Choose This Day

January 21, 2016

Choose This Day

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). He had this same thought in mind when he wrote to the church in Philippi, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13). What is our responsibility in this process of God working in us, God transforming us into a new person?

A friend recently posted a note on his Facebook page: “Do More Of What Makes You Happy Holy.” I have a suggestion that helps us implement this idea into our lives. This may sound a little silly, but give it a try. Imagine that Jesus is sitting next to you this evening as you watch TV. As the advertisements are shown for the latest movies and you are thinking of going, imagine yourself turning to Jesus and saying, “That looks good. Want to go with me?” This same exercise applies to TV shows, books, magazines and all of the media and entertainment in our culture.

Years ago, I remember visiting with a woman in her home a few days before her scheduled surgery. She was most anxious and visibly upset. As we spent time talking, I noticed her bookshelf was full of Steven King novels, but a Bible, Upper Room or Guidepost couldn’t be found. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and this temple most certainly includes our mind! What we feed our mind are the building blocks that God uses to transform us, and to establish us in holiness and peace. Regrettably, far too often the materials we present to God are rejected by Him as unsuitable for His divine purposes.

We live in a world where God is present with us, and in us. We also live in a world where the culture is diametrically opposed to the things of God. How do we survive? The Old Testament patriarch Joshua’s advice has stood the test of time, and is our lifeline today:

“Choose today whom you will serve.

But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.