The Overwhelming Importance of Christians NOT Behaving like the World, but as God Desires!

10 Nov 2026 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 November 2026   Romans 12:2a.

Romans 12:2a.       And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,

More sunny skies on this autumn Tuesday in early November my people! Oh it’s somewhat windy, but the basic temperature in the mid-teens is excellent. I don’t remember when last we’ve seen the sun so regularly as in these past few weeks, and the temperature has also been mostly in our favour. And for that, we give much thanks and praise to Almighty God! Now, today we’re going to look at one of the Prayer Cards recently put out by the In Touch Ministry; this one titled, ‘Growth In Christ.’

So please pray with me: ‘Father, I praise You for giving me new life in Christ. What a joy it is to become more like Your Son! Help me stay focused on Your Word as I learn to follow Him. When my heart begins to drift, lead me gently back. Show me how to let go of old ways, even as I rely on Your grace to transform me. Thank You for helping me grow every day.’

Yes friends, it’s only with the Lord’s awesome help that we can ever seek to grow in Christ, and it’s something we need to concentrate on and action EVERY DAY of our lives. We can’t afford to take a break, otherwise we’ll keep sliding back and not make any real progress. As Jesus says, we need to take up our cross EVERY DAY and follow Him. (Luke 9:23) And the Prayer Card further advises: ‘It’s easy to be conformed to the world. But you can resist. Seek to be like Christ instead.’ Now that’s a great desire and purpose, but it’s definitely not as easy as it sounds, however, as with everything else, with God’s help it is doable.

And how do we do it? By doing as Bruh Paul exhorted the church at Rome. ‘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 (rational) 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. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.’ (Rom. 12:1-3)

Oh my people, it all begins with understanding that our bodies are a holy temple to the Lord, since His Holy Spirit dwells within us. Bruh Paul says it thus to the Corinthians. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods.’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) Yes my brethren, we do not belong to ourselves, but to God Almighty, who paid the price for us by sacrificing His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

Therefore we ought to behave in a manner that both pleases and glorifies God. And once we understand that, it leads us to not conforming to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Another important point to note is that all changes or decisions begin in our minds, for it’s the director of our actions and bodies. That’s why it’s claimed that the mind is a battlefield, for everything passes through it, including Satan’s attempts at temptation, as he plays mind games with us. So in actual fact both Satan and the Lord are fighting to get control of our minds.

And the first step in giving control of our minds to God is to stop conforming to the ungodly and evil things of the world. As the scholars explain: ‘Resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of the world.’ Now that’s not easy to do, especially in today’s busy and coercive society, filled with numerous eye and mind pleasing distractions. And it’s only through the righteousness and mercies of our wonderful God can we ever hope to make such a change, and even more importantly, stay changed. For the devil is always tempting us to change our thinking back to his ways.

And Bruh Pail further elucidates his exhortation to be transformed, when He says  to the Ephesians. ‘This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through (because of) the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness (hardening) of their heart. Who being past feeling (becoming calloused, insensitive) have given themselves over unto lasciviousness (licentiousness), to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ (Eph. 4:17-24)

Yes my people, Christian teaching desires us to put off the old man, to renounce our old conduct of a sinful and ungodly life, and put on the new man, by the renewing of our minds, or by changing our minds about our lifestyle, and keeping them constantly changed, on a course that will bring us more and more into line with God’s viewpoint. So, in other words, at conversion, when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, we must assume a new nature or character and conduct that’s moral and godly. And if you’re wondering how in heaven’s name can you do that, then tune in tomorrow, if God spares life, and we’ll look at some of the many practical bits of advice Bruh Paul gives for changing one’s mind and moral behaviour, and furthermore staying changed.

Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’

That means, we now have to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…to live for Jesus…one must live like Jesus…moral and godly…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Importance of Prophecies in the Bible that pertain to the Birth of Christ!

17 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 2:38.         And she (Anna) coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

And on this damp and cloudy Tuesday morning with only eight days left to the riotous climax of the Christmas season, we try to keep our spirits lifted high, as we spread the peace, LOVE and goodwill to all men that our Lord and Saviour came to spread when He came to us in human form. Yes my brethren, that’s what we ought to be about in these last days; making the fruit of the Spirit flourish in our world! That’s the LOVE, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control! 

And with strife and negativity becoming more rampant in our world every day, if we can only get a toehold in the enemy’s fortifications with those things, then we’d be away and laughing. But friends, it all depends on us; on us being selfless and sacrificial enough to put our desires on hold and pursue those of Christ. And there’s no better time than this Christmas season when the enemy has let down his guard to enjoy the merriment engendered by Christ’s birth. So please, let’s get out there and use this festival season to remind others of Christ’s importance in the annals of man, and invite them to come to Him for help and encouragement, despite their circumstances. 

And to help us do that, here’s an interesting prayer I found in a set of ‘Praying with Purpose’ inspirational cards recently put out by the In Touch Ministry. These prayer cards deal with topics ranging from boldness to the persecuted church, and will help us pursue greater intimacy with our great God. So here’s this prayer dealing with ‘Growth in Christ,’ based on this inspirational verse from Romans. ‘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.’ (Rom. 12:2) 

Yes, my fellow believers, we desperately need to have our minds transformed and renewed so that we don’t follow the ungodliness being propagated and perpetrated by this sinful world. So please pray with me: ‘Father, I praise you for giving me new life in Christ. What a joy it is to become more like Your Son! Help me to stay focused on Your Word as I learn to follow him. When my heart begins to drift, lead me gently back. Show me how to let go of old ways, even as I rely on Your grace to transform me. Thank You for helping me grow every day.’ 

Oh friends, that’s a simple but right on the money prayer! And it’s oh so easy to be conformed to the ungodliness of this world, but we do have the power within us to resist it. We need to actively seek to be like Christ. But to do that, we first must do as James advises; ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you.’ (James 4:7-8a) 

Yes my fellow saints, it’s all about getting as close to God as possible, and then sticking to Him, sticking to Him like white on rice! That’s the only way we’ll ever resist the devil. Now, let’s wrap up the prophetic stories that were noised about at Jesus’ birth. Yesterday we saw where the devout man Simeon had been promised life until He saw the Messiah. And that promise was faithfully fulfilled when he met Jesus in the temple as His parents came to sacrifice on His behalf according to the law. 

Today we’ll look at another amazing occurrence that took place on that same day. The Bible tells it thus: ‘And there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she (Anna) coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.’ (Luke 2:36-38) 

Poor Joseph  and Mary! All that prophetic and redemption stuff must have driven them crazy. But again, they knew that they had a special child and with God’s unfailing grace, took it all in their stride. No doubt all of that was just more stuff for Mary to store up in her mind and ponder on as Jesus’ earthly life was fulfilled. Then the Bible states: ‘And when they, (Mary and Joseph) had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.’ (Luke 2:39-40) 

And that’s the last we hear of Jesus for at least a dozen years. Until His escapade at the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem at the age of twelve, when, unbeknown to His parents, He left the homebound caravan and could not be found for three days. Eventually they found Him back in Jerusalem, ‘in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors (teachers), both hearing them, and asking questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they (his parents) saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us (done this to us)? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing (anxiously). 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not (didn’t you know) that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ (Luke 2:46-52) 

Jesus was blessed to have such understanding parents, because even now, when a twelve year old gives his parents that kind of lip, especially in public his teeth are in perilous danger of being knocked out. Thankfully though, after that, Jesus seems to have settled down, ‘was subject unto them.’ And that takes care of all the prophecy and intrigue that surrounded Christ at His birth. (smile) 

Now, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one sincere and grateful voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and spread the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…if there wasn’t much fanfare around Christ’s birth…then all the Bible prophecies would have been for nought..