God’s great mercy became a transforming reality through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This mercy is a result of God’s love for us, and this love invites us to live differently in the present. We are to be living sacrifices that no longer conform to the patterns of the world. The world around us is deceptive, selfish, angry, and foolish. These cannot be the patterns we live by today. Rather, we must renew the way we think, and in doing so, we will discover God’s will for us in the present. This is not easy however. A living sacrifice is always tempted to crawl back off the altar.
The decisions I make today determine who I will be tomorrow.
God’s mercy has given me the chance to die to myself and come alive in Christ.
Determine the current patterns in your life that are destructive and replace them with better ways of living.
I. MY CHOICES REVEAL WHO REIGNS IN MY LIFE
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. —Romans 12:1
You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
you are not pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God. —Psalms 51:16-17
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:2
II. CHANGING YOUR PATTERNS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. —Matthew 16:24-27
That is characteristic of Christianity; you know the worst at the outset. But you never cease discovering the treasures and the blessings.
III. TRADE YOUR WILL FOR GOD’S WILL
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
in all your ways know him,
and he will make your paths straight. —Proverbs 3:5-6
If you have made a deicision for Jesus today, whether to trust Him for the first time, to rededicate your life, or if you would like to be baptized, you can click on the link below to let us know and someone will be on contact with you.
Click Here