A Surrendered Life (Romans 12:1-2)
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. 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. The Scriptures challenge us to yield and do the will of God. Psalm 40:8, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. One man who delighted to do the will of God, no matter what the cost, was Abraham Bininger, a Swiss boy from Zurich. He came with his parents to this country on the same ship with John Wesley. His parents died on the trip and were buried at sea. Young Abraham stepped down the gang-plank alone in a strange and bewildering land. A short time later he decided to take the Gospel to the natives on the island of St. Thomas, but when he got there, he learned that it was illegal for anyone but a slave to preach the Gospel to the slaves. He wrote to the governor of the island begging to become a slave himself that he might have the freedom to proclaim the gospel. The letter was forwarded to the king of Denmark who was so touched by Bininger's desire that he sent an edict to allow him to preach the Gospel where, when, and to whom he chose. This man who presented his body as a living sacrifice was greatly used of the Lord. The Lord expects us to offer our bodies to Him. There can be no doubt the Lord desires and demands physical action on our part. It is not possible to present our bodies if we are not there in a physical sense. Discipleship requires physical action. Discipleship will never be achieved through an apathetic attitude. God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, but we must seek Him through prayer and the reading of Scripture to discern that perfect will. There is no greater joy a person can have than knowing they are doing the will of the Lord. The Lord calls for all of us to be a living sacrifice and to submit ourselves for His service with all our heart. When we surrender our purpose and will to God and allow Him to use us as He sees fit, amazing things happen. The world is shaken, not by the wise, the mighty, the intelligent, or the skilled, but by those who have yielded to God. Paul said it was "reasonable" for us to surrender our lives, but many today seem to think that it is too much to ask. Instead of surrendering, they cling tightly to their own desires and interests. How much better it is both for us and for a world in need if we surrender and let God choose our path! Each and every morning, teach yourself to begin your day with a prayer of dedication in which you earnestly and reverently present yourself and all that you are to God’s purposes. Don’t assume that because you did it yesterday, you don’t need to do it today. Every day you to take a step closer to the Lord and make a commitment more serious than the one you made before. As followers of Christ, may we have a strong passion to honor Him in every area of life that brings honor to Christ in words and actions and exalts Him. Out of gratitude to the Lord, we should be completely devoted to loving Him, living by His standards and serving His purposes for our lives. Our purpose should be to show God’s holiness in all we do. This requires moral purity and complete dedication to God so we can pursue a deeper relationship with Him. We must offer our bodies to God as dead to sin and alive to God and as the temple of the Holy Spirit. May our impact for Christ go beyond the meeting place where we gather for worship and reach others with the Gospel. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER: Father, teach me that I may know how to be more Christlike that I may please You and that You would be glorified. I know that I will never accomplish this without the Holy Spirit. So right now, I yield to Him. In Jesus name, Amen! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
September 2024
Categories |