Joan E. Mathias' - Gardenjems
  • Gardenjems
  • About
  • Contact

Sacrifices from Blessings

6/4/2017

Comments

 
Psalm 84:5 tells us that blessing comes to those whose strength is in the Lord and who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.  Every pilgrimage includes seasons with challenges meant to mature us in our faith and trust in the Lord.  An integral part of every journey is times of sacrifice.
 
Different types of sacrifices are written about in the Old Testament.  There was a sacrificial system in place that was meant to teach God's people about His great love and forgiveness.  Five different sacrifices are talked about in Scripture:  burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, sin offering and guilt offering.  All of these sacrifices were pointing God's people toward Christ.  Since Jesus became our ultimate sacrifice there is no need for these offerings any longer.  However, we are to follow the example that He set for us.  "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" (Matthew 16:24)
 
The day of Pentecost occurred on the Jewish pilgrim feast called Shavuot.  The Jews came to the temple to celebrate the day that God gave the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  This day was celebrated by bringing God a sacrificial gift according to Deuteronomy 16:9-10.  "Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain.  Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you."
 
When I think about the abundant blessings that God has poured out upon me I wonder how my offering can begin to show my gratitude.  And yet God considers obedience as a sacrificial offering. The God-fearing Jews who were in Jerusalem to honor God on Shavuot were sacrificing time and sowing seeds of worship to Him.  Their obedience resulted in God's delight in pouring out His supernatural power through the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.  The Church calls this day Pentecost.  This year the anniversary of Shavuot occurred on Wednesday.  Today is what the Church calls Pentecost Sunday.
 
When we consider giving the Lord an appropriate sacrifice we must ask ourselves what kind of relationship we want with Him.  If the answer to that question is that we want a more intimate and personal relationship with Him, we must deal with our carnal nature and crucify the flesh.  "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galations 5:24 - KJV)  If we desire to go all the way with Christ, there is a cross to carry.
 
For me, the story of Abraham and Isaac demonstrates the type of sacrifice that God is looking for.  Is it not interesting that God gave Isaac to Abraham in a supernatural way and yet Abraham was required to show his unconditional love for God by sacrificing Isaac?  God blesses us with gifts.  He is the one who gives us material for sacrifice.  We must be willing to lay down those things that separate us from our highest purpose in God.  The pain involved in this process is real; He understands.  He is the one who did not spare His own Son.
 
How hungry are you for a full revelation of God's love and power?  What is God asking you to place on the altar?  I want to speak for myself.  The blessings God has given to me are lavish and undeniable. He has made me aware of the material for sacrifice that is intertwined in the blessings.  There will be pain in my offering.  This is characteristic of true sacrifice.  I have a choice to make.  What I know is this:  He is worthy of everything!
Comments

    Joan E. Mathias

    Categories

    All
    Authority In Jesus
    Celebrations/Holidays
    Foundation Of Our Nation
    Hebrew Calendar/Celebrations
    Intimacy With God
    Israel/Jewish People
    Kingdom Living
    Music
    Nature
    Revival
    Roots Of Our Christian Faith
    Victory In Christ

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from BPPrice, joncutrer, kennethkonica, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, GollyGforce - Living My Worst Nightmare, ohitzanna, AlicePopkorn2, slgckgc, Chris_Short, homethods, PrincessAshley, Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, donald judge, Branson Missouri, slgckgc, David A Mitchell, Martin Pettitt, homethods, toptenalternatives, llamnudds, mikecogh, Martin Pettitt, kun0me, mareeshastar, A_Peach, Boris Kukushkin, cantanima, Renaud Camus, Accretion Disc, teofilo, Dushan and Miae, bertknot, Ellemgee Photography, Robert Couse-Baker, Oh Paris, peter.tully64, Patricia Pierce, http://globalquiz.org, *_*, markus spiske, Rob.Bertholf, blondinrikard, archer10 (Dennis), Art4TheGlryOfGod, Arran Bee, James St. John, blumenbiene, Like us on Facebook at CAGuard, Kanguru Adventure, USDAgov, hassage, Vironevaeh, Rick Camacho, Rennett Stowe, Accretion Disc, alexander.parsalidis, Infomastern, Actual Brian Crawford, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, grongar, pburka, James St. John, daspader, Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com), gitsul., Traveller-Reini, slgckgc, xiquinhosilva, Bernt Rostad, EinarMostad, afunkydamsel, byzantiumbooks, drewgstephens, Rod Waddington, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, Antonio Calero Garcia, Leimenide, idovermani, Kaarina Dillabough, Janitors, Somuchtwosay, michael_swan, Joey Z1, cristina.sanvito, Wonderlane, cliff1066™, Elekes Andor, Vincent_AF, DonkeyHotey, @jbtaylor, Jason Rosenberg, ian?, Ian W Scott, markbyzewski, cowbite, Infomastern, homegets.com, chrismetcalfTV, wuestenigel, timpeartrice, David Jones, Randy Son Of Robert, jimw7, Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon, Rachel-Esther, runneralan2004, hedera.baltica, CaliforniaDFW, spbda, itmpa, Sir, Rony, slgckgc, Boston Public Library, oliver.dodd, slgckgc, barnimages.com, fbaett, Oli-Oviyan, Robert Couse-Baker, hello-julie, blmurch, Lonni.besançon, DPP Business and Tax, Ervins Strauhmanis, Rylee Isitt, kuhnmi, Björn S..., Laurie Nature Bee, samsaundersleeds, Waiting For The Word, Bananenfalter, plantronicsgermany, Mark Wordy, JoanDragonfly, Lodo27, aaron_anderer, x1klima, Photography by Brian Lauer, amseaman, emiliechenphotography, Mangiafazula07, 津山市立図書館 Public Library of Tsuyama, Rob.Bertholf, slgckgc, srqpix, pburka, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, Christine Wagner, Jaykhuang, sonstroem, Sam Howzit, C Jill Reed, John.P.Rairdon, Steenbergs, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, FotoGuy 49057, Neeta Lind, cattan2011, wuestenigel, D. Scott Taylor, The Travelling Bum, South African Tourism, claydevoute, Skley, Pedro Paulo Palazzo, alexliivet, JIRCAS, pasa47, blumenbiene, *_*, susieq3c, ishaandave1991, Me in ME, slashvee, mutovkin, kcxd, TravelBakerCounty, wuestenigel, Don & Janet Beasley, Schneidersphotography, Panegyrics of Granovetter, Eusebius@Commons, USDAgov, edenpictures, slgckgc, Ninara, Carly & Art, elmetatron, slgckgc, BadSoull, NathalieSt, Humphrey King, Mark Berbezier
  • Gardenjems
  • About
  • Contact