#sacrifice – GOD FOCUS–Psalm 34:3 O magnify the Lord with me….

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The title of today’s episode: SACRIFICE

When many of us think of a sacrifice we think about a practice under that law that was to atone for our sins. When Adam and Eve had disobeyed God and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God killed animals, shedding their blood and used their skins to cover them. This way proved to be imperfect, because the only punishment for committing sin, was a consequence of giving up some livestock.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

What does it mean to be clothed with the garments of salvation and with the robe of righteousness? When we are covered by the blood of Jesus through having a repentant heart. Those things should have less draw on us to do. We have to renew our minds and hearts with the word of God. Ask him to give us strength to avoid temptation.

When we receive the Holy Ghost, we have power to walk in God’s ways. This is how we become clothed with his righteousness. Just as God made Adam and Eve clothing of skins after the shedding of blood. We too have been clothed by God because we have accepted Jesus’ blood offering to atone for our sin.

He covers us with his righteousness. Which is far above the righteousness level we could reach on our own.

Col 3:5-9 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

The word mortify means: To subject someone to embarrassment or to deaden the body or bodily appetites through abstinence or self-control to the point of discomfort. When this verse says mortify our members it is saying get control over your impulses and wrong appetites, that cause you to commit sin.

Col 3:10-14 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Walking in the ways of the Lord are not always easy. We battle our flesh constantly. God will prompt us to go talk to someone. We want to argue with him like Moses did, “I have a hard time talking to people. I am not good with words.” He will tell us to fast a meal and we act like we never had anything to eat. He may tell us to give away something that means a lot to us. That would be another way to sacrifice. To give away something you would like to keep. God sometimes asks us to give away things we really love, to prove our love for him is more important to us.

Romans 12 1:2 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. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We give our lives to Christ, but we do not lay down our physical lives. Instead, we live a life that is pleasing to him. One which is a light to the world around us. But we should have a made-up mind that if it came down to it, we would go as far as laying down our physical life too. Many have been martyred to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ alive in the earth.

When we say, I give to you my life, Lord Jesus; we mean that we will walk according to the scriptures and will be a witness in the earth. We have to walk out that life, living a way that is acceptable to God.

The definition of sacrifice: an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure:

Our sacrifice is saying, I will not live the way I choose, I will not do what I wish being led by my flesh, but I will choose ever day to walk in the way that God leads. Allowing his word and His Spirit to be my guide.

This says to not be conformed to the world, but be transformed. How are we transformed, by the renewing of our minds. Our minds are renewed by prayer,

the study of God’s word and being led by His Spirit.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION : https://rumble.com/v4w955h-god-focus-this-morning-episode-101-judging-the-sacrifice.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: “JUDGING THE SACRIFICE”

History gives us the story behind the story of Jesus and the money changers at the temple. Many only want to speak of Jesus’ loving, peaceful side. They say Jesus didn’t judge. They do not speak of the Jesus that stood boldly before the religious people and called them a den of vipers. He told them they were open sepulchers of dead men’s bones. In other words, he was standing against their evil. That is what we are expected to do is take a stand against evil. Many people are afraid to take a stand. If we are going to be like Jesus, we are going to have to be strong and speak the truth in love, but still speak the truth. I am not saying we need to go as far as Jesus did with a physical confrontation. He had to make them hate him so that they would crucify him.

During the season of Passover, the Jews would travel to Jerusalem. When the people came to Jerusalem to sacrifice an animal for their sins, the evil ones would tell them that their lamb for example had a blemish. They would have to buy one from them. The people would often trade that lamb to lower their price. Then the evil men would turn around and sell that lamb to someone else.

They would overcharge the widows who could barely afford a dove to sacrifice. The sacrifice was not about the monetary value of the animal, but the cleansing of sin. They cheated the people when they changed one currency to another. They were evil men, profiting off of peoples desire to be obedient to God. They played off of their willingness to be obedient to God.

Jesus was sickened by their evil. He took a scourge and ran them out of the temple. He turned over their money tables so that the money was scattered on the ground. He did this to cleanse the temple. It cost them a lot of money and they hated him for it.

We are the temple of the Holy Ghost. This is symbolic of how Jesus cleansed our temple of evil. When we make him Lord of our life his blood cleanses our sins. He removes all the evil that was trying to corrupt our temple. Just as he ran out all the evil merchants that were taking advantage of the peoples desire to do the right thing. He runs off all the evil spirits that were trying to control our lives.

It was not right that these men were judging someone else’s sacrifice. Like we don’t have the right today to judge what someone else does for God. Maybe they are doing all they can do. In our eyes it may not look like much, but we don’t know the whole story. People, even ones close to us often deal with things we do not understand. We don’t know how big of a sacrifice they are making. We do not know with what attitude they make the sacrifice. If they do it with a love for God and a will to be obedient it is viewed by God as a big sacrifice. If we do it for attention of men and out of obligation it is not viewed by God as much of a sacrifice. That type of sacrifice, God would reject like he did Cain’s sacrifice in Genesis.

Mark 12:38-44 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Many would have judged the woman as being stingy or not caring. Monetarily she didn’t give anything in comparison to the others. However, God doesn’t judge by the monetary value, he judges by the sacrifice. The widow loved God because she gave all she had to give. The others gave a small portion of their large amount of money.

It doesn’t matter what we give to God, people will often look at it like its not a big deal. But we are not to judge another man’s sacrifice or servant.

Romans 14:1-4 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

This is one way of saying don’t be legalistic like the Pharisees. We are not to judge our brother. God alone has the right to judge, because we are his servants. None are perfect and we all have our ideas and opinions about small things. Some try to pick up elements of the law and others have too much grace. But as the saying goes, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” We need to come together as the body of Christ and set aside the little things. Let God work it out.

Romans 14:5-6 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Paul was trying to get the church in Rome to see that it wasn’t about works and observances as much as it was about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. It was about their acceptance of this sacrifice and God’s amazing grace.

Don’t allow others judgments of you pull you away from God. If you have his spirit inside of you, listen to Him. He was sent to be our guide. If we have faith and believe, then follow with our whole heart, we cannot God wrong.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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