Message topic: Renewing and Transforming our minds.
Scripture: Romans 12:1-7
How much do you like to hear short stories? I have a short story for you this morning that I believe will help you to better understand what I do have in my mind in regards to renewing and transforming our minds.
There were two brothers whose father died while they were yet teenagers: they had always wanted to be able to have the ability to support a family as their father was able to being a man with a professional trade.
They had an older cousin who lived in another town far away, and learning of his uncle, death invited these cousin of his to come and join him on a project he has that would help them as a carpenter and the other as a mason: this would also give them much experience as they would be traveling from one end of the country to the other, and lasted for some time.
At the end of this assignment the younger brother went back home to live with his mother and two younger brothers, who were much involved in the little church of which his father was the minister before he died.
They tried to get him to go to church with them, but he had an excuse, as he had gotten a job five miles from home, and had to be there always on time.
There were a series of meetings going on at the church so his mother asked him to come along with her, but he had an excuse as usual, he then invited a new girl to the area to go with him to the movies, but she wasn’t able to go, so he walked up the street to see if he could find anyone to go with him; finding no one, on his way back home he had a strange feeling, and asked himself why am I feeling this way, I do not have any needs, I have money, I have clothes, I don’t need a car, I have a bicycle, why am I feeling this way.
Just then he said someone said to him, your mind is troubled about your soul, so he stopped and looked around to see who it was that was talking to him; when he saw no one, he said to himself, I am going to church tonight and even if there is no call for people to come to Christ, I am going to go and surrender my- self to God, and renew my life.
He said he went to the church, the minister call for people to surrender their lives to God, a woman came to him and asked him to give his life Christ, and he said to her, the minister has done his part, and you have done your part, now leave me alone: but before the meeting came to the end, he saw a woman whom he knew quite well, went and knelt at the front and so he followed and learned what it is to have one’s mind Renewed and Transformed to the mind of God.
Where ever that young man is today, and if you should asked him if there has ever been any- thing he regret in his mind renewal and Transforming, and I believes he would answer, it hasn’t happened as yet.
Why does mankind need to renew and transformed their minds? It is because we have lost the perfection in which we were made by God. Now for you and I who are part of the church, how do we renew and transformed our minds, or do we need to? And what does the bible says to us about renewing and transforming our minds.
Listen to what is recorded for us in Romans 12: 1-2. I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Certainly, this isn’t an obscure verse, if you’ve been in the church for even a little while, you’ve likely heard it before by preachers as the one-size-fits-all answer for just about everything.
When you are fearful? Renew your mind”
When you are tempted? Renew your mind”
Stressed, frustrated, discouraged renew your mind. But when someone in the bible study asked, how do you actually renew your mind? And all the others looked at you in equal bewilderment, then you realized that the specifics of how to do it are rarely explained.
We have an example of such an request in Psalm fifty one verse ten through twelve in these words: create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
How to renewed your mind is answered by understanding two words in Romans 12:2: (transform and renew.)
Transform is metamorphosis which is the process of something old into something new. Think of a caterpillar into butterfly. That is the purpose of renewing your mind: it is to manifest the new life of Christ in you.
Are there any likeness in a caterpillar and a butterfly, how could you and I relate a caterpillar to a butterfly? yet that is the case with you and I before we ask God to renew our mind to that of His Son Christ Jesus.
God has purposes for us in each area of our life and if we focus on centering all we do on His purposes, we please Him, and will be more effective and fulfilled in everyday life.
Weather or not it’s revealed to us, we each also have a specific life purpose or calling, that we were specially designed for to impact the world in a way that is unique to us.
Why is it important to renew your mind? When our thinking is in alignment with what God says about who we are, what we are capable of and what we’re called to do, then our actions faithfully follow that truth. On the other hand, if we allow our thoughts to wander where they may feel drawn to go, then how we see ourselves and what we choose to do can veer off the path where God desires us to be. And sometimes this happens so- by thought, day by day, that we don’t notice we are out of God’s will and in a situation that is working against our good until it’s a steep hill to climb back up.
As children of God, how often do we need to meditate on what the bible is saying to us? Just listen to the still small voice of God, He will never leave nor forsake you.