"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
-Romans 12: 2

Awake?

Are you awake? Perhaps you should pinch yourself to see if you are awake physically. :) Good, you are awake! Now, how about spiritually? Are you awake? Pope John Paul II passed away recently. So much has been said and written about this man and what he accomplished and what he wanted to accomplish for God. While flipping through channels on the TV the other day, I came across a show that was about the life of Pope John Paul II. It caught my attention and I watched. This man truly did live a wonderful life and some of the words I heard him speak on that show really challenged me. I'll paraphrase them for you. "How can we profess to have faith in God and then not let that faith radically change our minds, change our hearts, change our thinking, change our actions?' Powerful words! But then again, truth, is always powerful. So I'll ask the question again, 'Are you awake spiritually?' Do you believe what Jesus tells us in John 14: 12-14? 'I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Are you awake spiritually? How can we profess faith in our Lord and Savior and not let it radically change our lives? Read Romans 12: 2 above and Ephesians 4: 23-24 below. How can we be transformed so that we are able to 'not conform' to this world? How do we put on a 'new self?' The first step is believing that we can! Not through our own power or our own strength but rather by placing our faith in Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and in trusting that the Spirit will enable us to renew our minds. That is the power of Christ! More powerful than anything in this world. No matter what the situation. No matter how dire things may seem. For those who are awake in Christ there is always hope! "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4: 16-18) Do you believe? If so, as in the words of Pope John Paul II,...how can that faith not radically change your mind, your heart, your thinking, your actions?' Are you awake?

Take a moment and encourage someone this week.

I pray that all is well with you. Please let me know if you have any prayer concerns or praises. Have a great week and remember to smile :), the Lord loves you!

In Christ,

Shan D. Hartsough

"...to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.'
-Ephesians 4: 23-24

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