I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. – Psalms 130:5
I’m reading the “Book of First Peter,” this morning. I love my Bible app. I’ve read through the Bible several times; but, with this app, they select a “Verse of the Day” for you, and then, I’m given the opportunity to read the full-chapter, or go on to read the whole book.
I’ve also recently subscribed to CBN’s “Daily Devotional,” and in reading this morning’s devotion, the message (for me) was one and the same . . .
“Brick, mortar, wood, and sheetrock can all be destroyed, but YOU, as God’s spiritual temple, are more valuable than all the buildings in the world devised by man. The world has many monuments still standing today, erected to honor God, but none of them honor Him more than the heart He has chosen to be His home.”
1 Peter 2:4-5 says, “Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.”
A Spiritual House
We are called to be His saints, a spiritual house, a living sacrament, to live with Him as one, and one with a body of believers, who are also called to serve in His Kingdom. Romans 1:5-6 teaches us that through Him, we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.
After an abrupt onset of “Kidney Disease,” almost fifteen years ago, I made a decision to change my body’s intake. For obvious reasons, I stopped the occasional glass of wine, I stopped dying my hair, and even quit getting my nails done, professionally. My goal was to completely detox my body. At the time, the doctors had no idea what was ailing me. After having had surgery, removing what they thought was the problem, my hydronephrosis continued, leaving me having to change even more.
I had to get healthy, going to the Lord for His advice, as to what needed to be done differently. And among other things, I made a decision to quit eating certain foods; I don’t drink sodas, and I completely cut out caffeine. I looked for ways to improving my health, and that included not only my physical health (my physical body), but my spiritual body, also.
Living Sacrifice: His Perfect Plan
I have learned that what we “consume” in our minds, is just as important as what we consume in our bodies. We need to be more cautious about what we eat and drink; but, we also need to be more cautious about what we see, and what we hear. We need to be especially careful of the people we choose to surround ourselves with, many of whom do influence our thinking. Where there’s abuse or constant dissension, it, too, can cause a multitude of heartache, and that can manifest itself in our bodies.
Who we choose to marry is utterly important. Our children will suffer, if we go on to choose the wrong partner. We cannot only honor the Father in how we choose to live, but it also applies to “who” we choose to live with. Being equally yoked is crucial. Following His “safety guidelines” will keep us on the straight and narrow, if we make up our minds to truly listen to Him.
I have learned that no matter what the world says I must do, God has a perfect plan for me. The Bible is clear on how we should eat and live; it’s following His guidance that will ultimately manifest this holy sacrifice for each of us to live out. How we present our bodies to Him, and to one another, is indeed our responsibility.
May we all be encouraged to live together in this world, by living out this mutual faith, each and every day. We are this living sacrifice, when we sacrifice our lives for Him.🙌