Choosing to be A Living Sacrifice to God

Bob’s TFT Thursday 06-03-2021

Bible Passage: Rom. 12:1 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

The Lord doesn't just want things from you—He wants you and me. His desire is not merely for you and me to make sacrifices but for us to be surrender entirely for His use. Think about this concept for a moment. It is not about the money we give or our attendance at church functions, or even our service that truly pleases God, but instead, when we choose to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Christ that God is well pleased.

We should never just try to fit God in, but we often do without thinking. As a result, we tend to set aside time for prayer, worship, and bible study rather than allowing God's Spirit to quicken our hearts to pray, worship, and serve at His choosing and not ours.

When we choose to surrender our lives to God fully, we have time for everything else that we might want to do. When God's Spirit calls us to pray or serve, the care of earth grows strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. We can do and endure so much more when led by God's Spirit, enabled by God's strength, and entirely focused on God as the cornerstone of our lives.

I know I am much more at peace when I stop to listen to God's call for my life. Sadness and despair could easily crush you, but when God walks with you, His rod and staff comfort you. When I get upset, it is mostly my fault because I have taken my eyes off God and placed them squarely on my circumstances. When I choose to rely on God and His Spirit, I can endure all things.

I can't quite understand why my emotions can get the best of me and how the words of friends and family can so easily bruise my spirit in the blink of an eye to change my mood. Yet, when I have focused on God and not the comments of others, I stay on an even keel where other's comments do not sway my mood.

Is your life a living sacrifice to God? Do you allow God's Spirit to set your agenda, be your focus and strength? Our lives will be lived in confusion and frustration if we stay focused on ourselves. When we surrender to God, ALL things are made right as we learn to serve God.