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CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. " (Romans 12:1, 2).   The word "conformed" is translated from the Greek word "suschematizo" which means to fashion oneself according to another's pattern.  Notice the root "schemat" or "schema" is contained in this word and is the same root that we find in our English words “scheme” and "schematic."  So, literally, Paul is saying that we must not mold or fashion ourselves after another's worldly scheme or pattern.  And just whose worldly pattern is it that the Apostle Paul is warning us against?  It's none other than Satan, the god of this world, as he is referred to in 2 Corin...
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HIDE AND SEEK

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  And he arose, and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Luke 15:18-20).   During my daily quiet time with the Lord this week, I was struck by the enormous love of our Father God for us His children.   While the prodigal son in this parable was still a considerable distance from home, the father spotted him as he was making his way back to his father's house.   It was not by coincidence that his father saw him; his father had watched for him since the time that he had left, waiting hopefully for his son's return.   Then, when the father saw his son, there was no hesitancy and no second guessing of what his response should be: he ran to his son, embraced h...
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RUNNING THE RACE

Considering the seemingly super-human effort of the athletes at the upcoming 2026 Summer Olympics, I have to think about the preparation and training that these men and women go through for such accomplishments to be possible.  They all start their training at an early age, and all commit their lives to becoming the best at his/her sport.  The hours and years that they each spend perfecting their technique and strengthening their body, as well as the personal sacrifices that each has made, have paid off in making them the best athletes in the world.    Thinking about the dedication and sacrifice of all the great athletes that compete this year, I’m reminded of Saint Paul’s words in his letter to the Philippians where he writes, “ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:8).  Fu...
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