I am CONSECRATED; I am prepared for

eternity.

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing
things among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

Waiting for the Israelites was a miracle beyond their imagination: the waters of the Jordan
River would stop flowing and would stand up like a wall so they could cross it on dry ground.
But for them to experience this, there was one condition: they must consecrate themselves.

Similarly, waiting for us is a year full of miracles and wonders beyond our imagination:
God’s blessings and provisions, protection and deliverance, comfort and presence, peace and
joy, love and mercy. But there is one condition: we need to be consecrated. We need to be set
apart for God. We need to devote ourselves fully and solely to Him.

So let us begin 2021 by choosing God. Let us throw away any sinful thought, emotion, and
deed that could hinder us from fully embracing Him.

Methods in Consecrating yourself to God:

1. Dedicate your heart to God. To consecrate yourself is to answer God's call to
spiritual consecration. This means making a conscious, willing decision to dedicate
your soul, mind, heart, and body to God.
 This decision must be one of will, intelligence, and affection. Only you can make the
decision to consecrate yourself to God. No one else can push you into it.
2. Reflect on your motives. Since consecration is something that must be done
voluntarily, you need to ask yourself if you are truly dedicated or if you are caving
into outward pressures.
 Only you and God know your heart, so don't worry about whether you appear to have
the right motives.
 You should view your commitment to Christ as a priority, not a secondary option or
passive experience.[3]
 You should also be able to feel gratitude and love in your heart for God. If your heart
is ready to be consecrated to God, it will love God in response to the love God has for
you.
3. Repent. Repentance is one of the first acts you should undertake when you make the
decision to consecrate yourself to God. The act of repenting involves the
acknowledgment of your sins and the need for the salvation offered to you by Christ.
 Repentance is a personal experience, and it's also a fairly straightforward one. Upon
gaining the desire to repent, all you need to do is pray for forgiveness and ask God to
help you fight against temptation in the future.
4. Be baptized. Water baptism is an outward sign of inner consecration. In being
baptized, you are given a new spiritual life and dedicated to a life lived for the service
of Christ.

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  You should also take time to regularly renew your baptismal promises, especially if
you were baptized as an infant before the decision was completely yours to make.
 Renewal of your baptismal promises can happen in several ways. Some
denominations, like Roman Catholicism, have the Sacrament of Confirmation, in
which you confirm your own intention to remain consecrated to God.
 Without a separate sacrament, you can still renew your baptismal promises by reciting
a creed of faith or by regularly praying a personal vow to God about your desire and
intention to remain consecrated.

5. Separate yourself from the evils of the world. The physical body will always be
drawn to the ways of the world, but consecrating yourself means prioritizing the
spiritual life over the physical one.

 There are plenty of things in the physical world that are good. For instance, on a basic
level, food is good because it provides the human body with the nourishment it needs
to survive. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the food you eat, either.
 As a fallen world, though, even good things can be hijacked and used for ill purposes.
Using food as an example, you can ruin your body by eating too much food,
especially if you eat the wrong foods.
 Rejecting the evils of the world does not mean that you have to reject the good things
of the world. It only means that you have to reject the bad side of worldly things. It
also means that you have to accept that worldly things are significantly less important
than spiritual things.
 On a practical level, this means rejecting things the world promotes when your faith
tells you that those things are wicked. It also means following God's will for your life
even when it seems to conflict with something neutral the world holds as a major
priority—financial security, romantic love, etc. These “neutral” things can be good
when used to serve God, but they are not to be prioritized over service to God.

6. Draw closer to God. Rejecting the wicked ways of the world will not be enough to
truly transform you. The human spirit always needs to "drink" from some source. If
you do not drink from a worldly source, you must drink from a divine source.[4]

 Just as the body hungers for the ways of the world, the spirit thirsts of the ways of
God. The more you train yourself to cave into the desire of your spirit, the easier it
will become to continually turn to God.
 There are practical things you can do to draw closer to God. Regular prayer is one of
the most important. Weekly worship at a church and study of the Scriptures are two
other common and highly effective practices. Any activity that allows you to keep
God as the focus of your life and encourages you to approach God can be used as a
tool for that purpose.

7. Stay committed. Consecration is not a single, one-time-only decision. It is a way of

living. When you make the decision to consecrate yourself, you must be prepared to
continue pursuing God for the rest of your life.

 Even though you can only draw near to God after consecrating yourself, your
consecration will never be "complete." You will never achieve perfect righteousness.

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  God does not demand complete perfection, though. You are only asked to make the
commitment and to actively pursue it. You can stumble as you walk the path, but you
must choose to keep walking even when you do.

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He Is Coming Back
Keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when I will come. . . . Watch for my return!
—Mark 13:35, 36 (TLB)

The great Dwight L. Moody used to say, “I never preached a sermon without thinking that possibly
the Lord may come before I preach another.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the distinguished British
clergy-man, said, “I never begin my work in the morning without thinking that perhaps he may
interrupt my work and begin His own. I am not looking for death. I am looking for Him.” That is the
way a Christian should live his life—in the constant anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ! If we
could live every day as though it may be the very last one before the final judgment, what a
difference it would make here on earth! But we don’t like to think that way. We don’t like to think
that our carefully made plans, our long range schemes may be interrupted by the trumpet of God.
Too many people would rather say, “Oh, well, the end of the world hasn’t come yet, so why think
about it – it’s probably a thousand years away.”

With so much chaos and confusion in the world today, many wonder if we are living in the
End Times. Maybe you’ve heard predictions of when the world will end. Or perhaps you’re
too afraid to even think about it. It’s true that the world is straying from God, and the Bible
points to several warnings we can see all around us. But, in John 16:33, Jesus Christ says, “In
the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

By understanding what God says about the end of the world as we know it, there can be
peace in our hearts. These 5 answers from Billy Graham explain more about the End Times
and why we are to be watchful and prayerful rather than anxious and fearful:

Q: How bad is the world going to get before God finally steps in and Jesus comes back?

A: The Bible warns us against making precise predictions about the exact time of Jesus’
return—but His return is certain, and we may well be living in the last days before He comes
again. The Bible says, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here” (Romans 13:12).

Shortly before returning to Heaven Jesus told His disciples that someday He would come
back to establish His Kingdom. But before that could take place, He said, certain things
would have to happen—and we see many of these today. For example, He said that before
His return the Gospel must be preached throughout the world (see Mark 13:10). Never before
has this been possible—but now it is, through radio and the Internet and other modern means
of communication.

You also have placed your finger on another sign Jesus gave: Satan’s final attempt to halt
God’s work through a massive onslaught of evil. Our world is no stranger to evil; Satan has
always been working to stop God’s plans. But God’s enemies now have access to modern
weapons of mass destruction, and no one can predict what the outcome will be. Jesus said,
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. … Nation will rise against nation” (Matthew
24:6-7).

The real question, however, is this: Are you ready for Christ’s return? You can be, by turning
to Him and putting your faith and trust in Him. Don’t take His warnings lightly, but commit
your life without delay to Jesus Christ.

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Q: How is the world going to end?

A:
I want to assure you that the world’s future is firmly in God’s hands, and the world as we
know it will only pass away when God intervenes to bring it to an end.

Does that mean we’ll never experience wars, plagues, or natural disasters that look like they
might bring life to an end (just as they have in the past)? It’s certainly possible; God hasn’t
promised to deliver us from such tragedies. But they aren’t the end, and even in the midst of
these we can trust God’s promise to be with us. Jesus said, “Such things must happen, but the
end is still to come” (Matthew 24:6).

What will the end be like? For one thing, it will be sudden and unexpected—and most people
will be unprepared. Just as in the days of Noah’s flood, a catastrophe will suddenly overtake
the earth—and then it will be too late to turn to God. The Bible also hints at total, fiery
destruction. “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire,
and the earth and everything … in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:10).

The good news is, we need not need fear that day if we know Christ. Is your faith and hope in
Him, and are you seeking to live for Him every day? “Since everything will be destroyed …
live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11-12).

Q: Why do people try to predict the end of the world?

A:
You’re right—up to a point. Throughout history some people have claimed to know exactly
when the world was going to come to an end—and they were clearly wrong. Jesus said, “No
one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father” (Matthew 24:36).

But there is one prophecy about the future that I urge you not to ignore or dismiss as
nonsense—and that is the one spoken by Jesus. Jesus warned that someday this world as we
know it will come to an end—not because of a war or natural disaster, but because God will
intervene and bring it to an end. The future is in God’s hands, and He alone will bring an end
to the world.

And when He does, all the evils of this world will be destroyed and Jesus Christ will come
again to rule over a new world in perfect peace and justice. We can barely imagine this, but it
gives us hope for a better world. As the Bible says, “In keeping with his promise we are
looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

Don’t worry about those who falsely claim to know when the world will come to an end.
Instead, put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He alone gives us hope for the future and
strength for our lives right now. Make Him the foundation of your life—beginning today.

Q: Why bother preparing for the future if there isn’t going to be any future?

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A:
If we knew for certain exactly when Christ was going to come again, and when this present
world would come to an end—then yes, what you say might make sense.

But we don’t know—and that is the way God intended it to be. When Jesus’ disciples asked
Him when He would return to establish His kingdom, He answered by warning them not to
be fooled by anyone who claimed to know the answer. Then He said, “No one knows about
that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark
13:32).

Why is this? One reason, I believe, is because if we did know, we might be tempted to stop
doing the work God wants us to do. In one of His parables, Jesus commended the servant
who kept on working while his master was away. Then He added, “It will be good for that
servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns” (Luke 12:43). May that be true of
us.

At the same time, Christ’s promise is clear: Some day He will come again in glory and
power, and all the evil and rebellion and injustice of this present world will come to an end.
That day is closer now than it has ever been before. Are you ready for that day? Make sure of
your commitment to Christ—and make sure as well that if He does come during your
lifetime, He will find you working and living for Him.

Q: Could this prediction of Christ’s return be right?

A:
I don’t doubt this writer’s sincerity, but the Bible clearly warns us against making precise
predictions about Jesus’ return. Jesus declared, “No one knows about that day or hour, not
even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). If God has
concealed it from the angels and His Son, why would He reveal it to a mere person?

At the same time, the Bible does tell us two very important truths about Christ’s second
coming. First, it tells us that He will return! Repeatedly, the Bible tells us that God’s plan for
this world is not finished, and some day Christ will come again to complete that plan. And
unlike His first coming, His return will be glorious and recognized by the whole world:
“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him” (Revelation 1:7).

The second truth the Bible tells us is that He could come at any moment – and the signs
warning of His coming become more and more obvious every day. Once He comes, it will be
too late to commit ourselves to Him and work for Him; now is the time to believe in Him and
follow Him. Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me”
(John 9:4).

If Christ were to return today, would you be ready? You can be, by opening your heart and
life to Christ, and giving yourself without reserve to Him. Don’t delay, but by faith commit
yourself to Jesus Christ today.

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Mga Taga-Roma 12:1-2

Busa, mga igsoon, tungod sa dakong kaluoy nga gipakita sa Dios kanato, hangyoon ko kamo
sa pagtugyan sa inyong kaugalingon ngadto sa Dios ingon nga buhing halad, balaan ug
makapahimuot kaniya. Mao kini ang matuod nga pagsimba nga angay ninyong ihalad. Ayaw
kamo pagpahiuyon sa pamatasan niining panahona. Ipabag-o hinuon sa Dios ang inyong
kaugalingon pinaagi sa pagbag-o sa inyong panghunahuna aron masayran ninyo ang
kabubut-on sa Dios—unsay maayo, hingpit ug makapahimuot kaniya.

When we were saved, we were born again with the life of God. What a truly wonderful and
joyous experience! But regeneration is only the beginning of our spiritual journey.

After we’re regenerated, the next step is to consecrate, or give ourselves to the Lord. In this
post, we’ll look at the meaning of consecration, and why it’s a crucial step in our life-long
journey with the Lord.

Juan 3:3;5

Si Jesus mitubag, “Sultihan ko ikaw: walay makakita sa Gingharian sa Dios gawas kon siya
matawo pag-usab.” Si Jesus mitubag, “Sultihan ko ikaw: walay makasulod sa Gingharian sa
Dios gawas kon matawo siya pinaagi sa tubig ug sa Espiritu.

What is consecration?

In religion, the word consecration is commonly used in reference to the official ordaining of a
person to be a pastor, priest, or missionary. This use implies that consecration is something
that’s reserved for a special category of people. But the New Testament reveals that it’s
something that every believer in Christ can, and should, experience.

Consecration is also not something only for knowledgeable or spiritually mature Christians.
Rather, we all need to consecrate ourselves to the Lord in order to deepen our personal
knowledge of Christ and grow in the divine life, even if we’ve only just gotten saved. This is
because consecration is the basis for every spiritual experience.

So what is consecration? Consecration is giving yourself to the Lord to become “a living

sacrifice,” as Paul says in Romans 12:1:

“I exhort you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.”

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were set apart for God by being placed on the altar. In
offering something to God, one relinquished ownership of that item. Instead, it belonged to
God, for His use and His satisfaction.

Today, when we consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we become a living sacrifice. This means
we put ourselves completely in His hands. Before we consecrated ourselves, our life was for
the pursuit of our own goals and satisfaction; now, it’s for Him. When we present ourselves
to the Lord as a living sacrifice, we’re simply telling Him: “Lord Jesus, my life is for You. I
no longer belong to myself, the world, or anything else. I’m here for You and for Your
satisfaction.”

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Hageo 2:6-9

“Sa dili madugay, tay-ogon ko pag-usab ang langit, ang yuta ug ang dagat ug pakurogon ko
ang tanang mga nasod aron mainyo ang bahandi niini ug mapuno sa bahandi kining
temploha. Akoa ang salapi ug ang bulawan. Ang bag-ong Templo mas matahom pa unya kay
sa daan ug pauswagon ko ang akong katawhan.” Ang Ginoo nga Labing Gamhanan maoy
nagsulti niini.

Jeremias 29:11

Ako lamang ang nasayod sa akong mga laraw alang kaninyo: sa paghimo kaninyong
mauswagon inay maalaot ug paghatag kaninyog kaugmaon nga inyong gipangandoy.

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Romans 6:12-13

Busa ayaw na paharia ang sala diha sa inyong mga lawas nga may kamatayon aron dili na
kamo madaog sa inyong kailibgon. Ayaw usab ninyo itugyan ang bisan unsang bahin sa
inyong lawas aron gamiton sa daotang katuyoan. Hinuon, itugyan sa Dios ang inyong
kaugalingon ingon nga mga gibanhaw gikan sa kamatayon ug itugyan ang inyong
kaugalingon ngadto sa Dios aron gamiton alang sa matarong nga katuyoan.

What does Romans 6:13 mean?

Paul has made abundantly clear that those of us in Christ must engage in a kind of battle with
ourselves. We have been freed, through our spiritual death and resurrection with Christ, from
the power of sin. Our old self has been crucified spiritually in the same way that Christ was
crucified spiritually. The result is that sin no longer has any authority over us. We have been
set free.

We have not, however, lost our desire to sin. We still want to sin, at times, even knowing
how destructive our sin is. Paul has commanded us not to volunteer to sin, not to let it take
control of our bodies. Now he puts an even finer point on his command. We must not present
our members, any part of our bodies, for sin to use to do unrighteous things.

Notice something about that command: It insists that we have control over what we do with
our own bodies. Christ's death and the power of God's spirit gives us that control. Those who
are saved can only sin by choosing to do so.

Instead, Paul writes, we must present our bodies to God to be used for righteousness. In fact,
we should do it on purpose like people who have been brought from death to life. How do we
do that? We start by continually reminding ourselves that we have actually and genuinely
been brought from death to life. That is who we are now, and that's the life we are destined to
lead.