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July 29

Scripture for today: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28; Romans 12:1-21; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 20:8-10

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“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:10 NLT).

From: July 29, 2018

TWO MARKS OF THE NEW COMMUNITY IN CHRIST
In Romans 12, Paul described how those who have offered their bodies as a living sacrifice and have received a transformed mind that knows God’s will, should live with each other. In verse 10, Paul gave two marks of how people with this new mind should live with each other in this new community of believers. The two marks are love and honor. These two marks might be considered as summary of how believers are to feel (“love”) and think (“honor”) towards one another. The members of this new community are to love each other with “genuine” or brotherly affection, as members of God’s family. They are to feel towards one another like a loving family. As they come together, they are to “delight in honoring each other,” esteeming each other as better than themselves.
 
This new community of members who love and honor each other is the body of Christ, which is the church. They feel and think towards each other as the Spirit within enables them. Has your mind, your emotions and thoughts towards one another, been transformed, so that you love and honor each other?

‘Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?’ (Proverbs 20:9)

From: July 29, 2016

Solomon’s rhetorical question assumes a negative response. The sinfulness of humanity was an accepted reality in his day. Yet, even this basic wisdom has been thrown into question in our modern time by the tenets of humanism. The philosophy of humanism stresses the idea that humans are born basically good and that their potential for goodness is based on environmental factors. According to their thinking, with sufficient resources and education, all children should turn out well. A generation of this thinking has proven the theory untrue, yet the philosophy remains. However, God’s Word teaches us that our sin problem is more about the human heart than our behavior or the environment in which we live. This is a profound distinction. The real problem with humanity is the human heart. What is needed is heart change. Yet, who can make their “heart pure?” No one. What we need is a Savior. One who would give us new and holy hearts for God. But in order to know this, we must first admit that we are sinners. We must first accept this basic truth about ourselves, that we are sinful and powerless to do anything to change. We need help. We need Jesus. We need Christ to give us new hearts.

“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Romans 12:16 NKJV)

From: July 29, 2015

Paul described the state of mind that the believer should maintain. In this verse, he focused on our thinking towards others. Be “same-minded,” but not “high-minded.” Be careful not to think of yourself more highly than others. Be willing to “associate” with those of humble status, instead of rushing to be with the popular and important. Stop being a know-it-all. One who has this state of mind, has been “transformed by the renewing of their mind,” so that they have the mind of Christ. What’s your state of mind today?