It is our honor and joy to present ourselves as living offerings (offering) given to God as we live among His people in the Church and the world which will mistreat us.

The life set apart for the pleasure of God will be marked with intentional and earnest following of Christ’s example left for us.

More than just the Healer, Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He resurrects and gives unending life those who believe in Him.

Continuing in Romans 12, as the Spirit renews our minds, we must begin to think rightly about ourselves. We must see ourselves as God sees us. And God sees us as his children that he has given gifts to, gifts that are to be used by us for the benefit of the church and the glory of God.

In Romans 12 the conversation shifts from what God has done, to what we are to do in response. Paul tells us that we are to make our bodies living sacrifices to God, not out of fear of condemnation, but rather out of gratitude and worship because of his great mercy and love. He also warns against conforming to the patterns of the world by reminding us that, by the Spirit, we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds.

God is beyond us but draws close in chapters 9-11 to show us that He is completely faithful to his promises, how he is in complete control and that his saving work of all types of mankind is the same. He is pulling us out of and forgiving us of our human rebellion against Him only through his grace and mercy provided through Jesus.

God has brought salvation to the Gentiles through the Jewish season of unbelief. Whenever God makes a corporate people, each person within it must come to saving faith himself/ herself and perseveres until the end. This is how God preserves His Children.

God’s relationship with all of humanity always has been and will be through His continued extension of a promise message which is then accepted by faith in those who are willing. It was never earned and the promise message was never absent. Ever since the resurrection of Jesus, his life, death and resurrection are the central and fulfilling piece of that promise message that all must hear and believe in order to be saved.

Jesus will end up being your delight and savior, or else he will get in your way, becoming a stumbling stone or your life plans and a rock of offense to your self righteousness.