"Consecrated"
From "THE MASTER'S VOICE", by Jim Magwood
In the book, "The Normal Christian Life," by Watchman Nee, the question is asked, "...to what are we to be consecrated?" Many of us live lives dedicated to serving the church, supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ, reaching out and evangelizing to those around us, giving of our possessions and even going to far parts of the world to serve. However, the answer to the question above goes deeper than these things because there are times when we may be doing these things on our own, and we may not really be doing what He wants of us.
The answer to the question is that we are not to be consecrated to Christian work, "but to the will of God, to be and to do whatever He requires." This is not to say the things noted above are wrong. Absolutely not. They are all excellent parts of service to our God and His people, and to those He wants to bring to Himself. And if you are serving in any of these capacities, wonderful. But, is what you are doing really God's perfect will for you? Read the words again: "to be and to do whatever He requires." Have you really said to Him, "I will be or do whatever you require."
Will you kneel, while being severely beaten with sticks and whips, while being screamed at to confess your crimes against the government, and simply confess, "I believe in Jesus, and all I learned is to make people better?"
Will you go to a secret church service when it is so cold that frozen meat hangs from the ceiling, knowing your government calls your worship service illegal, and that thousands of your friends and fellow believers have gone to jail, and even been killed, for doing the same?
Will you teach your children in your home about the love of Jesus Christ, knowing that they may be taken from you by police and social workers because they think you are harming them with radical nonsense and keeping them from properly relating with their society?
Will you give up your job because they tell you it is "illegal" to bring your Bible to work and read it while in the workplace? Or to share your faith with a fellow worker?
Would you dare to stand up in a church service where a vote is about to be taken on a measure that is absolutely against the Word of God and say, "You are wrong. God's Word says..."?
These things are all happening TODAY around the world, from China to Saudi Arabia to Indonesia to the United States. And, wherever you live, YOU may be called upon to prove your consecration and dedication. To what are you consecrated? To a job or a service? To a ministry or a government? Or are you consecrated "to the will of God, to be and to do whatever He requires?"
Everything you have can be taken from you overnight. Your income, your loved ones, your ministry, even your life.
To what (or whom) have you consecrated yourself?
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"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."
Romans 12:1,2
May Jesus be so real in your life that those around you say, "Ah, now I know what Jesus is like."
Shalom
Jim
