DEVOTIONAL: CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN?

Bible reading: Revelation. 22:11-14

At the beginning of his ministry, Paul took a ride in a basket as he escaped for his life in Damascus(2Corinthians.11:32-33). But there God who delivered him from the garrison at Damascus allowed him to end up in jail at Phillipi(Acts.16). Because God answered a particular prayer yesterday does not mean he would repeat another answer in exactly the same manner.

In Acts.16:25, Paul conducted a worship service in the prison right in the midst of chains and bonds. He never complained. Paul learnt to praise God in whatever circumstances he found himself. Not many people can praise God when sent into prison for the sake of the gospel. He was prepared to undertake the worst of sufferings for the kingdom of God(Phillipians.1:20-21). He was not ashamed.  Are you ashamed to suffer minor ridicule, persecutions, denials, beatings for His name today? Paul could day we should become a living sacrifice because he was one.

In African traditional religion, when a bird or animal is brought as a sacrifice to an idol, the giver forfeits his right to that animal. It becomes the property of the idol for the rest of its life. Whether it lives or dies or is given to someone is at the discretion of the idol. That living sacrifice may be fed so well in one moment and killed the next minute. This explains the term living sacrifice. You should be so yielded to God to the extent of delivering to Him the greatest pleasure in whatever you do. If dying for the gospel will give Him that height of pleasure, you should be prepared to die like Stephen. The preparedness of Daniel to go into the Lion's den demonstrated that he was a living sacrifice. But in the end, instead if death, his faith compelled a decree to fear Daniel's God. If my death can produce a United Nations decree compelling all nations of the world to worship no other God other than my God - the true and living God, I will gladly be on my way to heaven. Are you a living sacrifice? And to what extent?


Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional.