09-24-10 MI DAILY DEVOTION (ROMANS 12:1- 2)
YOUR HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE SERVICE
“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.”
I know of some Christians who would pray like this, “Lord, here’s my life, take it because I’m willing to die for you.” OR “whatever God wants me to do, I’m willing to follow and risks my life even to the danger zones of this life… because I’m willing to die for Christ’s sake.” But Christ wants for us to love Him and live for Him and not to die for His sake. A soldier may go to war, but he’s not going to war to die for His Country but to protect, to obey and be truthful, faithful in his duty… As a soldier of Christ, we are here to do more than that. We are to live in His name and be faithful for His sake. (Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
We are crucified with Christ… as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ this is one good picture of the believer’s mysterious life and standing before God and man. A believer is crucified, yet he live, and he live, yet not him but Christ…
So you live for Christ and not die for Him. You are crucified… you crucify the old men…with Christ and you will live by faith… “Serving God does not mean you ought to be willing to die for Him but to live for Him.” ERS
God will honor our holy life, our righteousness for His name’s sake and our sacrifices. It means that God will accept our offering, service and our labor of love for Him. God wanted us to live a fruitful and useful life. He wants for us to start right and accordingly. It is the Lord’s desire for us to end in a right way or to end in a right path. Success for me in the ministry is starting right, keep on doing what is right and end up right. You may have heard of Pastors and Ministries that started right, working and doing right, but in the process of time; unfortunately end up in the wrong way or wrong direction. Paul’s advice: (II Timothy 4: 5- 8) 5- “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6- For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7- I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8- Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
