Presenting This Body As A Living Sacrifice

The title is from a verse in scripture (Romans 12;1 KJV). It is something to meditate on if you really think about it. Border lining on the stories of the volcano gods (or whatever gods used in the story) needing a virgin from the village as a sacrifice so the village could be spared, the scripture's meaning is for life for all that believe. Nevertheless, the virgin, in the stories, is usually dressed in white with flowers in her hair and unsuspecting as to why she had to be dressed especially ethereal on this day. I suppose it wasn't the fact that no one was answering her questions when they were chanting as they dressed her for the ritual. And I suppose she really never thought it strange of all of the villagers chanting a tune she doesn't know the words to. So when the blood curdling shrill escapes from her body, a noise she never used before, was when she saw the pile of sticks on top of a raging fire, rope at the ready to tie the sacrifice, and all of her friends and neighbors looking at her with all sorts of different expressions - then she realizes that the  sacrifice is her.

Isn't it funny that the villagers would be so willing to give someone else up rather then themselves? If really thought about, I suppose all of the women had to become promiscuous so not to ever be offered as a sacrifice. Therefore, what would be the purpose of having such an evil god lording over the village waiting for another innocent soul to be killed if none were virgins? Someone had to have figured it out, but then who would the villagers have as a god? Who or what would they worship that wouldn't demand so much from them? The better question, why would they have to create something that is already here? Does the Almighty God demand too much? Does He expect more then what people are willing to sacrifice? Could villagers from all of those mythical stories have been derived from how people are now (1 Timothy 1:4 AMP)?

In presenting our body as a living sacrifice, the verse is continued with it being holy and acceptable unto God. Therefore even after we make the presentation, it must have two distinguishable attributes...actually one in order to be acceptable. He has told us to be thou holy for I am holy (1 Peter 1:16 KJV). How can this happen? He is God? Having made man in His image, we must then be more like Him to have what Adam had before the fall of man (Romans 5:12-19 AMP). Adam was clothed with God's glory. How do we get to that point? Would you desire to?

Unlike the virgins in the mythical stories, we made up our minds to be a living sacrifice when we believed that Jesus died for our sins (Romans 10:10 KJV). Are we obligated to do anything in return? Would it be an obligation (James 1:25 AMP)? Do we not love Him unconditionally? Do we at least love Him because He first loved us? Have we not asked the question, what more can I do for You Jesus? Isn't it the reason we volunteer and help in the various ministries, feed the hungry, cloth the poor, and administer to the widows and unwed mothers? We give and give because it is the character of what Jesus did for us. It is His character to give. With Him being the greater One on the inside of each of us, we can't help but to do the same. This is a sacrifice. A sacrifice of our time, finances, our education, and skills (Matthew 6:21 AMP). Doing these things is pleasing to God. It is a body of work.

The same verse has also been interpreted as sacrificing our physical bodies. From being physically out of shape to trying to explain why one would have sickness and disease much too often, could also be true as being a living sacrifice. Someone who is obese gives the believer a huge test not to see the person as vile or nasty yet with another who is not overweight but with an illness that the doctor's cannot cure has been made socially acceptable. In the eyes of God, would either be accepted when presenting their bodies (Matthew 7:16-20 AMP)?

Doctors have found that obesity causes problems with the heart, circulation, respiration, arthritis, bone fractures, reproduction, and hormonal to name a few. All of these conditions root out to other problems that arise such as diabetes, gout, edema, thrombosis and more besides. It is also reported that because of the storage of fat for long periods (years), cancer is more susceptible. With all of this looming over the overweight individual, why would anyone just accept the size that he or she has become? Aside from certain people liking men and women with a little meat on their bones, the health of the individual is in question. When there becomes a condition impeding the quality of life, sacrifices must be made in order for the individual to be made sound, whole and complete. Sickness takes away the quality of life Jesus sacrificed His life for.

Nevertheless, people who are not overweight have left this earth much too soon with the same ailments described previously. What would cause for them to turn the quality of life around? Is it as simple as it would be for the over weight believer? Is it as easy as turning away from the dinner table?

Who said that is what the obese believer has to do to come out of the condition he/she is in? To present one's physical body as a living sacrifice, whether obese or not but with a physical ailment, the answer is the same as one with mental illness. If one keeps his/her heart and mind stayed on Him, because the trust is only in Him, then peace is the result (Isaiah 26:3 KJV). Each and everyone of us will be accountable for the life we live. What has been magnified will be evident in how we live. If it is more important for a person to have breakfast first thing in the morning and for every meal to be at the time that is designated with snacks in between, then the trust has been made in the food and not the one that caused the food to exist. If it is more important to make that business deal from the time one gets up and continues to make that money even while sleeping which gives the person a false sense of comfort in doing, when the deals all fall through and a heart attack is the result, it is because the trust was focused on the root of all evil rather then the One who gave the ability to wake up that particular morning. If it becomes more important to please people, who will change as the seasons change, rather then be pleasing to the One that created the people; then when a dissatisfied supervisor forgets all of the brown nosing but gives you blame for all of the wrong done in the office, a psychotic break is expected.

You see it is difficult to continue to do under anyone else's expectations  - even our own, but God asks for us to be one thing, holy. The only reason anyone would think this as being difficult is because he/she doesn't know Him. Jesus said follow me for My burden is easy and yoke is light (Matthew 11:30 KJV). It is easy to acknowledge Him first when waking in the morning (Proverbs 3:6 KJV). It is Him who has given you the ability to do this or that. Just give thanks...everyday (1 Thessalonians 5:16 KJV). Once it becomes a habit, move to the next thing. It is like taking your first steps into walking upright in Him. How hard is that?

You Believe What The Word Says, Don'tcha?

I have come to rely on what the Word of God says for everything. I have studied it and made it my foundation for my life. Sometimes emotions try to make the decisions for me - you know impulsively, but the outcome of those decisions puts me right back to what the Word tells us all to do. Keeping these principles in the forefront of my mind has proven to make life so much easier even when people would have you to believe otherwise.

I wrote about a bible study I started but now can only attend every now and again because of previous obligations. The person that took over the class allowed a visitor to do as she pleases. That visitor now has the class and believes she teaches the Word of God the best way she knows how. In writing about that class in a previous entry, I wrote of this woman trying to get the class to believe that we all suffer and are suppose to experience pain for Christ's sake. She was so mistaken and wished for everyone hearing her to believe the same thing. No one challenged her in the stuff she was teaching prior to me visiting the class, but I just couldn't sit there and allow her to keep saying what she was saying (James 4:17 KJV). She became extremely perturbed with me and after class, she expressed to me what ailments she was going through. She claimed that she prayed when hearing the diagnosis the doctors gave her and that she was in need of surgery. She said she prayed and prayed believing that God would heal her and that no member of her body, no matter how small, would ever have to be removed. I listened to her as her voice changed from annoyance because I disrupted her error filled lesson plan to anger because she had to have the surgery in spite of all of her prayers. She expected me to answer why God didn't do what she asked. I remained quiet as her eyes welled up. I didn't answer because of her emotion and I was trying to figure if she was running game on me or not. Note: "running game" means to manipulate a person to do as the speaker pleases.

At the end of our conversation I gave her a hug and we left for our perspective homes. In the next few days I watched the things this woman did on a regular basis. The diagnosis the doctors gave her, I knew also required a specific diet. She ate what she liked. I made mention of it and she sucked her teeth exclaiming the doctors told her nothing of the kind (Hosea 4:6 KJV). I also heard her tell others of a procedure that would cause her a complete recovery. She refused it. I was  reminded of the joke where the man was caught in a flood and no matter who came to save him, he would exclaim, "no the Lord will come and save me." A canoe came, the man said the same thing. A rescue boat came, he said the same thing. A helicopter came, he said the same thing. The waters rose and the man drowned. When he got to heaven he asked the Lord, why didn't He save him? The Lord answered, "I sent a canoe, a boat, and a helicopter."

When I first heard that joke I laughed too, but then I heard the wording of it, why didn't you save me? When Jesus said, "it is done," before He died on the cross - He didn't stutter! Salvation was across the board. If you believe then you will receive. The song, Whose Report Will You Believe, still rings true today. If you would rather believe the gruesome details of the diagnosis that would have you in the grave sooner then the years that was promised then you shall receive just that (John 15:7 KJV).

There is an enemy that is sent to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10 KJV). It is not written anywhere in the Word that he will make it easier for anyone; not those that live a sin filled life nor those believing that Jesus is Lord. Satan is put on an assignment to do what he does. If you study the first chapter of Job and couple it with the  third chapter of Genesis, you will see once that serpent received his curse, there was no relief. Man; however, became a new creation once Jesus made that possible. Righteousness in Christ Jesus makes all the mess we have done in the past clean. We renew and change our minds from wrong thinking through the Word. We turn from evil and draw nigh unto God (James 4:8 KJV). Because of this action, there has to be a counter action. What would that be? The devil is not allowed anywhere near what belongs to God (Psalm 91:9-11 KJV).

Where do I come up with this stuff? Its in the Word. God tells us not to give place to the devil (Ephesians 4;27 KJV). Why would He tell us this? Because the devil has no place near righteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV). The devil tells us this when he says it back to God in the first chapter of Job. Did God then give the devil permission to attack Job? Interesting question, isn't it, especially when it is written that God tempts no man to evil (James 1:13 KJV)? Have you ever asked yourself why did the Holy Spirit lead Jesus to the cave to be tempted of the devil? If you can answer those questions, then you can understand why the previously mentioned woman had surgery when she prayed for it not to happen. Now apply this information where it is applicable. Jesus is Lord.

Desperate Times Call on Desperate Measures!

Where in the sam hill did that saying come from and why would a born again believer repeat it?

For a faith walking man/woman of God, when is there ever a desperate time? Before answering that, recall what you have been delivered from and your weaponry in Christ (Ephesians 6:11 KJV). Now answer.

When you are making a decision based on pressure that has suddenly come upon you, remember that God tries the hearts of men (Proverbs 17:3 AMP). If you don't find His Word in the midst of those wrong feelings, He will find no pleasure in you. For it is impossible to please Him without faith (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).

With that being written, we can see clearly why when a person is desperate to marry (for whatever the reason) there will be trouble in hot pursuit to come against the marriage (1 Corinthians 7:28 AMP). The struggle isn't because of the finances, or the lack thereof, it is because of the mindset of the individual.

If there is ever a desperate time and you cannot focus on prayer or God's Word, call on the elders of the church (James 5:14 AMP). The bible says to do this when someone is sick. For a believer to state that he/she is desperate, he/she must be sick. What would you call it?