“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“THEREFORE” … [The pivotal point for Affirmative Action] … honor God with your body.” From the degradation of our “self-life,” to the blessedness of full surrender of body, soul, and spirit of the Christ-life … live to the glory of God! Only God can effect that in our life. Only HE can transform our hearts, minds, attitude, and the whole of our life, to “focus and be consumed” with being “filled to overflowing with the love of God.”
What do others see when they look at your life? What is the “supreme purpose” of your life? Why am I here? … For what am I living? … Is my life counting for anything, or anybody, outside of myself? Paul answers these questions for himself. He declares his freedom in Christ … his rights and privileges as an Apostle … then reveals the “intensity of his perseverance.”
“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone … I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” [1 Cor. 9:19-23] Was this the work of Paul? No, this was the work of God’s grace that changed the complete direction of Paul’s life! His life was now devoted to GOD … then OTHERS … that he might be used of God to impact them with God’s Love. When I thought through this, I had to ask myself … “Is my life like that?” Oh God, make it so! Glorify YOURSELF through me! Take ALL of me … body, soul, and spirit ... and use it ALL to glorify YOU! Is this your quest?
“THEREFORE” …[The pivotal point of Purpose] .. “I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” [1 Cor. 9: 26-27] Paul moves from a passive Believer to a determined Disciple who “perseveres with purpose!” He brings his body, soul, and spirit under the Lordship of Christ. All of the accolades of man he counted “a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord … I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.”[Phil. 3:7-10]
“THEREFORE” … [The pivotal point of Ultimate Challenge] … “I urge you brethren, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God … this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is … his good, pleasing and perfect will.” [Rom. 12: 1-2]
Considering all the mercies God has manifested to us … the only reasonable, wise, and acceptable thing we can do, is to present the whole of our being as a “living sacrifice” to God. This will be our dedicated means of worshipping Him in our daily life.
LIVE THE BLESSING ! That is our Privilege, our Opportunity, our Responsibility. Bring your ALL … and offer it to God as a “living sacrifice,” so He may live HIS LIFE through you.
THEREFORE … HOW /SHOULD WE THEN LIVE ?
From: Literature Ministries International
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Give Thanks to the Lord
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, God's Sufficient Grace, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Reminder
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, God's Sufficient Grace, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Reminder
GOD NOTICES
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Come Close To God, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Reminder
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Come Close To God, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Reminder
Never fails, does it? Things are not as they seem. And about the time you think they cannot get worse, they do. This was certainly true for Mordecai at a pivotal point in the story of Esther.
When all seems lost, it isn't. Mordecai could have despaired at the situation in Persia. The king was a Gentile. He had no interest in the Jews. Furthermore his closest confidant was Haman, who shamelessly hated the Jews. Esther was in the palace, but when the king found out she was a Jew, her life might be over in an instant. When all seems lost, it isn't.
When no one seems to notice, they do. Remember Mordecai's courageous decision earlier when he heard of a conspiracy between two of the doorkeepers of the palace, who were plotting to kill the king? When Mordecai heard of that conspiracy, he told his adopted daughter Esther about it. And she, being the queen, alerted the king.
Esther had told the king that the information had come from Mordecai, yet no one ever rewarded him for his great act. It seemed as though no one noticed or remembered. So Mordecai went on living his life unnoticed, unrewarded, and unappreciated---until this pivotal night.
I love the first three words of 6:1, "During that night." That's the way it is with God. At the eleventh hour, He steps in and does the unexpected. When no one seems to notice and no one seems to care, He notices and He cares "during that night."
Learn a lesson from Mordecai today, will you? Through all that happens to him, Mordecai never becomes a man of vengeance. He never tries to get back at Haman, even when he has the opportunity, even when he has Haman in a very vulnerable spot. He doesn't kick him in the face when he has a chance to. He doesn't even speak against the man. Let me challenge you to guard your heart as Mordecai did.
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. (Hebrews 6:10)
I love those words, "God is not unjust so as to forget." When no one else notices, mark it down, God notices. When no one else remembers, God records it so it won't be forgotten.
From: Crosswalk - Charles Swindoll
When all seems lost, it isn't. Mordecai could have despaired at the situation in Persia. The king was a Gentile. He had no interest in the Jews. Furthermore his closest confidant was Haman, who shamelessly hated the Jews. Esther was in the palace, but when the king found out she was a Jew, her life might be over in an instant. When all seems lost, it isn't.
When no one seems to notice, they do. Remember Mordecai's courageous decision earlier when he heard of a conspiracy between two of the doorkeepers of the palace, who were plotting to kill the king? When Mordecai heard of that conspiracy, he told his adopted daughter Esther about it. And she, being the queen, alerted the king.
Esther had told the king that the information had come from Mordecai, yet no one ever rewarded him for his great act. It seemed as though no one noticed or remembered. So Mordecai went on living his life unnoticed, unrewarded, and unappreciated---until this pivotal night.
I love the first three words of 6:1, "During that night." That's the way it is with God. At the eleventh hour, He steps in and does the unexpected. When no one seems to notice and no one seems to care, He notices and He cares "during that night."
Learn a lesson from Mordecai today, will you? Through all that happens to him, Mordecai never becomes a man of vengeance. He never tries to get back at Haman, even when he has the opportunity, even when he has Haman in a very vulnerable spot. He doesn't kick him in the face when he has a chance to. He doesn't even speak against the man. Let me challenge you to guard your heart as Mordecai did.
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. (Hebrews 6:10)
I love those words, "God is not unjust so as to forget." When no one else notices, mark it down, God notices. When no one else remembers, God records it so it won't be forgotten.
From: Crosswalk - Charles Swindoll
Usefulness or Relationship?
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Encouragement
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Daily Spiritual Encouragement, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Encouragement
Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven — Luke 10:20
Jesus Christ is saying here, "Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me." The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour "rivers of living water" through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7 ).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God — something of great value to His Father. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory . . ." ( Hebrews 2:10 ).
From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest
Jesus Christ is saying here, "Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me." The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour "rivers of living water" through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7 ).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God — something of great value to His Father. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory . . ." ( Hebrews 2:10 ).
From: RBC - Utmost For His Highest
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