Is My Sacrifice Living?

Genesis 22:9 (Amplified Bible)
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there; then he laid the wood in order and [a]bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on the wood.(A)
(Footnotes)
a.Genesis 22:9 Isaac, who was perhaps twenty-five years old (according to the ancient historian Josephus), shared his father's confidence in God's promise. Was not his very existence the result of God keeping His word? (Gen. 17:15-17

Many times as humans we tend to think that all God wants from us is to give up things and become dead to things. It is not that God demands us to just give up things, just for the sake of giving them up, but it is for such a greater purpose! He wants us to be able to identify with His death, so that in doing so we can give up part of ourselves in order to live life to the fullest for His glory and to have that much greater of an impact for His Kingdom!! There is no value to God if we just identify with the death itself, He wants "living" sacrifices, all of us, every part of us in order to be "saved and sanctified through Jesus."( Romans 12:1 (Amplified Bible)I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.)Having this kind of life is what is acceptable and pleasing to God.

(My Utmost for His Highest- Oswald Chambers)


I think that alot of times this kind of thinking is why unbelievers don't want anything to do with Christianity. They tend to think they have to give up too much of themselves or their lives. Believers also let this kind of thinking hold them back at times, but we need to get past this kind of thinking. We need to stop focusing on what we have to give up, and focus on the things that truly matter, which is a life full of life for God, working towards a closer relationship with Him and doing all we can for His Kingdom!!! Life with Jesus is exciting, it doesn't bring us "down", it lifts us up and allows us to do things with God that we may never have imagined!!!
(Kandi Pierre)