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

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

 

 

 

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

I’m still talking about sacrificing your life unto the perfect will of God.  Think about Joseph, a young seventeen year old, this is how his life unfolded.  Joseph, dreamed two dreams, was hated by his brothers, was the victim of a murder plot, to see what would become of his dreams, delivered by his brother Reuben by a pit, (pause) (deliverance might not come the way you think or want.  Why? Because God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours, he knows the plans that he has for us... He might use the pit to deliver those plans. 

Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelite’s for twenty pieces of silver, by his brother: Judah.  Then Joseph was sold into Egypt unto Potiphar, captain of the guard, an officer of Pharaoh’s (king of Egypt), and In the midst of Joseph’s enslavement, he prospered, found grace from his master, and was blessed by God.  As time went on, Potiphar’s wife, the queen, lust at Joseph with her eyes and desired to fulfill the lust of her flesh, she asked him daily, “Lie with me.” (Have sex with me.)

*Joseph’s reply to her, “You are another man’s wife, my boss.  “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”  Now, Jacob had taught Joseph the word of God, from his toddler years, this was normal for the children Israel to learn about the God that they served, they didn’t have bibles as we do today.

Joseph is focused on the fact that this is sin. He is determined to fulfill the will of God by not to sinning against God.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

It amazes me how we pray, “The Our Father Prayer” Matthew 6:9-15, but don’t really mean it. We pray the words, …Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…(Think about it, if you were Joseph, would you want God’s will to be done, or would you want to be able to brag to the other slaves, “I hit that with the queen.” Or would you run from the temptation as we will see Joseph did or would you embrace the temptation?)

Joseph is presenting his body as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto the perfect will of God, which is his reasonable service.  He does not see everything, but his steps are ordered by the Lord. (This is when we are walking by faith and not by sight.)  Nothing looks good to Joseph, he’s a slave, he has no family here, he doesn’t have a wife, he’s in an idol serving country, but he has purposed in his heart he is not going to sin against God with another man’s wife. 

One day, the queen cornered him, grabbed his clothes, saying, “Lie with me” and Joseph fled the youthful lust, leaving his garment behind.  You can’t tell me Joseph, didn’t have a desire, he’s young, he’s a man, but he chose to crucify his flesh and the affections and lust thereof. He is a man of integrity and honor.  He is committed to the will of God.

He left his garment, and then the queen lied on him, saying that Hebrew servant/slave, tried to rape her. (The garment was the lying evidence.)  He was thrown into prison. An injustice was committed against him, but God was still with him, fulfilling his will. (God’s will and plans are not ours.) (It is better to suffer for well doing that for evil.) This is a suffering way.

God showed Joseph favor and mercy and gave him favor with the prison keeper. It came to pass, that the butler and baker offended Pharaoh, king of Egypt and were thrown into prison with Joseph.  One night they both dreamed and Joseph interpreted their dreams and his interpretations came to pass. 

Let me point out, Joseph told them, that God gives interpretations to dreams.  It’s obvious, that God had not told Joseph the interpretation of his own two dreams.  Jacob commented about the meaning of the dream. Joseph had no idea that God’s plans for him were unfolding so he could fulfill the will of God for his life, which were tied to his dreams.  The key here is, Joseph was willing and obedient, and he did eat the good of the land.

Joseph remained in prison, and then Pharaoh dreamed two dreams which no one could interpret.  Suddenly, the chief butler remembered Joseph’s interpretations of his dream and the baker. Pharaoh sent for Joseph and Joseph told Pharaoh that God does the interpreting. (God must always get the glory___) Then Joseph interpreted both of Pharaoh’s dreams as one in the same. 

Joseph: This servant/slave/prisoner of God and of Pharaoh, gave Pharaoh wise counsel on how to prepare for the upcoming famine. Genesis 41:33-41, Pharaoh promotes his servant/prisoner/slave from slavery up to GOVERNOR over all the land of Egypt.

Overtime, Joseph’s ten brothers journey into Egypt to buy corn from the land of Canaan, Jacob, didn’t send young Benjamin, afraid that mischief would befall him as it had with Joseph, so he thought.  Read: Genesis 42:1-9 vs. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams, after his brothers bowed to him.  Then history states, Joseph’s revenge upon his brothers: putting them in prison for three days, keeping Simeon in prison, but he still feared God.  (Sometimes on this Christian journey, you still want to get people back for the injustice that you suffered by their hand.)You are still growing in Christ, as long as you repent, you still have hope in fulfilling the will of God.) Eventually, Joseph stops the revenge; he repents and reveals himself after his brothers bowed the second time: both dreams have now come to pass. 

God filled Joseph with wisdom in the administration of the Egyptian government. The will of God was fulfilled in the life of Joseph, which was to save two nations from famine: Egypt and Israel.

Joseph remembered the dreams and his family did bow down to him.   When we look at Joseph’s history and Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 55:7-9, do you think Joseph’s will was:

·       To be hated by his brothers, to the point they wanted to kill him

·       To be thrown into a pit

·       To be sold into Egypt as a slave, foreign land

·       Separated from his father and his brothers/ his entire family at age seventeen

·       Enslaved in Potiphar’s house

·       Lied on by the queen and thrown into prison

·       Forgotten by the chief butler (How many people forget you when you need them?)

Do you think any of this was Joseph’s will?  No, Joseph, like us would never will such a hard suffering way.  If Joseph knew the interpretation of his dreams: You will be governor of Egypt.  He probably would have desired to take a journey to Egypt around age 21, get to know the land, the culture, learn to fit in, get a good Egyptian education, get a good job in government and work his way up through the ranks like we do in America.  But, those were not God’s plans.

When Jacob died, his brothers feared further retaliation by Joseph.  But, Joseph had been transformed by the renewing of his mind, he had proved what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God for his life. He now discerned, he understood, what it was all about, and he comforted his brothers saying, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:19-20. (It amazes me, his brothers never asked for forgiveness, until after their father died.)

Joseph at some point surrendered himself to the will of God.  That’s where the love for God and the sacrifice of his life comes in.  He could have sinned like king Saul did. But, Joseph loved God from his childhood, and he kept the commandments of God while living in an idol serving country.

Young people, what are you going to do when you go off to college?  Will you hold fast and true to what you have been taught in the Word of God, or will you serve the prince of this world getting caught up in your own will, your own ways, the value systems of the world, and the conduct of the world: which is its life style?

 

• Next week we’ll study: Jesus our sacrificial lamb: who knew the will of God for his life?
• Read one of the gospels (Matthew, (Mark), Luke, or John before next Tuesday.  Pay attention to his birth, life, death and resurrection.)
• Read Acts chapters 1 and 2.

Announcement:

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 www.puregoldevangelisticministries.com website on the contact page.

 

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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.

Announcement:

Please remember, if you do not receive an email about the Bible Study Blog, the new blog post is posted on each Tuesday during the Study.

 

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Contact Evangelist Waters:
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Introduction - Sacrifice your life unto the Perfect Will of God

 

Introduction

Today I want to talk to you about the plans that God has for your life and how to fulfill His plans through sacrificing your life unto the perfect will of God.

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)

As Christians sometimes we have the misconception, that once we become a Christian our life will be a bed full of roses.  In a sense, it is a bed full of roses, but roses have thorns.  Thorns prick, they hurt, and they draw blood.  The roses are beautiful and they have a nice aroma. To get to the roses we must go through the thorns.  Life is exactly like that.  It can be beautiful and filled with thorns: trials, tribulations, pains, and sorrows we experience in life. Life is both challenging and rewarding. 

But the beauty of a Christian’s life is the triumphed victory we are given by Jesus Christ our High Priest, who was made perfect by the things which he suffered. He is touched by the feeling of our infirmities and was tempted in all points, yet without sin. Therefore, our hope is in him, our perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 5:8-10 (KJV)

⁸ Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; ⁹ And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; ¹⁰ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Hebrews 3:1

 

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Hebrews 4:14

 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

 

Let’s look at our Topic of Scripture in detail:
Romans 12:1-2

I 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.

And 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.

Romans 12:1

That ye present: is the concrete act of presentation; present is an action word (verb).

Bodies: refers to the whole person: body, mind, and soul which belong to God and Spiritual worship is the offering of your whole life/body to God, as a sacrifice.

God’s will is his purpose/plan for the life of the believer.  He provides direction and guidance in every area of your life to accomplish His purpose.  Sacrifice is the act of surrender or submission to His will for our lives whereby we become a “living sacrifice”.  To be holy is to be clean and pure according to God’s standards: mind, body and soul/spirit (I Peter 1:15-16: be ye holy).

Your bodies a living sacrifice, holy:

Previously your bodies were instruments of sin according to (Ro. 6).  Now your bodies are to be presented to God so his righteousness can be manifested in you and through you. We are to yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness unto God, Ro. 6:13.  Bodies: refers to the whole person: body, mind, and soul which belong to God and Our Spiritual act of worship is the offering of our whole life to God, as a sacrifice.

Because you have been bought with a price, you are to glorify God in your body, (in your mind), and in your spirit, which belong to God. You are not your own. You are a slave to Christ: I Corinthians 6:19-20.

A living sacrifice:

God was specific in how the presentation of the sacrifice was made under the Levitical Priesthood; the offering of the sacrifice became holy in the presentation requirements (Exodus).  God is specific with us also, today.  In the New Testament the Christian life entails total commitment and irrevocable presentation to God, that is our sacrifice.

Acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service:  Our sacrifice has to be Holy and acceptable.  When we follow God’s instructions about sacrifice, then are we acceptable. (Refer to Cain and Abel Genesis 4:3-7; king Saul sacrifices was not acceptable to the Lord. I Samuel 15:1-35)

“Be not” conformed to this world:  STOP: Don’t be like the world:   Read: 1 John 2:15- 17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.-For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away , and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  

Be not conformed:  you are to resist your own thinking, your own will, your own ways, the value systems of the world, and the conduct of the world: which is the world’s lifestyle.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil (the prince of this world), and he will flee from you. James 4:7; Jesus said, “³⁰ Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.  ³¹ But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do…”John 14:30-31.  Jesus obeyed the commandments of God and we are to do the same.  In order for us to not conform to the world we must obey God’s first commandment:  Mark 12:29-31: This is a vital key to our Christian life.  Remember God is a jealous God.

But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind:  Our lives are changed as our minds are made new by the work of the Holy Spirit: putting on the mind of Christ, that’s the transformation, so that we can discern God’s will for our life. (You must receive the H.G. for the transformation to take place, being born of the water and the spirit, being endued with power from on high: power to live right; you must be born of the spirit to worship God in Spirit and in truth.)  




Still laying a foundation on presenting your body as a living sacrifice unto the perfect will of God:

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)

We all go through trials, we all will be tested. We will all go through heartaches, disappointments, pains, troubles, challenges in life, things we don’t understand, temptations, and periods of silence from God.  It is in this time of testing that we fulfill the will of God for our lives or not.  This is also where we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.

This is also where we are faced with the temptation to conform to this world or to persevere in overcoming this world and to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God for our life.

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

• Joseph sold into Egypt: not knowing the will of God for his life; before Christ
• Jesus our sacrificial lamb: who knew the will of God for his life; Christ our Messiah and Savior
• Solomon Northup 18^th Century example of Romans 12:1-2: who committed himself to the will of God for his life; After Christ (a perfect example for you and I to submit ourselves unto the perfect Will of God)

As a teacher of the word, I’ll breakdown part of passages to give you a foundation on which to build upon:

Assignment: Romans Chapters 1 – 12:1-2, God’s mercies are accomplished in the life of the believer. ( Read Romans this week in its entirety, if you'd like)

Next week we’ll look at the history of Joseph, his trials, and how he presented his body(life) as a living sacrifice unto the perfect will of God through God’s plans for his life, fulfilling Jeremiah 29:11. 

Memorize:
Vital keys to our Christian life:   Mark 12:29-31 and Romans 12:1-2

                                                          
Next week we’ll look at the History of Joseph how his life was a sacrifice unto the perfect Will of God.

Announcement:

Please remember, if you do not receive an email about the Bible Study Blog, the new blog post is posted on each Tuesday during the Study.

Churches, Bible Study groups, etc., that would like Evangelist Waters to speak at your church, bible study, conference, women’s ministry, special program, etc.  Please contact Minister Waters through www.puregoldevangelisticministries.com website or click here for the
“Speaking Engagements Page”.

 

Contact Evangelist Waters:
www.PureGoldEvangelisticMinistries.com

Follow my Bible Study Blog: 
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