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Day 320 or November the 16th. Use your own grey

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matter first. Our thoughts today come from Romans

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chapter 12 verse 2. Do not conform to the pattern

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of this world, but be transformed by the renewing

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of your mind. Then you will be able to test and

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approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing

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and perfect will. And now the big picture surrounding

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this verse. Paul was a great thinker, and he

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regularly encourages other fellow believers to

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think for themselves, too. Not to exclude the

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Holy Spirit, but to work with him, rather than

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expect the Spirit to think for you. He focuses

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in on our duties toward God and our neighbours.

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And now today's action step. I remember our sons,

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one in particular, who regularly made the same

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plea when they were very young. Just tell me

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what to do and I'll do it. It will save me thinking.

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That's certainly not how Paul sees life when

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we follow Christ. He says that we should not

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simply do what the rest of the world is doing

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without thinking, but we should renew our mind.

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That is, think things through, then act accordingly.

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Paul goes on to say that if we do this, we will

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then be able to test and approve or figure out

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what God wants us to do in our lives. God gives

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each of us a brain to use, as well as the Holy

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Spirit. We should not simply listen to others

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and obey like robots. When people ask me what

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I think on a particular subject, I am often tempted

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not to tell them until they tell me what they

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think. Otherwise, they can simply slip into my

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belief conclusions and not think for themselves.

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Don't use your study Bible notes or commentaries

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as your first point of reference, but read the

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Bible first to see what God writes on your mind's

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blank slate, then turn to see someone else's

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thoughts if you wish. It's amazing how many times

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what God says to you is really for you, today.

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In short, don't just follow others, but follow

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Christ. And he will always guide you when you

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turn to his word, the Bible, and seek his will

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for your life.