It Is Reasonable To Serve Christ

"I Beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye give up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable serving of God."
Romans 12:1 (1599 GNV)

Serving God as a Christian believer is the most reasonable thing to do. Afterall, Jesus gave the ultimate gift and died for our sins. And then He rose again and gave gifts to His followers. And it is powerful.

So, God will not ask for a service that is unreasonable. He will always accept the gift that you offer Him if it is done in love, holiness, and in the Name of Jesus.
We all strive to offer the sacrifice of praise and worship. We all offer our time and prayer. We all strive to read the Word and let Him speak to us.

Offering our bodies to God as a living sacrifice is a gift we give to God. It is a holy, pure, and acceptable gift in the blood of Jesus. It is also holy because we make choices to stay pure in day to day living. But being in the blood of Jesus is crucial.
Though we all share similarities in how we offer our bodies as a gift to God, it will also depend on whether we are single or married, and whether we have children or not.

Those believers who are married are serving God by serving their spouse and offering their body to their spouse. And what a gift that is. This most certainly includes the holy union of marital sex. But also goes beyond sex to everyday living. We offer ourselves to our spouse out of our love for God and thus, we help our spouse with any daily task or offer any affection or understanding they may need. That is acceptable and holy to God. A true gift. And the married person also pleases God by taking time to serve Him in the church. But such time is lessened by their responsibilities at home.
You as a married person, are giving to God, and to your spouse, and to your church. God loves a holy acceptable sacrifice, a gift of love and faithfulness.

A single person offers their body to God with the same blood of Jesus and same holiness. Yet there are different aspects: the single person offers their gift to God with more focus on ministry and on blessing other believers in the church. They have more time for that kind of ministry. This is a true gift that you are giving as a single believer: to God and to those God loves: your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Single people typically have more time. It is reasonable to offer that time as a sacrifice and a gift to God and His people.

And for singles with children, they have the time to bless their children, and raise them to believe on Christ and to discipline them to go to church as believers (Hebrews 10:25). That is  a special and precious gift they have: to be able to raise children in holy reverence to God and to show them the value of regular fellowship and service! By raising children, either with or without a spouse, that is another way in which we offer our bodies to God. God loves your children and desires to see them succeed in Him! He is well-pleased with your sacrifice to Him in raising them up. He knows it is not easy. Again, this is a true gift. You are giving it to God and to your children. Also, single parents can serve in the church and teach their children to do the same. Another precious gift.

Whatever you do with your body and whatever gifts you have in your life, offer it back to God as a gift. Serve and lead with your heart stayed on God. We all have different gifts to draw from: time, a spouse, and/or children. But we are all gifted. Christ in our hearts is the greatest gift of all!

The key is this: The gifts we receive from Jesus are not -really- for us... They are for us to give! We give to God and we give to each other. Be holy and be reasonable: serve Jesus! He loves you and accepts you in Himself.

God bless!

Pastor Curtis
Thur. Sept. 25, 2014 5:06 PM EST

All Things New

On Sunday, during worship service, I saw a vision of a Throne, and I saw the side and the rear part of it. And I saw peoples flowing to it. I knew this was a vision of the Throne of Jesus, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Tonight, Thursday Sept. 4th, 2014, without synchronizing it, Pastor Tracy preached about the Throne of God. I thought that was a wonderful confirming word.

Her topic at the service this evening was "Behold I make all things new" from Rev. 21:5 (KJV)
"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."

If ever there was a time I needed to hear this, it is now. I am thankful for the future, eternal new life I have in heaven. And I am grateful for being made a new creation in Christ right now. I just think that I could benefit from God making something new come of my circumstances. They have been the same for a while now. I felt as if the Lord was saying tonight, "this is a NOW word for you, and I can make your situation new." So that is what I pray. I post this to you as Christian friends of mine, and I want to encourage you that God can make not just YOU and your nature new, but He can also make your situation NEW. He never wastes a season. He makes use of it. But then He changes the season. I feel that it is time for seasons to change. Somehow, in some way. 
Believe God to make ALL things new in His timing! Nothing is left out. All means all. If you need something new to happen, ask Jesus. This word is not JUST for the future. It can and does apply to us as believers right now! 

Blessings
Pastor Curtis

Thurs Sept. 4, 2014 11:50pm EST