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Romans 12:1-21 (MSG)

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¹ 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 h ² 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 a ³ I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who ⁴ In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. ⁵ The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into al ⁶ let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; ⁷ if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; ⁸ if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't l ⁹ Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. ¹⁰ Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. ¹¹ Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, ¹² cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. ¹³ Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. ¹⁵ Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. ¹⁶ Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. ¹⁷ Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. ¹⁸ If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. ¹⁹ Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." ²⁰ Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. ²¹ Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.


This passage relates to the following topic(s):
(v. 1) Worship - Bodies as living sacrifices - act of worship
(v. 1) Self-Denial / Sacrifice - Bodies as living sacrifices - act of worship
(v. 1) Pleasing God - Offering your bodies as living sacrifices pleases the God
(v. 2) Pleasing God - Offering your bodies as living sacrifices pleases the God
(v. 2) Holy / Holiness / Worldliness - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world
(v. 3) Pride - Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought; but with sober judgement
(v. 3) Pleasing God - Offering your bodies as living sacrifices pleases the God
(v. 4) Church - We are the body of the church
(v. 5) Church - We are the body of the church
(v. 8) Giving / Contribution - Gift of giving - let him give generously
(v. 9) Sin / Wickedness / Satan - Hate evil, cling to what is good
(v. 9) Love - Love must be sincere
(v. 10) Humility - Honor others above yourself
(v. 10) Respect - Honor one another above yourselves
(v. 11) Zeal / Boldness / Radicalness - Never be lacking in zeal
(v. 12) Faith / Doubt / Worry - Be faithful in prayer
(v. 12) Prayer - Be faithful in prayer
(v. 15) Compassion / Concern - Mourn with those who mourn
(v. 16) Pride - Be willing to associate with people of low position
(v. 16) Unity - Live in harmony with one another
(v. 17) Enemies - Do not repay - God's will avenge
(v. 17) War / Fighting - Do not repay - God's will avenge
(v. 18) Peace - Live at peace with everyone - if it depends on you
(v. 18) Enemies - Do not repay - God's will avenge
(v. 18) War / Fighting - Do not repay - God's will avenge
(v. 19) Enemies - Do not repay - God's will avenge
(v. 19) War / Fighting - Do not repay - God's will avenge

This passage is referenced in the following quiet time(s):
(v. 1) Power of Gratitude - Is your Job Sacred or Secular? (2008-03-05)
(v. 1) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 1) Renewing of your Mind (part I) (2012-03-18)
(v. 1) Jesus with People - Widows Physical Sacrifice (2009-02-17)
(v. 1) Waking Dead - Setting the Heart Free (2010-09-19)
(v. 1) Contagious Christian - Strength of Sacrifice (part III) (2010-10-28)
(v. 1) Purpose Driven Life - Accepting Your Assignment (2008-06-24)
(v. 1) Purpose Driven Life - Worship That Pleases God (2008-06-05)
(v. 1) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 1) Kingdom First - Wise Investing (2010-01-24)
(v. 2) Contagious Christian - Strength of Sacrifice (part III) (2010-10-28)
(v. 2) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 2) NT Commands (part III) (2011-03-10)
(v. 2) Day 14 - A New Creation (2011-12-17)
(v. 2) NT Commands (part III) (2011-03-10)
(v. 2) NT Commands (part II) (2011-03-09)
(v. 2) Renewing of your Mind (part I) (2012-03-18)
(v. 2) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 3) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 3) Purpose Driven Life - Using What God Gave You (2008-06-30)
(v. 3) Purpose Driven Life - You Are Not an Accident (2008-05-23)
(v. 4) Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) (2011-09-14)
(v. 4) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 4) One Another - Members of one another (2009-10-01)
(v. 5) Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) (2011-09-14)
(v. 5) One Another - One Another In Groups (part 1) (2010-02-27)
(v. 5) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 5) One Another - Members of one another (2009-10-01)
(v. 6) Purpose Driven Life - Applying Your Abilities (2008-06-28)
(v. 6) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 6) Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) (2011-09-14)
(v. 7) Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) (2011-09-14)
(v. 7) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 8) Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) (2011-09-14)
(v. 8) Church (part I) (2011-01-07)
(v. 10) One Another (part III) (2011-03-17)
(v. 10) One Another (part I) (2011-03-15)
(v. 10) One Another - Making it Clear (2009-09-25)
(v. 13) Hospitality (2015-11-25)
(v. 15) Share the Joy (2015-07-11)
(v. 16) NT Commands (part VI) (2011-03-13)
(v. 16) One Another (part IV) (2011-03-18)
(v. 18) One Another - Reconciling with One Another (part 3) (2010-02-23)
(v. 18) Purpose Driven Life - Restoring Broken Fellowship (2008-06-13)
(v. 19) NT Commands (part III) (2011-03-10)

This passage is referenced in the following study note(s):
(v. 1) Sermon: Pleasing the Lord? (2004-01-18)
(v. 1) Sermon: God calls Man to do the Impossible (2012-01-14)
(v. 2) Sermon: Pleasing the Lord? (2004-01-18)
(v. 2) Sermon: God calls Man to do the Impossible (2012-01-14)
(v. 3) Sermon: Pleasing the Lord? (2004-01-18)
(v. 12) Devotional: Loving God (2008-12-12)