Romans 12:3 Amplified
This devotion was written by Gretchen Ordelheide, a member of our Ministry Prayer Team.
One of my friends especially blessed me today when she emailed me some thoughts and a prayer she had written down as she studied Romans 12:3. Her words touched me so much that I asked her if I could share them.
Romans 12:3 Amplification
Romans 12:3 - New Living Translation (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Romans 12:3 - Holy Spirit amplification
As a messenger, servant and ambassador for God, be very mindful of this: look at yourself with honesty, appraising yourself based on the amount of faith God has given you.
The world’s measure is based on qualities and quantities irrelevant to God’s Kingdom. Human strength, charisma, power, attractiveness, affluence, success, popularity, charm, wit, cleverness and cunning are worthless with respect to the Kingdom. God can easily grant such characteristics and more. And when He does, watch out, because human ability can’t hold a candle to supernatural empowerment.
Oh, what God can do in the lives of the humble. He chooses the foolish things to shame the wise. God’s ways are not our ways. His laws of operation are not ours. And, as an incredibly creative God, He generally doesn’t do the same thing – follow the same pattern – twice. The Great Artist is abundantly multifaceted…beyond comprehension. And yet, He is unchanging. He’s the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Our God is an awesome God!
Don’t get sucked into looking at life – yourself, in particular – as the world does. Rather, be mindful of the Kingdom and put your trust in God. It is our faith that is an offering pleasing to Him.
*****
Dear Lord,
Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of being Your messenger, representative and ambassador. This is a great honor for me and a great risk on Your part. Thank You for risking everything for me! This is so underserved on my part, and on Yours. You went through so very much for me – thank You!!!
Lord, You know that my estimation of myself has been quite low. Forgive me for this faulty, “old (dead) man” thinking. Forgive me for seeing myself through perfectionistic eyes, expecting much more than realistic. Forgive me for expecting more of myself than You desire of me. Forgive me for being the harsh taskmaster in dealing with myself. Forgive my unkindness toward myself. As someone very dear to me has said on more than one occasion, I’d never treat anyone as harshly as I treat myself. Ugghhh! So Lord, please forgive me for mistreating what You’ve created. Forgive me for buying into the enemy’s lies and regarding them as truth. Forgive me for allowing his lies to supercede Your truth.
Thank You for Your forgiveness and please help me to forgive myself. This is one of the hardest things for me to do…it’s where the ugly, harsh tastkmaster jumps-in, reminding me of my awfulness. The enemy speaks loud and clear, telling me that I’m not enough, I don’t belong and I’m rejectable. Lord, I so need Your help in offering myself grace. This is so difficult. I need Your help desperately as I can’t do it on my own. Thank You for so graciously and patiently walking with me and helping me. You are my Refuge, my Support, my Strength, my Hope and my Victory!
Please speak the truth to me. Tell me who I am – who I truly am. Please tell me again – I need to hear it – and place it in the depths of my heart, mind, soul and spirit. I need You to record a tape that I can play and replay, over and over again, when needed.
Lord, please also forgive my ugly pride – the times I have thought myself better than others. Forgive me for allowing the religious and political spirits to become my voice from time to time – this is far too often and misrepresents You. Forgive me for judging others – this isn’t my role.
Lord, I so need Your mirror – I’ve been looking into a cracked and broken mirror for far too long - so that I can see an accurate picture of myself. Show me the growth areas and thank You for gently and patiently helping me to become the woman of God that You’ve destined me to be.
Lord, I have faith for others, but so little for myself – forgive me. Again, I need to see myself as You see me, without condemnation…free to be all You created me to be. Forgive me for living stifled under the mound of lies…under the enemy’s mask. I strip off the mask and hand it over to You, asking for Your courage to live a life full of destiny.
Thank You for the faith and grace You give me. Thank You for seeing Christ’s righteousness when You look at me. Thank You for Your forgiveness. And, most importantly, thank You for Your love. I could not live without it and I praise You for it. Thank You for not giving up on me, for consistently believing in me. Thank You for Your long-suffering patience that smiles and never gives up. You are amazing, God, and I praise You for Who You Are!
© Live at the Well.
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Live at the Well.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Mowrer. © Live at the Well.
One of my friends especially blessed me today when she emailed me some thoughts and a prayer she had written down as she studied Romans 12:3. Her words touched me so much that I asked her if I could share them.
Romans 12:3 Amplification
Romans 12:3 - New Living Translation (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Romans 12:3 - Holy Spirit amplification
As a messenger, servant and ambassador for God, be very mindful of this: look at yourself with honesty, appraising yourself based on the amount of faith God has given you.
The world’s measure is based on qualities and quantities irrelevant to God’s Kingdom. Human strength, charisma, power, attractiveness, affluence, success, popularity, charm, wit, cleverness and cunning are worthless with respect to the Kingdom. God can easily grant such characteristics and more. And when He does, watch out, because human ability can’t hold a candle to supernatural empowerment.
Oh, what God can do in the lives of the humble. He chooses the foolish things to shame the wise. God’s ways are not our ways. His laws of operation are not ours. And, as an incredibly creative God, He generally doesn’t do the same thing – follow the same pattern – twice. The Great Artist is abundantly multifaceted…beyond comprehension. And yet, He is unchanging. He’s the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Our God is an awesome God!
Don’t get sucked into looking at life – yourself, in particular – as the world does. Rather, be mindful of the Kingdom and put your trust in God. It is our faith that is an offering pleasing to Him.
*****
Dear Lord,
Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of being Your messenger, representative and ambassador. This is a great honor for me and a great risk on Your part. Thank You for risking everything for me! This is so underserved on my part, and on Yours. You went through so very much for me – thank You!!!
Lord, You know that my estimation of myself has been quite low. Forgive me for this faulty, “old (dead) man” thinking. Forgive me for seeing myself through perfectionistic eyes, expecting much more than realistic. Forgive me for expecting more of myself than You desire of me. Forgive me for being the harsh taskmaster in dealing with myself. Forgive my unkindness toward myself. As someone very dear to me has said on more than one occasion, I’d never treat anyone as harshly as I treat myself. Ugghhh! So Lord, please forgive me for mistreating what You’ve created. Forgive me for buying into the enemy’s lies and regarding them as truth. Forgive me for allowing his lies to supercede Your truth.
Thank You for Your forgiveness and please help me to forgive myself. This is one of the hardest things for me to do…it’s where the ugly, harsh tastkmaster jumps-in, reminding me of my awfulness. The enemy speaks loud and clear, telling me that I’m not enough, I don’t belong and I’m rejectable. Lord, I so need Your help in offering myself grace. This is so difficult. I need Your help desperately as I can’t do it on my own. Thank You for so graciously and patiently walking with me and helping me. You are my Refuge, my Support, my Strength, my Hope and my Victory!
Please speak the truth to me. Tell me who I am – who I truly am. Please tell me again – I need to hear it – and place it in the depths of my heart, mind, soul and spirit. I need You to record a tape that I can play and replay, over and over again, when needed.
Lord, please also forgive my ugly pride – the times I have thought myself better than others. Forgive me for allowing the religious and political spirits to become my voice from time to time – this is far too often and misrepresents You. Forgive me for judging others – this isn’t my role.
Lord, I so need Your mirror – I’ve been looking into a cracked and broken mirror for far too long - so that I can see an accurate picture of myself. Show me the growth areas and thank You for gently and patiently helping me to become the woman of God that You’ve destined me to be.
Lord, I have faith for others, but so little for myself – forgive me. Again, I need to see myself as You see me, without condemnation…free to be all You created me to be. Forgive me for living stifled under the mound of lies…under the enemy’s mask. I strip off the mask and hand it over to You, asking for Your courage to live a life full of destiny.
Thank You for the faith and grace You give me. Thank You for seeing Christ’s righteousness when You look at me. Thank You for Your forgiveness. And, most importantly, thank You for Your love. I could not live without it and I praise You for it. Thank You for not giving up on me, for consistently believing in me. Thank You for Your long-suffering patience that smiles and never gives up. You are amazing, God, and I praise You for Who You Are!
© Live at the Well.
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Live at the Well.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Mowrer. © Live at the Well.