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Transcript

A Life of Sacrifice · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: on the third day of our series, and pursuing simple Christianity.
• 0:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're looking at what it means to live a life of sacrifice to God.
• 0:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: May we discover what it means for our hearts, minds, and will to be fully surrendered to Jesus.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And in return, may we find the abundant joy he has promised.
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is trustworthy and true, and we will find that the life God has planned for us when we surrender all to Him.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Luke 9 verse 23, Scripture says, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Living for our own gain, add stress, pressure, and chaos to life.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Successfully robbing us of all the transcendent peace available through sacrificial living.
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: We were never created to be our own provider or sustainer.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: We were never meant to develop our own source of joy and purpose.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: The only place we will find lasting peace is in complete surrender to God's intention for us, a life of total sacrifice.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus was our perfect model.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: He did everything according to the perfect and pleasing will of the Father.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus said in Luke 9, verses 23 through 25, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: For whoever would save his life will lose it.
• 2:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
• 2:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus makes it clear that sacrifice is the gateway to finding the life God intends for us.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's the pathway that leads to the perfect will of our Heavenly Father.
• 3:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're like me, living sacrificially initially sounds terrible and unattainable.
• 3:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: It feels impossible based on past experiences and present selfish desires.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: But we need to take time to know the God to whom we are sacrificing our lives.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: We need to renew our mind to the perfect love of Jesus, who would lay down His own life for us before ever asking us to follow in His footsteps.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: The life God intends for you is better than anything you could discover on your own.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: If He's asking you to live sacrificially, it must be holy and perfectly for your benefit.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: We are not sacrificing our own wills, plans and dreams to a God who has less satisfying plans for our lives.
• 4:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: We are not surrendering a happier, better life for something less, boring or meaningless.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus said, in John 1010, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
• 4:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: God has plans greater than we could ever ask or imagine in store for us.
• 4:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: If we will lay down our dreams to make space for his, he has inexpressible joy for us.
• 4:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: If we will exchange what has made us temporarily happy, for his dreams and visions that are full of purpose, meaning, and adventure.
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus willingly laid down his life and received everything he had dreamed of, restored relationship with you.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: What's waiting for you on the other side of sacrifice today?
• 5:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Find out, as you engage in the act of surrender during guided prayer.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on Jesus command for you to live your life sacrificially, reflect on God's desire to lead you to abundant life through surrender and sacrifice.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video, and I'll see you in the next video.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: What do you need to surrender to the Father?
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: What dream, idea, person, or possession, is robbing you of the abundant life God intends for you.
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need to live sacrificially to experience more of Jesus?
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Surrender, whatever stands in the way of you and the abundant life God has for you.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: 1 John 2 verse 15 says, Do not love the world or the things in the world.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And last, choose to live sacrificially today.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Holy Spirit to make the will of the Father known to you as He did for Jesus and commit to following whatever He is asking you to do.
• 8:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Philippians 2 verses 5 through 8 says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross.
• 9:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taking up your cross isn't a weight designed to burden and constrain you, but an opportunity to live in the presence, peace, and purpose of God.
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: There is freedom and store for you through sacrifice.
• 10:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: There is purpose and joy in laying down your life for God and others.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you will receive the perspective and courage to pursue God's will for your life, you will discover more peace, consistency, passion, and direction than you ever thought possible.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with First 15.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I hope and pray that you will find greater peace and rest in the simplicity God has for you.
• 11:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you lift your eyes off of yourself and put them onto him and others.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Everything really does fall into alignment when we place God at the center of our lives and reorient our perspective around his power and love.
• 11:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see him.