“Be Transformed to please God”

Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12: 1-2 "In view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."
Paul tells us that we should live our lives for the Lord. We should give ourselves to Him wholeheartedly and sacrificially. This is the pre-eminent question of life: "What is our chief end?" What are we living for? Many have never considered that question. They are living only for the moment. Only for today.
Stop for a moment and ask yourself . . . what is it that you are pursuing? Where are you headed? You're moving quickly . . . but where are you going? Let's be honest, most people live basically for themselves.
Paul argues for a different approach to life. He says we should honour God in our living because it is our "spiritual service". Paul is telling us that giving ourselves to the Lord is the logical thing to do.
Paul argues that if we understand what our predicament was (we were rebels heading for eternal destruction) and what God has done on our behalf and how He has awakened us to His love . . . we will want to serve Him wholeheartedly. When was the last time you really thought about what God had done for you?
For this to happen we will need to establish an eternal perspective to everyday living. How many things would seem far less significant if we view them from the perspective of heaven? That hour of prayer, the time reading the Bible, loving in a Christlike way, making time to talk with a troubled friend, giving to a ministry that is involved in sharing eternal truth, daring to trust God for the seeming impossible . . . all of a sudden these things take on a whole new perspective.
That is what the Lord has impressed upon the leaders, that the theme for year 2010 will be “BE TRANSFORMED TO PLEASE GOD”. That is what we need to do this year . . . we need to write "eternity" on our hearts and on everything we do. We need to remember where we are going and who we belong to. Can you imagine how different our life would be if we really apply ourselves to living for an audience of one.

But Paul adds a second challenge.
ESTABLISH AN UNSHAKABLE REFERENCE POINT
Paul's warning is stunningly relevant: "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
First, there is a warning. Paul warns us about becoming conformed to the world. The dangerous thing about this conformity is that we do not have to do anything to bring it to pass. It will happen unless we stand against it. With television, the Internet, CDs, talk radio, and books, books, books, we are constantly being bombarded with information and viewpoints that can easily turn us from the Lord.
Second, there is a prescription. Paul tells us that to avoid this push for compromise we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The word for "transformed" is the word "metamorphis". It is a word that reminds us of the caterpillar becoming a butterfly. We must be transformed in our thinking.
How do we keep from being swept downstream by every new fad or crisis? The answer is that we need an anchor. We have such an anchor in God's Word.
The Bible is not meant just to simply give us information . . . .it is meant to hold us steady and to help us live a life that has an eye toward eternity. The Bible is meant to be practised not just memorized. The Bible is meant to change our thinking. Here are some suggestions for building a strong anchor into your life.

1. Read the Bible systematically during the year. Make it your goal to read the whole Bible or perhaps to read through the entire New Testament. Haphazard reading places your anchor in shallow ground. You need to see the flow and context of God's direction. Nothing replaces a consistent exposure to God's Word.
2. Our CE will publish Bible Reading Plan to help you with the systematic reading of the Bible.
3. LG will be using the book of Exodus for their Bible Study Guide
4. Begin and end your reading with prayer. Ask God to speak and to help you listen.
5. Do what God tells you to do. God seldom gives you a direction without also giving you a laboratory in which to apply the lesson. God wants us to act and will always put us in positions where we can obey Him. So . . . practise what you hear.
6. Study with others. You can do this in many different ways.
7. You can join a Christian Education class. To let you appreciate the reading of the Bible, CE will conduct Old Testament and New Testament Surveys lessons.
8. You should be faithful in worship. We always seek to explain and apply God's Word as we are doing today.
9. You can read well. Look for books that carefully seek to reflect on Scripture. To help you with this, the church will organise Book Fair so as to make it easier for you to buy a devotional book.

FIND GOD'S WILL AND EMBRACE IT FULLY
One final thing we see in Paul's words: If we give ourselves to God and continually renew our minds with His Word, "then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will." Paul assumes that we want to live in the will of God. And for most of us this is a valid assumption.

What Paul is telling us is that we do not have to find God's will . . . . it will find us! Our job is to live for God's glory, and to renew our minds by a constant exposure to His Word bathed in prayer. And as we begin to learn about God's ways and to distinguish His voice from all the other voices around us, we will begin to see more clearly.
Suddenly we will know what God wants us to do. We will be able to hear His gentle whisper and experience His awesome work in our lives. And as we dare to obey, as we learn to trust God and to act on that direction He gives us, something wonderful happens. We see that God's will is good. We discover that the pleasure that comes from living in God's will is superior to any shallow pleasure the world offers.
So for  this year, your leaders encourage you to sharpen your focus. All activities organised in our church are specifically aimed to help you to focus your attention to be transformed. All activities and programme from henceforth should be aimed to bring your relationship closer to our Almighty God and to glorify Him.  Take advantage of this "reference point" in your life and make some changes. Determine that you will live this year maintaining an eternal perspective. Every morning set out to live for His glory. Every Sunday, exalt Him for what He has done in you. And during the course of this year establish that unshakeable reference point in your life. Become friends, intimate friends with your Bible. Make what you read the focus of your prayers and the basis of your behavior. And if you do, then this year, you will live for His glory, you will listen for and hear His direction, and yes, you will enjoy the journey.

To God be the Glory!

Foong Daw Ching
Chairman
Elder Board
3 January 2010