Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

What are you doing with your body? Are you doing what you want when you want, or are you disciplining yourself so that God receives the glory? The wages of sin is death. God has a higher standard for your life. You have a choice to make, either you live for yourself or you live for God.

If you were going on your first date, you probably would take a lot of time to make sure that your appearance was just right. You would take a shower, put on some of your nicest cloths for the occasion, and you would do whatever else was necessary so that your first impression was memorable.

In this passage, we are instructed to examine our lives and see if we are presenting our best unto God. In the same way one would not show up on their first date looking like a complete slob, so also we must understand that our lives are a sacrifice unto God. How we live our lives is just one of the elements of what our sacrifice unto God will look like. If we chose to abuse our bodies with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, or sex, we are not presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

If you had the opportunity to meet some famous person, you probably would take a long time to make sure that you made a good impression. You would want this person to like you and you would hope for an extended visit. You would be afraid that this famous person would not give you the time of day if you were not wearing the proper cloths or your body was emitting a strange odor.

Do you serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Do you exercise temperance in your life so as to live your life in a way that is holy and acceptable unto God? When you chose to live like the world, your life is not holy and you are not presenting your life in a way that is acceptable to God. If you desire to live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God, you must learn to follow the perfect will of God for your life. No longer can you live to your own personal standards but you must live to the standards that God has for you so that your life can properly reflect the love of God.

Sampson was given great strength by God. However, Sampson did not keep that body holy as God had commanded him. Sampson was seen to eat honey that came from the carcass of a lion. Sampson was seen sleeping with prostitutes. Sampson did not care to keep his body holy and eventually he found himself in a compromising situation that resulted in his losing his sight and his strength. Nonetheless, God demonstrated mercy on Sampson and HE gave Sampson one more great victory before his death.

What choices are you making? Every day you have a decision to make, are you going to live for yourself or are you going to live for God. When you live for yourself, you will do things that are not presenting your body as a living sacrifice unto God. The lusts of the flesh are great. Nonetheless, greater is HE that is in you then he that is of this world. You do not have to yield to temptation. You can overcome. By the grace of God, you can overcome the temptations that this world throws your way. By the grace of God you can present your body as a living sacrifice.

Luke 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Jesus was just approached by a man who desired to follow Jesus wherever he went. Jesus did not respond by saying come and follow me, instead, Jesus warned the man about the sacrifice that would be made if the man chose to follow HIM. Jesus as the Son of God knew the weaknesses of this man. Most likely, this man loved his security of a home. Jesus was instructing this man that if he desired to follow, that there would be some personal sacrifice.

Are you willing to serve God regardless of where HE will take you? Are you willing to commit 100% to God? God is not a nasty slave master who requires you to do what HE wants when HE wants. God has given you the option to serve HIM. However, when you chose to serve HIM, you must be in or your must be out, you cannot serve HIM some days and not on others.

In Revelation 3:16 we are told that those who are lukewarm are spit out of the mouth of God. God would rather see us hot (completely dedicated to the things of God) or cold (living for the things of this world). When we try to serve two masters, we destroy the reputation of God. People who are not saved see our duplicitous life and they do not see the lasting change that God desires to make in those who make the sacrifices to fully serve HIM.

God probably is not telling you in this verse that you must sell your house and move to Africa and serve HIM there. What we are being taught in this passage is that God must be first in our life. Abraham loved his son but God made Abraham take his son up onto the mountain to sacrifice him so that Abraham could prove to God that God was first in his life. While your home may be the center of your ministry, if God were to tell you to give it up in order to follow HIM, could you obey?

God needs to be number one in your life. If you are going to have a close relationship with God, it means that nothing can come between you and God. God is not saying that you cannot have a home; it is just that God must be first in your life.

Too many of try to serve God and the things of this world. We see how close we can get to the line so that we can claim we still serve God but so that we can still enjoy the things of this world. Rather than seeing how close to the line we can get, we need to see how close to God we can get. When we get up, God should be first in our minds. When we go to sleep, the things of God should be in the center of our thinking. As we go about the day, we should be praising HIM for the good things that HE has done.

In the Mosaic Law servants were permitted to be released after they served their time. However, a servant could choose to remain a servant for the rest of their life. The servant could see how well his master was taking care of him and how his master had provided him a wife and the servant could choose to serve the master the rest of his life. This is a picture of our relationship with God. We should see all that God has done for us and we should chose to serve God.

You need to diligently add temperance to your life. The world is going to try to distract you and cause you to focus upon all the things that you will be giving up in order to serve God. However, rather than focus upon what you are going to give up, you need to focus upon what God has given you. Stop focusing upon the world and start focusing upon God.

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

In this passage we learn that if we know someone who we have offended, we are to go and make that right. Christ reveals to us that it is more important to be right with our brother than it is to give sacrifices unto God.

During the reign of Saul, God had told him to utterly destroy a nation. However, Saul saved the king and he saved some of the bests of the flocks. When Samuel confronted Saul, Saul made an excuse that he was saving these flocks to sacrifice to God. Samuel then tells Saul that God delights in our obedience over our sacrifices.

While we do not offer animal sacrifices to the Lord today, we have our own type of sacrifices and our own offerings. Some people are very generous with their money; they will give large sums of money to religious and charitable organizations. Some people are very generous with their time; if the doors are open, they are there volunteering their time. Some people try to make deals with God; they tell God that they will abstain from this vice or that vice in an attempt to make God happy with them.

God is more concerned that you actually obeyed HIM then that you make some great sacrifice. If God told you to quit your job and be a missionary in Africa, God would desire your obedience in going to Africa over your sacrifice of 30 hours of volunteer work for the Church and charities dealing with starving African children. If God told you to open your home up to the homeless and feed and allow them to sleep in your house, God would not be pleased with your sacrifice of millions of dollars to the homeless shelters. If God told you that HE wanted you to yield your right to play video games and to spend that time reading the Bible, your sacrifice of spending your vacation on a short term mission trip would not be acceptable in God’s eyes if you failed to obey HIM.

We are to be the salt and the light. If we know that something we have done has offended someone, then we know that it does not matter how bright the light of God reflects through our life, the person we have offended will not properly see the light of God. God knows that HIS light through our life will never properly reflect on those whom we have offended; that is why Christ is telling us in this passage that we are to stop all the wonderful things we are doing for Christ and make it a priority to take care of those whom we have offended.

Our sacrifices and offerings unto the Lord are important, but not nearly as important as our obedience to HIM and our having a clear conscience with those around us. You cannot cover a multitude of sins by simply serving God 30 hours a week. Do not be deceived, you cannot fool God; God looks at your heart and knows your attitudes as to why you are making the sacrifices. If you have the wrong reasons for making your sacrifices, God will not accept the offering just as HE rejected the offerings of Saul and the offerings of Cain.

We need to diligently add temperance to our life so that we can focus our attention on living for God the way that God desires us to live. The world will give us all sorts of options of how we can serve God in our own strength. Nonetheless, we need to be faithful to God and determine in our heart that we are going to serve God the way that HE desires us to serve HIM.

Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

In this passage, Paul is analogizing the covenant that God made with Abraham dealing with Ishmael and the covenant that God made with Abraham dealing with Isaac. Ishmael was the son born of the slave Hagar, while Isaac was the son of Promise born of Sarah.

Paul is using the picture of Hagar being in bondage when she had Ishmael to represent the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was given by God at Mount Sinai. However this law was not a law of freedom but was a law that contained a lot of “thou shalt not”. For the Jews, they had to abide by this very strict code in order to please God. It was a law that could not be completely satisfied. Hagar was the slave of Sarah and there eventually came a time where she was let go because she could not please her mistress.

Isaac was the promise child; he was a gift from God. While Ishmael was part son and part slave, Isaac was completely free. Paul analogizes the birth of Isaac with the Christian walk. In the same way that Isaac did not have to worry about losing his place as a son of Abraham so also, as Christians, we do not have to worry about following a complex set of sacrificial rituals in order to maintain our position as sons of God.

Because Ishmael was the son of Abraham, God promised that Ishmael would be a great nation. In the same way, the nation of Israel has a special blessing just because they are God’s chosen people. As Christians, our relationship with God is not one based upon our heritage; our relationship with God is based upon our freedom to choose to abstain from the things of this world and to pursue the things of God.

Two sons, one is blessed because he was the son of Abraham and one was blessed because he was the promised son of Abraham. Two sons, one was a son of bondage and one was the son of freedom. The Jews serve the Living God through their bondage of sacrifices and the rituals required of the Law of Moses. The Christians serve the Living God through their freedom knowing that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Freedom is not free. The freedom we experience in Christianity is a result of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made upon the cross. Just as Adam and Eve had the choice to sin or not to sin, so also, we have the choice whether to follow the perfect will of God or to sin and do that which is right in our own eyes. Abraham tried to make the promises of God occur in his timing rather than the perfect timing of God and all Abraham did was make a mess.

As Christians we do not have to worry about making sacrifices to atone for our sins as we know that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice. The freedom that God has given us is not to be used on ourselves and our own selfish desires. The freedom from sacrifice does not permit us to break the law whenever we want. Just because the Jews had a long list of sacrifices to atone for their sins, it did not give them liberty to break the law.

We do not want to follow the example of Abraham who was so caught up in the promise that he tried to make it happen in his own way and his own timing. We must add temperance to our life and understand that we are living in the freedom of God and that we must wait for HIS timing to fulfill the promises that HE has made unto us.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John15:13). Jesus Christ, the son of God, made the ultimate sacrifice of love when he lay down his life to deliver you and me from sin. As we see in Jesus’ prayer at the garden before HIS death, in order to make this sacrifice, HE had to yield to the will of God and not to HIS own personal desires.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ resulted in God forsaking HIM for three days. Because Jesus took on the sins of the world, God could have no fellowship with HIS Son Jesus because a Holy God could not have fellowship with sin. Even though Jesus Christ never sinned, a Holy God had no choice but to separate HIMSELF from HIS Son because HIS Son took on the sins of the world.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the ultimate sacrifice of love. Jesus Christ did not have to die on the cross and at any time, HE could have cried out to HIS Father and HE could have stepped off that cross and destroyed everyone who had laid hands upon HIM. Nonetheless, Jesus Christ yielded HIMSELF to the will of the Father; Jesus Christ gave up HIS right to do what was in HIS best interest in order to pursue what was in the best interest of others.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It does not matter how small your sin is; your sin does have consequences. No one may have seen your sin and your sin could have no consequences upon those around you. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as an inconsequential sin; all sins have consequences, and the biggest consequence comes in the deterioration of your relationship with God. Jesus had the best relationship with God and even though HE HIMSELF did not sin, HE saw God forsake HIM when HE took on the sins of this world. So likewise, our relationship with God will suffer when we chose to violate the perfect standards of God.

As long as we insist that we are in control over our own lives, we will never find true contentment. True contentment comes when we are able to yield ourselves to doing the perfect will of God. As we chose to abstain from the temptations of this world, we will find a new strength to hear and do the will of God. God desires that we lay aside our own personal agenda and take up HIS calling for our life.

God is not asking you to live a perfect life and then die for the sins of the world. However, God does have a plan for your life. Are you willing to yield to God your own desires in order to pursue the things of God? Until you are willing to give up the things of this world, you will never be ready to fulfill the will of God for your life.

God has given to us temperance. Temperance is a promise of God that if we chose to use, it will help us overcome the temptations of this world. God is not going to make you add temperance to your life just like HE is not going to make you do HIS perfect will. God gives you the right to make decisions and it is the decisions that you make that control just how close your relationship with God can be.

Imagine you were instructed to dig a deep hole. One of the tools you were given was a shovel. You would consider it foolish for a man to try to dig the hole with his fingers when he had a shovel to do the job. So likewise, it is foolish for a man to attempt to have a good relationship with God without using the tools that God has given HIM.

Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Jacob is wrestling with God. Jacob has persevered all night and has not let go of this man. We do not know what started this wrestling match, it could have been that Jacob thought this man was a spy for Esau and that Jacob needed to take out this man in order to protect his family. However, at some time during the night, Jacob must have realized he was not wrestling with any man.

As the sun started to rise, Jacob was touched on his thigh and the thigh was out of joint. The man had injured Jacob yet Jacob refused to let go of the man. Jacob was clearly no longer wrestling to protect his family; he was wrestling so that he might obtain more from God. When the man requested that Jacob let him go, Jacob refused to let go until God blessed him.

Are you willing to make the sacrifice that Jacob made in order to draw closer to God? Jacob lost a whole night sleep as he wrestled with this man. Jacob refused to stop until God heard his prayer and gave him the desires of his heart.

Jesus tells the parable of the widow who continues to appear before the unjust judge in order to receive that which she desires. The judge eventually gives her what she desires lest the widow weary him with her continual requests. Jesus then asked the question whether when HE returned whether such faith would be found on this earth.

God desires that we learn to be persistent in our prayers. In order for Jacob to be persistent in receiving the desires of his heart, he had to first add temperance to his life and he had to resist his desires to go to sleep. Jacob understood that receiving a blessing from God was more important than the couple of hours of sleep that he would get that night. Jacob determined he was going to get a hold of God that night and God rewarded Jacob.

What is the desire of your heart? What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to obtain them? Are you willing to be persistent in prayer both night and day? Are you willing to sacrifice a meal or two in order to focus your ears to hearing the words of God? Are you willing to put aside your sleep so that you might have more time to develop your relationship with HIM?

The things of this world do cloud our vision and distort our ability to hear the voice of God. God desires to have a personal relationship with us like HE had with Adam and Eve prior to the fall. However, Satan is doing everything in his power to ensure that we are distracted by the pleasures of this world that we do not have time to hear God. If we truly desire a closer relationship with HIM, then we will put aside the things of this world so that we can put God first.

God made us so that we need food and sleep. Nonetheless, from time to time, it may be necessary to put aside our desires so that we can come more in tuned with God. In the same way that God honored Jacob for his persistence, so likewise will God honor you if you learn to be persistent in your prayers.

There are things that you say that you desire; the question is, do you desire them enough to sacrifice your time and energy to prayer so that you can more clearly see the will of God for your life. Remember, if you ask anything according to the will of God, you will receive it. God desired to bless Jacob, Jacob just needed to wrestle with God through the night first.

Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Abraham is facing one of the greatest trials of his faith. Imagine all the thoughts going through his head. He probably asked himself a thousand times, did I really hear God properly. Abraham had waited over 25 years for God to give him the promised son. Now, God is asking him to sacrifice this same son upon an altar.

How many of you are ready to give up something you love so that your relationship with God can grow? This is what Abraham is asked to do. God saw that the love Abraham had for his son was great and he asked Abraham to prove to HIM that Abraham loved God more than he loved his son. If God asked you to sacrifice your spouse or a child, how would you respond?

God desires to be number one in your life. This means nothing in this world can come between you and God. There are many important things but none of them should be more important than your relationship with HIM. If you find that most of your time in prayer is spent upon a single subject, maybe it is time that you re-evaluated your prayer life. Maybe there is something that you are asking God for that HE will never give to you until you learn to make your relationship with HIM a priority. Would you still love HIM if HE never gave you the desire of your heart?

Trust in the Lord, lean not upon your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will direct your paths. Abraham was faced with a very difficult decision. Abraham chose to simply trust the Lord and not lean upon his own understanding to figure it all out. Abraham acknowledged God and God directed his path by providing a substitute sacrifice instead of Isaac.

How is your relationship with God today? Name three things that you know of that are more important to you than your relationship with God. Maybe it is your job, maybe it is a relationship, or maybe it is your desire to serve God in a certain way. Whatever consumes you and fills your mind with day dreams, maybe it is time that you sacrifice it to God so that HE once again is the most important thing in your life.

When was the last time you sat down and just praised God for an hour? When was the last time you concentrated upon all the good things that HE had done for you? When was the last time you put everything aside so that you could just have a heart to heart conversation with God? If it has been a while, maybe it is time for you to take some time and grow in your relationship with God.

The things of this world are strong and they will try to drive a wedge between you and God. You must learn to temper your love affair with the things of this world because you cannot afford to be early rich yet spiritually poor. By adding temperance to your life, you will have the strength of God by your side as you resist the things of this world and say yes to drawing closer to God.

Abraham was faced with a major choice; was he going to follow his fatherly instinct or was he going to obey God and do what HE had said. Abraham chose to control his emotions and thus he was strong enough to go up the mountain with his only son Isaac. Because Abraham had chosen that God must be first in his life, Abraham was able to do something that most of us hope we never have to do. God gave Abraham a great trial, but Abraham succeeded because he chose to put his relationship with God first.

Acts 7:3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.

Stephen is on trial for his life. Stephen sees this trial as an opportunity to share the truth of Jesus Christ with the religious leaders of his day. He starts out at the beginning with the story of Abraham. Abraham was asked of God to leave his home and go to a country that God would show him.

If you have moved recently, you will remember all the choices you had to make as to what is important to keep and what should be sold, given away, or destroyed. Moving has a way of causing one to reevaluate their priorities and to determine what is the most important.

When God called Abraham, HE started by calling Abraham away from everything that was familiar to him. Abraham was not told where he was going, he was simple told to start traveling. In the same way that if you were to move today, you would have to make choices about which possessions to keep, so likewise, Abraham most likely had to leave many things that he treasured back home in order to obey God.

In order for Abraham to be a man of faith and to be the father of a new country, God had to separate him not only from those whom he loved, but God also had to separate him from his possessions. God needed Abraham to relinquish the things of this world so that the things of God might control. Abraham needed to release his ties to this world so that God could work through him to do even greater things.

Just as Abraham had to give up many possessions and relationships in order to be all that he could be for the Lord, so to must you make certain sacrifices so that God through you might be glorified. We are told that we are to add temperance to our faith, virtue, and knowledge.  Temperance requires us to voluntarily give up the things of this world so that we can be free to serve God. Until we are willing to give up the things of this world, we are never truly ready to have God and the spiritual things that HE desires to give us.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul teaches us about meat offered to idols. Paul did not say that eating meat offered to idols was wrong, but he did command that if eating that meat would cause a brother to stumble, then Christians were to willingly sacrifice the things of this world for the greater glory of God. Jesus told us that the second most important commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself. This means you ought to be more concerned about the needs of others than you ought to be about yourself.

If you desire to be used of God like Stephen and Abraham, then you must start in your home to make choices that are glorifying to God. You must daily make decisions as to what is the most important thing to you. You must choose to serve God or choose to serve the things of this world. God may not ask you to move to another country to test your loyalties to HIM, but HE may ask you to give up something that is important to you.

What are you willing to give up in order to serve God? Actually, it does not matter what you are willing to sacrifice, the true question is what is God asking you to give up in order to serve HIM? Your walk with the Lord will require personal sacrifices. The giving up of the things of this world in order to do the perfect will of God should be a great joy to you.

Acts 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.

This passage introduces us to the apostle named Barnabas. Long before Barnabas was known as an apostle, we see one of the first tests that God had for HIM. Long before we see the power of God exhibited in his life, we see him demonstrating self-control by pursuing after the things of God rather than the things of man. Long before we see Barnabas being an influential part in the life of Paul, we see him being a servant.

Barnabas had some land, but the land did not have him. Barnabas saw that the early church had some financial needs and so he sold what he had so that the church could grow. Barnabas was not promised an apostleship based upon his gift. He was not promised that if he first gave to God, God would give him wealth beyond all comprehension. He was not promised that by giving the money to the church he would be entitled to so many indulgences.

Barnabas sold the land because he loved the Lord with all his heart and he loved his neighbor as himself. Barnabas understood that the things of God were the most important thing and as such, he needed to use the things that God had blessed HIM with to bless the church.

Barnabas is an excellent example of temperance. He did not allow the things of this world to control him. We do not hear anywhere in scripture where Barnabas regretted his decision to donate the entire proceeds of the sale of land to the church. Several years later, Barnabas is called to be a missionary and we see how God must now meet the needs of Barnabas through others. Do you think that God would have used Barnabas the way he did if it were not for Barnabas first passing the test that God gave him when HE asked Barnabas to sell his land and give it to the Lord?

God was testing Barnabas when HE asked Barnabas to give that which probably was most important to him to the Lord. Land not only gave him standing in the community, but it also provided his substance. Barnabas understood that the work of God needed to go forward and that God was calling HIM to sacrifice much for the kingdom of heaven. However, unlike the story of Abraham who was asked to sacrifice his only son, we do not see the Lord stopping Barnabas.

The things of this world did not have Barnabas. While there is no mention in scripture that Barnabas ever became a landholder again, we do know that Barnabas was a vital part of the early work in bringing Christianity to the Gentiles. God used Barnabas to disciple Paul and go with Paul on his early missionary journeys. However, before Barnabas could be used of God to that degree, Barnabas first had to learn to trust in the Lord with all his heart and lean not upon himself for his strength and provision.

God may not ask you to give millions of dollars to the church, but at some point in your life, you will hear the still small voice of God telling you that you need to give to the needs of others. How you respond at that time is completely up to you. You can do what God tells you to do or you can disobey. If you obey, do not be surprised when God expands your ministry. If you choose to disobey, do not act surprise that you live a mediocre life with limited power.

God will test your love for HIM. Will you put the things of God first in your life or will you put the things of this world first? The choice will be yours. God desires to see you stop relying upon yourself and start relying upon HIM for your direction, protection, and provision.

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

You have heard that God desires obedience over sacrifice. In this passage, Christ reaffirms this Old Testament principle and expands it by revealing to us that if our relationship with others is not right, then our relationship with God cannot be right. How can our relationship with God be right when we cannot get along with our brother whom we can see?

You understand that you are to love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. If you only obey the first Commandment and refuse to obey the second Commandment, you are still a law breaker and you are guilty of breaking the entire law. God is not concerned with all the wonderful things you do for HIM if you are refusing to love your fellow man whom you can see.

To hate your fellow man and attempt to love God would be like a person attempting to drive cross country in a car that had no motor. If you are going to be a Christian who properly reflects the light of God, you must both love God and your neighbor.

You may argue that the days of offering sacrifices to God are now over and as such, this passage no longer applies to you. This is a very short sided argument and does not take into consideration the depth of the teaching Christ is presenting.

Every time you pray to God, you are bringing a sacrifice. Remember, before the death of Jesus Christ, God did not speak with the common man but instead only spoke through the priests and the prophets. The bringing of the sacrifices was necessary in order for the priests to intercede on ones behalf.

Now that Christ has replaced the sacrificing of animals, HE is the perfect sacrifice. Because of HIS sacrifice, we are able to come to God and talk with HIM. We are able to make our petitions known directly to HIM. We are able to confess our sins to HIM because of the sacrifice of the Pure Lamb.

Prayer is an important part of your relationship with God. It is through prayer that you are able to speak with God and to ask HIM for protection, provision, and direction. Every time we pray, we are presenting to God the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Christ is revealing to us that it is more important to go and repair our relationship with our fellow man before we come to the Lord in prayer and make our petitions known to HIM.

In 1 Peter 3:7 this principle is further elaborated when we are taught that a husband must dwell with his wife with knowledge, honoring her so that his prayers are not hindered. If a husband cannot be one with his wife, how can he expect to be one with God? Why should God honor the prayers of a man who cannot love his wife as he loves himself?

The more time you spend adding knowledge of the ways of God, the easier it will be for you to understand that God is looking at our relationships with others here on this earth. If our relationship with man whom we can see is not right, then our relationship with God whom we cannot see will never be right.

Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

There are better ways to please the Lord than bringing sacrifices. It is true that we do not offer sacrifices of animals as the Jews did in the Old Testament. However, this verse is still applicable to our lives today. Have you ever tried to deal with God by saying you would give up something in order to receive the favor of the Lord? Maybe you are like the religious leaders during the time of Jesus who were so proud of all the fasting and praying that they were doing. Maybe the sacrifice you make is all the money you give to help the church or the needy.

While there is nothing wrong with fasting and praying or giving to the Lord, if you are doing it for sacrifice sack, in order to obtain something from the Lord, you may not be blessed the way you desire to be blessed. God does not want you to be making sacrifices just so that you can claim to be spiritual. God will accept your sacrifice if they are done for the right reason.

While sacrifices for the right reason are good, there is something else that God would rather you do that is even more important to HIM. God would rather see you do justice and judgment. If you are being unfair to others yet giving great sums of money to God, the light of your life will be very dim and your influence on the world will be weak. If you show partiality to others but try to make it up by fasting and praying, again, those who feel slighted by you will not see you reflecting the light of God and will not be impressed by your great spirituality.

God desires that you change your life and the way you live. This means that you need to understand how you are interacting with others. It does not matter if you can say all the right thing or do everything that causes the choir to say amen, if the world cannot see the light of God in your life, you will not be able to persuade them that you have anything worthwhile to offer them.

Cain was a man who was making sacrifices to God. However, God did not accept the sacrifice of Cain. God told Cain that if he did well, then his sacrifice would be acceptable. The lesson from Cain is simple, God expects us to change who we are and how we live. If we are not allowing God to change us for HIS glory, then all the things that we do in the name of religion are as worthless rags.

Ananias and Sapphira planned on making a great sacrifice to the Lord. They sold some land that they had and they were going to give the money to the work of the Lord. Ananias and Sapphira kept back some of the money but told Peter that the money they were giving was 100% of the sale price. God did not care about the large sacrifice being made by Ananias and Sapphira. The fact that the couple were trying to lie and obtain the praises of man was enough to cause the Lord to strike them dead.

Your sacrifices to the Lord will always be worthless as long you are not living according to HIS standards. The more time you spend adding knowledge of the ways of God, the easier it will be for you to understand just how God desires you to live. God will accept your sacrifice when your heart is pure before HIM. Solomon made a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord and God not only accepted the offering, but also gave Solomon anything he desired. The heart of Solomon was right before God and he asked God for wisdom rather than riches, honor, or long life. It is important that you live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God.

Proverbs 12:2 A good man obtaineth favor of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

One of the best illustrations in the Bible for this passage can be found in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer and he brought the fruit of the ground as an offering unto the Lord. Abel was a shepherd and he brought a lamb. Both men brought an offering unto the Lord from their income. There is nothing in scripture that indicates that either man brought the offering in order to keep up with their brother. They each willingly brought an offering unto the Lord. Nonetheless, God accepted the offering of Abel and rejected the offering of Cain.

Some Bible scholars have said that the reason God rejected the sacrifice of Cain was because it was not a lamb. God had used a lamb to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve and thus Cain should have known that God would only want a lamb as a sacrifice. The problem with this theory is that scripture does not say Cain and Abel were making a sacrifice for their sins, it only says that they were making an offering unto the Lord.

An offering is never required. When you bring an offering unto the Lord, you are doing so because you are thanking God for the abundance that HE has given you. God had blessed Cain by the fruit of the ground and thus if he was bringing an offering unto the Lord, it was only proper that he bring the fruit of the ground.

So why did God reject the offering of Cain and accept the offering of Abel? God asked Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door (Genesis 4:6-7). God does not tell us what Cain had done wrong, but Cain had done something wrong and thus God used his offering to show Cain that he needed to get right with God.

The lesson of Cain is simple, it does not matter how much time, talent, or treasure you give to God, if your heart is not right, God will not be pleased. When Saul was instructed of God to utterly destroy the Amalek, Saul only partially obeyed; he did not kill the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen. When Samuel confronted Saul, his excuse for disobeying was that the people were saving these animals for sacrifices and offerings unto the Lord. Samuel replied Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

God is more concerned about your heart than HE is about all the wonderful gifts that you give to HIM. You may give to HIM all the money in the world to HIM, but if HE does not have your heart, your offering will be rejected. God does not need wealth, HE created man in HIS own image so that HE might have fellowship. The sin of Adam and Eve destroyed that fellowship.

It takes knowledge of the ways of God to understand that God looks at the heart and not the offerings. If you desire to love the Lord with all your heart, then you must show that love in the way God desires to receive it, not in the way you want to give it. The more you understand the ways of God, the easier it will be to please HIM.

Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: and so they went both of them together.

Abraham had been given the ultimate test by God: did he love God enough to do that which was not best in his own interests? Abraham had to wait many years for God to fulfill the promise of giving him a son. Now that he had received the promise, God desired to know who Abraham loved more. If Abraham was serving himself, there was no way that Abraham would sacrifice his only son.

Abraham did not seek after that which was best in his own eyes. Instead, he listened to the still small voice of God and proceeded to do that which is right in the eyes of God. Because of the love that Abraham had for the Lord, he was willing to obey even when it did not seem logical. Abraham understood that his love for God had to come before his own needs and his own desires, even when he had a godly desire for a son.

It is so easy to allow the things of this world to come between God and us. However, if we are going to demonstrate that we love him, we must learn to not seek after our own will but instead seek after the will of God. It may not be easy to love the Lord with all your heart, but it is an important lesson that we all need to learn. Abraham passed the test that the Lord put before him and God blessed the faith of Abraham.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice when HE voluntarily allowed mankind to nail HIM to the cross so that you might have the option of confessing your sins and drawing closer to God. No one made Christ die for your sins; HE even asked HIS Father if the cup could pass from HIM. Nonetheless, Jesus loved us so much that HE gave HIS life for us.

Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love seeketh not its own. One who gives up their life so that another might prosper is demonstrating love to that individual. In this dog eat dog world that we live in today, people are constantly trying to climb to the top of the ladder by stepping all over their fellow man. However, by their actions, they are failing to love their neighbor as themselves.

Love requires sacrifice; it requires that you sacrifice your own goals and ambitions so that someone else might prosper. Jonathan loved David so much that he was willing to give up his right to be king so that David could be king. What sacrifices have you made recently for your spouse, your friends, or your neighbors? You are to love your neighbor as yourself and this means that you must put their needs above your own. Love requires sacrifice; are you ready to make the sacrifice necessary so that your neighbor see the love of God through you. How can you expect the world to see the light of God if you do not first demonstrate the love of God to them?

Acts 5:19 – 20 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

The religious leaders had arrested Peter and the other apostles for preaching the name of Christ. While the apostles were in prison, God sent an angel which miraculously released them from prison. The angel released them in such a way that when the religious leaders sent for them the next day, all the prison doors were still locked and the guards were diligently guarding all the gates to ensure that the apostles did not escape.

The angel did not help the apostles escape and then send them on their own way. At the time of the escape, the angel gave the apostle clear direction regarding the will of God. God did not want the apostles to run; HE desired them to go right back and do that which put them in prison to begin with. Early the next morning the apostles obeyed God and they were found preaching the gospel of Christ. The apostles understood that God desired them to be in the temple preaching, and they did not waste any time in being in the place God requested that they be.

God had a plan for the apostles and HE sent an angel to rescue them from their trials. However, just because God had rescued them from their trials, did not mean that HE desired them to run and hide. Our natural response when we face persecution is to avoid it. However, it was the will of God for the apostles to be bold and to keep doing that which the religious leaders wished that they would stop doing. God was demonstrating to the religious leaders that HE was more powerful than they were. God was showing the religious leaders that the apostles answered directly to HIM. God did not enable the apostles to escape so their lives were spared; God enabled the apostles to escape so that HIS name was glorified.

God has a purpose for everything. God desires to show HIMSELF strong in the lives of those who have perfect trust in HIM. However, God is not just a God who delivers you from trouble when you suffer for righteousness sakes; God also desires to direct you in the way you are to go. The ways of God are not always your ways and as such, you need to be willing to listen to HIM and obey HIS direction.

When God directed the nation of Israel, HE directed them out into the wilderness. The natural response of the nation would have been to go directly to Israel, but God had some lessons HE desired they learn and HE desired to give them the law. God also directed Abraham to sacrifice the promised child, Isaac. Abraham knew that sacrificing Isaac would not be something HE naturally would do, but he trusted God and told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice.

In Psalm 23, David reminds us that God is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. As a believer, there are going to be some very dark days. However, God is with us. God will not forsake you. All things work together for good for those who are called according to HIS purposes. If you are a child of the King, then regardless where God directs your steps, you must be ready and willing to follow so that God will be magnified through your life.

The knowledge of the ways of God for your life is available. God will not hide HIS direction from you if you are willing to hear HIS will and obey. God desires to be glorified through your life and that means that HE may need you to do things that are against your nature. Will you obey? Are you willing to go into the den of lions in order to do the will of God?

Psalms 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

There is only One who ought to be feared and that is the Lord your God. God desires to receive your gift. One gift that you can give to God is when you make a vow unto God that you fulfill your promise by doing that which you have promised God you would do.

This Psalm does not say, if you make a vow, make sure you pay it. Scripture is full of verses that command you to fulfill your vows to God. This passage shows you the importance of not only fulfilling your promise to God, but also the importance of making a promise to God. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills; HE does not need your time, talent, and treasures. Nonetheless, if you fear God, you understand HIS’ goodness in your life and you understand the importance of serving HIM with all your heart, you will be willing to make a promise to Him whereby you promise to give HIM some of your time, talent, or treasure.

God is the only One who deserves to be feared. If you fear God, your life should be filled with looking for ways that you could bring glory to the One whom you fear. Making promises to God to serve HIM the rest of your life should not be reserved only for those who think that they are about to die. Instead, you too should be looking for specific things that God is leading you to do and making promises that if HE provides for you, you will follow HIM faithfully.

You need to be very careful what you vow to God because God demands that you fulfill your vows. When you make a promise, you must understand that God heard every word of your vow and that you are not obligated to fulfill your vow. Do not make a vow if you are not going to pay it.

Solomon did not need to bring 1,000 burnt offerings to the Lord. However, Solomon loved the Lord HIS God and it was his desire to bring a gift to God that would be pleasing to HIM. When God judged David for numbering the people, God sent a pestilence upon Israel. God spared Jerusalem and David desired to make a burnt sacrifice unto God. Araunah the Jebusite was willing to give to David the things that David needed to make this burnt sacrifice but David was not going to make an offering to God that did not result in personal sacrifice.

Remember the story of the widow and her two mites. Jesus said that because she gave all that she had, she gave more than those who had given out of their abundance. The purpose of your promise to God, the purpose of your gift to God should be something that demonstrates to God that you fear HIM; that you understand who HE is.

You are not here on this earth to simply pass the time away. You are here on this earth to bring glory to your maker. God desires to show HIMSELF strong in your life. You need to be willing to give to God your time, talent, and treasure. Put the Lord first in your life by filling your mind with the things of God. As you fill your life with God’s virtue, allow HIM to lead you into fully committing your life to HIS glory by giving to HIM your time, talent, and treasure.

Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

A debate was occurring in Jerusalem as to whether the Gentiles were required to be circumcised before they could be saved. James stood up and used the prophets to back his belief that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised. James then shared that he thought it was best that the Gentiles be told a list of four items that they should no longer do now that they have proclaimed Jesus as their personal savior.

The third item in this list is that the Gentiles should abstain from things that were strangled. The fourth item in this list is that the Gentiles should abstain from blood. During this time in history, there was a practice of killing an animal by strangling it so that its blood did not exit the body. It was considered a delicacy to eat meat that still was saturated with its blood. Nonetheless, eating an animal with its blood was clearly a violation of Mosaic Law. The animal was to be separated from its blood before the Jews were permitted to partake of that meat.

The law of not eating meat with blood did not originate with Moses, this commandment started with Noah when God first permitted man to eat meat. God told Noah that the “flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” Prior to this commandment, man was a vegetarian. When God gave this command to Noah, there were no Jews nor any Gentiles, this was a commandment to Noah who was now the father of all nations. James was simply going back to a command of God to all people and all nations as to how they were eat meat. It is important to understand that as Christians, we have an obligation to obey God in all areas of our life.

Another reason why James requested that the Gentiles avoid meat that was strangled and still in its own blood had to do with Jesus Christ. God told Noah that the blood symbolizes life. When Jesus came to this earth, HE shed HIS life so that you might be saved. Jesus was pierced for your transgressions. Christ commanded you to partake of communion so as to remember that HIS blood was shed for you. Prior to Jesus’ death, a sacrifice was required to cover ones sins. However, the sacrifice had to first be separated from its blood. Eating meat now saturated with blood not only violates God’s commandment but it also violates the perfect picture of Christ’s sacrifice for you.

The Gentiles needed to understand that now that they were saved, they had to change their mindset. No longer were they to consider what was best for them, but they had to change their thinking in order to demonstrate to the world that their lives were different. Their lives now had to be a testimony to the world of the saving power of Christ. By the abstaining from meat saturated in blood, a testimony would be created in their lives.

By adding virtue to your life, you are now thinking upon those things that cause others to ask you about the Hope that dwells within you. It is always easier to share the gospel with someone who opens the door? When you obey God and God’s commandments differ from how the world does things, the world will ask you why you are different. You are now in a position to share your testimony. Your life must reflect God’s light and that will only occur as you change your perspective on life and how you think and act.

Genesis 22:16-17 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

After God had stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac on the altar and Abraham had made a sacrifice of the ram, the angel of the Lord returned and spoke with Abraham a second time. The first time the angel only stopped Abraham from making a human sacrifice, but the second time the angel brought a blessing.

Twice in one day Abraham had direct communication with God through an angel. Abraham probably never would have heard from God the second time had Abraham not had the desire to worship God on the mountain. God’s commandment to Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac. God did not tell Abraham to now sacrifice a ram. The ram may have been caught in the thicket, but there was nothing told to Abraham that he should make a burnt offering to the Lord. Nonetheless, because of Abraham’s desire to serve the Lord, he made an offering of the ram.

As a result of Abraham’s grateful heart, God sent the angel back to Abraham and blessed Abraham. Abraham had already been blessed of God for following HIM. Nonetheless, God blessed not only Abraham but also Abraham’s seed.

As you serve the Lord, there are going to be times where you hear God’s direction for your life very clearly. However, do not stop and think that this is all God has for you. Instead, you should understand that there will be seasons in your life where God is really close to you and it is during these times that you should ensure to not do anything to cut off your communication with God.

In Zechariah 10:1, you are instructed to “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain”. The meaning of this verse is that even though you are in a season where God is close to you, you must continue to seek God’s blessing in your life. If you fail to recognize that all things come from God, then you might cut short the blessings that God has for you. Because of Abraham’s desire to serve God, he received a blessing from God that still lasts to this day.

What blessings from God have you missed because after you heard from God, you allowed yourself to quickly slide back to your old ways? God has so much for you; HE desires that you long to develop your personal relationship with HIM so that when HE begins to speak to you, you have no desire to stop the communication. Instead, as you hear God’s voice, by faith you need to ask God to continue to make HIS voice known unto you. You must continue to seek HIS face and to draw closer to HIM.

By faith you understand that God has more for you then you have right now. By faith you understand that it is your duty to God to continue to seek HIS face and to receive all God has for you. When you are in a season of your life that God is speaking to you, do not allow yourself to do anything that will cause this sweet fellowship to cease. Instead, make it the desire of your heart to continue the sweet fellowship for as long as God will permit.

Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

God told Abraham that he was to sacrifice his only son Isaac upon an altar. Abraham and Isaac were traveling to the location of the sacrifice when Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was. Abraham’s reply reveals the faith of Abraham in that he understood that this sacrifice was a test by God. Abraham could have said that Isaac was the sacrifice or he could have stated that God would provide the sacrifice. However, Abraham stated that a lamb would be provided. This reveals that in Abraham’s heart, he was obeying God, but that he fully expected God to stop the sacrifice and provide a lamb instead.

Abraham had maintained a close relationship with God for such a long period of time that Abraham understood God’s desire for life. Abraham understood that the sacrificing of children upon the altar would not be pleasing unto the Lord. Nonetheless, because of Abraham’s close relationship with God, Abraham clearly understood the voice of the Lord and what HE had commanded him to do. While what Abraham was doing did not follow the pattern of God, Abraham was still willing to obey, but he fully anticipated that God would do something to stop the sacrifice before it started.

The difficult situation that you face is only a trial designed to draw you closer to God. If you allow your mind to be focused upon the trial itself, you will quickly be discouraged because of the impossible situation that you are in. Instead, you need to learn to focus your heart on your relationship with God. You need to learn to see God through your problem and understand that God is greater then your problems.

God’s ways are not always your ways. If you had your choice, God would grant you whatever you wanted whenever you wanted it. Nonetheless, you understand that God is not your magic genie, but that instead, you are HIS’ servant and that it is your duty to obey HIS instructions. God understands the bigger picture. While you may think you know what God is doing, even Abraham was wrong in that God did not produce a lamb but instead produced a ram.

Your duty to serve God begins at the heart. You must be like Abraham and understand that whatever God instructs you to do, you will obey, no matter how strange. While you can hope that God is going to deliver you from your present trial, you must understand that God is in control and that it is up to HIM whether HE delivers you. By faith you are going to live your life for God. Living by faith does not mean that God all of a sudden does your bidding. Living by faith means that you are in the center of HIS will and that God’s power is evident to all.

Abraham did not have an easy task that was before him. Nonetheless, he understood what God had told him and he understood that if he desired to please God, then he would have to obey God’s instructions. You will face many difficult trials during your life. Holding tightly and promptly obeying God will often be your only chance of survival. If you attempt to do your own thing, the situation, can get out of hand really quick. Instead, as you learn to walk by faith and do as God says, you will learn to experience the peace that passeth all understanding. God is your only hope of deliverance from your present trial.

Genesis 22:1-2 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

What would you do if God told you give back to HIM, something that HE promised you; something that you had waited a long time for; something that you really loved? Abraham had a close relationship with God. Abraham clearly heard the voice of God. Abraham was probably not happy to hear these instructions from God, but Abraham knew that it was vital that he obey God immediately. By faith Abraham obeyed God.

Abraham did not see the full picture of what God was doing through him. All Abraham knew was that God gave him a specific instruction and that it was up to him to obey God. Abraham did not know that this was only a test by God. All Abraham knew was that it was God who promised him Isaac, it was God who gave him Isaac, and now it was God who wanted Isaac back. Since God gave him Isaac, Abraham understood that what belongs to God must be given to God when God asks one for it.

God was simply testing Abraham’s faith. God desired to see if Abraham’s relationship with the Lord was the most important thing in Abraham’s life. God understands the relationship between family members, but HE still expects to be number one in your life. No relationship, no job, and no object should ever come between you and your God.

Abraham did not pray and wait and see if God would change his mind about sacrificing Isaac. Abraham did not question God and ensure that he heard God correctly. Abraham knew the voice of God and Abraham arose early the next morning and obeyed the voice of the Lord by immediately going where the Lord directed him. Abraham’s immediate obedience to God’s initial prompting should be compared with the behavior of Jonah who when he heard the voice of God, did immediately start to go, he just started to go the wrong direction. Jonah did end up doing what God instructed him to do, it is just that Jonah had to endure a storm and survive three days in the belly of a fish. If Abraham had not obeyed God, God probably would have had some events occur in Abraham’s life until Abraham was broken to the point that Abraham obeyed. Nonetheless, God did not have to do that because Abraham’s desire to please the Lord regardless of the request.

Do you know the voice of God? Have you strived to work on your relationship with God so that when God speaks, you hear? Have you demonstrated your faith by following God’s instructions when HE speaks? You need to demonstrate your faith by making God number one in your life. Nothing should come between you and your relationship with God. No person, no job, and no possession should be more important in your life. God should be and must be your greatest desire.

God will sometimes test your relationship with HIM. God may ask you to give up something that you hold vary dear in your life. If you desire to be in the perfect will of God and to have HIS blessing upon your life, then you must immediately obey. Remember, God will not bring a trial into your life that you are not able to handle. Trust the Lord and watch how HE will turn all things to good, because you love HIM.

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

The ultimate test by God was put upon HIS servant Abraham. God promised Abraham a son and Abraham was asked to give the son back to God. God had promised, Abraham believed and God received the glory when the promise was fulfilled with Isaac’s birth. Abraham was required to obey God and give back to God that which God had given.

This was Abraham’s trial; it was a trial of obedience. Unfortunately, this story has been turned around and is being used to teach the doctrine of sacrifice. It is often taught that if you really want something from God, you must first be willing to give it up. The problem with this teaching using this story is it does not carefully examine the entire story.

God came to Abraham and promised him a son. Abraham wrestled with God over waiting for God to provide that which HE promised. Abraham believed God to be faithful and in God’s timing, Abraham received the promise. God however, needed an illustration to show HIS love for the world. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. This is a picture of God’s greatest gift to man when HE sacrificed HIS Son so that we might receive everlasting life. This was Abraham�s test. It was a test of obedience to the calling of God.

God is more interested in our obedience then our sacrifices. God has already made the ultimate sacrifice and as such, there is no sacrifice that you can make that can atone for your sins. God tested Abraham’s obedience. This was a test that HE called Abraham to because HE knew that Abraham could handle the test of faith. The Lord tested Job by taking away all of his possessions because the Lord knew that Job could handle that test.

God has many special trials for you. What your trials will be is uncertain. However, what is certain is that God’s grace will be sufficient to help you through each trial. God will not call you to a trial that HE knows you are not able to handle.

God specifically spoke to Abraham and told HIM to sacrifice his son. This was a direct commandment to Abraham. The lesson we need to learn is that Abraham obeyed the command of God not that he sacrificed his son. Remember God told Moses that he was to speak to the rock the second time so that the water could come out. Moses instead struck the rock and while water did come out, God was displeased with Moses’ disobedience.

When God gives you something, one should not immediately think of how they can sacrifice what they have in order to give it back to God. Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son to the Lord. Hannah made a vow to the Lord that if HE gave her a son she would give it back to the Lord. These are very specific situations and a doctrine of sacrifice of everything the Lord has given you should not be extrapolated.

By faith Abraham obeyed God and an analogy was created so that we might understand the Messiah. Moses did not enter the promise land because he did not have the faith to obey God regarding the rock and thus destroyed an analogy to help us understand the Messiah. By faith, you obey God. God desires your obedience not your sacrifice. God may ask you to obey through sacrifice but do not sacrifice without HIS command. Listen to God’s voice, and do what HE has said so that you might show your faith to the world.

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his fits: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

The first individual admitted to God�s hall of faith is the second-born son of Adam and Eve. Abel brought an offering unto the Lord of the firstlings of his flock. Able understood who God was and he brought the first of his possessions unto God. God recognized that Able did this by faith and bore witness to the fact that it pleased HIM. Even though Able died as a result of his faith and his sacrifice, his example still speaks to us today about the importance of giving to God by faith the first of our possessions.

Scriptures indicate that Cain was the first to bring an offering. However, God did not accept Cain’s offering. God told Cain that if he did well then his offering would be accepted. What Cain had done wrong, we do not know, but evidently there was something he needed to clear up prior to bringing his offering before the Lord.

Jesus taught us that if we come before the Lord with a gift and remember that we have offended someone that we are to first go and take care of our offended brother and then we can bring our gift. By faith, Able had a clear conscience before his fellowman so that he could come before the Lord with a sacrifice that could be accepted. Remember, Able was not required to bring a sacrifice; this was of his own free will.

Because of the Jesus’ death, we are no longer required to bring sacrifices of sheep and oxen. However, there are still the sacrifices of time, talent, and treasure. These sacrifices are still accepted of the Lord. The question arises as to how pure our heart is. By faith, have we cleared our conscience of all offenses. By faith, have we brought to the Lord our best and not our leftovers.

By faith you have accepted Jesus as your Savior. However, your faith does not stop there. Able was recognized for his faith because he brought a sacrifice unto the Lord with a pure heart. Just as Able by faith believed in the authority of God and brought a sacrifice unto the Lord, so too much you take the next step of faith and be willing to give to the Lord the first of your time, the first of your talents, and the first of your treasure. Be willing to spend time with the Lord. Be willing to give your talents and abilities unto the Lord’s work. Be willing to give your treasure unto those who are doing the Lord’s work.

If you give unto the Lord with a pure heart, trusting that the Lord will take care of you, then you will have properly demonstrated the faith of Able in your life. The witness of Able’s sacrifice lives today and is a testament of how God desires to see our sacrifices with a pure heart. History is full of individuals who gave their first fruits unto the Lord and how the Lord used them mightily. History is also full of examples of those who took their first fruits and gave it over to the wicked one. The stories of these individuals are a scary reminder that where are treasure is, there will our heart be also.

Do you have the faith to trust the Lord and give HIM the first fruits of your time, talent, and treasure? Are you willing to give to the Lord sacrificially so that HE might be glorified through you and so that you might be a testimony unto HIM?