Devotional Song: … Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of the lyrics sung by Israel Houghton, singing the old hymn… I Surrender All, declaring what should be the goal of every true Christian … to surrender our all to King Jesus.
Highlight Passage Romans 12: 1-2 [NKJV] …
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
… Paul, on becoming “living sacrifices” as our worship of King Jesus.
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Highlight Context - Romans 12: 1-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul on serving God and others with our lives …
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Reference Passage #1 - Deuteronomy 6: 4-6 [NKJV] …
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. … 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ..."
… God’s great commandment to surrender all to Him!
Reference Passage #2 - Luke 9: 23 [NKJV] ...
23 Then He (Jesus) said to them all, … “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
… Jesus on what it takes to follow Him.
Reference Passage #3 - Galatians 6: 9-10 [NKJV] ...
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
… We Christians are to ALWAYS give our ALL to help others.
Reference Passage #4 - Philippians 2: 3-4 [NKJV] ...
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
… Pretty straight forward, … but do we get it; and do we live it?!
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread used an illustration from the words of President Kennedy’s to make his teaching point today. Kilgore wrote , “During his only inaugural address as the US President, John F. Kennedy issued this challenge to Americans: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” It was a renewed call for citizens to surrender their lives in sacrifice and service to others. His words especially inspired the sons and daughters of men and women who had served their country in war.”
And we later, after this address, know that Kennedy formed the greatest volunteer army in the country’s history, still extant to this day, with American’s reaching out to help others all over the globe by giving of their time and talents to the PEACE CORPS. And that is Kilgore’s main point today. Shouldn’t we as Christians, especially in the Body of Christ, be THE greatest “peace corps” of all time?
And that is what the Apostle Paul addressed in his call for Christians in Rome (and for you and me in Romans 12: 1-2) to become “living sacrifices” of worship to/for our Lord, … and rejecting the thinking of the world to “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” In other words, … as Jesus said in Luke 9: 23, we, as His disciples, need to deny ourselves and give ALL we can in following Him.
And that’s what the Apostle Paul went on to say to the Galatians and to the Philippians [see passages above] as well. And it’s the powerful message of the old hymn, linked above, with Israel Houghton singing, … I Surrender All. … But my conviction rings in my heart here today, … shouting … AM I? … Am I really in full surrender mode, living for my Lord?
My Prayer Today: Oh Lord, may all that I think, say, and do be in living sacrifice to You. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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