Hi, I’m Beverley Watkins with Global Impact Ministries and welcome to God Today. I want to talk about something that a lot of people ask me about. We all want to be a part of the Kingdom, we all want to lay down our lives, we want to see God’s purposes come in our lives and through our lives. I know you are that kind of person because you are listening to this this morning. As you go about your day, you want to make an impact for God.
I have found that sometimes we make this so complicated. We are like, “Oh, why am I doing this? Should I do this? How should we do that?” One of the simple things that the Lord led me to, that helps me begin every singles day – sitting myself in the right position to have an impact for the Kingdom, is He took me to Romans 12:1. It is a scripture you know very well. Paul is speaking, he says, “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.” That says, “This is the baseline. This is the beginning of our priestly service to the Lord.” But how do you present yourself a living sacrifice? Does that mean you become this person who doesn’t do anything, unless God tells you to get dressed in the morning, you don’t get out of bed? No, I don’t think that’s’ what it means. That is crazy.
What I believe it means is that we are going to learn how to present ourselves as a living sacrifice. What did it look like? What was the picture we were given in the Old Testament? They used to bring an animal for the whole burnt offering. When they would present the animal to the Lord, they would first skin it. Then they would cut it open, take all the insides out, wash out the inside, chop off the heads and the legs. Then they would place it on the altar to be burnt in its entirety. I think that is a great picture fo rua – albeit a little blood early in the morning. Thank goodness it is is just the picture for us.
The way that I see that, we as God’s people, we present ourselves to Him. We take of the skin, we take off all the masks we put on, the good smiles, and “bless you brother and sister”, that we put on for everybody else. We take that skin off when we talk to Him in the morning. Then we open ourselves up and we let out all the stuff that is going on, all the stuff we are struggling with, or angry with. Whatever is going on in your life. You let that out and you let His presence wash you on the inside.
Then it says, “They chopped off the head and the legs.” The head talks about headship. What we do is we say, “Lord, at the beginning of the day, Father, not my will, but yours God. You lead me and you guide me.” They chopped off the legs which spoke about your walk with the Lord. So we say, “Lord, you lead me in the paths you want me to go today.” And I love that picture. So, I love to pray that every morning. To present myself as a living sacrifice, let’s do that this morning. Wherever you are. We come to present ourselves, God. By faith, we step before your throne, we present ourselves as the living sacrifice. Lord, we just lay down all the masks. Father God, all the things we show other people to say, “Hey, I am okay.” Lord, we open up ourselves today. If you are struggling with something this morning, if you are wrestling with something, talk to the Lord about it for a moment. Tell Him, “Hey, I am struggling with this. This is making me sad.” Or you are excited about something, just share it with Him. Be open with Him. He is your Father, talk to Him about it.
Now Father, even after we have done that, Lord, just as they would cut off the head and the legs, Father, I present myself. I say, “Father, today, I want to walk in the paths you have for me. Father God, not my will, God. I want to go where you want me to go. Lord, I don’t want to do the things that I have. Lord, I submit myself to your agenda. I align with Heaven, I come into alignment with your purposes today. Father God, I will walk in the path you have for me. Lord, open the doors you have for me. Lord, put together the opportunities to connect and meet people, God. Father, give me the idea you want me to have. Lord, strengthen me today with that which you want me to have to fulfill your purposes today, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.