A living sacrifice- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 32-34

A LIVING SACRIFICE?
Thursday, February 11, 2010

MEMORIZE: “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”

(Roms. 12:1)

READ: Romans 12:1-2

“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).

At the beginning of his ministry, Paul took a ride in a basket as he escaped for his life in Damascus (2 Cor. 11:32-33). But imagine, the God who delivered him from the garrison at Damascus, allowed him to end up in a jail at Philippi (Acts 16). That God answered a particular prayer yesterday, does not mean that He would repeat another answer in exactly the same manner. In Acts 16:25, Paul conducted a worship service in prison right in the midst of chains and bonds.

He never complained. Paul learnt to praise God in whatever circumstances he found himself. Not many people can praise God when thrown into prison for the Gospel sake. He was prepared to undertake the worst of sufferings for the Kingdom of God (Phil. 1:20-21). He was not ashamed. Are you ashamed to suffer minor ridicule, persecutions, denials, beatings for His Name today?

Paul could say we should become a living sacrifice to God because he was one. In African traditional religion, when a bird or animal is brought as sacrifice to an idol, the giver forfeits his right to that animal; it becomes the property of the idol for the rest of its life. Whether it lives or dies or is given to someone to rear is at the discretion of the idol. That living sacrifice may be fed so well in one moment and the next minute be killed. This explains the term living sacrifice.

You should be so yielded to God to the extent of delivering to Him the greatest pleasure in whatever you do. If dying for the Gospel will give Him the height of pleasure, you will be prepared to die like Stephen. The preparedness of Daniel to go into the lion’s den demonstrates that he was a living sacrifice. But in the end, instead of death, his faith compelled a decree for the whole world to fear Daniel’s God. If my death can produce a united nations decree compelling all nations of the world to worship no other god other than my God - the true and living God, I would gladly be on my way to Heaven. Are you a living sacrifice? To what extent do you seek His glory?

ACTION POINT:

Your devotion to God is measured by the level of sacrifice you are prepared to make for Him. What risks can you take for God?