Vol. 16 No. 30 | July 29, 2013

His will. We are all searching for His will in our lives. We are all, in one way or another, trying to determine: what His will is for our lives? What is it that He wants us to do with our lives? Where are we supposed to live? What kind of ministry are we supposed to be involved with? How are we supposed to use the gifts He has given us for His glory?

We spend a significant amount of time and energy wrestling with these questions and wondering if we will ever really know if we are living in a way that pleases God. We may even wonder if it is possible to know what God’s will is for our lives.

Many live life as if we are the silver metal ball in a pin ball machine. We roll this way until we hit a bumper, then, “Ding!” we bounce off in another direction. We hit another bumper, then, “Ding!” off we go in another direction. No control. No sense of meaning. About the time we think we are done the flipper sends us zooming through the maze of bumpers and back through the we bounce from one thing to another. Eventually, the bouncing stops and we head toward the exit at lightening speed. The controller of the game makes one last desperate effort to catch us with the flipper and save us, but even with the strongest effort and all the body English that can be mustered, they miss us and down we go. Game over.

Is that it? Are we nothing more that silver balls at the mercy of fallible and imperfect gamer who uses us to develop his skills as a player? Are our lives to be lived bouncing in one direction, then another, then another, and yet another, responding to any impulse that pushes our pulls us, only to be lost down the shoot at the end of the game? Surely there is more. Surely there is a better way.

We have spent several weeks in the first two verses of Romans chapter twelve attempting to understand this how life is to be lived in the Body of Christ. We would be negligent if we skipped this last sentence.

In the J. B. Phillips New Testament these the section begins with this heading: We have seen God’s mercy and wisdom: how shall we respond? Then, Phillips writes:

With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

Read that last part again: let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity. These thoughts surface.

Maturity is God’s will for my life. God is not as interested in my happiness as I am. God is not concerned about life always be smooth sailing for me. God is much more concerned about me being transformed into the image of His son (Romans 8:29). That is maturity. That is what He wants.

Maturity comes later. After I have reflected on God’s great mercies, after I have surrendered my whole life to Him as worship, after I have allowed the transformation process to begin, and after my mind has been “re-moulded”

When it happens I will know it. I do not have to bounce from one bumper to another. I do not have to be in a constant state of doubt and insecurity. The text says, “…so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”

Stop living like you are a confused and helpless object being manipulated through the game of life that eventually ends with you sliding down the exit into nothingness. You are being changed into the image of God’s son. Sometimes it is painful. The transformation process usually takes longer than we prefer. He knows what He is doing. Trust Him. In the end you will know that He is good and his plan is good and meets all his demands.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2013. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 29 | July 21, 2013

As we make our way in life following Jesus something happens. We commit ourselves (sacrifice our lives) to God. We seek His guidance and long to know His will for our lives. We want Him to be the Lord, the ruler, of all that we think, say and do. We rely on His promises for strength, power, wisdom, courage, and the promise that His Spirit will guide us in all understanding.

In the process of all that, something amazing happens. We are changed. We are transformed. We become someone we have never known, and maybe never dreamed we could become. It happens through His power and it happens as our minds renewed.

To renew means to “resume (an activity) after an interruption”. It means to “return to, take up again, come back to, begin again, start again, restart, recommence; continue (with), carry on”. It implies the return to something or some place where we once were.

The follower of Jesus has little trouble seeing the need, understanding the process, and appreciating the opportunity to “renew our minds.” Where would we be if we did not have this gift of renewal?

As important as the renewal process is, and as vital as it is to our spiritual transformation, it often seems that we know very little about it. What is it? How does it work? How are our minds renewed?

From two of the three texts we have been examining (see them below) it seems apparent that it is something that happens to us. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NIV), and “You’ll be changed from the inside out.” (The Message). However, the New Living Translation indicates it involves our “changing the way you think.” Actually the NIV leans toward some action on our part as well. So, let me offer a few thoughts on what we can do to renew our minds and how we can prepare ourselves to have our minds renewed.

Sometimes we must literally change the way we think. There are times when our thinking just gets off track. Our brains (with the assistance of the great Enemy) begin to tell us lies. “God does not really love you.” “He is not really going to forgive you of your sins.” “You have done too many bad things to ever be made clean again.” When that happens we need to simply remind our brains that “this is wrong thinking and I refuse to do any more.” This requires an honest examination of what we are thinking and how it is affecting us. When it happens we need to literally change the way we think.

Sometimes we must do things that will renew our minds. There are times when we need to do some physical activity that causes us to change the way we think. Stress, busy schedules, sickness, fatigue, and being overwhelmed by life cause us to lose our focus, lose our direction, and confuse our thinking. When that happens we need to take a break. It may help to get away by ourselves. Jesus did that regularly and at times took his disciples with him. We may need to get some rest. We may need to read something different. We may need to spend time with His Word. We may need to talk with a counselor or close friend who can help us regain a healthier perspective.

Sometimes we simply experience the renewal of our minds. There are times when it just happens. You see a rainbow after a storm. You witness a beautiful sunset. You wake up early and sit outside as the sun rises. You take a walk by the ocean, or you hike through the mountain. You get a call from a close friend. You read a passage from Scripture that you have read hundreds of times, but this time you see something new and fresh and different. You hear a song. You hear a sermon. You sit quietly with your Bible in your lap asking God to “Show me something new.” You hold a baby in your arms. You attend a funeral. You read an article. There may be no explanation but it happens. Your mind is renewed. You have a fresh look on life. You feel refreshed, revived, and restored.

However it happens, when it happens you are convinced once again that God is on your side, that He loves you more than you love yourself, and He is working in your life and in your heart to transform your life, mind, and soul. And, you are once again confident that your life has meaning and purpose and value.

Father, renew our minds to see You more clearly.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:2,The Message)

“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.” (Romans 12:2, NLT)

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 28 | July 15, 2013

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:2,The Message)

“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.” (Romans 12:2, NLV)

What does it mean to be “be transformed?”

The best and most simple way to help you understand would be to have you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

To be transformed means to be changed from what you once were to what you were created to be. It takes imagination to think about it. It takes patience to achieve. It takes God to make it happens.

Notice the text does not say, transform yourself. It does not say fix yourself. It does not say get yourself right.

It does say, “be transformed” (NIV). It does say “let God transform you into a new person” (NLV).

That is part of what makes it so hard, knowing we must depend on God to do it. Part of the reason we may get so frustrated with the transformation process is that the harder we try to make it happen, the less it seems to happen. We cannot make the transformation happen.

Our part is to accept God’s mercies, give our whole selves to Him, and allow Him to transform us by renewing our minds. We let Him change. We submit to His changes. We trust Him to change us as He sees appropriate.

We must understand that the transformation process is not always pleasant. Being transformed can be unpleasant. There may be times of silence, confusion, questioning, and pain.

As we are being transformed we look for progress. Are we becoming more “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29)? Are we sounding more and more like Jesus when we talk? Are we responding more and more like Jesus to people in our circle of influence? Are we experiencing the peace and contentment that comes from submitting our wills to God?

When we endure. When we allow God to transform us we long for and rejoice in that moment when we realize the transformation has taken place. For the caterpillar it happens when he exits from his cocoon as a beautiful butterfly. For the follower of Jesus it happens when she comes out of the waters of baptism. It happens when he faces a temptation and comes away victorious. It happens when we find people are coming to us for spiritual advice.

It happens because we allow God, who knows how He made us, and knows how He has designed us, and reveals to us what we can be.

Is it time you surrendered to God and allowed Him to transform you? Give up trying to make it happen through your own efforts. Be transformed.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 No. 27 | July 8, 2013

A fairly common conversation parents have with their children as they approach adolescence and during the teen years involves language that includes the danger of peer pressure.

Most conscientious parents want to make sure our children know how easy it is to be swayed by friends and companions, how difficult it is to resist a good friend when they try to talk them into doing something they know they should not do, and how important it is be a good positive influence on their friends and companions. We may even use a phrase like, “You don’t have to be like everybody else.” We may even throw in a good scripture to add some punch: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV) Or as we like to rephrase it: “Evil companions corrupt good morals.”

Our children may respond with a roll of the eyes as they groan and and say, “Dad, you can trust me.”

We do trust them. What we do not trust is how deceptive and persuasive the forces of evil can be…even on those who have a solid faith and a strong belief system. What we know (often from personal experience) is how easy it is to be lured away from the faithful path of following Jesus.

We know all too well how sad it is when a man who has walked with the Lord drifts into the ways of the world. We know the horrible destruction caused when a woman of considerable influence chooses to abandon the ways of God for a life of selfishness. Too often we have seen the pain created when a church leader becomes consumed by following material dreams to the neglect to the ways of the Spirit.

Paul sounds like a concerned parent when he writes to his spiritual children from the Christian community in Rome:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)”Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.” (Romans 12:2,The Message)

“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.” (Romans 12:2, NLV)

It may be that this gentle nudge urging us to “not conform to the pattern of this world,” to not “become so well-adjusted to our culture,” and to resist the temptation to “copy the behavior and customs of this world” has come at just the right time. You are feeling the world squeezing you into its mold. You are feeling the pressure to abandon the life of a Jesus follower. Or, maybe you have become weary of living the life and are considering a new and different lifestyle that you feel fits better with that of your friends and companions.

I pray this will be a wake-up call. I pray that you will not abandon the walk of faith. I pray that you will stay the course. I pray that you will not conform, that you won’t get too comfortable with this world, and I pray that you will not get caught in the trap of trying to copy the behavior of the world.

If you have to, ask for help. If you need to, change your friends, or your work environment. And certainly do what Paul suggests: “be transformed by renewing your mind,” and “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

It is possible. He can transform you. Let Him. Do not be conformed. Please.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 16 | No. 26 

“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.” (Romans 12:1, New International Version)

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1, The New Living Translation)

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”(Romans 12:1, New American Standard)

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.”(Romans 12:1, The Message)

“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.” (Romans 12:1, King James Version)

I shared these five different versions of this verse (and I consulted several others) because I was looking for the translation, paraphrase, or version that says that our worship only happens on Sunday morning in a pew inside a church building. I know it has to be there, I have heard it all my life. But where does it say that? Oh well.

If I understand this passage, worship happens when I give myself to God. If that is the case and if I have given myself to God, then it seems logical that my entire life is worship. I suppose that’s why Eugene Peterson (The Message) said, “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”

What does that mean? That means…

When you are at your job, driving to your job, listening to a co-worker share their pain about their struggling marriage you are worshipping.

When you are putting your children to bed, and fixing them breakfast, and driving them to school, or changing a diaper, or kissing a boo-boo you are worshipping.

When you are playing softball, or coaching little league, or sitting in the parking lot waiting for practice to end you are worshipping.

When you are teaching algebra, or repairing a carburetor, or preparing a meal for a sick friend you are worshipping.

When helping your mom carry in the groceries, or babysitting your little brother, or walking your dog you are worshipping.

When you are sitting alone on the beach, or hiking a mountain trail, or watching a sunset you are worshipping.

“Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life” and enjoy your life of wholehearted worship to God.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.