Testing It Out

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Merely Conforming to a Pattern

We often approach our faith by trying to mimic external behaviors, hoping it will produce a desired result. This is like following a set of instructions without understanding the purpose behind them. It leads to frustration when God does not act according to our expectations, as if He owes us a specific outcome for our performance. True faith is not about checking boxes to manipulate God’s will but about surrendering our own. The goal is a transformed relationship, not a conformed routine. [52:43]

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 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your spiritual life have you been simply ‘going through the motions’ or following a pattern, and what might it look like to shift your focus from performing duties to pursuing a deeper relationship with God?

Day 2: Being Transformed by Knowing the ‘Why’

Transformation occurs through proximity and understanding, not just imitation. It is the difference between watching a video to copy a task and spending time with a master to learn their reasoning. God desires that we know Him so intimately that we understand His character and His ways. This internal change allows us to interpret His will not as a list of steps, but as the natural outcome of a relationship built on trust and knowing why He does what He does. [59:53]

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding... then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-2, 5 ESV)

Reflection: What is one aspect of God’s character that you need to understand more deeply in order to trust His will in a current situation you are facing?

Day 3: Trusting That God’s Will is Good, Pleasing, and Perfect

A significant hurdle in seeking God’s will is the struggle to believe it is truly good for us, especially when it conflicts with our own desires or understanding. We are tempted to believe we know what is best, leading us to try and subvert His plans. Faith means choosing to say ‘yes’ to His will before we have all the answers, trusting in His nature even when our circumstances feel difficult or confusing. This act of trust deepens our relationship with Him. [01:02:09]

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify an area where you are finding it difficult to believe that God’s will is good? What would it look like to exchange your desire for control for a prayer of trust in that area today?

Day 4: The Daily Exchange of Prayer

Prayer is far more than presenting God with a list of requests; it is meant to be an exchange. We bring our wills, our desires, and our confusion to Him, and in return, we open ourselves to receive His perspective and His will. This is beautifully modeled in the Lord’s Prayer, which centers on the surrender of “my will” for “Your will be done.” This daily practice reorients our hearts away from our own plans and toward His kingdom purposes. [01:08:38]

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: As you pray this week, how can you shift your focus from only asking God for things to actively listening for what He might want to exchange with you?

Day 5: Remaining a Living Sacrifice

Following God’s will is a daily choice to stay on the altar of surrender. Unlike a dead sacrifice, a living one must continually choose not to climb down. This means persisting in prayer, trusting in God’s timing, and leaning into His will even when no progress is visible. It is an act of worship to offer ourselves continually, believing that God is at work in the waiting and that His plans are worth our patient endurance. [01:11:19]

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. (Romans 12:1, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you currently tempted to ‘climb off the altar’ and take control back from God? What is one practical step you can take this week to choose to remain in a posture of surrender?

Sermon Summary

Romans 12:2 is unfolded as a clear, pastoral guide for knowing God’s will: not as a secret checklist but as the fruit of knowing God and being inwardly changed. The talk contrasts mere external imitation with genuine transformation—warning against treating Scripture like a quick Google answer or an assembly manual to be followed mechanically. Renewing the mind is described as being remade by proximity to God: learning not only what to do but why God does it, so decisions flow from character, not copied patterns. Faith is reframed as saying yes before every question is answered; trusting God’s will requires relinquishing personal control, not manipulating outcomes. Prayer is recast as an exchange—offering one’s desires and receiving God’s purposes back—anchored in the Lord’s Prayer as a daily practice to cultivate that exchange. Practical discipleship rhythms are given: offer the life continually as a living sacrifice, test God’s guidance in small, concrete ways (the stop-sign discipline), and ask what God wants in the local church through service and groups. The overarching claim is uncompromising: God’s will is good, pleasing, and perfect, but apprehending it demands a renewed mind, patient obedience, and willingness to be shaped by God’s timing. When Christians choose trust over control, the fit between circumstance and divine wisdom often becomes clear in hindsight—strengthening faith, deepening Christlikeness, and reshaping motives away from mere pattern-following toward genuine relationship.

Key Takeaways

1. Transformation over external conformity True discernment begins with inward change, not external copying. Imitation can produce behavior, but only renewal by proximity to God produces the judgment and character to choose rightly when situations differ. The aim is to learn God’s reasons so similar choices can be adapted, not merely repeated. This reorients obedience from mimicry to wise, Spirit-led discernment. [59:36]
2. Say yes before full understanding Faith often requires consenting to God’s direction before all doubts are answered. If every question were settled first, trust would be unnecessary; faith is the posture of following when outcomes remain opaque. Saying yes ahead of resolution trains dependence and enlarges spiritual sight over time. Each courageous yes deepens trust and refines judgment. [63:10]
3. Prayer as reciprocal exchange Prayer is presented as a two-way exchange: bringing personal longings and receiving God’s will in return. The Lord’s Prayer models handing over daily needs and surrendering the agenda—“your will be done”—so prayer reshapes desires into God-shaped aims. Practicing this exchange daily reorients decision-making away from self-reliance and toward partnership with God. [68:21]
4. Practice testing God’s guidance daily Discerning God’s will requires small, repeated acts of waiting and asking, not only big dramatic signs. Simple exercises—pausing at a decision point, asking for a sense of direction, then acting—train spiritual hearing and obedience. Over time these tests reveal patterns of God’s leading and build confidence to obey larger calls. The discipline converts abstract wanting into lived trust. [72:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[41:57] - Gideons: Gratitude and Prayer
[43:19] - Introduction: Seeking God's Will
[45:01] - Unhealthy Approaches to Scripture
[47:13] - Romans 12:2 Read and Framed
[59:36] - Transformed, Not Just Conformed
[63:10] - Faith: Yes Before Answers
[67:44] - Prayer as Exchange (Lord’s Prayer)
[72:27] - Practical Test: The Stop Sign
[75:46] - Serve, Belong, and Next Steps
[76:09] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Based on the sermon summary and transcript provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
> 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.

Observation questions

According to Romans 12:2, what is the prerequisite for being able to "test and approve" God's will?
The sermon described a key difference between "conforming" and "transforming." What is the difference between simply mimicking an external pattern and being internally changed? [59:36]
What does the Greek word for prayer imply about the nature of our communication with God? [01:08:21]
What are the three words used to describe God's will in Romans 12:2?

Interpretation questions

Why is saying "yes" to God's direction before all doubts are answered a necessary part of faith, rather than a lack of it? [01:03:10]
How can the practice of viewing prayer as an "exchange"—offering our desires and receiving God's purposes in return—reshape our motives and decision-making over time? [01:08:21]
The will of God is described as good, pleasing, and perfect. Why is it often difficult to believe this is true in the middle of a frustrating or painful circumstance? [01:02:09]
What is the significance of being a "living sacrifice" as described in Romans 12:1, and how does that differ from a dead sacrifice in terms of daily choice and commitment? [01:11:00]

Application questions

Where in your life are you most tempted to simply "conform" to a Christian pattern or checklist rather than seeking genuine transformation through proximity to God? What would it look like to shift your focus from what to do to understanding why God does it? [59:36]
Is there a specific area where you are currently waiting for God to answer all your questions before you are willing to trust and obey? What would it look like to courageously say "yes" to Him in that area this week, even without full understanding? [01:03:10]
This week, try the "stop-sign discipline" [01:12:27] in a small, daily decision. Choose one routine moment to pause, ask for God's direction, and then act. What did you learn about listening for God's guidance through this simple act of obedience?
How can you practically implement the Lord's Prayer as a daily model for exchanging your will for God's? Which line of that prayer is most challenging for you to pray authentically right now? [01:07:44]
If being transformed happens by proximity, what is one tangible way you can increase your time in God's presence this week, not for information but for relational connection?
Looking back, can you identify a situation where you initially couldn't see God's will, but in hindsight, His good, pleasing, and perfect plan became clear? How does that memory encourage you to trust Him with your current uncertainty? [01:01:06]

Sermon Clips

Because being transformed by the renewing of your mind is not about just matching a pattern. When you look at the definition of it, it's to be made new by proximity. That when you spend time with somebody, they're gonna change who you are internally by proximity. And the more time you spend with them, the more that change is gonna occur. [00:59:29] (29 seconds) #TransformedByProximity

I'm not writing down the step by step pattern of what they're doing. I'm writing down why they're doing it. I'm writing down the decision making process on how they came to that conclusion of what to do. Because I know that I'm not gonna be able to repeat their pattern. But if I can understand why, then I I can. I can help us find our own pattern. [00:58:44] (28 seconds) #UnderstandTheWhy

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Testing It Out

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Merely Conforming to a Pattern

Day 2: Being Transformed by Knowing the ‘Why’

Day 3: Trusting That God’s Will is Good, Pleasing, and Perfect

Day 4: The Daily Exchange of Prayer

Day 5: Remaining a Living Sacrifice

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Testing It Out

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