Jesus asks us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice and to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. He also told us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.
(Rom 12:1,2 and Luke 9:23)
I was reading an article on sacrifice and a question posed went something like this: “Are you willing to be poured out for others, to have them recognized and you ignored, to totally lose your life to be a door mat?” It went on and on, but you get the point of the challenge.
The gist is that one must decide today that when those opportunities come, he or she will pour out their lives. I think all such challenges should be met with the attitude of saying, “Lord, You know me. I would save my life at every opportunity. I have learned from the Apostle Peter that it is easy to say, “Yes”, now, and then in the midst of the event to deny You.”
I cannot rise to the challenge. I am weak. But this I would ask of you Lord: when the moment of pouring out comes, would You grant me the grace to turn to You, to recognize abiding, and thus let the life that has been poured out, your life, the life of Christ, be poured out again through me?
Now some believe that the Christian standard is higher than any other, and that their job is to raise the bar for all of us. If that be true, I quit! I know myself, and in my flesh dwells no good thing. The standard that Jesus kept is higher because it was His Father doing it through Him, and the only hope I have is that Jesus does it through me.
That was Paul’s “secret mystery” made known to you and me in Colossians 1:27, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Put your trust in that truth and fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God.” (Rom 10:17), “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:1, 6)
LIFE LESSON: “For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal bodies.” II Cor 4:11
Once you know the truth, the truth will set you free. Glory be to God!
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Growing in His Grace