Day 19 | 40-Day Lenten Fast & Devotional

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

Good morning, good morning, grace and peace be unto all of you, my Father's children. It is in fact day 19 of our 40-day Lenten devotional, and we have been discussing this week a level of God's discernment.

Discernment over our lives, discernment over our actions, discernment over what to listen to and what to not listen to. It's amazing as we continue with this, as we delve deeper into this notion, I want to focus in  on today  the book of Romans, the 12th chapter. It's a very specific and familiar verse, but gives us a different lens as it relates to our understanding of God's sermon. It says, “do not conform to the pattern of this world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you'll be able to test and prove what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

I love this as Paul addresses those Christians who have Roman descent in this place, it's almost a double entendre, recognizing that the culture of Rome was one, in which case there were two different, or at least three different prominent gods that they served. And  this pagan worship had infiltrated the system, but ultimately even those who claimed to be part of the way, those who were Christians, found themselves trying to almost emulate and or fit in with an area which began to dilute and divest their attention away from belief in the living, true and living God. And so we find them kind of betwixt [between] this and he says, listen, don't get caught up trying to look like everybody else because in the midst of you attempting to conform to looking and fitting and to acquiescing in these areas, that's when you miss my good, pleasing and perfect will. And says, what I want you to do is you will be able to test and approve that ultimately you'll be able to discern the differences between the smoke screens that you find in your day-to-day experience. And in a time and place where understanding and knowing the truth is of paramount importance, this scripture cannot ring more true to us.

Walking in discernment requires us oftentimes to walk against the culture that's around us, the popular thing and or the easiest thing. Because sometimes it's just in our nature to pursue the easiest thing, that which is the path of least resistance. God says don't get caught up in that.

And even furthermore, this entire chapter begins to delve into God calls us to literally be a living sacrifice, sacrificing oftentimes our intentions, sacrificing…sometimes our desires and our natural desire to be just like the status quo. Truth is we're called to be salt and to be light. Meaning that we're called to be something different in the midst, for plan that looks the same. And light only exists in the area where there must have been darkness. So you're calling yourself.

God is calling you…to be different, because it's only in the difference that you're able to discern God's will. His perfect will, and in time we're trying to find what's good and what is perfect in our society.

So, I want you to be encouraged this morning don't be so easily swayed and, so easily manipulated by the things of this world. Be renewed, by the transforming in your mind.

Food for thought for today. I pray this has been incredible. I'll talk to you soon. God bless you.  Have an incredible Wednesday.