Beloved, the dusty road continues each day, my motto in life is putting one foot in front of the other. To walk on a dusty road one needs sturdy shoes. Jesus wore sandals, only his sandals–holy.
Walking with Jesus is something that I have done since I accepted Jesus when I was eleven-years-old. Sometimes the road was straight, other times it was filled with curves. Daily, I trusted the Lord. Our word of the day is conform. The definition of conform is comply with rules, standards, or laws. Conform is in the Bible eight times.
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
How does this verse, sweet friend, shape your run on your dusty road? For me, at one point in my life, hate ruled my life. Returning to school, I worked my way through nursing school to leave my husband. However, after many months, we reconciled. It took a while for the intense feelings to resolve but the key was forgiveness.
I shared in this blog post Five Facts About Forgiveness.
The five facts about forgiveness:
- Forgiveness is a necessary choice.
- Forgiveness is not forgetting.
- Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin.
- Forgiveness is choosing not to hold someone’s sin against him or her anymore.
- Forgiveness is from the heart.
In the process of forgiveness, I learned to take my thoughts captive to the Lord. In Romans 12: 1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
On the dusty road, beloved, we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.
That is where the rubber meets the road. We are to be a living sacrifice. This happens when we conform not to this world, but the world where Jesus through the Holy Spirit gives us our marching orders.
How do you not conform but transform by the renewing of your mind?
One must take her thoughts captive to the Lord. Are you struggling in your thought life?
The remedy comes when we pray and think before we speak.
Paul shares what we are to think on, in this verse.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8.
When you think or speak out against yourself, Satan gains a foothold. One must renounce the lie, because sweet friend, in God’s eyes you are loved and his beloved.
Recently, on the dusty road meetings at the hospital include–a veteran, and another couple. Each in their own way impacted my life. I love being able to help people in the hospital. To pray and alleviate fears is a role I find myself in daily. In order to give, I have to meet with the Lord myself.
Sweet friends, reading your Bible needs to be a daily encounter. In her book, Rest For Your Souls, she encourages us to memorize scripture, and meditate on God’s word. Personally, writing scripture along with my prayers is a part of my day. Now I am reading in chapter 4 how to be silent before the Lord. Silence where one clears one’s mind, and thinks about God.
Which practice do you need to add to your day? Bible reading, meditation, writing scripture. prayer writing, and memorization of scripture.
To be real honest, memorizing scripture is one I need to work on, the verses I know are the ones I memorized from my childhood.
Prayer
Father God, as I conform my mind and renew it daily, may I take my thoughts captive to you. I pray for the woman struggling with pain may she be comforted. For the woman, who needs healing, I pray for patience as she waits for the answers. I ask Lord that you provide for us spiritually, physically, mentally, and financially. Let us cling to you. In Jesus’s name. Amen
