September 15, 2023 8:00 pm
In 2014, biologists captured a pair of orange pygmy seahorses in the Philippines. They took the marine creatures, along with a section of the orange coral sea fan they called home, to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Scientists wanted to know if the pygmy seahorses were born to match the color of their parents or their environment. When the pygmy seahorses gave birth to dull brown babies, scientists placed a purple coral sea fan into the tank. The babies, whose parents were orange, changed their color to match the purple sea fan. Due to their fragility by nature, their survival depends on their God-given ability to blend into their environment.
Blending in is a useful defense mechanism in nature. However, God invites all people to receive salvation and stand out in the world by how we live. The apostle Paul urges believers in Jesus to honor God in every aspect of our lives, to worship Him by offering our bodies as “living sacrifices” (v. 1). Due to our fragility as human beings affected by sin, our spiritual health as believers depends on the Holy Spirit “renewing” our minds and empowering us to avoid conforming to “the pattern of this world” that rejects God and glorifies sin (v. 2).
Blending into this world means living in opposition to God’s Word. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can look and love just like Jesus!
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
My name is Xochitl Dixon. I'm introducing a tiny creature God made and used to reveal a big truth in Just Like Jesus. In 2014, biologists captured a pair of orange pygmy seahorses in the Philippines. They took the marine creatures, along with a section of the orange coral sea fan they called home, to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Scientists wanted to know if the pygmy seahorses were born to match the color of their parents or their environment. When the pygmy seahorses gave birth to dull brown babies, scientists placed a purple coral sea fan into the tank.
The babies, whose parents were orange, changed their color to match the purple sea fan. Due to their fragility by nature, their survival depends on their God-given ability to blend into their environment. Blending in is a useful defense mechanism in nature. However, God invites all people to receive salvation and stand out in the world by how we live. The Apostle Paul urges believers in Jesus to honor God in every aspect of our lives, to worship Him by offering our bodies as a living sacrifice. Due to our fragility as human beings affected by sin, our spiritual health as believers depends on the Holy Spirit renewing our minds and empowering us to avoid conforming to the pattern of this world that rejects God and glorifies sin.
Blending into this world means living in opposition to the scriptures. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can look and love just like Jesus. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Romans chapter 12, verses 1 to 2. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Let's pray. Dear God, thanks for reminding us that you can use anything and anyone for your glory. Please make us more like Jesus each day so that we stand out and inspire others to know you and love you more. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-10-07 07:00:28 / 2023-10-07 07:01:53 / 1