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Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
Our Lord shows us what it takes to get from this life to the eternal one. We see our Lord dying on a cross which symbolizes what we have to do to make it home. It will take suffering on our part, however, the reward for those that are willing to endure their own cross is eternal. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. (KJV) Being a living sacrifice means that you die to the outward, so that you can see within. What you find is that everything you thought you knew about our Lord was based on your limited carnal mind and not the mind of Christ. We talked yesterday about relationships and how we have been taught to handle them especially with people we were closest to. What you see now is that when you look to the inward man, Christ within you, you see what is really going on and how He would have you handle them. As we see above, it was our Lord that died for all mankind so that all mankind would live unto Him. Sometimes we still try to influence those we are close to by what we think needs to be changed in them; most of the time we do more harm than good by enabling them because we are too emotionally attached to them and the situation. Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (KJV) Notice when Christ makes Himself known and apparent in one’s life? It’s when you die to the flesh and become a living sacrifice. When you make Him your first priority then He makes you His. If you don’t sense your prayers are being answered or your life seems a bit stale, you will find the issue is not on our Lord’s end. Hebrews 4:9-11 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (KJV) The only work or labor of love that is left for us is, to get out of the way so that Christ can have His way. Salvation works when you are willing and obedient to what our Lord is asking, and not man. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
Today let’s discuss a new way of looking at personal relationships through the eyes of the Lord and see how to handle them more effectively. I have seen and experienced for myself firsthand what it is like to be too emotionally attached to people without rightly dividing the word of truth on how to handle them. You will find that if you become too attached to someone it can pull you under like someone drowning. Matthew 10:34-36 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (KJV) Our Lord wasn’t always a crowd favorite, even though one week they said hail to the King, the next they demanded His crucifixion. Matthew 10:37-38 He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. (KJV) I want to address this from the point of a parent, so that you can learn to be more effective when dealing with your children, because believe it or not our Lord’s way and mans’ way are like night and day. Many times we end up interfering instead of edifying when dealing with those that are closest to us in the flesh. We still hang onto old ways and emotions instead of learning to walk in the Spirit. We see a cross is mentioned above; like it or not we all have our own to bear. However, by learning how to die to the outward it will show you how the inward man would have you handle these areas. Romans 14:7-9 For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (KJV) Having been a parent I realized that when a child comes to the age of accountability I have to let go and give them over to the Lord. I realize that they are really not my child so much as the Lord’s; and when I can separate the flesh and spirit I can offer them more encouragement spiritually instead of caving into the emotions of the flesh. 1 Corinthians 7:21-23 Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it: but if thou may be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (KJV) The reality is that I am not the one that died on the cross and provided salvation for those closest to me or anyone else. The truth is no matter who they are or how close I have been to them in the past; they are the Lord’s, not mine. The more I realized that the better I was able to handle the situations that would arise with them. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
It’s amazing how much our Lord can do, and what He can accomplish through His people if only we, the Church, would let Him have His way. We have been so influenced by the outward carnal man and his way of thinking that for many anything outside the box is just too hard to comprehend. However, you have to present yourself to the Lord as a living being, alive in the Spirit because you have chosen to die to self. Not an easy task, yet it is the only way that will work if you are going to walk in any depth spiritually. Matthew 16:16-19 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (KJV) The majority of the world will tell you a church is a building, a place where people congregate on Sundays. However, in our Lord’s realm the Church is the people, and the foundation they build upon is spiritual. Having said that, many still spend the majority of their lives being influenced by what they have learned from man and not by what they are hearing first hand from God. Thus the reason why even though many are called, only a few are chosen. Only a few are really willing to look beyond the flesh into the Spirit to see where our Lord is operating today. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (KJV) What if the Lord really desired to do something different in your life, would you let Him? Each and every day that we are here on this earth should be one of dying to the outward way of thinking so that Christ within can come to life. So are you dying to hear what the Lord has for you today? God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
A living sacrifice almost sounds like an oxymoron; two things combined which are complete opposites. When you accept salvation and decide to walk with the Lord, you find that His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours; at least they are when we allow it. A living sacrifice means we show up before our Lord, willing to live in the Spirit today because we have denied the desires of the flesh. You can’t have it both ways, you are either with Him or you are against Him; in between just doesn’t cut it. Leviticus 17:11-12 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. 12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you eat blood. (KJV) In the Old Testament we see that God required sacrifices in order to cover up the sin of the people. When the animal was killed, it released the spirit by the shedding of the blood which drained the life out of it. Today the same principle still holds true; when you die to an area of the flesh our Lord says is a hindrance, it releases the Spirit so that it can take over and He can have His way in you. This is what presenting ourselves daily is when it comes to being a living sacrifice, willing to die to self so that we can live unto the Lord. Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (KJV) In your life before Christ you were taught to look out for number one which was self. Today that no longer floats with our Lord because He doesn’t desire to see us wresting with flesh and blood any more. Those that are truly going to bear the fruit of the Spirit are the ones that are willing to lay down their lives for others so that the life of Christ can manifest in them. So today when going before our Lord, are you giving Him someone to work with and through, or have you already made up your mind on how you think salvation works? God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord dearly loved. |
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