I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 (KJV)

It is not unreasonable for God to expect Christians to improve their lifestyles. God’s mercy is available to help His children change the way they live so that it is one that is “holy”. What is Holy? According to Webster’s online dictionary:

1. Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.

To be holy is to be pure in heart, loving, which is revealed in how you present yourself to others.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Therefore, if you are holy, you will not behave like the world, sound like the world, or even dress like the world. To be holy, by the “mercies of God”, you will present yourself a living sacrifice. To be a living sacrifice does not mean you will kill yourself, NO! It means you will not behave like unbelievers behave but how God wants you to be, as His Word teaches.

Romans 12:3 (KJV)
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It is God’s grace that helps you live according to His will not your will. Far to many women identify as “queens”, they adorn themselves, pamper themselves, treat themselves to the desires of their heart. These women look for men who will pamper them, treat them to things, and give them the desires of their heart because “I deserve it” they believe. Romans 12:3 instructs all of us to be humble: “every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”.

Let me add a two thoughts with subsequent Scriptures before I move on:

1) A woman does not look for a husband but a man looks for a wife, what women find are sexual partners and men who will marry you but are not really the one God wants for you:

Genesis 2:22 (KJV)
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Proverbs 18:22 (KJV)
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

2) You don’t need to give yourself your desires, God will give you the desires of your heart, according to His will, if you let him;
Psalm 37:4 (KJV)
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:3 declares God hath dealt to every man the “measure of faith”, yet many women are struggling despite their praying and giving tithes and offerings, perhaps even fasting. Let’s go back to Romans 12:2, this is the key: “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” many of us are still thinking like the world. Until we learn to not think of ourselves as “queens”, but daughters of God and present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice (12:1), change will not come.
Change is not easy when you want to fit in. Change is not easy when you want to be noticed and receive “validation”. You can receive earthly rewards and be temporarily satisfied or you can receive heavenly blessings which comes with peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Written by Marsha L Floyd
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