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OK!
A few years ago I signed up to receive KLOVE's Encouraging Word of the Day e-mails. If you have never heard of KLOVE, chances are they have a radio station in your area, and you can listen to them on-line. It is a Christian radio station that has everything from music to Focus on the Family minutes. ANYWAY I have been getting daily e-mails from them for a few years, and if you would like to sign up to get them too just go {HERE} and enter your info. (Don't worry, they wont send your spam!)
This morning the verse that was in my inbox was this:
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)
When I was in college I took Greek as my foreign language...not the "go to Greece and talk to people" kind of Greek. Nope! I learned the "dead language for over 1,000 years, cant talk to anyone, but can translate really old manuscripts including Old Testament" kind of Greek. So, often times I like to compare the English words used in different translations to express the original Greek word. In Ancient Greek it only took one word to say a whole phrase of English words. I am a NIV girl, so I usually grab my NIV Bible, peel off the rubber band that is holding it together (I totally need to get a new Bible, but this one is so nice and worn in, and has all my good notes and underlining...I just cant bring myself to switch to a new one)
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. Romans 12:2 (NIV)
And our pastor usually reads from the NASB so for good measure I look up one more:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB)
As I was reading this passage and praying about it 2 things really stuck out to me:
(1) God transforms me internally (mind/heart) when I let Him in to do the job of renewing me, transforming me. Changing the way I think, therefore changing the way I act and react to situations in my life.
(2) If I am not letting Him renewing me, then the opposite is happening - I am being filled up with the world. Conforming to what I see around me every day. Even if I don't mean to. If I don't have God on my mind, then I am going to slowly but surely be conformed to this world.
I can alway tell when I have been failing in this are - when I am driving. in. traffic. On the days when traffic makes me so frustrated, and the idiot driver in the slow car driving in the passing lane is driving me CRAZY and I just want to give his/her back bumper a little tap or honk to get them out of my way!...I switch on KLOVE and turn up the volume. And sure enough, a song about God's grace, forgiveness, and greatness comes on and my mind is transformed! I don't know about you, but I don't want to be like this world! I want that which is good, acceptable, and perfect ~ God's will for my life! So this week, let me encourage you (and at the same time challenge myself) to not be conformed to the patterns of this world. To be in the word more, listen to that Christian radio station, pray more, whatever you need to do to keep your focus on God, so that your mind may be continually renewed by Him, and not conformed to the patterns and behaviors of this world!
And because no post is complete without a picture...
I found this little beauty at the flea market yesterday and knew it would be perfect on my new shelves! I am hoping to reveal them this week...but I may need to take a poll to help me decide how to arrange the items I have collected to display on the shelves...
Sharing these thoughts at:
Quote: "So this week, let me encourage you (and at the same time challenge myself) to not be conformed to the patterns of this world. To be in the word more, listen to that Christian radio station, pray more, whatever you need to do to keep your focus on God, so that your mind may be continually renewed by Him, and not conformed to the patterns and behaviors of this world!"
ReplyDelete(((AMEN)))
Thank you for linking up with Scripture Sunday this week.
P.S. I am your latest follower ;D
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful post. We are transformed. The pitcher is a great color and shape, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you sharing this verse in the different translations! Especially the first one. I was at a graduation party yesterday and sitting with a bunch of teenagers who were discussing tatoos. I need to share this verse with them! Enjoy your Sunday!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the pitcher! Beautiful find.
ReplyDeleteAnd I used to love listening to KLove when I lived in Moorhead and would get so frustrated on the drive back to PR when it would stop coming in. hehe :)
You can still LOVE listening to KLOVE online, Leah....even in Sweden = )
DeleteVisiting from Wendy's blog. Wonderful reminder here. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteVeronica, this is a beautiful post and a powerful reminder for living as a believer in the world, but apart from it. This is my first time here, found you through Wendy's blog. I love what you are proclaiming here, and look forward to coming back. I also have to say I'm very excited to see your shelves. I'm doing a bit of refurbishing and arranging shelves is so challenging. I LOVE that vase!!! It would be perfect for MY decor! :) Can't wait to see what you do with it. Have a blessed week...thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the linky. Your post is encouraging, and your "find" is so pretty.
ReplyDeletegreat reflections - especially a great application to every day life, like being nice to other drivers! :)
ReplyDeletethat pitcher is gorgeous!
I love this, I could not agree more. I would love to be able to translate the Bible and get a clearer understanding. Thanks for sharing this. :)
ReplyDeleteI like KLOVE too and have the car and house radio tuned to it. Funny... when our grandson, Caleb, was born, his older sister and brothers called him Klove for a while. They were familiar with KLOVE and their little ears thought Caleb sounded similar :)
ReplyDeleteYour vintage pitcher is beautiful and so are the words and admonition in your post. I always enjoy your insight and thoughts and really appreciate that you share on Think on These Things!