A Rekindled Christian Life

· When something good happens to you in life, what is the first thought that crosses your mind?

· When you receive something good, what is the first thought that crosses your mind?

· I would venture to say for most of us, we usually do not stop and thank the Lord for all of the good events and good gifts we receive from him every day.

· In fact I would dare say most of us do not even take the time to thank him for big events and big gifts in the moment.

· Its often an afterthought reserved for later that night in a prayer before bed.

· But why is that the case? Why is God’s time relegated so often to meals, sleep, and worship gatherings.

· To thank him for his gifts in the moments takes some dedication, it takes some practice to get into the habit of doing it, and it will take some effort to keep it up.

· It takes an attitude of thankfulness and realization that

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

· For me, and I believe, many others, God was in my mind, I believed he was real, I believed in him, I believed the truth of the gospel and the power of God to save; however, God was not ever before my eyes, He was not in the forefront of my mind, and was not from my perspective the giver of every good gift exactly. I mean there were lots of people who had given me good gifts, and I gave myself good gifts, and sometimes good situations just worked out in my interest right? Just random chances of good fortune.

My car, my clothes, my food, my tv I worked for them, I earned the money, I bought them, Those gifts came from me so why would I say a prayer and thank God for them? After all It was my doing as a result of my hard work.

WRONG. As a Christian I was supposed to have learned, supposed to have understood, and supposed to have surrendered my life to him. It is His Car, His Clothes, His Food, His Tv, His Money. For I am dead .

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

My Body is now His Body to control and command.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

and this new life that he gave me, the life that I now life, I live by the faith in Son of God.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me[2]

If I am to have a fire lit back in my daily life the spark must be kindled that says, Not my will, but yours Oh Lord. These things I have are Not my things, they are yours, You gave me this life, you gave me this body, you gave me this country to live in, you gave me job to work in, you gave me air in my lungs, you gave me earth to live on, and everything I have, I am nothing more than a steward of God’s gifts. Jesus is the Master of the House, Jesus is the King of the Kingdom, Jesus is the head of the Body, Jesus is the Only Potentate of the Church. In Him All things consist

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

When I receive something that ranges from the ordinary and insignificant to the great and wonderful, I should be Thanking him in the moment of the gift, for it is his gift to you and me. Shouldn’t I take those opportunities to give him praise, to give him glory? Should I not therefore glorify God in my body? Have I not received mercy this day and every day? If I have received His wonderful mercy In my life then I must consider

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual Service

Is my life a Living Sacrifice. This is not a one time offering of my life. This is a sacrifice that lives, moves, and breathes our Lord daily by name. As a Christian you are a paradox the world doesn’t understand. You are Both priest and a sacrifice. Who’s motivation is to show his praises because he called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, fa peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the gpraises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light[4]

If this is true, and you believe it to be true, What does being a living sacrifice mean to you? How do you live your life as a sacrifice daily?

How can you do start seeing that fire rekindled in your life this week?

· Pray to God to use you for his glory this week.

· Take Moments to thank him in the moment when good things happen

· Take a moment to ask for his help in the difficult moments

· God is a God of the Hills and Valleys, The Ups and the Down, The Good and The difficult.

· Take a few moments each morning to meditate on the idea that to God, You are a priest of God, a Living sacrifice, a royal heir, a vessel used to spread the good news of Salvation and Grace of God which has been given to us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The Cross image, Invitation

[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.