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Romans Chapter Twelve
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.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
As I was reading this chapter today Father spoke to me and asked me to write down the following words and share them with you. He said:
My loved ones. I have so many of you who come to me every day and lift your hands and worship and offer your body to me as a sacrifice. While I am pleased with this act of worship this is not what was meant by the instructions given in this letter that you call the book of Romans.
If you will read it again and again you will see that the way to offer your bodies as a sacrifice is written in this letter. It is not putting your body on the altar because the sacrifice of my son ended all sacrifice necessary for all time. There will never be another sacrifice like his sacrifice. What I want is for you to read and adhere to the instructions I gave you through my apostle Paul in this letter.
First is to humble yourselves and not to think you are above anyone but to serve all in meekness. It is to realize that you are all one body and not one part is more or less important. We are family and we love each other and treasure each other. To put in into context for you consider it this way: Who is more important? Your son or your daughter? Your brother or your sister? Your mom or your dad? You are all family and should see each other as equal. Some may have more or less responsibility but you are all equal for we are one.
Second is to realize that as a body each of you has a part. If you are called to teach then teach with all your heart. If you are called to encourage then cheer others on considering how easy it is to be discouraged. If you have learned to prophesy then do so not as one who earned a special place but as one who stumbled upon a sacred gift. Do not dishonor the gift by being vain and pretending that you earned it. If your calling is to preach then be yourself and speak my word. Don't try to copy another and be like someone else. If you get excited and sometimes get loud don't stop being who you are. If you like to teach quietly then do so and do not think you have to be some power evangelist if that is not who you really are.
My beloved, there is too much competition in the churches. People trying to out-preach each other or trying to bring forth deep subjects to prove their spirituality. Remember if you are in public then preach in a way that children can understand. Those of you who are mature and are seeking the deep things of my kingdom speak them to other mature brothers and sisters who are ready to hear.
Some of you think that just because all you do is serve then you are not as important as others. This is not so. Remember my son told you that if you give a cup of water in his name you will not lose your reward. One dying of thirst would rather have your water than a seven course meal. You think the revelations you have are a small thing like a cup of water but share them anyway. Every seed sown is capable of leading someone into the kingdom. You may win someone over with a small revelation or a simple kindness.
The next point is most important. Love each other for the sake of love. If I loved you so much that I poured out my son's blood for you then shouldn't you love each other the same? Don't love just the ones you think are normal but love the unlovable. Weird people need love also. Just because someone doesn't fit the mold of society doesn't mean they are not important to me. Don't forget people are not their problems. People are my loved ones and all of them have problems, so love them as you do your own.
Do not return evil for evil. Love your enemies and be good to them. I know this is hard sometimes but this is how you offer your bodies as a sacrifice. My son laid down his life for those who hated him. You can surely love those that hate you also.
Don't forget that you not only get a reward for what you do, but you are rewarded for things you don't do. When you allow yourselves to be taken advantage of you are not stealing from yourselves. Each time you have the opportunity to return evil for evil and you refrain from doing so then you are rewarded.
Once again go and read the teachings of my Son in the sixth chapter of Luke. Many cheapen his teachings and try to make them about money. It has nothing to do with money. In this chapter you will see how to love those who hate you. You will learn to judge not so that you will not be judged.
It's when you give love and forgive those who persecute you that you receive love and forgiveness. It is this love and forgiveness that is heaped together, shaken down and pressed together that others will heap unto your bosom. Your bosom is where your heart is and you don't heap money into your bosom. That is where you store love. Whatever it costs you to walk in love and forgiveness will be repaid to you in love and forgiveness.
Keep reading the rest of the chapters in the letter to the Romans. You will see that this is how you clothe yourselves in Christ. When you do the things he does the way he does because of love you become just like him.
So my beloved, remember how much you are loved. Remember how many things you were forgiven of. Walking in love towards all is the sacrifice I desire. Not a dead body on an altar but a living body letting me love others through you giving others the gift of life through a living vessel. Remember what my Son said. "Sacrifice and burnt offering was not what you desired but a body you prepared for me." It was love living inside a body that was needed to fix a broken world.
Will you do this my loved ones? Will you set aside your right to be right and love others when they are wrong? Will you give your bread to the hungry and your coat to the shivering and your love to the unlovable? If you will then you will be as your master. You will become one with us. For we are love. Will you be love too?
This was the end of the words He spoke to me a few moments ago.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
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