I’ve had a message on my refrigerator whiteboard for well over a year. That is a long time for me, but every time I go to erase it, I’m reminded that I still need the reminder.😬
It simply says this:
“Consecrate yourselves...” Lev. 20:7
Consecrate means, “to set apart for holy use.”
For many years, I thought consecration was marked by “sacrificial doing”. I wouldn’t eat this or do that because I was setting myself apart for holy use...did you catch the striving??? “I was setting MYSELF apart...”
There is no amount of striving that can consecrate ourselves. The only sacrifice required IS self!
Romans 14:17 says, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness & peace & joy in the spirit.”
👉🏽A life of goodness cannot be attained apart from the Author of good, who we know to be our good God
👉🏽Peace is a person & His name is Jesus - the way it is used here means opposition to contention with others
👉🏽Joy cannot surface apart from the Holy Spirit - true joy is grace recognized & He alone reminds us of the much we’ve been forgiven
The Kingdom of God is not a matter of counterfeit consecration, but of death that results in life!
Death by crucifixion was a thing vile & despised & yet Jesus was willingly crucified FOR us. His death brought eternal life!
Paul proclaims in Gal. 6:14, “The world has been crucified to me & I to the world.” A life of true goodness, lasting peace & inexplicable joy cannot happen apart from Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
When their Lordship becomes our greatest joy, sacrifice of self becomes a result of following, & this world & all it has to offer can become a crucified thing 👉🏽 vile & despised in light of the goodness, peace & joy that comes from consecrating ourselves unto the Lord for holy & set apart use!
Father, I hear You whisper, “No striving needed.” May our sacrifices not become a system or an internal requirement for consecration. May the decisions we make be a result of Your goodness, may they prompt Peace within that guards us from contention with others & may we be filled to overflowing with joy as we remember the much we’ve been forgiven.
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