Shirley's Desk

I Give Myself Away

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 (NIV)

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A sacrifice is defined as an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure. The Apostle Paul admonishes believers in Romans 12:1 to present our bodies as living sacrifices. In a sacrifice something must be placed on the altar and die as an offering of devotion. Do you know what it means to be a living sacrifice?

Believers are urged in Galatians 5:24 to crucify the flesh daily. This is something the believer does, not something that is done to him or her. It must be determined in the heart and mind to live holy onto the Lord and to resist the temptation to satisfy the things of the flesh. What part of you must be brought to the altar and surrendered to God? Scripture tells us that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit, we willingly submit ourselves to God’s specific plan and purpose for our lives. We will no longer live to please self, but to please God.

When I was a child, there was a song we used to sing in church which said, “I want to live so God can use me, anytime and anywhere.” Sisters and brothers, I don’t know about you, but I desire to live so God can use me, anytime and anywhere. When we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, we will crucify anything that gets in the way of the relationship we have with our Most High God. The word, offer, means to make available for use. Are you available for God to use you? If so, you won’t allow anything or anyone to get in your way. Jesus said in Mark 8:34 that those who follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross and then follow Him. Denying oneself is not something that is easily embraced, even by those who profess to be followers of Jesus. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what Jesus did on our behalf. He gave up everything, was sentenced to death, and had to carry a cross to His own execution. He knew everything that was going to happen to Him, yet He obeyed the Father’s will. Jesus submitted Himself. No one took His life, He laid it down.

As followers of Jesus, we should be willing to live so God can use us, anytime or anywhere. If it means ridding ourselves of something or someone who is hindering our fellowship with the One who died for us, then so be it! Nothing and no one are worth us losing fellowship with God. He will not bless any sin in our lives, so stop trying to justify the things that you know are displeasing to Him. Crucify those things! We must place ourselves on the altar of God and give ourselves away as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable act of worship.

Blessings!
Elder Shirley Freeman