December 30, 2016: IDF Devotional – “It’s Time to Transform!” (Romans 12:2)
Category: General
Posted by: IDF CGA Leader
All of us at one time or another have experienced computer issues that have required us to pull out a manual, a tech phone number, or our hair…in order to troubleshoot the problem to get our systems running smoothly. In the past week when I experienced system problems, the message on the screen messaged that I needed to update my Browser. After several unsuccessful attempts to update with various programs, another message signaled that the Browser could not be updated to my current system. Bottom line, in order to upgrade the Browser, I needed to update my computer system! This brought to mind Romans 12:2; "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." I realized there are things in our lives we are trying to fix that cannot be fixed until our ‘system’ is renewed or replaced!
We are all too familiar with the theme/slogan of the United Negro College Fund “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste.” Each year, Lou Rawls hosts the annual telethon to raise funds to assist African Americans in their pursuit of higher education. I couldn’t fathom having to replace my entire computer system, especially since I had just purchased a brand new 21 inch screen! The screen is new but the hard drive is not! The screen works great, but the information transmitted to the screen does not! At the time, it was too tedious to back up all the information and go through all of the steps necessary to purchase the complete system, so I decided to only buy one piece new. Needless to say, I opted for the ‘change’ not the transformation! Like the computer, the mind is the central system that controls the process of the thinking, the intellect, the feelings, the reasoning, the perception and judgments. In other words, the mind is the Hard Drive of our make-up; the part that stores what is input; the part of us that contains or the keeper of information; the storage tower of a computer that controls the information; the intellect, the will and mental state of our being. Further, there is the Monitor or screen; that which is looked upon that conveys to us that which speaks and dictates the “what and how” of our body response. It’s the part that transmits and shows up on our screens (facial expressions) of what is input at the click of a button; you know, they’re called ICONS and our computers have many of them. Once they are clicked, whatever is stored in the hard drive (mind) will display on the screen for us to read and interact. When our buttons are pushed, what we have input or stored is what comes out. When we take information in, we ENTER and the information and when SAVED it is stored. We either enter the things of God or the things of the world. Depending on what’s been input, it may be necessary to delete the things of the world; the things that give us (stinkin-thinkin) and corrupt our perception and judgment of people, places and things. Daily we upload information into our Hard Drive and download information that we need to operate. When our minds become clouded by confusion, chaos and the foolishness of the world, we may need to Control/ALT/Delete (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) in order to REFRESH or REBOOT our system. Use of this function restores our ‘system’ and gets us back on track; resetting our programming and mechanisms. What we upload in our minds dictates our actions and our behavior! We are either a vessel that God can use or a vessel the enemy can use. The enemy enters the mind to kill, steal and destroy that which the Lord has promised. He targets the mind because it’s a powerful tool that each one of us possesses. It is said that whatever consumes your mind consumes you!
The “renewed mind,” is the mind acting under the influence of the Spirit. Christians are "to undergo a complete change, which under the power of God will find expression in character and conduct" We do not remain the same. Transformation is what we allow the Holy Spirit to do to us and in us, not something we do by our own power alone. We submit to God’s power and by His grace we are changed (transformed) into another form. “Lord, make me over again another.” 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. We must put off the old man, the old and new cannot be contained in the same vessel. No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved. The new computer screen (alone) was not enough! It does nothing without the Hard Drive! The Holy Spirit does an inside job when making us new. Our minds must conceive, believe and receive what the Holy Spirit has already done! As the songwriter wrote the all too familiar tune, “If I can see it, then I can do it - If I just believe it, there's nothing to it, (I believe I can)…
As living Epistles of Christ, we prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God when we demonstrate in the earth that God’s will is right. We must choose Gods’ course of action for our lives, His plan; “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future and an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11). We have been called to transform into the image of God and it starts in the mind. Your thoughts become words, your words become action, your action becomes character and your character becomes your destiny.
This is your time; your season is now to be transformed by renewing your mind. Don’t settle for the screen-shot alone; acknowledge your need for a Savior; the new Hard Drive! Only the power through the work of the Holy Spirit can do this! As the saying goes, “Out with the old, in with the new!” Don’t enter into the new year with chaos and turmoil, renew your mind in Jesus; If your mind is not at rest, renew your mind in Jesus; If your mind is not at peace, renew your mind in Jesus; with all that is going on in and around us, Jesus is the answer; He is the only one who can transform you and lead you into a fruitful place. A made up mind is a powerful mind! Make up your mind today to serve the Lord and Him only; give Him praise for where He has brought you to. Indeed, a mind is a terrible thing to waste! It’s time to surrender and allow the transformation to begin.
In Christ,
Min. Daphne Maxwell
Fort Riley, Kansas
We are all too familiar with the theme/slogan of the United Negro College Fund “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste.” Each year, Lou Rawls hosts the annual telethon to raise funds to assist African Americans in their pursuit of higher education. I couldn’t fathom having to replace my entire computer system, especially since I had just purchased a brand new 21 inch screen! The screen is new but the hard drive is not! The screen works great, but the information transmitted to the screen does not! At the time, it was too tedious to back up all the information and go through all of the steps necessary to purchase the complete system, so I decided to only buy one piece new. Needless to say, I opted for the ‘change’ not the transformation! Like the computer, the mind is the central system that controls the process of the thinking, the intellect, the feelings, the reasoning, the perception and judgments. In other words, the mind is the Hard Drive of our make-up; the part that stores what is input; the part of us that contains or the keeper of information; the storage tower of a computer that controls the information; the intellect, the will and mental state of our being. Further, there is the Monitor or screen; that which is looked upon that conveys to us that which speaks and dictates the “what and how” of our body response. It’s the part that transmits and shows up on our screens (facial expressions) of what is input at the click of a button; you know, they’re called ICONS and our computers have many of them. Once they are clicked, whatever is stored in the hard drive (mind) will display on the screen for us to read and interact. When our buttons are pushed, what we have input or stored is what comes out. When we take information in, we ENTER and the information and when SAVED it is stored. We either enter the things of God or the things of the world. Depending on what’s been input, it may be necessary to delete the things of the world; the things that give us (stinkin-thinkin) and corrupt our perception and judgment of people, places and things. Daily we upload information into our Hard Drive and download information that we need to operate. When our minds become clouded by confusion, chaos and the foolishness of the world, we may need to Control/ALT/Delete (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) in order to REFRESH or REBOOT our system. Use of this function restores our ‘system’ and gets us back on track; resetting our programming and mechanisms. What we upload in our minds dictates our actions and our behavior! We are either a vessel that God can use or a vessel the enemy can use. The enemy enters the mind to kill, steal and destroy that which the Lord has promised. He targets the mind because it’s a powerful tool that each one of us possesses. It is said that whatever consumes your mind consumes you!
The “renewed mind,” is the mind acting under the influence of the Spirit. Christians are "to undergo a complete change, which under the power of God will find expression in character and conduct" We do not remain the same. Transformation is what we allow the Holy Spirit to do to us and in us, not something we do by our own power alone. We submit to God’s power and by His grace we are changed (transformed) into another form. “Lord, make me over again another.” 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. We must put off the old man, the old and new cannot be contained in the same vessel. No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved. The new computer screen (alone) was not enough! It does nothing without the Hard Drive! The Holy Spirit does an inside job when making us new. Our minds must conceive, believe and receive what the Holy Spirit has already done! As the songwriter wrote the all too familiar tune, “If I can see it, then I can do it - If I just believe it, there's nothing to it, (I believe I can)…
As living Epistles of Christ, we prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God when we demonstrate in the earth that God’s will is right. We must choose Gods’ course of action for our lives, His plan; “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future and an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11). We have been called to transform into the image of God and it starts in the mind. Your thoughts become words, your words become action, your action becomes character and your character becomes your destiny.
This is your time; your season is now to be transformed by renewing your mind. Don’t settle for the screen-shot alone; acknowledge your need for a Savior; the new Hard Drive! Only the power through the work of the Holy Spirit can do this! As the saying goes, “Out with the old, in with the new!” Don’t enter into the new year with chaos and turmoil, renew your mind in Jesus; If your mind is not at rest, renew your mind in Jesus; If your mind is not at peace, renew your mind in Jesus; with all that is going on in and around us, Jesus is the answer; He is the only one who can transform you and lead you into a fruitful place. A made up mind is a powerful mind! Make up your mind today to serve the Lord and Him only; give Him praise for where He has brought you to. Indeed, a mind is a terrible thing to waste! It’s time to surrender and allow the transformation to begin.
In Christ,
Min. Daphne Maxwell
Fort Riley, Kansas
