not to make me go on to more schooling.  He was kind and gracious and showed me another way.  But after a couple years, God began to place a desire to go to Bible school in my heart.  So Jeremy and I applied, and packed up and went off to Bible school.  This was a totally new experience for me.  I got to choose what I studied, and I got to study God's Word.  It was the first steps in learning to love learning.   But then life changed, I became a mother.  There was no time for Bible study anymore.  I used the excuse that God understood how busy I was.  But, it was when I was the mother of six children that God started to make it clear I needed to stop making excuses and start seeking answers for life in His Word.  So, I joined my first woman's Bible study study.  I had no idea how awesome God's Word was and how alive it was.  I am forever grateful to those ladies for bringing me into their circle and allowing me to be a fumbling fool amongst them.  But, even then I still made the excuses for why I couldn't do the homework, or why I couldn't look into God's word on my own.  I had grown to love the word and love learning from it, but I was still relying on others to bring me into it.  I made lots of excuses.  But, last year when we moved to Pennsylvania there was no room for excuses anymore.  I needed more of God and I needed more of His truth in my life, and there was no other way to get it than to get into His word.  So, I began consuming it.  So, now I am at a wonderful place where I can't get enough time in God's Word, and the amazing thing is the more time I spend in it, the more time he gives to get all the other things in life done.  So, what does this story have to do with Romans. If you read my family blog than you may have seen a post last week in which I reference Romans chapter 12. Ever since writing that post, I have been going back to that chapter over and over and looking at all it has to say to me.  As you read this familiar passage of scripture to yourself.  See if there is a new message for you today.  I am so grateful that God does his might work in my life, and that he allows me to be a blessing to others.  Please share one thing that strikes you in this passage, and be a voice of encouragement to others.  For me, I am thankful that God has been transforming me into the woman he made me to be by the renewing of my mind. Only God can take a girl who can't read and make her into a woman who loves to read and study His Word.  Romans 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.          3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[ faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.                9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. practice hospitality.   14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;     if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.         

God's Still Working on Me

 This weekend I had the wonderful privilege of going on a Ladies “unfinished” craft retreat. I took Tyler Ann with me, and we took along three scrapbooks that needed to be cleaned up, reworked, and completed of the kids baby pictures. I was a little nervous going on this retreat, because I really did not know any of the other women who were attending. But a new acquaintance had put this whole retreat in motion, and I knew it was time for me to stretch myself and maybe met other women in my own community. So not sure what was in store, but hopeful that God would bless me and those we met, Tyler and I headed out. OK, to be honest it didn't quit go that smoothly to get started. Two days before the retreat our second van broke down. So, now if we still wanted to go on this retreat we needed a ride. Now remember, I said we really didn't know anyone else going on the retreat. But, I sent out a message and let it be known we needed a ride. One of the other ladies going, quickly replied and we made plans to hitch a ride with her. So Friday afternoon we are off. The ride there was delightful and we got to know two of the other ladies attending the retreat. We arrived at the campgrounds and were welcomed by wonderfully decorated and friendly tables all set up for our crafting use. The week end was underway. It was filled with fun, fellowship, new friendships, finishing projects, worship, and wonderful teaching from God's Word.

The ladies who planned and prepared the retreat did a wonderful job, and created a wonderful atmosphere to work and worship in. Tabitha, the acquaintance I meantined above, now special friend, shared each day from God's Word and her personal testimony of God's Work in her life. She reminded us that God wants empty, broken, unfinished vessels to pour Himself into and use for His glory. As she shared each day, and as we worked on our unfinished projects I kept thinking of a verse the girls and I had read that week during our Bible study at home. Colossians 3:10

“...and have put on the new self who is being, renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him...”

This verse is in the middle of a long sentence/paragraph in the middle of a wordy letter Paul is writing to the people of Colossians. In this section of his letter, he is specifically telling the people that if they are truly Christians/Christ followers than they are new creations in Christ. Growing up in the church, I had heard this phrase , “new creation in Christ,” many times. I have always loved the picture it creates in my mind of being made new inside and out. But for some reason this week, as I the girls and I read Colossians chapter three this verse, ten, stood out to me. Looking at the whole chapter for a minute, you will notice that it is a outline of how to live out our life in Christ.

Colossians 3

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and [k]patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

In the past, as I have read these verses, I saw it as a list of dos and don'ts to be a good Christian. I like lists, I like knowing what is expected. So, I didn't see it as a bad things, just more of a formula. But, this week verse ten jumped of the page to me. It says, “being renew.” Being made new. As a kid, I always thought that when I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I was instantly made new in Christ. So many times as a child and teen, I wondered if I really was a Christian when I would continue to make wrong choices and especially when I would struggle over and over with the same sin. It wasn't until I was older that I realized that God does the work in us to change us into the beautiful “new” creation that he originally intended us to be.

One of the verse for the retreat this week was Philippians 1:6

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

It is a great reminder that I do not need to find the formula to be made “new.” NO, instead I can trust that God will continue to mold and make me into that which he always planned for me to be. The process may not always be enjoyable as he sands, or cuts, and bends, and molds away that which doesn't belong. But I can trust that He will complete that which He has started. As I think about these things a song from my childhood comes to mind. It was one of my favorite to sing because it had motions, but today as I think about the words of it, I am in awe of God's great love for me. As you read the simple words to the song, I hope you are ever grateful that God is continuously at work in you.

He's Still Working on Me

Chorus: He's still working on me To make me what I need to be It took him just a week to make the moon and stars The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars How loving and patient He must be 'Cause He's still workin' on me Repeat Chorus There really ought to be a sign upon my heart Don't judge him yet, there's an unfinished part But I'll be better just according to His plan Fashioned by the Master's loving hands Repeat Chorus In the mirror of His word Reflections that I see Makes me wonder why He never gave up on me But He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray Remember He's the potter; I'm the clay Repeat Chorus (x2)