The Oxymoron of being A “Living Sacrifice”

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Dear Papa,

Help me to understand “laying down my all” on the altar, that I may walk in Your power and might. As I offer my life as a living sacrifice, I want it to be holy and acceptable to You, that the fire from heaven may fall, for only then will I know that my sacrifice is acceptable to You. Help me that it might be a sweet savor to You, Papa.

Dear Child,

Sacrifice has cost! Something must die! Self must die! The flesh must die!

Present your whole being on the altar and My fire will consume that which is of the old man, and that living sacrifice which remains will burn with power but not be consumed and will be a sweet savor to Me.

A living sacrifice doesn’t have to stay on the altar, as My Son didn’t have to stay on the cross, except by cords of love!

When you present yourself as a living sacrifice, it is only the motivation of love for Me that will keep you there. Regrets and ‘should haves’ will not secure you there. Good intentions will only slack the cords of love! Disobedience will break the cords of love!

Only obedience will keep you secure in My presence, and will be a sweet savor.

If you love me keep my commandments.

Obedience born out of love for Me is a sweet savor!

Obedience to Me will nourish the spirit and starve the flesh. Lose your soul life that you may have everlasting life in the spirit.  

                                                 Thus saith Papa

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

He was a willing sacrifice as He hung on the cross, He could have come down from the cross and saved Himself! Likewise, when we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, we could crawl off the altar, only a dead sacrifice doesn’t have a choice! A living sacrifice must be a WILLING sacrifice! A dead sacrifice has no choice!

As I reflected on the oxymoron of the words “living sacrifice” the Lord impressed the words of the following prayer on my heart. I pray these words will be your prayer. 

CHALLENGE: Pray this prayer as a yielded vessel:

                              “ A living sacrifice,

                                Dying to self and alive to You.

                                In losing my life, I find it.

                                In dying I live,

                                A living sacrifice.

                                Consume that which is not of You

                                That You may fill me with that which is of You.

                                Salt the sacrifice

                                That I may thirst for more of You.” 

Excerpt from my book “Developing a Secret History with God” Page 80-85

Available from Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ Kindle/ Nook/ Ibooks/ Lulu or a bookstore near you.

Amazing Love

I may not be perfect but Jesus thinks I am to die for…

We are not worthy but He thought we were worth it… 

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Is what you are living for worth Jesus dying for?

We Have A Heart of Gold

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The Holy of Holies where God dwelt in the Tabernacle of the Old Testament was made of  pure gold.

As believers we now have a heart of gold because God now dwells there by His Spirit

Although we are only redeemed dust, a fragile container, for this treasure of the Holy Spirit

God is working on us daily to make us a vessel of gold tried by fire into the purest, transparent gold for His dwelling place.

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You

CHALLENGE: May we all pray “Create in me, Lord, a heart worthy of your presence as I bring my emotions, thoughts and actions under subjection to your throne, that the world may see that the King is in Residence there and glorify you.”

Supporting One and Other

Today as my home church prays for me and sends me out with their blessing I am all packed and ready to leave on Tuesday for my trip to Russia with a thankful heart for all the prayers of blessing, cards, financial support and even a “Care package” from my missionary daughter, Patsy, tied up with ribbons of thoughtfulness and love. Thank you all so much, it is so encouraging to know you will all be praying as we labor together in His Vineyard. 

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1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Refining Fire

My book “Developing a Secret History with God” was a book written in the fire of affliction in a very dry lonely spiritual desert place as I limped. through serious emotional and physical issues as a spiritual tsunami almost took me out when God dropped this word of encouragement in my heart.

“Without trials your faith is not purified. I do not test your faith to destroy you BUT rather to bring you to greater heights.” ©MJB

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1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

May my testimony in “Developing a Secret History with God” be an encouragement in your life. Available Barnes & Noble / Amazon

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