Romans 12:1-16:27

If you do not have this fascination, it could be that you are but another Esau. What a tragedy to be born of the red clay and live and die and be buried in the red clay. Shakespeare said of Caesar, "That though he be the emperor yet give nature time and nature will reduce him to a bit of clay that might be used to keep the wind away." The great Persian poet Omar Khayyam said, "When you drink out of that vessel, drink reverently; it may be your grandfaither's dust out of which it is made."...

For Reading and Meditation:     Romans 12:1-8

The second thing the psalmist learned about himself as he paused in self-examination was this: "I saw myself so stupid and so ignorant" (Psalm 73:22, TLB). There were things he knew which he had foolishly chosen to forget. He forgot that God was in control. He forgot the...

WHEN a beast was set apart for sacrifice, it was considered sacred, and was carefully preserved from all injury. The Christian is devoted, he is intended for the altar, his body as well as his soul, and he is required to present it to God holy, acceptable, as a reasonable service. It is not to be defiled by fornication, by intoxication, by gluttony, by filth, by pride; he is to look upon it as the Lord's, bought with the blood of Jesus; consecrated as the temple of the Holy Ghost, set apart...

The mercy of God is His pity, lovingkindness and compassion on those who are guilty, failing, distressed or needy. The Scriptures emphasize that God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and plenteous in mercy (Psalms 86:5). His mercy is abundant (1 Peter 1:3); it is great unto the heavens (Psalms 57:10). "For as the...

You are exempt from the necessity of bringing lambs and heifers to the altar; but the aim of the gospel is to lead you to do what the law could not induce men to do, consecrate your own body to the Lord, bringing it daily to the altar, and devoting it to the execution as well as the enduring of his will. You are ever ready to yield it unto death as Abraham was his son; but the angel of the Lord ever interposes and says, God has some work for this body to do; see to the doing of that and come...

Ezra 6:14-22

There was much delay in the building of the temple. There was bitter opposition from the inhabitants of Samaria. "The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them." They wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, to protest against the building, maligning the Jews and alleging that Jerusalem had been a rebellious and wicked city. The work of rebuilding was thus...

You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. § Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree.He made us accepted in the Beloved.As living stones … built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. I beseech you therefore,...

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. §  On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper.God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.I beseech you … , brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to...

As you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. § I beseech you … , brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have...