The Word for today is found in 1Peter 2:5

5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (KJV)

5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (NIV)

The two parts of this scripture that resonate with me are “spiritual house” and “spiritual sacrifices”.

When Jesus went into the temple and found it turned into a house of thieves he went ballistic and tore the place apart. If–and he was–that angry with what they were doing to the house of worship, then what does he think when he sees how we treat his house today?

I am the temple of the Lord and the Holy Spirit lives in me and it is important that I treat God’s temple as he would have me. If I abuse it then he will take note.

For example, when you have sex outside of marriage, or steal, or lie, or abuse your body, then you are doing it to the Holy Temple of God.

Would you do that in church? No, certainly not! Then why would you do it to your own temple?

We make such a big deal about the natural church we attend– how big, grand, etc. it is–yet take no note that we are the church. The church is not a building; it is us the people of God. So, take note how you treat God’s house.

Spiritual sacrifice can be measured on how committed to the Lord you are.

Is he really the Lord of you life, or just something that you tacked on to all the other things you do daily?

Paul said he was a bond servant to Christ. A bond servant is one who was set free and then chose to come back to serve at his free will. He chose to be a servant.

When my housekeeper comes in the morning, the first thing she does is ask what I want done that day. She does whatever I ask, and has a really sweet attitude about what I ask her to do. She does not do it begrudgingly but as one who wants to please. There are times she will go out of her way to do something extra just to please me.

We should be so sold out to Christ that we have such a servant’s heart!

As a minister when I go into the jail I do not take the attitude that the ladies imprisoned are below me or should be beholden to me. I come as a servant to help and serve them in whatever way I can to further their spiritual growth.

Spiritual ministry is not about conviction, but about sacrifice. It is putting the needs of others first, even when it is not convenient to our wants.