Don’t be a 1hr noun
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The apostle Paul had been spending the previous chapters in Romans laying out the fundamentals of the Christian doctrine. He had spoken of the doctrine of justification, free grace, and the coming promises of glory to be revealed. Romans 12 begins to speak of our duties to live under these Christian doctrines. “I beseech you therefore,” ties to the preceding scripture. The ‘therefore’ is always a key word to the understanding of what you are about to read. You must back up to see the relation of that key word. Paul had summarized the doctrinal teaching in a powerful verse. Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. The deeper you return into prior Romans writing, the deeper your understanding of you duty as in Romans 12:1-2.
These scriptures could be unpacked for days, for Romans is the pinnacle of Paul’s writings. His call of Romans 12 is like that of Christ to His disciples in Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. How are we to deny ourselves anyway? Are we to sit at home in a room shut off from the rest of the world and read God’s Word? No, we are called to become disciples in Christ’s last words to us before He ascended into heaven. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s last words to you were a call to action. This call of action is not to just accept Him and to go to church on Sunday. Are you denying yourself as in Romans 12 and Luke 9; or are you denying God giving Him only an hour or two a week?
Being a disciple, denying ourself, living a life as that sacrifice is as simple as seeking God and the things of God every day. The more time you spend with God in His Word and prayer the easier this focus becomes. This self denial will be the product of the heart that truly loves God, and seeks to please him as a result. If you will make the conscious effort to do these things, God will take care of the rest. Christianity is a verb; not a noun sitting on a pew for an hour on Sunday. I have included a link to a powerful short video where I pray God will stir your heart.
oneminuteministry 