DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS:

MONDAY - VERSES: Mark 15:15-39; Ephesians 5:1-2 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the sacrifice of Christ. Ask Him to help you constantly remember what has been done for you.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Matthew 10:37-39; Mark 10:17-23 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you look for areas in your life where you are not living as a sacrifice to God. Ask for the courage to sacrifice those things.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: Acts 5:40-41; 9:15-16; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 3:18; 1 Thes. 2:14-16 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the examples we have in scripture that we can follow. Ask Him to help you have the strength to follow those examples.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Luke 9:22-23; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; 1 Pet. 2:4-5 PRAYER THOUGHT: Pray for the willingness to get up each day and live sacrificially for God. Ask for the stamina to not become weary.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Romans 14:7-9; Philippians 1:27-30; 2 Timothy 4:6-8 PRAYER THOUGHT: Pray that you will live faithfully, and that you will be prepared to die faithfully whether it is from some natural cause or even because of the faith.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Matthew 16:22-27; 1 Timothy 1:14-16; 1 Peter 4:14-19 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to forgive you for the times you have failed to present yourself as a living sacrifice. Thank Him for the second, third, fourth, etc. chances that He has given you. Ask for a renewed zeal and passion for living for God.

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What have we done in comparison to His sacrifice? All the time, energy, and talents placed upon the altar of sacrifice for Jesus is nothing in view of what He has done for us (2 Cor 8:9).

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Look for areas in which you can do God's will when you want to do your own will each day.

4. At the close of day write ways you have been a living sacrifice.

6. Plan to tell the class how you or someone else practiced being a living sacrifice and the result, or tell the class how you should have sacrificed but did not during the week.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 8

BE A LIVING SACRIFICE

SCRIPTURE - Romans 12:1 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.

COMMENT - While it might be easier to die for Christ, it is God's will that we live for him, sacrificing our desires for his will.

SONG - TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure-store; Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee.

THOUGHTS

In the third century, Cyprian, a bishop of Carthage, wrote to his friend Donatus: "It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians... and I am one of them."

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A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it; the ox was facing two things -- an altar and a plough; and the inscription read: "Ready for either". The ox had to be ready either for the supreme moment of sacrifice on the altar or the long labor of the plough on the farm.

There is no one cup for the Christian living. To drink the cup simply means to follow Christ wherever he may lead, and to be like him in any situation life may bring.

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We are ethical people and will make any sacrifice for a cause ... as long as it doesn't hurt business.

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I love thy church, O God; Her walls before me stand;

But please excuse my absence, Lord; This bed is simply grand!

A charge to keep I have; A God to glorify;

But Lord, don't ask for cash from me; The glory comes to high.

Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb?

As long as nothing else is going on I am.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free?

No! Others, Lord, should do their part, But please don't count on me.

Praise God from who all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below!

Oh, loud my hymns of praise I bring, Because It doesn't cost to sing!

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"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

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The Master's will, for this I pray, Whatever it may be!

I do not want to miss Your best; Reveal it, Lord, to me.

My own desires may lead me wrong, I must consult my God;

His counsel will be justified, When all the way I've trod.

O soul of mine, delight in Him! His Word discern, obey!

The plan you seek to know will then unfold from day to day.

We do not live our lives alone: If I am in God's will,

The lives of others will be helped, His purpose to fulfill!

My all, O Lord, I give to You, My body, mind and soul;

May all the days that lie ahead, be under Your control.

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals! I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let go, or slow up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops. And when He comes to get His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

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Money, alone, does not constitute sacrifice. God does not need our money. He wants the heart behind the money.

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A LIVING SACRIFICE

Introduction

A. Romans 12:1-3

B. Pearl of Great Price

I. The Old Testament Sacrificial System

A. Cain and Abel Were Commanded to Offer Sacrifices.

B. Noah Offered a Sacrifice Immediately after the Flood.

C. The Mosaic Law Required a Sacrifice for Every Sin.

D. The Priests' Job Was to Offer Continual Sacrifices.

II. Jesus' Sacrifice Once for All - Hebrews 7:22-27

B. Hebrews 9:12

C. Hebrews 9:24-28

D. Hebrews 10:9-12

III. We Are to Be Living Sacrifices. - Romans 12:1-2

B. We Died to Sin. - Romans 6:1-7

C. We Died to Self. - John 12:24-26

D. We Died to Fleshly Desires. - Galatians 5:16-24

E. We Died to Live for Jesus. - Matthew 10:37-39

Conclusion

A. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

B. Titus 2:11-14

A LIVING SACRIFICE

SCRIPTURE - (Rom 12:1-3) 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. {3} For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

INTRODUCTION

The Bible says the kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of real worth, he sells everything he has and buys that pearl. When man finds the kingdom, it costs him everything. The kingdom offers happiness, joy, peace, healing, security, eternity. Man marvels at such a pearl and says, "I want this pearl. How much does it cost?"

The seller says, "It's too dear, too costly."

"But how much?"

"Well, it's very expensive."

"Do you think I could buy it?"

"Oh, of course. Anybody can."

"But you say it's too expensive. How much is it?"

"It costs everything you have -- no more, no less -- so anybody can buy it."

"I'll buy it."

"What do you have? Let's write it down."

"I have $10,000 in the bank."

"Good, $10,000. What else?"

"I have nothing more. That's all I have."

"Have you nothing more?"

"Well, I have some dollars here in my pocket."

"How many?"

"I'll see: 30, 40, 50, 80, 100, 120 -- 120 dollars."

"That's fine. What else do you have?"

"I have nothing else. That's all."

"Where do you live?"

"I live in my house."

"The house too."

"Then you mean I must live in the garage?"

"Have you a garage, too? That too. What else?"

"Do you mean that I must live in my car, then?"

"Have you a car?"

"I have two."

"Both become mine. Both cars. What else?"

"I have nothing else."

"Are you alone in the world?"

"No, I have a wife, two children.... "

"Your wife and your children too. What else?"

"I have nothing else, I am left alone now."

"Oh, you too. Everything. Everything becomes mine: wife, children, house, garage, cars, money, clothing, everything. And you too. Now you can use all those things here but don't forget they are mine, as you are. When I need any of the things you are using you must give them to me because now I am the owner."

I. THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM

A. CAIN AND ABLE WERE COMMANDED TO OFFER SACRIFICES

B. NOAH OFFERED A SACRIFICE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FLOOD

C. UNDER THE MOSAIC LAW A SACRIFICE HAD TO BE MADE FOR EVERY SIN

D. THE PRIESTS' JOB WAS TO OFFER DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, YEARLY AND SPECIAL DAY SACRIFICES FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THE PEOPLE

II. JESUS' SACRIFICE ONCE FOR ALL

A. (Heb 7:22-27) by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. {23} Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. {24} But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. {25} Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. {26} For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; {27} who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

B. (Heb 9:12) Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

C. (Heb 9:24-28) For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; {25} not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another; {26} He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. {27} And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, {28} so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

D. (Heb 10:9-12) then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. {10} By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. {11} And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. {12} But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

III. WE ARE A LIVING SACRIFICE

A. WE SACRIFICE OURSELVES - (Rom 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.

B. WE DIED TO SIN - (Rom 6:1-7) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? {3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, {6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. {7} For he who has died has been freed from sin.

C. WE DIED TO SELF - (John 12:24-26) "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. {25} "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. {26} "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

D. WE DIED TO FLESHLY DESIRES - (Gal 5:16-24) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. {17} For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. {18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. {19} Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, {20} idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, {21} envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. {22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. {24} And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

E. WE DIED TO LIVE FOR JESUS - (Mat 10:37-39) "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. {38} "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. {39} "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

CONCLUSION - JESUS SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR US SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE FOR HIM

A. (2 Cor 5:14-15) For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; {15} and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

B. (Titus 2:11-14) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, {12} teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, {13} looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, {14} who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Romans 12:1

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.