TOPIC: The Living Sacrifice
MEMORISE: 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. – Romans 12:1Christian-themed motivational products
BIBLE READING: Matthew 16:24-27
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
MESSAGE:
The sacrifice that pleases God the most is your life. You become a living sacrifice from the day you genuinely surrender your life to God. He can send you wherever He wants, set the direction of your life, and use you to fulfil His plans.
I went into full-time ministry after working for the government for several years. When I received my gratuity, I made plans to save some of the money and invest some of it in shares. However, since l am a living sacrifice, I asked God, “What do l do with this money?” He responded that I should divide it into three parts and give each to different ministries while retaining nothing for myself. As painful as that was, I was comforted when He further said, “1 will be your Source.”
My dear child, when you become a living sacrifice, God will become your Source. The day you become a living sacrifice, you become His responsibility, and you come under His care. Things may be hard at first, but He will make sure that your tomorrow will be glorious (Colossians 1:27).
REFLECTION:
Are you a living sacrifice to God?
HYMN 28: What Can Wash Away My Stain
1 What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain:
O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
2 For my pardon this I see:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
3 Nothing can for sin atone:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
4 This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 4:1-49, Luke 6:10
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE AND PASTOR FOLU ADEBOYE