A Living Sacrifice

"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


In this portion of scripture, the Apostle Paul was imploring the believers in Rome to commit their lives to the Lord which means dedicating and pledging their lives to him.  So when scripture says present your bodies as a living sacrifice, it does not just mean the flesh, but body, spirit and soul (our total being),  willing  to forsake the worldly pleasures of this age.   So Romans 12:1 reminds us as believers to honor the Lord with our total being, our complete existence, we must take care of the temple He has given us, our bodies (which consist of our will, mind and emotions).  Since our thoughts come from and are processed through our brains as well as our emotions (feelings),  I believe the mind and emotions can be considered a part of the "flesh.  We must guard it diligently, it must not be abused.  

In our daily Christian walk, what does this verse actually mean to us?  Beloved  it means that for those of us in Christ Jesus by virtue of being saved by grace, the only acceptable spiritual worship to God is to offer ourselves completely to the Lord God.  We must be instruments or vessels of righteousness ready to be used by Him at any time or place.  I like how this one author put it in her article from the King's Highway, she states  " we must give God permission to walk through us and expose anything in us that is not of faith. God is a gentleman and He will not force us to do this without our permission."  So true, I could not have said it any better, the Christian faith is a faith of "free will"  you have to be willing to go all the way with the Lord once you say " I accept you as my Lord and Savior"  being ready to surrender completely.    The Lord has set us apart as His holy people, His prized possession and therefore we must as His people honor Him, worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.

"For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth."   Deuteronomy  14:2


"But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. " John 4:23

Living God's Way In The Last Days

" So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:15-17

Beloved sisters, how are you living your life today? Are you living your way, or are you living God's way? I encourage you to meditate on this scripture text today as another year draws to an end. 

It is essential to examine your life each season to ensure that you are living a lifestyle that is befitting for a true believer and that whatever you are doing is pleasing to God. You are doing what He has called you to do. On that appointed day, we will all give an account of how we used the time allocated to each of us. Scripture has warned us in our text today that we should be careful how we live; we must live as wise individuals and not foolish ones because the time of reckoning is near, and the time is very near for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to return for His church.

And so what are we doing to keep busy? Are we doing our own thing, or are we doing what God has assigned us to do? As believers, we must always be conscious of how we utilize the time and resources given to us. We must take advantage of every opportunity we have in these evil times. We must know precisely what God is calling us to do and do it. Today, a lot of believers need clarification about their purpose in life. They go to church, pay their tithes and offering, and probably try to do a little bit more in the church in the area of service, but is that all there is to our Christian walk/journey? Is there a possibility that God may want to use you to impact lives for Him, whether in a small way or in a significant way beyond the walls of your local assembly? 

I have been a Christian since my high school days, which is over 25 years now, and I always thought that serving God in my local church as an usher or choir member and striving to live a decent life was all God required of me. Still, about ten years ago, I realized it wasn't enough; I needed the Holy Spirit to direct my path and show me exactly what His plans were for me in these last days. Where do I fit in, in the body of Christ? What was my assignment? God revealed it to me as clearly as a day sometime later, and by His grace, I started to walk and work in obedience. 

I believe God is seeking for us to do more with our time. Marriage, raising children, having a secular job or business, and being a part of one fellowship or the other are all very good things; there is absolutely nothing wrong with having all of these... But the question is, are you ensuring that the Lord God is still your priority, that you are putting Him first above all these beautiful gifts HE has given you? Are you ensuring that you are raising your children in the way of the Lord and your marriage is unto the Lord? Are you representing Christ well in your workplace and business? And in addition, are you availing yourself of being used by God in your community and other areas? Are you letting your light shine for Him wherever you go? Are you striving to be the virtuous woman of the Bible who takes care of her home, does business, and helps those in need with the resources God has given her?

Sisters, I want you to ponder on all of these questions, and if you feel that you are not really living the way God wants you to and making the most of every opportunity given to you, then it is time to make a change. Ask the Holy Spirit to order your steps and direct your path, revealing where and how to serve Him wisely and diligently in these last days. I assure you that when you call upon Him, He will surely answer, for He is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation. He will reveal to you what He wants you to know and do.

Be blessed today!