Today Our Daily Bread (from Rock Church's Daily Reading schedule) Rom 16:19-20, Acts 17:6 & Romans 12

Romans 16:19-20 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
The church here was crying out, the people’s were crying out, the earth was crying out. Notice how most people don’t like change, yet they need it so desperately? Yesterday, I wrote of a back being out of alignment. It hurts because it is out of alignment, but it also hurts to touch it to see if it can be put back in aligmnment, then it also hurts when put in alignment and sometimes a bit after. The body was trying to put it back, but because of the severity of the misalignment it could not do the work alone, when efforts were made to realign, by an outer force, the body had tried to adjust to the new "(dis)-order" and found that adjusting to the disorder helped the pain leel. Yet in adjusting to the disorder, there would be pain in returning to order, in fact there would have to be force to get the order back! Do you see the similitudes here? The earth feels the same way and so do you. It is not fun to have change, but it is necessary, very necessary. Just as the person having that back adjustment, cries are heard when the disorder happened and cries are heard when the order is "enforced." The earth is groaning and travailing for order, the Divine order of God! We cry out, the church cries out, the world cries out for God’s people to rise up and be, to rise up and turn this world back right side up!
Romans 12:1-21
Living Sacrifices to God
Christians Should Lead Transformed Lives
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," F63 says the Lord. 20Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." F64 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Footnotes
F63: 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:35
F64: 12:20 Proverbs 25:21, 22
Lena’s Journalin’
Dear Ones, Is God and inflicting pain on us? Does He just want us to hurt? No, He is not cruel and unusual. He is our Father! Does a Father ever discipline (I mean in a good way, to lead one towards change)his child, and the child feel pain or the sense of being uncomfortable, for a season? The reason the word requires change of us and entreats and commands us is it is our tutor and guide towards the ways of truth, towards the living out of eternal life and the eternal blessings that life gives both us and those who we influence. If we surrender to His work that changes us as we offer ourselves to Him, we’ll find His grace has equipped us to be able to do what he has asked of us, there’s a supernatural boost of help to those who through faith see what God is asking, and by faith ask for His help to do it, with an obedient and loving heart of desire to do His will. Some of this grace is displayed in gifts He gives to lead us to where we could not go without this grace. We really can only barely live as God has asked us to on our own natural strength. This is the beauty of God’s word and will. We have to have His help to fulfill it. It is impossible to do His will alone without His help. When we refuse His help, we are saying. "I’m good enough and strong enough without your help." Can I tell you something? That is a two years old’s response to help. It is time to grow up and take the spiritual gifts God has given us to lie out our spiritual life. Pride is a great hindrance to receptivity of His gifts. Pride would say to God, "Oh no thank you, I’m fine like I am" or "Oh I don’t really need that for today, I know better." Excuse me! This is God telling us what we need here! How can we listen to natural men explain God’s gifts away? That astounds me. It is a pride issue. Remember ( gospel msg) what happens when pride arises? Division, Idolatry, Sin, DEATH! Are we alive in Christ? Then, receive the grace He’s given to go to higher heights of growth in faith and eternal life.Let’s please join together is stomping out a religious spirit in America. Instead of our enemy putting our backs or the back of the body of Christ out of line, let’s be the ones who throw His out!
Hypocrisy has become a stigma in Christianity in the USA. People use it as an excuse to hate the Lord’s Body. When people stand before God, Hypocrisy will not be a valid excuse for not loving and becoming a part of Jesus’ body! But listen, church, can I challenge you? What if you do not call yourself a Christian "anymore". What if your life is the only thing that tells others you are truly a Christian? What if what you say, tells others you are a Christian? Have you ever had someone ask, "Are you a Christian?" Remember "Christian" means One who is Like Christ. The world is tired of us saying and not doing or being. They want us to prove it. I challenge you to take a person, any person and lead them to Christ, by living as an example of Christ. Befriending them and showing them with your everyday, at home, at work, at school life, that you are Christ’s. To be living proof of His love, of His power, of His grace. To say to one, follow me, as I follow Christ. That’s powerful. That responsible. So, what if we fall, or stumble or make mistakes? Show that person and prove to them that there is forgiveness in wholehearted lived out repentance! Show them what to do when you fall down or stumble or are attacked. Do you crumble (because you did not receive God’s spiritual gifts to be strong in His might and ability, or do you go to God again? It’s up to you, and God is depending on your willingness to live like He would right here right now!