[align=center][/size][/font]God"™s Condition for Blessing [/size][/font][/size][/align]ROMANS 12:1-2 [/font]
[font="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif"][size=-1]If people were really honest, many would say their Christianity barely resembles the existence God has promised. They struggle repeatedly with the same sins, complain that God rarely answers prayers, and wonder why He hasn't given them the desires of their heart. However, most believers never stop to ask, Why doesn't God favor me?
The answer to that question can revolutionize our life if we are willing to meet God's one condition for full blessing. We are designed with a capacity to experience the Lord's best in every area of life, but for that to happen, we must offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In other words, we are to be separated from the world and given to God for His purposes.
Don't be fooled by cultural views on servants. God doesn't call the weak into bondage to the strong. In fact, believers are the freest people in the world because we can trust our Father to give us the very best in return for our commitment. His best may not always look appealing from the outset, but experience teaches us that He orchestrates all circumstances to our benefit. (Romans 8:28)
We can never be satisfied with less than the Lord's best. Avoiding submission will result in wasted years of chasing after His blessing through our own cunning. On the other hand, our hearts are saturated with joy and peace when we draw close to Him. The best way to connect with God is to willingly put ourselves in His hand. Allow Him to reveal what great blessings He can send via your surrendered will.
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
amen! alex i had been doing things "my way" for around 30+ of my 42 years in this body, always on a self pitty trip, why me, why are people who behave worse than me rewarded so richly (in earthly terms),when you learn to be grateful for the blessings you recieve and the small thingsyou start to understand just how good things can be, i have been struggling with some demons, and with God's help and the help from my brothers in Christherei am putting these things behind me, God bless all of you, btw i am new to this and doing a lot of reading, i read just about every post, run searches, and ask when i need, i have been reluctant to reply to alot of the post because of my ignorance of the word. but i am working on that daily.
thanks again for another thought provoking post
keith
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John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
Alex,
To me the Romans 12 1and 2 verse is living a fasted life. The days I live that .......I am a rich man. The voice of compromise is a seducing spirit. It tells us. It is no sin to eat, we are not saved by works anyway. God loves you just the way you are. And as you eat you feel the 'joy of the Lord' but in reality your faith has grown a little weaker. Each time we give in to the seducing spirit our faith grows weaker.Let's look atRomans 12 :1and 2NIV
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer yourBODIES as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God"”this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. Remember back in John 4 Jesus seeks those to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Look at the end of verse one." This is your spiritual worship. Remember the disciples were out buying food .What did Jesus tell His disciples " My meat is to do the will of God who sent me. Remember when I posted the post of over eatting. I was stoned by most of you good folks. We are to remember that God's will is to present our bodies DAILY as a LIVING SACRIFICE. We will not only lose the buldge but our inner man will know the will of God and we will be at a place to win others to the Lord and be full of joy. Compromise gives us immediate satisfaction but in the long haul rips us off royally.
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This I beleive is separating yourself from the philosophies of this world and burying your mind into the Word of God. The Word in you has many benefits. It is health to all thy flesh and marrow to the bones. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the mind. It gives the simple wisdom.Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is"”his good, pleasing and perfect will. Nothing like the perfect Will of God. It does cost something though...a daily crucifying of the BODY. A bearing of a cross.
Phillipians 3: 18,19 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things
I am a slave to Jesus, and that makes me free from sin. I'm the free-est of free.
that's too bad.... Jesus called us as FRIENDS... not slaves.....
free from sin ?... I've never seen a sin-free man...
conditions for blessing.... wonder if that applies to his curses as well.....
"No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money. Matthew 6:23-25
"I am the Lord's slave," said Mary. "May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel left her. Luke 1:37-39
Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word. Luke 2:28-30
We know that what we used to be was nailed to the cross with him. That happened so our sinful bodies would lose their power. We are no longer slaves of sin. Romans 6:5-7
Don't you know that when you give yourselves to obey someone you become that person's slave? You can be slaves of sin. Then you will die. Or you can be slaves who obey God. Then you will live a godly life. Romans 6:15-17
It's not too bad, but it is the truth! I am happy to be a slave to Jesus, because in my slavery, I am truley free. I am not free of sin, but am free from sin. I still sin, but through my master, I am free from condemnation for that sin. Here's some more:
You have been set free from sin. You have become slaves to right living. Romans 6:17-19
I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. Romans 6:18-20
Those who were slaves when the Lord chose them are now the Lord's free people. Those who were free when God chose them are now slaves of Christ. 1 Corinthians 7:21-23
GOD'S CONDITION FOR BLESSING YOU
