New Patterns
Today's Scripture
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1-2 MSG
Thoughts for Today
It is interesting to trace our family tree and even do generational behavior studies; however, freedom comes first by being "born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23 NIV). To live a life free from enslaving hand-me-downs, it is imperative to walk out God's behavior patterns.
A person who receives Christ as Savior should immediately start a discipleship program to deal with hand-me-downs. Some people who have been Christians for years still carry the baggage of hand-me-downs. They also need discipleship. They need help in forming new behavior patterns.
Consider this …
God has boundaries that, when observed, bring His love and blessings. "Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you" (Jude 21, TLB).
Christ-centered support groups that provide both support and accountability can help people who struggle with hand-me-downs. The focus should be on Christ, and the curriculum should emphasize biblical principles of behavior. The grip of dysfunctional hand-me-downs can be broken. All the things we've discussed this week should bring you hope: God is fair. We can find freedom through faith in Christ and by receiving His forgiveness. Jesus knows us and loves us--personally. And as we turn to Him, He will help us form new patterns of behavior.
Prayer
Father, thank you for caring about me personally. Help me to remember that your love for me is personal. That Jesus died for me personally. And that He cares about all that concerns me. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
The Ten Commandments: Applying the Foundations of Living to My Personal Life by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct and ethical decisions is essential for believers surrounded by relativistic values. This guide helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More
PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to [email protected].
