Romans 12:2, New Living Translation

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We are all sinners saved by grace. It's a gift given to us, to everyone. We do not have to work for it, strive for it, search for it. It is right here and right now. We just have to choose to accept it, the gift of salvation, sacrificial love. We all want the best in life, yet so many of us are running away from the best thing in life. Why? Why do we run away from the very thing we are looking for...love and a safe place to land?

When I look back on my own life, I believe it was a lack of understanding, being blind to the truth that really set me free, and stubbornness. Perhaps it is that way for many people. They want to do things "their way." Reflecting back, doing things my way was leading me in a path of death and destruction. We all believe we are good people. But even good people do bad things. I don't say this to condemn myself or anyone else, but for us to recognize our sin nature. None of us were or are perfect. Not even me. Only Jesus, the spotless and perfect Lamb of God was perfect...the perfect sacrifice that covered all of my sins...all of your sins.

Romans 12:2, NLT tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” In Leviticus 20:23 (NLT) God is telling Moses, " Do not live according to the customs of the people I am driving out before you. It is because they do these shameful things that I detest them.” Then in verse 26 God says, " You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.”

There are so many voices in the world telling us that we need to "be like this." If you want to be accepted, you need to "act like this" and so on. But what if we slowed down and took a humbling moment to talk to our Father. What does He want for us? The Bible tells us that, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” (James 1:17, NLT) Many of us do not know what those good and perfect things are. But here is what I have found to be true in my own experience. We don't know because we are too busy doing life "our way." When I stop following me, and start following Jesus, when I intentionally take time to talk to my Father and grow in relationship with my Lord, things began to change. We are so busy listening to the world that that is what consumes our minds.  

I listened to a teaching the other day from Jonathan Cahn. He talked about when you think a thought, it strengthens your mind. So, the more we think about the negative things, the more we think about how the world perceives things, the more that thought is strengthened in our mind and we come to believe and accept that as truth. But, if we used our minds to meditate on the word, it would strengthen our minds and empower us to walk in the spirit. Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT) says, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Taking delight in the Law of the Lord and meditating on His word day and night is the fulfillment of allowing God to transform us by the renewing of our minds. This makes us a new person. We no longer will think like the world. The Bible tells us we have the mind of Christ. Our behaviors change to the likeness of Christ, our Savior, to be holy.” 

And what does holiness produce? Galatians 5:23 (NLT) is where we find our answer: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All of this comes from the help of the Holy Spirit. And according to the Bible, there is no law against it. There is nothing to stop us from being holy and producing fruit born unto righteousness, to live a humble, rich, and satisfying life.

My brothers and sisters, I hope this article will encourage you to seek your validation and affirmation from the Lord Jesus Christ and not the world. I hope this article will encourage you to seek a relationship with your Creator. I hope this article will encourage you to spend more time in His word! He makes all things new. He makes beauty from ashes. There is so much He wants to bless us with, but our hearts have to be positioned in the right place in order to receive those blessings. You are not alone in this walk with the Lord. I am walking with you too. Every day we are learning and growing in the Lord. It gives me joy to know that we are doing this together. When we lose ourselves in Christ, we will find the true meaning to life, and I believe that we will have a satisfaction from the Lord that the world could never give us. Thank you, Jesus!