Page 42 - First Steps 2023

“They disciplined us for a
little while as they thought Breathing
best; but God disciplines You can overcome a moment of
us for our good, in order temptation by taking your mind off the

that we may share in temptation and focusing on Jesus.
Try this: Close your eyes and try to
his holiness” (Hebrews forget that you’re breathing. You won’t be
12:10). able to do it. The more you try to forget,
the more you’ll remember.
• Choose to present In the same way, you can’t force
yourself as a living and holy temptation out of your mind. Instead,
take your mind off the temptation and
sacrifice. place it on Jesus.

Jesus’ first followers That may have been what Paul had
understood what it meant to in mind when he wrote “Clothe yourselves
be a sacrifice in the Temple. with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not
think about how to gratify the desires of
It meant you were a spotless the flesh” (Romans 13:14).
lamb or dove, that there wasn’t
a blemish on you.
And it meant that your life was given as a way of worshipping God.
Paul uses that same imagery when he writes to disciples living in
Rome and tells them this…

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God —
this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).

Those Roman believers were to be sacrifices, too, but not so they
could end up on the altar. Instead, they were to live their lives as all-in fol-

lowers of Jesus, completely given over to God.
That’s what it is to be a disciple. It’s saying, “Yes, God,” no matter
what.
It’s inviting God to do what he wants with you.
It’s submitting to his direction, his will.
And it’s something you and your discipler will do together now.

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