1 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and
beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive
dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as
a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to
God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and
adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed
(changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and
its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the
good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and
think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated
opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober
judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to
him.
4 For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,
5
So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and
individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one
another].
6
Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to
the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let
him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith;
7 [He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching;
8 He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality; he who gives aid and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.
9
[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe
all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that
which is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.
12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.
Devotional
When
Esther was taken to prison, she looked into her mother’s face and said,
“I’m going to enter the advanced course in the college of faith.
Christ Himself is the Principal. Isn’t that wonderful?” “You must follow Him completely,” Esther’s mother responded, “You must lose your life so that Jesus may live within you. That will mean death to yourself every day, every hour, and every minute.”
Esther’s prison journal records: “It was a joyous blessing to have been born in such a place and for such a time. It was because of persecution that I was able to experience God’s presence where there is fullness of joy!”
Esther shared a prison cell with women who spent their hours praying, singing and quoting the Bible. A deranged woman lived in a neighboring cell. She screamed profanities while the Christians prayed and sang. One day, Esther asked the prison guards if they would bring the mad woman to her cell.
Esther gently ministered to this tortured soul while speaking words of endearment. When the fog of mental illness lifted, Esther led her to Jesus.
Most of us ignore the difficult people in our lives. If I am to be an example of God’s love, I must gently minister to these broken people and demonstrate unconditional love.
Esther lost her sight while in prison; her toes and fingers suffered frost-bite, but she walked out of prison in 1945 singing, “All hail the power of Jesus’ Name, let angels prostrate fall! Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of All!”
Difficult people may be your greatest gift in attaining the character of Christ.
Practical Application:
1 - Pray for and bless a difficult person today.
2 - Record three things in your “Thanksgiving” journal. Share #beatdepression!
Declaration:
I will not allow difficult people to steal my joy but I will demonstrate the love of the Lord.
Prayer:
“Jesus, thank You for the people you have placed in my life. I pray that I will show Your love to them. Amen."
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