A Living Sacrifice

This past few days were really tough battle for me spiritually. The battle between sin and righteousness. It made me realise how cheap my desires are and though I have been saved by grace through the death of Christ, sin is still lingering in my mortal body. In Pastor John Piper's book "Dangerous Duty of Delight" he said that it's not that the standard of God's holy living is too hard to accomplish or delighting in God is not so delighting. We fail to find our delight in God because console our hearts longing through what the world can offer; scenic vacations, accomplishments of creativity, stunning cinematic production, sexual exploits, sports, luxuries, drugs, etc. But even after experiencing all these...the longing remains. 

Jerry Bridges said in his book The Discipline of Grace, "Our sin is a burden that afflicts us rather than a pleasure that delights us." I couldn't agree more! The "separation" from God that you feel after falling in to sin and the Holy Spirit grieving inside you! Then you will ask yourself, "How can I, who has died to sin still live in it." What a pitiful condition we are in! But we are not hopeless, Christians. We can still pursue holiness through the grace of God. Sin no longer has dominion over us. Sin has been defeated through the death of Christ and His resurrection. 

We Christians were commanded to make our body as a living sacrifice. We can all start by renewing our mind. Body in Romans 12:1 includes our mind. In verse 2 it says "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." A transformed mind is the key to transformed behavior. (From GTY Bible Study of Pastor John McArthur)

So it was tough, really tough. But again, I have experienced the unfailing grace of God. It made me realise how selfish I am. In my 16 months of stay here in Korea, what did I ask  that he didn't grant? I got my visa, nakadalaw ako sa pinas, Tatay is doing well now, I settled all my financial responsibilities and now, I got the job that I want. The Lord is just but good to me and still, I choose the cheap delights of this world that I am in. May the Lord continue to be gracious to me and always remind me that I am already dead to sin and alive in Christ...