Romans 12 continues to be my theme passage for this year.  I read it over and over asking God to give me wisdom in applying it to my own life.  As I began reading it again this morning, I didn’t get past verse 2.  Romans 12:2 NASB  states: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

The phrase “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” is what caught my attention.  I want to be transformed and I want my mind to be renewed. 

I was reading this as I was using a program to clean & remove old & temp files from my computer.  In essence, I was renewing my computer’s “mind” – cleaning it up – so it would run faster and more efficiently.

Many analogies have been made by people comparing our minds to a computer so this is nothing new, but it did bring those thoughts back to mind.  Sometimes my computer slows down or doesn’t function as it should because it’s filled with too many temporary files or has to work its way through corrupt files.

For me to function and live as God desires, I need a clear/clean heart & mind.  To be transformed by the renewing of my mind begins when I trust Jesus Christ personally, but it doesn’t end there. 

I have to continually trust Christ (not for salvation) but for daily filling & direction.  Eph.5:18 says I am to continually be filled with the Spirit – submitting to the Holy Spirit over and over.  I received the Holy Spirit when I became a Christian, but I have to continually submit to Christ to keep on being filled with His Holy Spirit.

Paul gives us further instruction if we want to renew our minds.  In Phil 4:8 NASB he writes: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

In other words, if I want to renew my mind which leads to the transformation God wants to make in my life – I need to focus my thoughts on the things he mentions.  Actually, I need to focus my mind daily (over & over) on the Word of God which is all of these things. 

David realized this and wrote about it in Psalm 119:  Check out his words…. Ps 119:9-16 NASB 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. 10 With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. 11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. 12 Blessed art Thou, O LORD; Teach me Thy statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Thy precepts, And regard Thy ways. 16 I shall delight in Thy statutes; I shall not forget Thy word.

I choose what goes into my mind; only the Word of God (written & living) has the power to remove the corrupt files I’ve stored there.  When I choose to fill my heart & mind with the truth of God’s Word, I’m able to filter out and remove the temporary & corrupt thoughts & memories that exist there.  I may not forget some of the things that have happened, but I don’t have to let them control me because I choose to be controlled and live by the truth.  I can choose to believe the truth of what God says to me and about me

31 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ”  John 8:31-33 NASB