*THE MINISTRY OF YIELDING*Pastor Lloyd Peterson*Pt 1-2

*THE MINISTRY OF YIELDING*
*PART 1 OF 2*
*By Pastor Lloyd Peterson*
*
Romans 6:13 and Romans 1:1-2
Lately I have had several discussions relative to the age in which we
are living. The consensus seems to be that we are living in strange
times to say the least. It was generally agreed that we could be living
in the sunset or eventide of the age of grace. The church is not
prophesied as to its time and it appears that these 'coming events' are
casting their shadows before them. If the hour of Christian history is
rapidly coming to a close, it is possible to remain spiritual and loyal
to our blessed Redeemer as night shadows lengthen? It would do all of us
good to study the Gospels and learn well the attitude of Israel as they
lived before God had cast them away. (Romans 11:15) The experiences of
their being set aside will be those of the Gentiles. These experiences
will, and must, affect the church. Some believe the spiritual paralysis
has already begun. Jesus cried to Israel in their hour, 'Walk while ye
have the light, lest darkness come upon you! The response to this cry
was negative, for the Scripture declares: 'But though He had done so
many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: that the saying
of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath
believed our report?..... Therefore they could not believe.' John
12:35,37-39.
God sent blindness to Israel. He will do so to the Gentiles. Will this
spirit be experienced in our age? If so, can the Christian today avoid
being anesthetized by the spirit of the age? Must my life be affected
regardless what I might do about it? This is a good question and every
believer should give very serious thought to it. We believe (many of us)
that the tide of the age not only will affect many but already has put
some asleep spiritually. Some will read this article and smile....but
the smile is evidence of spiritual indifference. No serious child of the
living God today laughs off our times. But it does not have to be that
we become spiritually indifferent. We can be true; found at our post
with lamps burning brightly until the curtain falls on this age. But how
many will do so? Paul gives the remedy in Romans 12:1-2. At first
thought we may think we know these verses; but do we? Paul request two
things in view of God's mercy. (His mercy was that by faith He has
incorporated us into His Body.)
First: He declares 'present your bodies.' The word present is the same
word as yield in 6:13 and assist in 16:2. The original word means 'to
set beside' or 'put beside,' that is 'to assist.' The Holy Spirit is
called the 'Parakletos' ; one called alongside to assist. A parable is a
'parabollo,' something cast alongside to assist in teaching or to assist
in making clear some teaching. To present your body is to 'assist' your
body in its dedication and service to God. So there is something you and
I can do about our times.
Second: Paul declares the means of assisting, helping or presenting your
bodies. By (means of) the renewing of your mind. The word 'renew' is
interesting. It is made up of two Greek words: 'Ana' and kainos'. 'Ana'
means, 'up' and 'kainos' means 'new.' Really it means to 'up the new';
to put the new to the front or show the new. Take down the faded, worn
and tattered and put up the new life in Christ. It amounts to what Paul
says in Col. 3:1, 'Set your affections on things above.' A most
wonderful passage to study with this in mind is Col. 3:5-10. Be sure to
consider this as it is so related to the renewing of the mind.
I'm rather sure that all of us as Christians have trouble in certain
areas and we do so want to be victorious and glorify our Blessed Lord.
The renewing of the mind is the first major step in the direction of
success. Daniel, as a believer, is a good example of this lesson. He was
only a boy when he was carried into captivity. The world made a bid for
his soul. In fact, the head of all Gentile power, King Nebuchadnezzar,
demanded that Daniel defile himself with a portion of the king's meat.
But the Word of God says 'Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile
himself.' Daniel 1:8. This is the 'renewing of the mind.' Divine
enablement follows this, but man's first step is to take a stand against
the inroads of evil. 'Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like
men, be strong.' May we as Sons of our Savior do so.
*Be much with the solid teachings of God's word,*
* and you will become solid and substantial *
* men and women: drink them in,*
* and feed upon them, *
*and they shall produce in you *
*a Christ-likeness, at which the world shall stand astonished.*
*----- C. H. Spurgeon*

*THE MINISTRY OF YIELDING*
*By Pastor Lloyd Peterson*
*Part 2 of 2*
*
This is a continuation of the article from yesterday, concerns the 'HOW'
of yieldedness.
Within the heart of every true child (son) of God there is a desire to
live a life commendatory to the risen Saviour. It is unnatural for a
Christian to want to live in sin. 1 John 3:9 says, 'Whosoever is born of
God doth not commit sin (make life a practice of sin) for His seed
remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.'
This is not teaching sinless perfection; it is simply stating that if
you are a saved man or woman God's life abides in you and this life does
not permit the enjoyable practice of sin. Romans 8:2 is very much like
this. It declares: 'For the law of the Spirit of, life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free.' A Christian having a defeated life must bring grief
to the heart of the Saviour. Do you recall when David had fallen into
sin that Nathan, the prophet, told him, 'Because of this deed, thou hast
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.'
As Christians we do, therefore, want to live above reproach. But HOW? In
the previous message we sought to show that there must first be 'a
renewal of the mind.' To me this is Romans 7. There is the willingness
but........how to perform that which is good I find not,' declares Paul
in Romans 7:18. To this point Paul ad not experienced what he wrote in
Romans 8. You see my friend, there is not only renewal of the mind but
there is the renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5. When a Christian
takes the stand Daniel did in Babylon, 'determining not to defile
himself,' there comes the quickening power of the Holy Spirit enabling
the believer to carry out holy dedications. There are two wonderful
verses that come to my mind at this point. They are Rom. 8:11 and 1
Corinthians 6:14. Both speak of the same thing. The former often is used
as a funeral text but has no relationship to a dead man but rather to
the living. God's Spirit that quickened Christ's dead body will quicken
our mortal bodies, not after death but NOW. The latter text has the same
testimony. Romans 8 is an exposition of the thought brought forth in
these texts.
The renewal of the mind and the renewing ministry of the Holy Spirit is
well illustrated by an experience related by a veteran missionary from
Africa. He told of the discipline necessary to be a faithful and
ambitious servant of the Master in Africa. He said. "I found myself
becoming lazy, tempted to sleep late in the mornings when I should be
up, alert and active. My nature was to sleep and the climate was such
that it was conducive to sleep, especially at the times that I should
get up. Late hours of work at night gave me good excuse to sleep, and
yet I felt I should be an example to those working with me. I wanted to
break that habit that had formed in my life. -- but how? I was now
willing to 'assist' (same word as in Rom. 12:1 'present' and Rom.
6:13, (' yield') my body so I set my alarm clock. It awakened me out of
a dead sleep. But I was still in bed. All forces of nature intrinsic and
extrinsic said 'stay in bed,' but I jumped out of bed, raised my hands
toward heavens in stretching, took a deep breath of fresh God-given
invigorating air and said, 'Thank God for this new
day,' ran around my bed three times and by that time I was renewed in
mind and renewed in spirit and was ready for the day."
This is crude perhaps as an illustration but it gives a good picture of
the two important factors necessary for successful living. And so it is
in the spiritual realm. God show us all how to be best for Him.
*
**
*
Dear God of faithfulness, how delightful to realize that my persistence
of faith in You hinges on Your faithfulness toward me. I see that I can
continue to depend upon You, because you are fully faithful to me. What
expectation this gives me as I consider Your great promises! You will be
faithful to fulfill every one of them, as I place my trust in You!