The Daily Word of Righteousness

My Reward Is With Me, #2

Do not conform any longer 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—NIV)

The Lord Jesus Christ while He was on the earth learned, through suffering, obedience to the will of the Father. The greatest lesson we can learn during our sojourn on the earth is stern obedience to the Father.

As in the verse above, we must present our body a living sacrifice to God, turning away from the images and philosophies of the world-spirit. We must be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

When we are transformed by the renewing of our mind we are able to determine the will of God and to do it.

Our will should be able to govern the choices we make. When we lose control of our choices, being driven by the passions and appetites of our body, we are on a path that leads to destruction. If we are to serve the Lord our will must be kept razor sharp.

If we will allow Him to do so, God shall work in us such that His will and desires are performed in us.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13—NIV)

Humanism and Democracy teach us that man is his own god, that is, that he should think and act independently of any other god. This is the spirit of Antichrist. The spirit of Antichrist is very strong in America today. The founding of America occurred in part as a reaction against tyrannical forces in Europe. Even though rebellion may have been necessary at that time, we have been left with an unwillingness to submit to authority.

The idea that we are to be the slaves or servants of the Lord Jesus Christ is not acceptable to Americans—even to many of us who are Christians. It appears that self-will often governs Christian activities.

We absolutely must die to self-will if we are to please God.

God has given us the cross to destroy our self-will. We are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow the Lord Jesus wherever He may lead.

If we are to enter the Kingdom of God we must suffer much tribulation. We must be chastised again and again that our mind, flesh, and soul may come under the will of God.

The Jewish Christians to whom the Book of Hebrews was addressed had been saved and filled with God's Spirit. We know this from statements made in the book itself.

But then they stopped in their pursuit of the Kingdom of God. They were not pressing into the rest of God.

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. (Hebrews 4:1—NIV)

The rest of God is the position in the Lord where we cease from our own works and do what God desires at every moment of every day. We do not seek our own pleasure but God's pleasure. We do not exercise our own judgment but look to God for every decision we make.

To be continued.