Transformed

Romans 12:2
.....Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.....

Transformation....
A process that can only be done by the Holy Spirit at work in us.
A process that alters the heart through salvation, and affects the mind because of the freedom that comes to us when we turn will and life over to the care of God.
Old strongholds of thought and belief are crushed and crumbled by the truth that comes to us.
The old way of thinking is demolished...the old way that lead us deeper and deeper into the darkness of our addiction.

II Corinthians 10:4-5
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in  God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the Knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
We no longer listen to that old voice that condemns and taunts us at every turn. We listen (with our heart) to the truth. That is why it is so important for us to surround ourselves with people who are on the same journey we are. That is why it is important to feast, study and simply read the word of God daily.  For me, I like to keep worship music playing as much as I can. As I learn a song, basically what is happening, scripture is being placed inside my spirit. It becomes another source of truth that I can feast on.

My favorite song right now is For the Joy, which is taken from Hebrews 12:2 - For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. IT speaks of Calvary being the place where God's wrath was poured out on innocence, Jesus, and all my sins were paid for. Every time that song comes to my mind, I am filled with gratitude and thankfulness for this life that has been given to me. I am grateful the transformation that has happened, and continues to happen. Like those Twelve Steps I am always talking about, life with Christ is also a process. I was saved yesterday...........I am being saved today...........I will be saved tomorrow.
We forget that Paul wrote that we were to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Not that those emotions stop us or slow us down, but that we realize exactly what is at stake here. That we have been given a "Pearl of Great Price" and we should not squander it or play loosely with it.

We have traded the needle....
For the Holy Spirit.....
We have traded the pipe....
For eternity with Him....
We have traded the pill.....
For life, abundant life, here and now...
We have traded the bottle.....
For His kingdom rule in our hearts....
We have traded ultimate darkness....
For ultimate light....
Now I'm not the best business man in the world....
But this sounds pretty good to me....
I give God all my stuff....including my sin and the propensity to sin.....
and I get all His stuff in return.
Wowzers!

God on you....
mb