“GIVING YOUR BEST” Today’s Scripture: THOU SHALT NOT SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD ANY BULLOCK, OR SHEEP, WHEREIN IS BLEMISH, OR ANY EVILFAVOUREDNESS: FOR THAT IS AN ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD THY GOD. (DEUTERONOMY 17:1) KJV. GOD’S LOVE MOVED HIM TO SACRIFICE THAT WHICH MEANT THE MOST TO HIM---HIS ONLY SON. OUR REPSONSE, IF WE TRULY UNDERSTAND HIS LOVE FOR US, IS THE DESIRE TO GIVE BACK TO GOD THAT MEANS THE MOST TO US. THE OLD TESTAMENT REVEALS THAT GOD SET FORTH HIGH STANDARDS FOR THE SACRIFICES HE REQUIRED OF HIS PEOPLE. A WORTHY SACRIFICE HAD TO COST THE PEOPLE SOMETHING. AS THEIR HEARTS SHIFTED AWAY FROM GOD, THE PEOPLE BEGAN STRUGGLING TO GIVE GOD COSTLY OFFERINGS. THEY WOULD BRING BLIND, LAME, AND SICK ANIMALS, ASSUMING GOD COULD NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE (MALACHI 1:8). GOD SAW THAT THEY WERE DOING AND DECLARED THEIR OFFERINGS TO BE IN VAIN (MALACHI 1:10). THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT PERIOD, GOD WAS SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE ULTIMATE, PERFECT, AND SINLESS SACRIFICE OF HIS ONLY SON FOR THE SINS OF HUMANITY. THE OFFERINGS WE GIVE BACK TO GOD REVEAL OUR HEART’S CONDITION. A HEART THAT OVERFLOWS WITH GRATITUDE FOR GOD’S LOVE WILL RESPOND IN SELFLESS DEVOTION. IF WE ARE UNWILLING TO SACRIFICE OUR TIME, OUR POSSESSIONS, OUR MONEY, OR OUR ENERGY, WE INDICATE THAT WE DO NOT LOVE GOD AS HE DESIRES. GOD TAKES DELIGHT IN THE PERSON WHO GIVES TO HIM CHEERFULLY AND WILLINGLY OUT OF A LOVING HEART, A PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT GOD IS THE SOURCE OF EVERYTHING HE HAS AND WHO KNOWS THAT GOD WILL MORE THAN COMPENSATE FOR WHATEVER IS SACRIFICED FOR HIM (2ND CORINTHIANS 9:8). IF YOU STRUGGLE IN GIVING YOUR BEST OFFERINGS TO GOD, PAUSE AND REFLECT ON WHAT GOD SACRIFICED FOR YOU. TRUST HIM AND GIVE HIM THE BEST THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART. THOUGHT: IF YOU STRUGGLE IN GIVING YOUR BEST OFFERINGS TO GOD, PAUSE AND REFLECT ON WHAT GOD SACRIFICED FOR YOU.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:21:22 +0000
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