Transformed

Michael writes that only the Holy Spirit can expound the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus had said, “I must leave so the Holy Spirit, the comforter can come along side you. He will teach you all things.... he will lead you to the all truth.” Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. However, the natural man who is not born again of God’s Holy Spirit cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned, neither can he know them. Through the spirit of Christ in us, we can perceive and know the truth, for Jesus Christ is the Word of God made manifest.

After Mary Magdalene was delivered when Jesus cast out of her seven devil spirits, she said, I’m now different than I used to be. Before, the devil used and abused her. Jesus delivered her from the devil’s domain of darkness ... of possession and oppression into the glorious light of the gospel of truth. According to Romans 12:1-2, “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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Through abiding in Christ and allowing our minds to be renewed according to the Word of God, we will know by experience the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. He has made us fit for the purpose for which He has called us, to be holy and without blame before Him in love because of our righteousness in Christ. Therefore, we can present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto God which is our reasonable act of worship. In the Old Testament, offerings were presented to approach God with a pure heart. The purpose of the sacrifices were to offer God praise and thanksgiving as an acceptable sweet smelling fragrance. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ himself is the acceptable sacrifice, for He has cleansed us and made us acceptable in God’s sight ... He gave us access to God’s holy presence. 

Romans says, you are slaves to whom you obey, wether sin unto death or life in obedience to the Spirit of life in Christ. For the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be ... but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The battlefield is in the mind. Therefore, take every thought captive to Christ. According to 2 Corinthians 10, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 

In the spiritual battle, we’ll come to learn the love of God and the hope of His calling. Romans 5 says, we glory in tribulation (mental pressure,) for tribulation works patience and patience experience (tried and proven character), and experience hope (of Christ’s return), and hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holly spirit that is given to us. Therefore, Jesus emphasized in his Sermon on the Mount, You are the salt of the earth, ye are the light of the world. So, do not be influenced by the unsavory stench, of infection, disease, and decay of this dark, depressing, and depraved God-rejecting world, but instead influence the world by walking as God’s disinfectant ... by sprinkling His salt and shining His light. The solution to being conformed to this world’s purpose is to be transformed into God’s purpose by allowing God to renew our minds as we set our affections on things above and not on the things of this world.  

In an upside down world, we’re different when we’re right side up. The Bible is given for reproof and correction. To correct here means to restore to an upright position. God’s direction is paradoxical to the world’s direction. To go up, we must condescend to men and women of low estate. To lead we must follow the Lord Jesus Christ. To be chief, we must become a servant. To be set free, we must become captive to Christ. He who saves his life shall lose it and he who loses his life shall save it. To live unto Christ, we must die to self. The greatest victory is in total surrender to Christ. We could not love God until He loved us first. For in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. Our forgiveness is by the payment Jesus made on our behalf ... not because of who we are, but because of who He is. Grace, mercy, forgiveness and love is God’s nature, not ours.  

The transformation and renewing is through the Word of God - the Bible. It is through hearing, listening, studying, meditating, memorizing, and applying God’s Word in our lives. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works that he has prepared in advance for us to walk. Life is so much more than our daily necessities. Consider the lilies of the field, they toil not neither do they reap, yet Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If God has so clothed the lilies of the field which blooms for a short time and then dies, shall he not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith?  

We’re only in this world for a little while. The things of this life will soon be passed. Only that which is done in Christ shall last. For this light affliction which is but for a moment is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall follow. The joy of life is not in the things of this world. Joy is not in possessions, nor fame, fortune, or worldly accolades and the praise of others. Our joy is in the object of Joy - Jesus Christ. Therefore, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice that we may live transformed by His likeness to the praise of the glory of His grace! 

Your brother in Christ, Michael