sacrifice | Revelations From The Road

Is Your Offering Enough?

June 11, 2011 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given June 11, 2011

The apostle Paul urges us to, “..offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God,” (Romans 12:1). What does that mean? Have you ever said this to God, maybe in a morning prayer? We sing the old hymn, “I Surrender All”, but what is ALL? Would we dare pray, “Father God, I offer most of my body a living sacrifice to You but I’m gonna keep part of it for myself.” Or sing, “I surrender some. I surrender some.” Sounds silly doesn’t it? But, I’m afraid, that is exactly what many of us do.

The Levitical sacrifices of animals were such that the animal was killed, its blood sprinkled or poured around or on the altar, and the remainder of the animal was burned either entirely or consumed in some manner. But when the sacrifice was over, there was no animal left. The animal’s body was offered as a sacrifice and it surrendered all. Are we willing to do the same?

Actually, I don’t want to keep part of me to control because I’ll mess it up as we have all done. I want God to take all of me but that is hard to do. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well“. (Matthew 6:33). He says to put all these other things, even our bodies, desires, wants, back down the list and seek God first. Give Him all that, (offer Him everything), and see what happens. We can’t even think or imagine what will happen, (see Ephesians 3:20). Remember the rich young ruler in Luke 18? He was invited to “surrender all” and follow Jesus and could possibly have been the next disciple but he refused because he, “was very wealthy” (verse 23).

Let’s think about what it will take for us to “offer our (whole) bodies” and “surrender all”. Are we willing? It will take a commitment similar to the commitment an Olympic athlete makes compared to the commitment of a 5 year-old in T-ball. God wants us. He wants us all and ALL of us. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so we could do the same. The time is now.

Freedom

July 3, 2010 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given July 3, 2010

I saw a quote from a brother this morning that got my attention and thought I’d write about it for this Independence Day. He was talking about all the things we associate with the 4th of July; cookouts, fireworks, family gatherings, flags, etc. His quote was, “It’s about freedom won by war.” It made me think. We enjoy freedom in America but that right wasn’t free; it is a result of battles fought by our ancestors which continue to be fought today. But, as usual, I saw a Spiritual similarity in this.

Our freedoms as Christians didn’t come free either; they came with a price. But Jesus paid the price and we don’t have to. He gave His life so we could be free if we accept His sacrifice. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). Jesus won the ultimate war against Satan at the cross but our enemy, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8), is still here with his fake power trying to trick us out of the freedom we have in Christ. The reason he’s seeking someone is because some Christians don’t realize they’re free from the devil’s bondage. But those who know they’re rights can stand against him, wave the flag of salvation, and watch him run away. Now that’s something to celebrate!

Are you trying to get free of something today? Are you a Christian? Well, claim your rights, declare your God-given freedom, and celebrate because you are free indeed!

Superstar For God

January 30, 2010 by Bill 1 Comment

Given January 25, 2010

What does it take to be a superstar for God? What does it take to be a superstar in anything? You might say dedication, talent, work, luck, inherited ability, sacrifice or many other factors. You might say a star athlete was born with natural abilities that destine him or her to reach a level of performance others could never reach. And it’s true but that person would not fulfill their potential siting on the couch. What about a world-class musician. They would of course need some God-given talent but along with that must be added years of practice; developing and perfecting that talent. A person without the in-born talent could dedicate all their time to practice but may never reach the level of the one born with it. What do top runners do? They run! What do top singers do? They sing! Do you see where I’m going with this? People who want to be highly successful in any endeavor must give themselves to it. It must consume their thoughts, actions, and desires.

So, what does it take to be a top follower of Christ? You have to “give” yourself to Him; His Word, precepts, commands, thoughts, and actions. If you do this, you will develop into a superstar for Him, He will get all the glory, and you will want it that way. “But wait a minute! I thought you said superstars are first born with the talent and abilities. I was born a regular person.” Yes you were but, when you were BORN AGAIN, you got the superstar genes! God recreated you to do good works,(Ephesians 2:10), and all that Jesus did, you can do; (John 14:12), you’re born to do it! But you gotta get off the couch!

One more thing. It’s never about you and your fame. As the image above depicts, Jesus was a spiritual superstar but He was a servant to all. Go and do likewise.

Sacrificing Babies

September 21, 2008 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given August 28, 2008

There is a bizarre story in the Bible, in 2 Kings 6: 25-29. The king of Aram beseiged Samaria so that there was a great famine in the city. It was so bad donkey’s heads and cups of dove dung were selling for great prices. They were desparately hungry! Two women made a deal that the first would boil her baby and they’d eat it on one day then the second woman would do the same the next day. The first mother complied with the deal but, on the second day, the other mother hid her child. The first mother was complaining to the king.

These women were so hungry, they were willing to sacrifice their babies to satisfy their hunger. Does this story appal you? Does it make you sick to think a woman would do this to her innocent baby?

Friends, since 1973 in the United States of America, about 4,000 babies per day have lost their lives to abortion. Women all across our great land have sacrificed their babies for convenience, mostly because the baby didn’t fit into their lives. And…these women were not even hungry!

He Stood Between

March 25, 2008 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given March 8, 2008

Here a few days after Easter and thinking about the sacrifice Jesus made for me, I noticed this note I’d made while praying before Easter. We know Jesus died for our sins and He took terrible beatings and other atrocities for us: ” But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5“. The revelation or image I got this day was of the devil coming after me, bombarding me with all kinds of evil things but then Jesus, quietly and authoritatively, steps in between me and the devil. Jesus stood in the gap for me, and you, and held him off. Jesus took the hit that was intended for me so that I could continue to live.

The only thing left for me to do, which I did as a 12 year-old, is to accept His offer of eternal life and believe in Him. He’s already taken the hit for us all but some just don’t realize it! He’s already done His part, now it’s up to humanity to do theirs. “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9“.