Dave’s Monday Blast – May 30, 2016

I hope and pray you will have a wonderful Memorial Day. May God continue to bless our great country and meet the needs of those who grieve this day.

The apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent (nothing new under the sun). In response, he wrote letters urging Christians not to follow in the ways of the world. Like those early believers, we are to pursue godliness by…

1. Presenting our bodies to God. This very INTENTIONAL act includes our total being, i.e., our mind, will, emotions, personality, and physical body. All are to be turned over to our heavenly Father (James 4:7a). Submitting ourselves to the Lord requires a definite decision to give Him control, and a daily commitment to remain under His authority. By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly living.

Romans 12:1 & 2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2. Becoming living sacrifices. The Christian life is built around the concept of sacrifice. Jesus left the perfection of heaven to dwell among a sinful people so He might reconcile us to God. He offered up His life to make payment for our sins (1 John 3:16) and brought us into His family. As believers, we are to follow His example. Paul called it a living sacrifice, because it is ongoing…one that is repeated daily.

Pastor Charles Stanley says it this way, “Life is full of options. Many decisions involve a choice between following God’s way or our own. Maturing Christians will increasingly sacrifice their own desires and embrace His will. A life of godliness is characterized by a heart and mind bent (intentionally shaped) toward the things of God. Although we will live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him.” That’s good isn’t it! As Intentional Men, let’s commit to becoming more like Jesus, the one who willingly gave of Himself as a sacrifice for us.