Unfollow the Algorithm | Pastor Jordan Miller

Devotional

Day 1: Transformation Through Renewed Thinking

True renewal begins when we actively reject worldly patterns and allow God to reshape our minds. This requires more than surface-level change—it demands a deep, intentional shift in how we process truth, desires, and purpose. Just as an algorithm adapts to influence behavior, our minds must be recalibrated by Scripture to reflect God’s holiness. Lasting transformation happens when we surrender our thought life to Christ’s authority. [09:39]

“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: What specific thought pattern or mindset have you noticed in yourself that aligns more with cultural values than with God’s truth? How might intentionally meditating on Scripture reshape that area?

Day 2: Choosing God Over Worldly Desires

The world’s allurements promise fulfillment but always fade, leaving emptiness in their wake. God calls us to disentangle our hearts from temporary cravings and fix our affections on what endures. This isn’t about mere self-discipline but about cultivating a holy dissatisfaction with anything that competes with our love for Christ. Eternal joy is found only in desires aligned with His heart. [16:02]

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you sense a tension between a desire for something temporal and your longing to fully love God? What practical step could help you prioritize His eternal purposes this week?

Day 3: Living as Set Apart in a Hostile World

Following Jesus inevitably creates friction with a world that demands conformity. God’s truth disrupts cultural norms, exposing their emptiness and inviting us to live as ambassadors of a better kingdom. Though this may lead to misunderstanding or rejection, our faithfulness becomes a testimony of Christ’s transformative power. [26:45]

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14, ESV)

Reflection: When have you felt pressured to compromise your faith to fit in? How might God be calling you to courageously reflect His character in that area instead?

Day 4: Putting Off the Old, Embracing the New Self

Salvation isn’t just forgiveness—it’s an invitation to shed old habits and embrace a new identity. Like swapping worn-out clothes for a tailored garment, we’re called to actively discard sinful patterns and “put on” Christlike virtues. This daily choice requires humility and dependence on the Spirit’s power. [23:00]

“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life… and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.” (Ephesians 4:22-24, ESV)

Reflection: What specific habit or attitude from your “old self” do you need to release this week? What Christlike quality could you intentionally cultivate in its place?

Day 5: Surrendering Every Area to God’s Transformation

Partial obedience is disobedience. God desires access to every corner of our lives—not just the comfortable or socially acceptable areas. True freedom comes when we stop compartmentalizing and let His truth penetrate even our most guarded spaces. This surrender isn’t loss but liberation to become who we were made to be. [37:23]

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life have you been hesitant to fully surrender to God? What would it look like to invite Him into that space with trust rather than fear?

Sermon Summary

Romans 12:1–2 anchors a call to wholehearted transformation: believers must present their bodies as living sacrifices and allow the renewal of the mind to reshape conduct. Paul urges a decisive break from the world’s patterns, insisting that right standing with God must produce a changed way of life—one that tests and discerns God’s will. Culture operates like an algorithm, feeding desires and habits that mimic the world; the text exposes that habitual conformity grows from unchallenged desires and mental patterns, not merely from ignorance.

Transformation begins with desire. When someone values God’s ways more than the world’s fleeting pleasures, practices follow: longings shift, routines change, and moral decisions reorient. Renewal of the mind requires intentional unlearning—removing old loves and reordering affections so Christ’s likeness shapes daily choices. That inward change inevitably issues outward fruit; genuine discipleship proves itself not by talk but by sustained change in behavior, relationships, and priorities.

Producing godly fruit also produces opposition. Scripture warns that living differently from cultural norms invites misunderstanding and even hatred, because the world demands conformity. Yet that opposition does not nullify the promise of life and freedom found in obedience; rather, it confirms a new affiliation with Christ and the sanctifying work of truth. The call culminates in a concrete invitation: to let God soften resistant hearts, to allow transformation in every compartment of life, and to choose the teacher who will reframe desires and reshape conduct. The closing moment extends an open offer of repentance and new life, tying the call to transformation to the free gift of salvation and the ongoing work of the Spirit in willing hearts.

Key Takeaways

1. Learn a new way Change requires a decisive turn from cultural patterns to the kingdom’s practices. Romans 12 frames salvation as the opening of a new apprenticeship: once reconciled, disciples must apply grace to everyday choices. Learning this new way means both intentional unlearning of prior habits and dutiful training in Christlike habits until those habits govern default responses. [09:25]
2. Desire determines true spiritual transformation Transformation does not begin with mere rules; it begins when affections reorder. When longing for God surpasses lusts of the flesh, the will follows, and new habits cement into character. God’s work often rewrites desire itself—spiritual formation changes not just actions but what a person wants. [15:15]
3. Fruit reveals genuine Christian faith Words and emotions can imitate devotion; lasting fruit exposes what actually dwells within. Persistent change in conduct, relationships, and priorities validates inward renewal and distinguishes genuine discipleship from transient enthusiasm. Fruit matters because it signals a transformed wiring, not just a temporary performance. [23:51]
4. Expect rejection for obedient living Standing against cultural conformity will provoke hostility, misunderstanding, and loss. Scripture anticipates the world’s rejection of those set apart by truth, not as failure but as confirmation of a new allegiance. Endurance under rejection refines discipleship and underscores the cost and reality of following the Lamb. [26:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:26] - Theme Verse Declaration
[01:14] - Reading: Romans 12:1–2
[02:24] - Opening Prayer
[06:33] - Introducing "Unfollowed" Series
[07:47] - Culture as an Algorithm
[08:44] - Anchor Text Revisited
[09:25] - Learn a New Way
[12:28] - Transformation Reveals God
[14:52] - Unlearning and Desire
[15:15] - Desires vs. Father’s Love
[23:51] - Walking Matters; Fruit
[26:31] - World’s Hatred for the Truth
[34:27] - Invitation to Be Transformed
[37:04] - Prayer & Call to Salvation

Bible Study 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.
- 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV): Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
- John 17:14-16 (ESV): I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Observation questions

In Romans 12:1-2, what two commands does Paul contrast (“do not be conformed” vs. “be transformed”)? What role does the “renewal of the mind” play in this process?
The sermon compared culture to an “algorithm” that feeds worldly desires and habits. What examples were given to illustrate how this works in daily life? [03:39]
According to 1 John 2:15, what does loving the world reveal about our relationship with God?
In John 17:14, why does Jesus say the world will hate His followers?

Interpretation questions

Why is the “renewal of the mind” (Romans 12:2) so critical for breaking free from cultural conformity? How does this connect to the idea of “unchallenged desires” shaping our habits? [15:15]
1 John 2:15-17 warns that worldly desires are temporary. How might clinging to these desires prevent someone from fully embracing the “new self” described in Ephesians 4:22-24?
The sermon emphasized that “fruit reveals genuine faith.” How does persistent change in conduct, relationships, or priorities validate inward transformation? [23:51]
Jesus says His followers are “not of the world” (John 17:14). Why does living differently from cultural norms provoke hostility, and how does this confirm a believer’s allegiance to Christ? [26:31]

Application questions

What area of your life feels most influenced by the “algorithm” of culture (e.g., relationships, priorities, entertainment)? What practical step could you take this week to intentionally “unfollow” a worldly pattern in that area? [07:47]
Transformation starts with desire: “When longing for God surpasses lusts of the flesh, the will follows.” What desire competes most with your desire to live like Christ? How could you actively reorder that affection? [15:15]
The sermon challenged believers to let God soften “compartmentalized” areas they’ve kept untouched. Is there a habit, relationship, or mindset you’ve resisted surrendering? What would it look like to invite God into that space today? [34:27]
When have you experienced pushback or misunderstanding for living out biblical values? How did that situation reveal your true priorities, and how can you prepare for future opposition? [26:31]
“Fruit matters because it signals transformed wiring, not temporary performance.” What specific “fruit” (e.g., patience, integrity, generosity) do others see in your life consistently? Where do you sense God calling you to grow? [23:51]

Sermon Clips

68s

#NewWalkNewLife

“Hear me, the world will always, always, always demand conformity to its viewpoints and practices. Having taken their stand with Jesus, they will be susceptible to the same rejection he experienced. So so you ready for the good news? In your new walk where where's where's my people who got baptized? Yeah. Raise your hands up high. Yeah. K. Listen. You now have a new walk. In your new walk, you will be hated. In your new walk, you will be judged. In your new walk, it will look like foolishness what you are doing for those who have rejected the message of the cross. But in your new walk, you will find life in him.”

35s

#FreedomInChrist

“You will find freedom in him. That if you would not conform to the patterns of this world any longer, but you would be transformed to look like him. You in your new walk will walk in freedom. You'll walk in the power of a spirit. You have the ability to to do things that seem impossible because you're walking with him.”

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Unfollow the Algorithm | Pastor Jordan Miller | Oasis City Church