Living Sacrifices: Transforming Worship Through Daily Conduct

Devotional

Day 1: Living Sacrifices: A Call to Holiness

The true sacrifice God desires is not monetary but the offering of our bodies as living sacrifices. This involves dedicating every part of ourselves—our eyes, tongue, and hands—to God, ensuring they are used in ways that honor Him. This is far more challenging than merely giving a tithe. It requires a daily commitment to holiness, where every action and thought is aligned with God's will. This sacrificial living is a testament to our faith and devotion, reflecting a life transformed by God's grace. [19:25]

Romans 6:13 (ESV): "Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."

Reflection: What specific part of your life can you offer to God today as a living sacrifice, and how can you ensure it honors Him?

Day 2: Worship Beyond Sunday

True worship is reflected in how we live our lives throughout the week, not just in our Sunday performances. God values our daily conduct and the transformation of our minds over external acts of worship. This means that our faith should be evident in our actions, words, and thoughts every day, not just during church services. By immersing ourselves in Scripture and allowing it to reshape our thoughts and actions, we align ourselves with God's perspective, demonstrating true worship through our daily lives. [24:16]

Colossians 3:17 (ESV): "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: How can you incorporate worship into your daily routine, ensuring that your actions and words reflect your faith throughout the week?

Day 3: Embracing Forgiveness

The New Covenant emphasizes forgiveness over vengeance, highlighting a shift in mindset from the Old Testament. We must strive to forgive those who wrong us, as holding onto bitterness reveals an untransformed heart. This shift is crucial for living a life that pleases God, as it reflects the grace and mercy we have received through Jesus. By choosing forgiveness, we demonstrate a heart transformed by God's love, breaking the cycle of vengeance and embodying the teachings of Christ. [36:10]

Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Day 4: Joy in God's Presence

Living in God's presence brings fullness of joy, and this joy is a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. A life without grumbling or complaining is a testament to this transformation and reflects God's glory. By doing everything without complaint, we become lights in a world filled with darkness. This joy and contentment in God's presence are powerful testimonies of our faith and gratitude for His mercy, drawing others to the light of Christ. [40:00]

Philippians 2:14-15 (ESV): "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself frequently complaining? How can you shift your perspective to one of gratitude and joy in God's presence?

Day 5: Transforming Our Minds with Scripture

Immersing ourselves in Scripture allows us to reshape our thoughts and actions, aligning them with God's perspective. This transformation is crucial for living a life that pleases God and shows our gratitude for His mercy. By renewing our minds through the Word, we resist conforming to the patterns of this world and embrace a life that reflects God's truth and love. This ongoing transformation is a testament to our commitment to spiritual growth and maturity. [46:48]

Romans 12:2 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to immerse yourself more deeply in Scripture this week, allowing it to transform your thoughts and actions?

Sermon Summary

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were costly, often requiring a goat for atonement of sins. This expense served as a deterrent against sinning. Today, however, forgiveness seems cheap, as it only requires a simple prayer. This ease can lead to a casual attitude towards sin. The true sacrifice God desires is not monetary but the offering of our bodies as living sacrifices, as described in Romans 12:1. This involves dedicating every part of ourselves—our eyes, tongue, and hands—to God, ensuring they are used in ways that honor Him. This is far more challenging than merely giving a tithe.

True worship is not about the external acts of singing or making noise but about how we live our lives throughout the week. God is more interested in our daily conduct than our Sunday performances. The real test of our faith is how we behave at home, at work, and in our interactions with others. Our lives should reflect a transformation of the mind, moving away from worldly thinking and embracing God's perspective. This transformation is achieved by immersing ourselves in Scripture, allowing it to reshape our thoughts and actions.

The New Covenant, established through Jesus, offers a different way of thinking compared to the Old Covenant. While the Old Testament demanded vengeance, the New Testament emphasizes forgiveness, even for those who wrong us. This shift in mindset is crucial for living a life that pleases God. We must strive to forgive those who hurt us, as holding onto bitterness reveals an untransformed heart.

Living in God's presence brings fullness of joy, and this joy is a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. A life without grumbling or complaining is a testament to this transformation. By doing everything without complaint, we become lights in a world filled with darkness. This is the essence of living a life that reflects God's glory and shows our gratitude for His mercy.

Key Takeaways

1. The true sacrifice God desires is the offering of our bodies as living sacrifices, dedicating every part of ourselves to His service. This is more challenging than simply giving a tithe and requires a daily commitment to holiness. [19:25]
2. True worship is reflected in how we live our lives throughout the week, not just in our Sunday performances. God values our daily conduct and the transformation of our minds over external acts of worship. [24:16]
3. The New Covenant emphasizes forgiveness over vengeance, highlighting a shift in mindset from the Old Testament. We must strive to forgive those who wrong us, as holding onto bitterness reveals an untransformed heart. [36:10]
4. Living in God's presence brings fullness of joy, and this joy is a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. A life without grumbling or complaining is a testament to this transformation and reflects God's glory. [40:00]
5. Immersing ourselves in Scripture allows us to reshape our thoughts and actions, aligning them with God's perspective. This transformation is crucial for living a life that pleases God and shows our gratitude for His mercy. [46:48]
** [46:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:28] - The Cost of Sacrifice
[16:08] - Presenting Our Bodies
[17:29] - Offering Our Eyes, Tongue, and Hands
[19:25] - True Worship and Sacrifice
[20:58] - Spiritual Worship
[23:33] - The Importance of Daily Living
[25:06] - Transforming Our Minds
[27:08] - Resisting the World's Mold
[29:08] - Old Covenant vs. New Covenant
[31:28] - Embracing Forgiveness
[33:40] - Living as New Covenant Christians
[36:10] - Forgiving Those Who Hurt Us
[40:00] - Fullness of Joy in God's Presence
[46:48] - Reshaping Our Thoughts with Scripture

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Romans 12:1-2
Philippians 2:14-15
Hebrews 12:24

Observation Questions:

According to Romans 12:1, what does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice? How does this differ from the Old Testament sacrifices? [20:25]
In Philippians 2:14-15, what is the significance of doing all things without grumbling or complaining? How does this relate to being a light in the world? [44:23]
How does Hebrews 12:24 describe the difference between the blood of Abel and the blood of Jesus? What does this signify about the New Covenant? [35:24]
What are some specific ways the sermon suggests we can offer our eyes, tongue, and hands to God? [17:29]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of living sacrifices in Romans 12:1 challenge the traditional view of worship as merely a Sunday activity? [21:31]
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between our daily conduct and our worship? How does this reflect the transformation of our minds? [24:16]
In what ways does the New Covenant's emphasis on forgiveness over vengeance, as discussed in Hebrews 12:24, challenge our natural inclinations? [36:10]
How does the sermon describe the role of joy in the life of a believer, and what does it indicate about one's relationship with God? [40:00]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your daily life. Are there areas where you find it difficult to offer your body as a living sacrifice? What steps can you take to dedicate these areas to God? [20:25]
Consider your interactions throughout the week. How can you ensure that your conduct reflects true worship beyond Sunday services? [24:16]
Think of someone who has wronged you. How can you apply the New Covenant principle of forgiveness in this situation? What might be holding you back from forgiving them? [36:10]
Identify a moment this past week when you found yourself grumbling or complaining. How can you shift your perspective to see this situation from God's viewpoint? [41:18]
How can immersing yourself in Scripture help transform your mind and align your thoughts with God's perspective? What specific steps can you take to make this a regular practice? [46:48]
Reflect on a time when you felt a lack of joy. What might have been the cause, and how can you seek to remain in God's presence to experience fullness of joy? [40:00]
Choose one part of your body (eyes, tongue, or hands) and commit to offering it to God this week. What specific actions will you take to ensure it is used in ways that honor Him? [17:29]

Sermon Clips

"it you know if a person had to give a sacrifice in the Old Testament it was expensive people who committed a sin they had to bring a goat how much is does a goat cost I don't know how much it cost here in terms of dollars but think of if you had to bring a goat every time you sin you'd stop sinning pretty quickly I'll tell you that because it'd be expensive so don't think it was cheap to commit sin in the Old Testament today because you just had to say Lord forgive me sin has con getting freedom from sin is so cheap and that's why you keep committing sin but you read that in the Book of Leviticus they to bring sacrifices sacrifices were costly and here it's not talking about about money he's talking about a more costly sacrifice present your body" [00:15:12]

"Lord here are my eyes I never from today onwards want to look at anything which you don't want me to look at never I never want to read anything you don't want me to read I don't want to watch television anything that you cannot sit and watch with me I never want to watch a movie which you you will not be able to watch with me I never want to look at a billboard which you don't want me to see I present my eyes to you completely and I want to use my eyes to read what you want me to read like The Bible okay that's just the eyes now Lord I want to give you my tongue we are cutting up the offering right Lord I never want to say anything with my tongue which I can't say if you were standing right in front of me" [00:17:37]

"tell me I've just gone to three parts of your body right I haven't come to the inner desires and longings and uh all that eyes tongue and hands okay let's stop there is it easier to pay 10% of your income or to give your eyes tongue and hands if you're given an option person say Lord here's the 10% just leave me alone and let me do what I like with my eyes tongue and ass this is the reason why people pay their tithe they don't want to give the offering which God wants from them they offer a cheap substitute when God wants something costly they give something cheap here Lord take your 10% and leave me alone to do what I like with my eyes to speak as I like with my tongue to do what I like with my hands don't trouble me I gave you your 10% is one of the greatest deceptions being practiced in Christianity Today" [00:19:12]

"how did you live the last six days of the week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday did you yell at your wife or yell at your husband and you come here and use that tongue to sing to God he's not listening to you how did you use your eyes to lust after women and you come here to read the songs to sing God's not listening to you it's not worship it's just entertainment and that's why some people go away from a time of Sunday morning and say didn't we have a good time the emphasis is on we didn't we have a good time singing today were you singing to God or were you singing to was it some type of entertainment there's not much difference between some rock concerts and Sunday morning Services nowadays" [00:22:01]

"the difference is this in other churches the important day is Sunday in our church the important day is Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday evening after you go home but Sunday morning is a place where we get prepared to live a Godly life the remaining days of the week I said that's the difference the way we live in other words to us the important thing is how you live at home how you live in your place of work how you drive the car when everybody's got road rage the those are the places where you manifest your Christianity I said that is to us more important than how beautifully you sing on Sunday morning or what a wonderful sermon you preached on Sunday morning it means nothing if you have not presented your body throughout the week as a Living Sacrifice" [00:23:50]

"the world has got a way of thinking and we've all grown up with that way of thinking from childhood what we've learned in school is to compete with others and come first first in the class first in the athletic field first in sports and always come first we learn in school how to be push other people down and come up on top and how to be jealous and compete and all types of things which are wrong things we get the mindset of the world as we grow up we grow we get a job and in the corporate world is the same type of competition and pushing people down and trying to get on top and compete and make the one who's made the most money is the most successful we've got all this mindset and then we are born again and if your mind has not changed after many years of being born again you have not shown your gratitude to God at all" [00:25:06]

"so how in the world can I change my human way of thinking to God's way of thinking very simple there's one book God has given us the Bible that tells us his way of thinking and if I soak my mind in scripture my mind will be conformed to God's way of thinking you know this paraphrase I spoke to you about this verse is paraphrased like this don't let the world squeeze you into its mold you know how they make Plastics in a certain shape they put it into a mold and that mold you pour the plastic in and it comes out in that shape the world has got a mold a particular way of thinking you get your own back on people who harm you money is very important the honor of people is very important that's a mold and the world has shaped people in that mold and we have been shaped like that from the time we were children as we have grown up and he says don't let the world shape you into that mold get out of that and see the mold of scripture the way God thinks and be poured into that mold" [00:26:41]

"when people harm you and hurt you what does your inner being cry out for in that moment you'll discover whether you're an old Covenant Christian or a New Covenant Christian whether you're following Abel or Jes Jesus Christ I tell you the vast majority of so-called Believers I've met are in the old Covenant they seek that some harm will come to the person who hurt them think for a moment right now I want to give you a little homework while you're sitting on your chair can you think of someone who hurt you or did some harm to you or to your family or to your children or to you personally I'm sure there are many people but think of the one who did the maximum harm to you or spoke the maxim evil about you or caused you such problems maybe a non-Christian maybe a Christian sometimes tell me honestly or tell God or tell yourself what do you wish for him" [00:35:44]

"when you allow your mind to think like God thinks you'll be very different from the average Christian because the average Christian is living under the old Covenant they keep saying touch not my anointed do my prophets no harm I see you can do any of harm you like they treated the apostles so badly they killed them and they they said what Jesus said father forgive them they don't know what they're doing that's the spirit of the New Testament let me show you in he Hebrews in chapter 12 in Hebrews chapter 12 it says we have now come to Jesus and to God the judge of all men Hebrews chapter 12 it's speaking about who we have come to verse 24 to Jesus Jesus the mediator of a New Covenant Hebrews 12:24 and one mark of the New Covenant is mentioned here and that is his blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel he's contrasting old Covenant with New Covenant" [00:37:59]

"for example we sang a song a little earlier where this verse was quoted in your presence there is fullness of joy Psalm 1611 what do you learn from that verse I read that verse for so many years Psalm 1611 in your presence is fullness of joy until one day it hit me you know how sometimes the verse hits you and the way it hit me was when you don't have fullness of joy in your life you're not in God's presence do you think that's a legitimate understanding of that verse in your presence is fullness of joy that means if you don't have fullness of joy you're not in God's presence you're somewhere else anyway I've decided to make that a rule for my life any time in my life the Bible says rejoice in the lord always 24/7 it was not possible in the old Covenant but it is possible in the new when we are filled with the holy spirit" [00:39:49]

"do all things without grumbling and complaining Philippians chap 2:14 have you read it have you even attempted to obey it do all things without grumbling and complaining can you imagine what your how what your home will be like if neither husband or wife ever Grumble or complain about anything it'll be a little bit of Heaven on Earth don't you think so a little bit of Heaven on Earth no grumbling or complaining about anything who is the one who doesn't want you to obey that command name him Satan have you been listening to Satan all this time complain now and then murmur now and then who told you that holy spirit says do everything without murmuring or complaining what type of fullness of the Holy Spirit have Christians been deceived by which allows them to murmur complain get angry lust after women and they filled with the spirit it's an absolute deception it's another spirit it's not the Holy Spirit" [00:41:07]

"so that's what I mean by seeing things from God's Viewpoint you see how so many years many of you have been Christians and some of these Elementary verses that I'm showing you today from scripture you have not seen in the light till now that's what I mean by saying that you've not really studied the Bible and seen things from God's Viewpoint you've been brainwashed into a Christianity by the denomination you grew up in I grew up in the Jacobite Orthodox church and I refused to be brainwashed one day I said I'm going to read the Bible my first step was water baptism they didn't preach that there then I was with the Brethren assembly for some time they said there's no such thing as the gift of tongues when I read in the Bible I found it was there so I said if it's in in the Bible I want it and God gave that to me little by little then I was in other churches they never took said that sin shall not rule over you Romans 6:14 what I found in the Bible so gradually as I open my mind to scripture and allowed scripture to form the mold of my thinking and got out of the thinking of all these different churches that Pro preached partial truths my life changed" [00:45:31]

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