When is the last time you made a sacrifice to God? No, put your lamb away. Not that kind of sacrifice. I mean when is the last time you did (or didn't do) something for God that was hard?
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.
We shouldn't be content with where we are in God. We shouldn't ever get to the place where we are just satisfied. Rapper KB has a song out called Crowns and Thorns, and it poses a question.
"Who's in more danger; the persecuted or the comfortable?"
I want to pose that question to you. Think about what I just said about a sacrifice, and ask yourself who is in more danger. You see, if you are persecuted (and no, if someone tells you they don't like Jesus, that doesn't mean you're persecuted), then just praying to God can be a sacrifice because it could very well mean your death. That time you go into your prayer closet, could very well be when your door is busted down, and you are hauled off to jail. If you are being persecuted, then your life is the very definition of a living sacrifice. And let's be honest. You aren't in any danger. Paul put it beautifully when he said (in BPs new age ima just paraphrase it edition of the bible) that Its better to be with God, than here.
Don't mourn for the persecuted. They are going on to be with God. Instead, mourn for the comfortable. Mourn for the people that are happy just staying at where they are at. If that's you, mourn for yourself. If that's you, you don't have to stay there. You can go further in God, but it will take a sacrifice. Insanity, as one of my old band directors use to say, is repeating the same thing over and over while expecting different results. Stop repeating the same thing over and over again. Even something small like changing up your when you pray (or starting to pray) can make a big difference in your relationship with God.
Examine your life. What is it that you need to sacrifice? You have 2 different things they can feed. You can feed your flesh, or you can feed your spirit. You feed your flesh by sinning. Whether thats gossip, murdering, lying, or lusting, each sin you commit feeds your flesh. When you entertain wordly thoughts, you are feeding your flesh. How do you feed your spirit though?
Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Read your bible. Pray. Spend time with God. Turn off Eminem, and turn on Trip Lee. Focus on God, and his kingdom.
Make a sacrifice to God.
Sacrifice your flesh.
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