“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 ESV
Multitudes are conforming to the world and not being transformed by the Word.
Multitudes are conforming to the world and not being transformed by the Word. This is not due to a lack on God’s part, but is solely due to our rebellious nature.
Many of us have deliberately disregarded the Word of God and lived based upon our own beliefs and feelings.
Naturally, we do not seek God. This not only involves not seeking God, it involves not seeking the things of God. Since the Fall, man has desired to play “god”. We have sought to push the limits of how far we can go without sinning. Many of us have deliberately disregarded the Word of God and lived based upon our own beliefs and feelings.
It is perplexing how quick people are to waiver in their feelings towards people, jobs, and events; yet, somehow, they believe that their own self-made belief is concrete.
It is perplexing how quick people are to waiver in their feelings towards people, jobs, and events; yet, somehow, they believe that their own self-made belief is concrete. These same people who fail to reflect on their lives begin to drift down the abyss that leads to eternal damnation. They begin to create for themselves their own idea of what they want to be, and fail to yield to what actually is.
Sin that becomes promoted by a generation never happens over night, though it happens rapidly.
That is why those who conform to the ways of the world are always changing. There is nothing concrete. That which was not even a thought a century ago (let alone a few decades ago) quickly becomes normalized. Sin that becomes promoted by a generation never happens over night, though it happens rapidly. For “There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up” (Proverbs 30:12-13 NKJV).
How does a generation come to accept and normalize that which is contrary to nature, disobedient to God’s Word, and rebels against God? It comes by way of a generation that is filled with cowards of the faith. For those who do not stand for Truth in love and speak in the power of the Holy Ghost will quickly fall prey and be deceived. They will allow what is sinful to become the new normal, all because they were unwilling to stand up against darkness.
Rather than listening to sound Theology, cowards in the faith begin to entertain man-made philosophy and psychology. They read more books by modern day men, rather than the Immutable Truth of God’s Holy Word.
In their timidness, they begin to dwindle the Light of the Holy Spirit within them. Rather than listening to sound Theology, they begin to entertain man-made philosophy and psychology. They read more books by modern day men, rather than the Immutable Truth of God’s Holy Word.
As this occurs, pastors become politicians. They begin to feed their congregations what is up to date within our current generation. They flirt with morality. Oh yes, they will quickly speak against the universal wrongs that we all can agree with (such as racism), but when it comes to societal promotions of sins, they are silent. They begin to hide and dance around the question. They no longer allow the Word of God to speak. Rather, they work on crafting their messages to bypass the tougher truths and confront those who are living in sin.
Congregations who have a pastor that does not preach against all sins shall remain comfortable in their own sin.
Through this, self-love is portrayed, though it is not perceived by congregations. For congregations who have a pastor that does not preach against all sins shall remain comfortable in their own sin. As they sit in their iniquity, they feel a sense of enjoyment going to church. They begin to think that “they are not so bad”. Some might even begin to think that “everything is fine” and that “they are good”.
Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous who flaunt, promote, or excuse sin. He came to call sinners to repentance.
Ironically, we know Jesus said, ““Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”” (Mark 2:17 ESV). Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous who flaunt, promote, or excuse sin. He came to call sinners to repentance.
Any doctrine that does not preach against sin is of the Devil. For the Devil seeks to damn many by way of “kindness” and “niceness”. This is a facade of "kindness" and "niceness" that says the right things to boost ego, but does not speak Truthful statements that convict.
Any doctrine that does not preach against sin is of the Devil. For the Devil seeks to damn many by way of “kindness” and “niceness”. This is a facade of "kindness" and "niceness" that says the right things to boost ego, but does not speak Truthful statements that convict. As pastors begin to train pastors to mimic pastors, congregations get filled with more and more iniquity. This iniquity continues to pile up rather than diminish and dwindle away.
When this is the case within a church, we can be sure that the Holy Ghost is not there. For those who truly know God will be changed. They will be sanctified. Though they may fall and fail, they will rise up and take responsibility for their sin. They will seek God for forgiveness through repentance. Knowing they are covered by the Blood, they press on in the power of the Holy Spirit.
When pastors continue to spend more time with modern-day agendas, publications, news articles, and man-made intelligence, they begin to fade into sitting at the table of demons, while striving to invite God to join them.
Therefore, when pastors continue to spend more time with modern-day agendas, publications, news articles, and man-made intelligence, they begin to fade into sitting at the table of demons, while striving to invite God to join them. They become double-minded and unstable in all their ways. Their discernment quickly dissipates because they entertain the unclean thing.
As they give way to carnality and deception, they themselves become temples of the Devil. They begin to cast off all restraint of what they once knew. The questioning of certain things in the Bible become answered not by God, but by man. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8 ESV).
Discernment comes solely from the Holy Spirit.
Discernment comes solely from the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, men will believe they are discerning by mimicking those who are of the world. As this tradition sets in within a church, and people worship the pastor more than Christ, the foothold of those in the congregations becomes withdrawn. They begin to sink in the sand of their own sins. Without desiring to get out, they slowly become swallowed up by their own depravity.
Rather than seeking God above all and believing God above all, those who are being conformed to this world exalt all else above God.
This is the process of being conformed to the world. This is the danger of many who entertain the things of this life. Rather than seeking God above all and believing God above all, they exalt all else above God. Their words and phrases are of the carnal man: “The Bible is an Old Book”. “We don’t need to study God’s Word, only love Jesus”. “That might have been for back then, but it isn't the case now. We live in a new era”. All these phrases come from those who are being conformed to this world, rather than being transformed by the Word.
A living sacrifice is one that denies all rights, all thoughts, all beliefs, all intentions, all motives, all appeals, all desires, all excuses, and all pursuits before Him Who is the Ultimate Authority. A living sacrifice dies to all in order that it may be raised into newness of life and live for Him Who is Life.
That is why God demands that we become living sacrifices. What is a living sacrifice? A living sacrifice is one that denies all rights, all thoughts, all beliefs, all intentions, all motives, all appeals, all desires, all excuses, and all pursuits before Him Who is the Ultimate Authority. A living sacrifice dies to all in order that it may be raised into newness of life and live for Him Who is Life.
Sacrifice is the way to all that is Good, Pure, and Holy. Not sacrifice in temporal externals, but sacrifice of oneself. Not by physical death, but by a spiritual martyrdom. The internal state of man must be sacrificed and denied, daily, if we are to truly be image bearers of Christ.
For sacrifice is the way to all that is Good, Pure, and Holy. Not sacrifice in temporal externals, but sacrifice of oneself. Not by physical death, but by a spiritual martyrdom. The internal state of man must be sacrificed and denied, daily, if we are to truly be image bearers of Christ.
There is not a man or woman who is truly born again who continually, deliberately ignores the Holy Spirit’s conviction and is unwilling to yield to God and His Holy Word.
For God never places His Spirit in an individual that is too stubborn, too prideful, or unwilling to turn from their wicked ways and heed the call of God. Conviction and sacrifice are the price. Both of these must be allowed to occur if we are to receive a true conversion. For there is not a man or woman who is truly born again who continually, deliberately ignores the Holy Spirit’s conviction and is unwilling to yield to God and His Holy Word.
How foolish we are when we allow ourselves to be conformed to this world. How we spit in the face of Christ and all that He has done when we are unwilling to be transformed. God’s Way is forever the Correct, Proper, and Perfect Way. Yet, we still give way to entertaining man’s ideals and living for ourselves. We want a little bit of Jesus, while living in Hell. We want to have God bend to our will, rather than us bending to His.
Only those who are willing to die to self shall be raised up as holy, righteous vessels. For none can be holy without the Holy Spirit. None can be righteous without being covered by the Blood of the Righteous One.
Only those who are willing to die to self shall be raised up as holy, righteous vessels. For none can be holy without the Holy Spirit. None can be righteous without being covered by the Blood of the Righteous One.
It is when we surrender and repent that we shall one day ascend. When the days of our lives and this world pass, we shall be made perfect. Not because of who we were, but because of what God offered, gave, and did in the midst of our surrendered will.
May we not go in the way of this world. For there are many spirits of false doctrine, man-made schemes, selfish agendas, half-truths, and watered down gospels. What is Good is God, and what God makes, creates, declares, and reveals is Good. We are the ones who disturb, disrupt, and distort God’s original plan.
May we choose this day to truly live for God, according to God’s Word. For if we do not have the Word, what do we have? Ourselves and our petty, puny beliefs that continually shift and change?
May we choose this day to truly live for God, according to God’s Word. For if we do not have the Word, what do we have? Ourselves and our petty, puny beliefs that continually shift and change?
Better to live on the Bedrock of Truth than a self-deceived lie.
Better to live on the Bedrock of Truth than a self-deceived lie.
PRAYER
O God of Truth, You are Immutable in all that You are, all that You do, and all that You speak into existence. You are the Unchanging One Who has no limits. Forever, sin will be sin. Forever, You will be the Sole Source of salvation. May all come to know You, God. May we all be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Keep us from entertaining and giving way to man’s ideologies. For man’s intelligence is nothing compared to Your Wisdom that created the foundations of the world. O God, give us the courage and strength to be living sacrifices before You. May our willingness to be a slave before You give us the freedom to walk in the victory of the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. O God, have mercy on us who are sinners. We repent and turn to You. May Thy Spirit dwell within and make us born again. We give our all to You. Be our all, O God in Heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine