THE SURRENDERED CONSECRATED LIFE

YOUTH PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSTOPIC: THE SURRENDERED CONSECRATED LIFE
TEXT: MATTHEW 16:24-27, ROMANS 12:1-3;  1 JOHN 1:6-7.

There are a lot of confusion in the heavenly race today. So many people who claimed to be saved from sin and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ seem not to be different from the unsaved. Nothing distinguishes them from each other. They act like the world, speak like the world and dresses like the world. There is no change of life in them as the bible says " if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things are become new" 2 Corinthians 5:17. The light of God is supposed to be seen in them but it is not there MATTHEW 5:13-14  rather, they walk in darkness and compromise in their Christian faith 1 JOHN 1:6-7
 FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MESSAGE, WE SHALL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING SUB -TITLES.

 POINT 1: JESUS: A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A SURRENDERED AND CONSECRATED LIFE

  Our Lord Jesus Christ is a perfect example of a surrendered and a consecrated life. When Christ was on earth, He had no other business that to do the work of His Father LUKE 2:49; JOHN 4:34. He went everywhere preaching the gospel MATTHEW 4:23. He was not after the things of this world neither did He allow the worldly entanglement to distract Him from following His father. He never joins sinners in their wicked ways rather, He warned them to turn away from their wicked ways. He maintained holiness and righteousness even while He was being tempted with sin. He stood His ground and promoted righteousness 1 PETER 2:21-24 and anywhere he goes, people sees light in Him JOHN 8:12; 9:5. He never allow His will to be done but that of the Father even when it is inconvenient " not my will be done but thy will be done " MATTHEW 5:42, ROMANS 2:5-10, this made Him die a shameful death because He wanted to please His Father by living a surrendered and consecrated life. He left us a legacy to follow, which is " looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" HEBREW 12:2. He left a footprint that we should follow by living a surrendered and consecrated life.

OUR EXPECTED RESPONSE

  Having seen how our Lord Jesus lived a surrendered and a consecrated life, we, who claimed to have received Him in our lives, should make sure we follow His ways of life and His lifestyle in us PHILIPPIANS 2: 5. We have to make sure that we surrender everything we have at the altar of consecration. Be it in our career, studies, marriage, business and life programme. We have to separate from the world and its worldly amusement 2 CORINTHIANS 1: 14-18, live as a light by portraying it through our lifestyles, to those around us in our schools, to our peers and course mate for them to see the light of God in us MARK 5: 13:16, JOHN 8:12.
 We must be up and doing in the work of soul winning by preaching the gospel in our street, school and work place, leading people and our friends to Christ. Finally, we must live a life full of godliness unto the Lord.

G - Good work TITUS 3:8-14
O - Obedient in Walk LUKE 1:6
D - Delightful word TITUS 2:8
L - Lovely wisdom JAMES 3: 17
I - Insincerity withstood GALATIANS 2:11-14
N - Neat wardrobe ECCLESIASTIC 9:8
E - Excellent way 1 CORINTHIANS 12:31
S - Sacred wallet GENESIS 14:23
S - Surrendered will MATTHEW 26:24