Where There's a Will...

I just continue this week thinking about the newness of the New Year. (I mean after all, it's new!)

In our Creative Worship Team Meeting this week, we talked about some of our personal New Year's resolutions, and then we turned our discussion to New Year's resolutions for our Youth Ministry.

There were several mentioned but the one we kept coming back to was Bible literacy - how well we know what the Bible really says.

It got me to thinking about a familiar verse:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV)

Now I won't go into a full exegesis here, but just point out a few things.

First of all, one of the most asked questions of me is "How do I know God's will?"

According to these verses it is possible to test and approve that will.

And how do you do that?

By not conforming to this world, but renewing your mind.

And how do you renew your mind?

I believe there are a lot of things wrapped up in that statement, but definitely studying and knowing God's Word is among them!

So I pray for myself and the youth of 180 (and anyone else reading along with my rambling!) that we would enter this New Year with an increased desire to renew our minds by knowing our Bible.

We've got some ideas of what that looks like, but we'd like to hear your ideas as well.

So let me know how you renew your mind.