I don’t watch the news. I gave up. I don’t know what to believe or who to believe; if it’s not in the word of God, I basically am skeptical.
It’s hard being a skeptic. The default answer is: yeah no. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life, but it comes from me. The person to blame look back at me in the mirror.
I’ve had a hard life, but would I trade it? At this point no; the skeptic says I might get something worse. Some people are proud of their skepticism, but I see it as a weakness.
My Bible says all things work for the good for those who are called according to his purpose. I know I’m called so all things work for good. Good is a yes, not a no, so my knee-jerk reaction is the opposite of what it should be.
So person in the mirror what are you gonna do? You can continue to say no, or you can shift into a yes person. Is that always going to be easy? Ok maybe not. Is it going to be good for you? Most definitely.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1
What does that even mean?
Let’s break it up and examine it. Well, the word therefore means the person has already presented a lot of evidence. If you really digest Romans 11 and what’s in it, you’ll be a changed person; I urge you to read it today!
See what I just did I explained the next word: urge. It means to strongly suggest some thing. In this case is for your own benefit. Romans 11 will change you.
Brothers and sisters means it’s only people in the faith. We can’t expect unbelievers to act like Christians so telling them to not smoke not drink not have sex. Outside of marriage is useless. Sinners sin. I remember that I enjoyed sin. It distracted me from my own hurt. So stop trying to change sinners. Instead, win them with love, because the love of Jesus will change them.
In view of God’s mercy. That’s why you need to read chapter 11 is to get the magnitude of God’s mercy for us. Other religions present there leaders as these spiritual Rockstars, who never did anything wrong. Christianity does just the opposite it tells about the shortcomings of our spiritual leaders, because we are all just human, and we all need a savior. That’s why God came to the earth.
Offer your bodies means from your head to your toe. You have the choice to serve God with your whole body? Will your hands give to the poor? Will your lips tell people that Jesus loves them? Will you keep your private parts just for your spouse? Will you use your brain to think only good thoughts about people? Will you put God first in your heart and not other people?
What is a living sacrifice? Don’t you usually kill sacrifices? Yes, but this is Christianity. Where things are the opposite of what we think. Jesus wants you kept alive, but still on the altar. He wants you surrendered to his will.
Holy means holy. It doesn’t mean mostly holy with a few slip ups. It means holy. We can’t have a cheat day. Maybe that works with diets but not with God. Don’t cheat on God.
Pleasing to God implies, you know what is pleasing to God. And how do you find that out? By reading your Bible! You’re not gonna get a letter in the mail from God. The letter was already delivered so open it.
This is your true and proper worship. OK so that doesn’t make human sense. In the west we think getting in your car driving to a building, singing some songs, putting some money in a plate, listening to a sermon when you’d rather be watching football on TV and then driving back home is worship. Apparently we are mistaken.
I’m not saying it’s not good to do all these things you should be fellow shipping at a local house of worship. But what God really wants you to give every piece of your body to him. That looks different for everybody for some people. It may be their tongue.
Gossip is a huge problem. Taming the tongue is difficult. But controlling your tongue according to this passage is worship.
So let’s bring it home to the person in the mirror. There are so many applications to this passage that I could write a book about it so let’s just discuss one.
OK Ms. skeptic. Sometimes you think you’re smart. You’re not that smart. Next time you feel a no coming on, stop. Think what does the word of God say? Then pray to God his word. That’s how you worship God. Maybe you’ll think no for a brief moment, but the ending has to be different. No, but God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Ephesians 3:20
Hallelujah! It’s working! So person in the mirror you are wrong!
You can visit us on the web at https://hallelujahspiritfilledfellowship.org.
https://hallelujahspiritfilledfellowship.org/
Following Jesus 