Daily Encouragement | A scripture-based, 60-second, challenge toward fidelity in living-out the call to Christian discipleship!

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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV)

Today’s scripture reminds us our “true and proper worship” consists of self-sacrifice. Not a heroic “all-in once for all” sacrifice, but a common “all-in each day” sacrifice for every right, holy, and good thing.

To “offer our bodies” makes our sacrifice personal. We can put in time without engaging our mind. We can give our thoughts without giving the hands and feet that make lofty thoughts a reality. The presentation of our body is to deliver a complete package: Mind as well as muscle.

God is merciful. Our thanksgiving for His mercy is worship. Make your worship truly, and completely, personal. – Luther

Tagged sacrifice, self-sacrifice, the book of Romans, worship

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“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, KJV 2000)

It isn’t just cartons of milk that bear an expiration date. We, too, have a fixed number of days.

It is foolish to live — especially in the face of daily evidence to the contrary — as if we shall never die. Failing either to number our days — or to act as if our days are numbered — means that we are not truly ready to live, because we are not yet ready to die.

Consider the proverb: “A wise man gives what he cannot keep; to gain what he cannot lose.” Redeem the time. – Luther

Tagged life's brevity, redeeming the time, the book of Psalms, wisdom

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“There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” (Proverbs 16:25, NLT)

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

How many times have we heard (or even spoken) those words?

Maybe we didn’t know any better. Or, maybe we knew the possible consequences of the short-cut we had chosen, but proceeded anyway thinking that no one would notice — or care.

Proverbs tells us that some decisions — even apparent “sure-fire” decisions — lead to death. Death comes to childhood dreams because of adolescent indiscretions. Death overtakes the prospects of a bright career because of poor choices during the young worker’s “salad days.” One dies spiritually when he or she trades a season of prosperity for an eternity of poverty.

There, however, is wisdom on this path: Obedience to God’s word leads to life. – Luther

Tagged death, godly wisdom, obedience, the book of Proverbs, wisdom

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