You are a living sacrifice

A LIVING SACRIFICE!

We aren't to kill an animal in sacrifice, we are to BE a LIVING SACRIFICE.

The offering animal sacrifice was to show that there is a PRICE to be paid for sin, and an INNOCENT animal had to pay that price for a person.  But no more, not since our SAVIOR paid the price for us ALL.

Rom 12:1  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.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

BY THE MERCIES OF GOD!

A LIVING SACRIFICE.

Psa_51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

God would have us- as living sacrifices- SACRIFICE SELF and SELFISHNESS and all that turns our minds inward and not outward towards others.  A broken spirit- we are not to be proud of ourselves, though this world the way it is would have us believe we have to be proud of ourselves.  A broken and contrite heart- we are taught NOT to desire broken and contrite hearts- we are told to want to feel good at all costs. We are taught to feel broken is wrong, yet we have to comprehend our worthlessness in righteousness, not worthlessness in God's eyes, how could we be worthless for Him to pay the ultimate price for us?  He LOVES us, but we must comprehend it is HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS not OURS in any way that saves us. Our broken hearts, our contrite hearts comprehend that it is GOD who is our everything, and ONLY GOD.

Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

LOVE Him with all the heart.

LOVE Him with all the understanding.

LOVE Him with all the soul.

LOVE Him with all the strength.

LOVE our neighbors as WE would be loved!

LOVE.

Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

DO GOOD.

COMMUNICATE.

God would have us be HIS and our lives reflect this in all we do.

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

ABSTAIN from FLESHLY LUST- which war against the soul.

Any flesh pursuit that would destroy our spirit needs to be abstained from!  We know what these things are, we know! We aren't stupid. We could be blind if we choose blindness and MANY, MANY DO. We can't believe we are beyond choosing blindness. We can't get cocky with our lives! We have to constantly seek truth in God.  We have to examine ourselves…

2Co_13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves…

We can't coast through, never examining ourselves, never presenting ourselves as living sacrifices by the MERCIES of GOD.

Please FATHER, help us to present ourselves as living sacrifices by YOUR MERCY through the SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! May the HOLY SPIRIT guide ALL WE DO! PLEASE FATHER! PLEASE!

Amen.