What does a living sacrifice mean to you?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Vernon McEntire on February 15, 2011 at 3:27pm

A living sacrifice can get off the altar.  So it has to want to be there.  And the altar of God's choosing may not be immediately discernible.  I certainly wouldn't have chosen to be sacrificed where and how God chose for me.  I was willing to work seventy hours per week for God among poor people in another country, but I was appalled by the idea of becoming one in my own country.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 15, 2011 at 3:54pm

Journeyman,

 

Along with what Michael said I would include surrendering to His will moment-by-moment. A literal dying to self and living for Jesus. This is part of the sanctified life that is set apart to God. Often times people are looking for the great things they can do for God and miss or faill to do the simplier things each day that they already know they are supposed to do.

 

We are to come to the point where we can say along with Jesus, "Not my will, but Your will be done."

 

Lord Bless,
LT

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Permalink Reply by Michael Vernon McEntire on February 16, 2011 at 10:46am

Of course it's good to think long and deeply about it, over and over again, but God will start and continue the process even if you're not thinking about it.  Because, like all good things, it's his work.  He's the initiator, the first cause.  He just lets us participate because we are his children, as well as his workmanship.  I'm sure that you have already felt several times that God was telling you to be ready to set aside your own plans because he had something else in mind for you.  Even when our plans are only to glorify him, he's likely to say, "No, not like that; like this!"  And often, God's plans for our self-sacrifice can be so unexpected and improbable that we don't even realize he's calling us that way.  Whenever, I think of "living sacrifice", I think of Abraham and Isaac.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on February 17, 2011 at 3:23pm

Romans 12 is such a wonderful chapter... 

What does it mean to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice?

 I love how Paul spells it out for us. 

This is the NLT translation:

 ²And do not ^(C)be conformed to ^(D)this world, but be transformed by the ^(E)renewing of your mind, so that you may ^(F)prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 ³For through ^(G)the grace given to me I say to everyone among you ^(H)not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to ^(I)each a measure of faith.

 ⁴For ^(J)just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

 ⁵so we, ^(K)who are many, are ^(L)one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

 ⁶Since we have gifts that ^(M)differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if ^(N)prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;

 ⁷if ^(O)service, in his serving; or he who ^(P)teaches, in his teaching;

 ⁸or he who ^(Q)exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with ^[a](R)liberality; ^(S)he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with ^(T)cheerfulness.

 ⁹Let ^(U)love be without hypocrisy ^(V)Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

 ¹⁰Be ^(W)devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another ^(X)in honor;

 ¹¹not lagging behind in diligence, ^(Y)fervent in spirit, ^(Z)serving the Lord;

 ^12(AA)rejoicing in hope, ^(AB)persevering in tribulation, ^(AC)devoted to prayer,

 ^13(AD)contributing to the needs of the saints, ^(AE)practicing hospitality.

 ^14(AF)Bless those who persecute ^[b]you; bless and do not curse.

 ^15(AG)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

 ^16(AH)Be of the same mind toward one another; ^(AI)do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly ^(AJ)Do not be wise in your own estimation.

 ^17(AK)Never pay back evil for evil to anyone ^(AL)Respect what is right in the sight of all men.

 ¹⁸If possible, ^(AM)so far as it depends on you, ^(AN)be at peace with all men.

 ^19(AO)Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "^(AP)VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.

 ²⁰"^(AQ)BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."

 ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

As we surrender to the Lord daily, and repent as the Holy Spirit brings conviction, then the Lord brings about these things in us naturally.

 

 

Blessings, Carla

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Permalink Reply by purity Makena Miriti on March 17, 2011 at 7:38am

Living Sacrifice, simply is letting go of self and let God rule. You give up the things that satisfy you and those things you know are not right before God. You die of self and let God live.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on April 2, 2011 at 4:25am

First, I think of the sacrifice that Christ was for us and where it puts us. Then I think of willing putting oneself in a sacrificial position, doing the things one normally might not want to do for Him.,  I find that whatever I do sacrificially (something that my self might not want me to do) isn't really a chore at all. I do it gladly, knowing that God is going to replace whatever I forfeit in His Name. It seems to be a tithe to God.

Hope this makes sense to you.

Blessings,

Rita

 

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