Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
God has a calling for each one of us based on the unique gifts He has given us. Unfortunately, many Christians are unwilling to step into their callings, preferring to run their lives rather than allowing God to tell them what to do. What about you?
If we truly appreciate why the precious blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us, we will have the right attitude towards living out God’s calling. We will be convinced that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody can bring us back to the Heavenly Father except through Jesus and His shed blood for us. We are made to have a right standing with God because we are hidden in Christ and purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. This righteousness before God is a gift from God, which nobody can earn, as it is given to us through the abundance of God’s grace. This is why we should respond to God’s calling and willingly live it out, just as the Apostle Paul did. He understood this redemption truth and chose to live out God’s calling.
The difference between being a living sacrifice and a dead body is the ability and the willingness to stay on the altar of grace. It is a personal choice as an act of worship to God. So what does it look like to be living sacrifices? We would want to transform our minds so that we can refuse to conform to the world. We will diligently seek out God’s calling in our lives and aspire to end well at the judgement seat of Christ where we hear the words, “Well done! My good and faithful servant!” We will look forward to receiving our heavenly rewards, which neither moth nor rust can destroy, and prove to be good stewards of everything that He has entrusted to us.
When we read the Bible, meditate, and listen to the teaching and preaching of the Word, it continually renews our minds. By embracing the correct Christian values and principles, we will also experience a significant shift in our outlook on life. We will be guided by the principle of putting God first, family second, and career third. Our primary purpose in excelling in the corporate world will not be to seek validation and affirmation from others, but to glorify God. There should be no friction between what God wants and what we desire for our careers. We will be happy, rested, and settled in our hearts, with nothing to prove to anyone, but doing precisely what He wants us to in this particular period of our lives. Such is the blessedness that comes with walking in the calling of God.
Sermon Series： You Have A Calling!
行走在神呼召中的福分
罗马书12:1-2 所以弟兄们，我以神的慈悲劝你们，将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是神所喜悦的。你们如此事奉，乃是理所当然的。不要效法这个世界。只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良，纯全可喜悦的旨意。
神照着祂赐给我们每个人的独特恩赐，对我们各有呼召。遗憾的是，许多基督徒不愿踏入神的呼召，宁愿凭己意经营人生，也不愿让神指引他们的道路。你呢？
如果我们真正领悟耶稣基督宝血救赎我们的意义，就会以正确的态度去活出神的呼召。我们会确信，耶稣是道路、真理和生命，若不藉着祂并祂为我们所流的血，没有人能回到天父面前。我们因藏在基督里，并藉着耶稣基督的宝血被赎买，得以与神建立正确的关系。这份在神面前的义是祂所赐的礼物，无人能靠行为赚取，完全是出于神丰盛的恩典。正因如此，我们应当回应神的呼召，甘心乐意活出祂的心意，正如使徒保罗所做的——他明白这救赎的真理，并选择活出神的呼召。
活祭与死尸的区别，在于能否甘心乐意停留在恩典的祭坛上。这是个人的选择，是对上帝的敬拜。那么，活出活祭的生命是怎样的呢？我们会更新心意，拒绝效法这个世界；我们会殷勤寻求神在我们生命中的呼召，并渴望在基督的审判台前得蒙称许：“好！你这又良善又忠心的仆人！”我们也盼望领受那永不朽坏的天上奖赏，并忠心地管理祂所托付给我们的一切。
当我们读经、默想、聆听神的话语时，我们的心意就不断被更新。持守正确的基督教价值观和原则，我们的人生观也会发生深刻的转变。我们会遵循“神第一、家庭第二、事业第三”的优先次序。我们在职场追求卓越的首要目的，不再是为了寻求人的认可，而是为了荣耀神。神的旨意与我们的事业追求之间不应有冲突。我们的心会充满喜乐、安息与笃定，无需向任何人证明什么，只求在人生的每个阶段，准确地行在祂的心意中。这便是行走在神呼召中的蒙福人生。
讲章系列： 你有蒙召的命定！
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