Presenting ourselves as living sacrifices
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
I am starting to find that one of my greatest gifts to you as the body of Christ is to try to bring as much truth in Scripture to you as I possibly can in the shortest amount of time we have left to do so.
Romans 12:1-2 starts out by saying "I beseech you therefore brother, by the mercies of God; that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
I think when Paul wrote this to the Roman church he must've been fairly frustrated by what he saw and heard from them. Some of the most powerful things that God is ever given me to say has been in times of my own personal frustration with the church. In this chapter Paul is dealing with a group of people who had begun to get Haughty and to think a great deal about their personal status in Christ. I find today there are many people in that boat. The people I refer to are those who are getting caught up in various doctrines that cause them to feel good about themselves. Some are to the point of needing a spiritual high every week like an injection of a drug so that they can maintain their faith in the promises that Christ is given us. Some are getting this high through being in front of other people and feeling that they are in a leadership role where others are looking to them for guidance, but they are not allowing themselves to completely be integrated into, and to work with the body of Christ.
One of the things that Romans 12: gives to us is the concept that we all need one another in various forms, and through various talents and gifts that God has given us. I think we need to realize that all bull each of us have gifts and talents that are unique to our own ability we need the help of one another to promote those gifts for the glory of God. On a physical basis we may look to those who stand in front of a group to speak, or teach, or sing praises to God as being somehow special; but without all of the other parts of the body at work around them these people would be nothing at all. While these outward gifts are very important and used to get the attention of others it is those things which are hidden deep within our hearts that we must look to as a stabilizing factor in building our faith. No matter if it is a gift of truth telling (prophecy) or some kind of other ministry like teaching, or exhortation all of us need to get involved in some way. It does mean very little good to teach the truth to you unless you are willing to learn and then teach someone else yourself that truth. It is actually a very simple process, but one which takes time and energy from one's life. Scripture tells us that we need to love others in the same way that we love ourselves, that we need to stay as far as we can away from evil, and cleave to those things that we know are good. We need to be able to show affection to one another in brotherly love without getting caught up in scandals. We need to honor one another and prefer one another's company over this world. We cannot afford to be slothful in our duties as Christians no matter whether it is in a work environment, or in serving God; everything becomes important because this world is desperately wounded, and losing hope. We are in a situation where tribulation is knocking on our doorstep and we need to respond continuing to be instant in prayer with every breath. We need to be taking care of one another within the body of Christ as an example to the world around us of what it means to live in Christ. We need to be of the same mind toward one another, and not allow ourselves to be led off on tangents and doctrines that lead us away from the simple gospel of Christ.
We don't need to be returning evil for the evil that is done to us but we need to provide the truth and honesty of Christ in the side of all people. In Christ we should be able to live in peace with one another, and we should do that as much as is possible. It is our duty to do these things and to live in this way with one another because that is our witness in Christ to the world around us. So if you ever wondered what it should be to present your bodies as a living sacrifice... These are the things that we need to do. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
I am starting to find that one of my greatest gifts to you as the body of Christ is to try to bring as much truth in Scripture to you as I possibly can in the shortest amount of time we have left to do so.
Romans 12:1-2 starts out by saying "I beseech you therefore brother, by the mercies of God; that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
I think when Paul wrote this to the Roman church he must've been fairly frustrated by what he saw and heard from them. Some of the most powerful things that God is ever given me to say has been in times of my own personal frustration with the church. In this chapter Paul is dealing with a group of people who had begun to get Haughty and to think a great deal about their personal status in Christ. I find today there are many people in that boat. The people I refer to are those who are getting caught up in various doctrines that cause them to feel good about themselves. Some are to the point of needing a spiritual high every week like an injection of a drug so that they can maintain their faith in the promises that Christ is given us. Some are getting this high through being in front of other people and feeling that they are in a leadership role where others are looking to them for guidance, but they are not allowing themselves to completely be integrated into, and to work with the body of Christ.
One of the things that Romans 12: gives to us is the concept that we all need one another in various forms, and through various talents and gifts that God has given us. I think we need to realize that all bull each of us have gifts and talents that are unique to our own ability we need the help of one another to promote those gifts for the glory of God. On a physical basis we may look to those who stand in front of a group to speak, or teach, or sing praises to God as being somehow special; but without all of the other parts of the body at work around them these people would be nothing at all. While these outward gifts are very important and used to get the attention of others it is those things which are hidden deep within our hearts that we must look to as a stabilizing factor in building our faith. No matter if it is a gift of truth telling (prophecy) or some kind of other ministry like teaching, or exhortation all of us need to get involved in some way. It does mean very little good to teach the truth to you unless you are willing to learn and then teach someone else yourself that truth. It is actually a very simple process, but one which takes time and energy from one's life. Scripture tells us that we need to love others in the same way that we love ourselves, that we need to stay as far as we can away from evil, and cleave to those things that we know are good. We need to be able to show affection to one another in brotherly love without getting caught up in scandals. We need to honor one another and prefer one another's company over this world. We cannot afford to be slothful in our duties as Christians no matter whether it is in a work environment, or in serving God; everything becomes important because this world is desperately wounded, and losing hope. We are in a situation where tribulation is knocking on our doorstep and we need to respond continuing to be instant in prayer with every breath. We need to be taking care of one another within the body of Christ as an example to the world around us of what it means to live in Christ. We need to be of the same mind toward one another, and not allow ourselves to be led off on tangents and doctrines that lead us away from the simple gospel of Christ.
We don't need to be returning evil for the evil that is done to us but we need to provide the truth and honesty of Christ in the side of all people. In Christ we should be able to live in peace with one another, and we should do that as much as is possible. It is our duty to do these things and to live in this way with one another because that is our witness in Christ to the world around us. So if you ever wondered what it should be to present your bodies as a living sacrifice... These are the things that we need to do. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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