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 12:1
READ: 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 the day you surrender your life to Jesus. From the day you genuinely surrender your life to Him, He can send you wherever He wants, set the direction of your life and use you to fulfil His plans. God knows, l never wanted to be a Pastor, talk less of a General Overseer, but l am a living sacrifice. I had wanted to retire at the age of seventy, so that l could then begin to live a normal life - sleep when others sleep, eat when others eat and so on, but God said "No". Since l am a living sacrifice, my response was "Yes, Daddy".
God expects your entire life to be a sacrifice to Him. You are to go wherever He sends you. When He says witness - you witness, sit-you sit, pray- you pray.
The moment God knows that He has you as a living sacrifice, whatever offering you give becomes acceptable because it would be given under His guidance. Some of us, even before coming to Church, have made up our minds on the offering to give. For the fellow who is a living sacrifice, God will tell them what to give.
When l became a General Overseer, things were hard. We could hardly pay the staff on the church's payroll and many a time, there would be nothing left to pay the General Overseer. Having left paid employment for full-time ministry after working for government for several years, l received my gratuity, with plans to save some, invest some in shares and so on. However, since l am a living sacrifice, l asked God, "What do l do with this money?" He responded that l should divide it into three parts and give each to a different ministry while retaining nothing for myself. As painful as this was, l was comforted when He said further, "l will be your source". When you become a living sacrifice, God will become your source. The day you become a living sacrifice, you became His property, so He will take care of you. Things may be hard at first, but He will make sure that your tomorrow will be alright (Colossians 1:27).
REFLECTION
Are you a living sacrifice for God? Can HE decide to do whatever HE pleases with you and all you have.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 5-7
HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1 Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
