Dr.  Ronald Powell     

Recipe for Christ Like Living

TEXT: Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

 1.  THE PRESENTATION

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

-The presenting of oneself to God in self-surrender is indeed a massive movement for our hearts.

It is the step that places us under the waterfall of Heaven to be drenched with Divine influence.  

The giving up of one's will to the will of God is vital to growth and development in one's destiny. Honestly, this may be required more often than we like to admit.

2. THE CONFORMATION

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

-This deals with the force of the world around us that is racing away from God.  

We are to being equipped to live life in the Godward direction. So we are constantly dealing with the pressure of being pushed into the world's mold. We are to fully and wholly resist this force while fully and wholly surrendering to the upward call of God.

-The conforming that is to take place in our lives is to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29). Which one does the portrait of your life most resemble....the world or Jesus?

3.  THE TRANSFORMATION

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

 -This takes place through the renewing of the mind. When we begin to think differently we begin to live differently.

4. THE CONSECRATION

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

-Ah, to live in the perfect will of God is the place of greatest serenity and peace and the place of greatest warfare and power.  

To give over completely to God and have the mind renewed and then to know and walk out the will of God is the consecrated life. Jesus said. "I have come to do thy will O Lord!"  

This should be our declaration as well.