The Ranch: Number 11: A Living Sacrifice

hat are some things that you feel passionate about? Some things that you like to do that bring joy to you--and joy to those around you? Chances are, you may have been gifted by God to do those very things. And when you do them, you bring joy to Him as well.

Number 11: A Living Sacrifice

By Eric Elder

Today we’re talking about using your gifts and talents for God’s purposes. In light of that, I’ve made a special note at the end of today’s message featuring a beautiful instrumental CD we’d be glad to send you for a donation of any size to our ministry this month. It’s called, “Still Waters,” and features the musical talents of Jennifer Ramsey, a gifted pianist who has served on several worship teams over the years. On this CD, she’s recorded some of her favorite songs that she’s played during communion for various church services. It’s a perfect CD for your own personal quiet time with God, or for use during your own church services. To make a donation and get a CD, just visit this link!
theranch.org/Make-A-Donation.359.0.html

What are some things that you feel passionate about? Some things that you like to do that bring joy to you--and joy to those around you? Chances are, you may have been gifted by God to do those very things. And when you do them, you bring joy to Him as well.

A man named Eric Liddle loved God. He also loved to run. He wanted to spend his life as a missionary, but he also had a chance to run in the Olympic games. Torn between the two, he eventually did both. As he told one of his friends: “When God created me, He made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

God has created and gifted each one of us uniquely. To some He has given the gift of teaching, to others, serving, to still others, the gifts of leading or healing or giving or showing mercy. God wants us to use our gifts to the fullest. In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul talks about how we can do just that:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ... Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:1, 6-8).

The word sacrifice in this context comes from the Greek word “thusia,” which means “to make an offering.” A living sacrifice, then, is someone who “makes an offering” of their life to God. It’s also the basis for our English word “enthusiasm,” which means “infused with the Divine Spirit”--a passionate drive that has been given to us by God.

In the movie, Amazing Grace, you can see this kind of drive in action. The movie tells the true story of William Wilberforce, a British man who “found God” while he was serving as a member of parliament. Wilberforce considered giving up his position in politics to go into pastoral ministry. But he also had a passion to abolish slavery in England, a passion which few people shared at the time, for slavery was firmly entrenched in the economy and culture of the country.

Upon hearing that Wilberforce was facing such a dilemma, his good friend and soon-to-be prime minister of England, William Pitt, arranged a meeting between Wilberforce and some other passionate abolitionists. One of them, a pastor, said, “Mr. Wilberforce, we understand you’re having problems choosing whether to do the work of God or the work of a political activist.” Then another added, wisely, “We humbly suggest that you can do both.”

Rather than leaving politics, Wilberforce spent the next thirty years as a member of parliament, using his God-given gifts of eloquence, wisdom, and faith to help bring about the end of slavery throughout the entire British Empire.

I was recently asked: “If you could be the best in the world at one particular skill, what would it be, and why?” The first thing that came to mind was “preaching,” because I like the idea of being able to personally influence people’s lives here and now. The second thing that came to mind was “writing,” because I know that by writing down my thoughts, I could influence people’s lives for generations to come. By thinking about those things which you feel most passionate about, it can help you identify what gifts God may most want to use within you.

A Jesuit priest named John Powell talks of an old Christian tradition that says, “God sends every person into the world with a special message to deliver, with a special song to sing for others, and a special act of love to bestow. No one else can speak your message, or sing your song, or offer your act of love. These are entrusted only to you.”

When you think about your own gifts, your own passions, your own special skills that you could use to “make an offering” to God, what comes to mind? What do you feel passionate about? How has God gifted or empowered you? How has He infused His Divine Spirit within you a particular way?

If you’re not sure what your spiritual gifts might be, I’ve posted a “gifts analysis” tool on our website that you can print out and fill out. It’s a great way to get you started thinking about the various gifts mentioned in Romans 12 and other places in the New Testament--and how you might use them for God and for others:
streams.theranch.org/gifts-analysis.pdf

I also want to encourage you to read the rest of Romans 12 for yourself, for there are many more practical words of advice contained within it. If you put even one or two of these ideas into use in your own life this week, I think you’ll find out even more what it means to be “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”

Father, thank You for giving us spiritual gifts, gifts that we can use to bless You and bless those around us. We pray that You would help us to understand our gifts even better, so that we can live our lives in a way that we are truly “living sacrifices,” holy and pleasing to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

P.S. I’d like to remind you about the recording we’ve made of our good friend Jennifer Ramsey that we believe will bless you as you listen to the gift of music that God has given to her. Her CD is called, “Still Waters,” and features pure instrumental piano versions of song like Holy, Holy, Holy, It Is Well With My Soul, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, In Christ Alone, How Beautiful, and Jesus, Draw Me Close, among others. I’d be glad to send you a copy for a donation of any size to our ministry this month. Your gifts really do help us to keep bringing you this ministry week after week, and I’d be glad to send you this CD as our way of saying thanks. To make a donation and get a CD, just click the link below.
theranch.org/Make-A-Donation.359.0.html

Today’s Memory Verse: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, ESV).

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