Part I: Sacrifice your life unto the Perfect Will of God

Sacrifice your life unto the Perfect Will of God

 

 

Part I

 

Today we will continue to learn about the plans/purpose that God has for your life and how to fulfill His plans/purpose through sacrificing our life unto the perfect will of God. We’ll lay a strong foundation, define some terms, and read through the scriptures.

Bible Study Title:

“Sacrifice your life unto the perfect will of God”

Romans 12:1-2  ¹I 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. ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (KJV)

GAP: good, acceptable, perfect will of God.

 

Define: Sacrifice – zebah in Mishnaic Hebrew’s basic meaning is sacrifice: to offer (thusia).  This is communion with between God and man. For a more detailed study on “sacrifice”, study Exodus and Leviticus.  There are many types of sacrifices in the Holy Scriptures.  Our sacrifice must be acceptable to God.  It has to be pleasing in his sight.  Remember, Isaiah 55:8-9 teaches us God’s ways and thoughts are not like ours.

Two examples of Sacrifice:  Cain and Able in Genesis 4:1-10

¹And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

² And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

³ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

⁵ But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

⁶ And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

⁷ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (When we present a sacrifice it must be acceptable to God, it must please him)

⁸ And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

⁹ And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

¹⁰ And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Example: If you are a person who loves cake, but you are allergic to chocolate. A friend sacrifices his/her time, labor, and ingredients to make you a homemade chocolate cake and presents it to you on your birthday. This sacrifice of time and effort is appreciated, but the cake (sacrifice) is not acceptable to you because you cannot eat it.  The sacrifice must be acceptable to the one you are sacrificing too.  Therefore when we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, we must learn what is and what is not acceptable to God.

Define:

• Present               
• Holy
• Acceptable
• Conform
• World
• Transform
• Renew
• Mind

We commonly quote Jeremiah 29:11 and we don’t understand this scripture.  Let’s look at it in two different versions of the Bible:

Jeremiah 29:11-13(KJV)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)* favorite for many people

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Seek me with all your heart, can only be accomplished by fulfilling the first commandment... “Hear, O Israel: THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.  AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND, AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. There is none other commandment greater than these.  Mark 12:29-31

Matthew 22:40 states On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets

Now going back to Jeremiah 29: 11 let me summarize:  God has plans for your life is nothing like your plans. 

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

To fulfill Romans 12:1-2 in our lives and Jeremiah 29:11 for our lives according to the will of God, we must resolve within our hearts Isaiah 55:8-9. God’s thoughts, plans, and ways are not like ours and through the midst of our trials we are to love God with all that is within us and our neighbor likewise.  It is in our fiery trials that we will either be conformed to the world or be transformed into the image of Christ: we are to be an exact reflection of Jesus Christ.

The bible teaches us, with all thy getting to get an understanding, therefore, I’ll teach comparatively on these two passages of scripture Romans 12:1-2 with three main examples:

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you (test you, prove you), as though some strange thing happened unto you: ( I Peter 4:12)

Fiery Trail Example 1:  Joseph sold into Egypt: not knowing the will of God for his life

 

Joseph’s History:  Genesis 37, 39-50 (14 chapters, 2 chapters per day)

Read Genesis 37, 39-50 this week.

               Tuesday – Genesis 37, 39

               Wednesday- Genesis 40 -41

               Thursday – Genesis 42-43

               Friday – Genesis 44- 45

               Saturday – Genesis 46-47

               Sunday – Genesis 48-49

               Monday – Genesis 50; Romans 12:1-2; Jeremiah 29:11; and Isaiah 55:8-9

Complete your assignment before next Tuesday.  Our next bible study will focus on pivotal points in Joseph’s life, where he demonstrates sacrificing his body (mind, soul, body) unto the perfect will of God, by not conforming to the world.

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