Romasn 12 & me

Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you.
Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable.
This is truly the way to worship him.
(dan note: I feel like as I stand a a new semester of HOG, the kickoff of the Sunday Morning Gathering, & the beginning of Open Doors community time during the week, that my life is on the verge of going a little crazy with all the downtown stuff. I know I can't make all this happen, but that I have to let this happen - iow, let God make it happen in His way & in His time. If I try to make it happen, it'll kill me, literally. I feel like I'm laying my life & my physical body down, again, as a sacrifice for what He's leading me into downtown.)

2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but 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.
(dan note: it's not that God keeps telling me to think outside the box, He just reminds me that we threw away my box about 18 months ago. He's changing the way I think about how & to whom to minister downtown. And as I keep away from doing ministry downtown in the ways others, other churches & organizations think it should be done, the more I feel His pleasure.
Feeling His pleasure in what I'm being & doing is worth everything it costs me, & will cost me.)

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
(dan note: My evaluations of myself aren't geared too high; it's usually too low. I still find it hilarious that He's got me being & doing all this stuff downtown. I decided over a year ago as I yielded myself to what He seemed to be leading me toward with downtown that this whole thing was His gig, not mine. If this is His idea, then I guess it's His responsibility to make it happen. I'm just supposed keep my eyes & ears open to what He wants, & then obey.
And as I've walked this road, I've tried to encourage others to come along with me. I know I can't do this alone. I need lots of help from others who have gifts outside my skill set.)

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
(dan note: iow, do what you do best. I guess that's my challenge; to encourage everyone who wants to be a part of downtown to use their best giftings in the best way.)

9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
(dan note: I don't know what kind of folks God's gonna have walk thru our doors downtown. I gotta stay open to whomever may come in, & love them genuinely. And that can be a real challenge for anyone.)

11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
(dan note: I can always tell when I'm trying to be something, do something, or trying to love someone on my own & not depend totally on God's power - I get tired. If I depend on Him, I don't)

12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other.
(dan note: We continue to struggle to get permits for everything. It gets more than a little wearisome. And I just wonder if &/or when jealousy from others over what we're being & doing downtown is gonna kick in?)

Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.
(dan note: what does it say that the older I get, the more I prefer being around "ordinary" people?)

And don't think you know it all!
(dan note: It's easy to think ya pee wisdom & truth when ya get to be my age - & we both know better about that!!! If I don't keep a lid on how wise I think I am, God will put me in extremely humbling situations to prove to me that I'm not all that wise - nevermind how I know this...)

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

"I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,"*
says the LORD.

20 Instead,

"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads."*

21 Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
(dan note: As we embark on this adventure in downtown, I know the devil doesn't like it one bit. He's gonna start flinging more & more distractions of the most beguiling & crippling kind. We have to keep our minds & our power source focused on Him.)

Sorry this is so long. I just got to talking & counldn't shut up. ;-)