Tag: #sacrifice

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP515 FIRE ON THE ALTAR

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: FIRE ON THE ALTAR

Across all denominational boundaries almost all would agree that we need to see revival. We often think of revival as a meeting set up weeks in advance. There is a preacher from another church to bring the word. But if he doesn’t bring the fire, no one will come to know Jesus. If the people have not prepared the altar, there will be no fire.

Mirriam Webster online defines revival as: the restoration, re-connection or to bring back to life something that has declined faded or died.

The word revive means – an improvement in the condition or strength.

If we allow God to revive us, we will gain strength and improve in condition, we will re-connect with him. It is easy to let life get in the way of our relationship with God. Revival can restore our faith walk.

A congregation can have church services every night for a year and call it revival, but it will accomplish nothing until the saint are re-kindled with God’s holy fire. Until they pray the fire down.

Which brings me to my next point. The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. A large portion of these people were God’s people who had turned aside to serve baal. We too at times allow things to creep into our lives. Often ours is more subtle than turning to worship a false little “g” god.

Elijah was tired of watching God’s people chase after the false god. He put forth a challenge and said, we will set up an altar and worship. Which ever God answers by fire, let him be God.

For times sake I am starting at verse 30, I suggest you read the whole chapter and think about how amazing that God answers by fire. We pick up with where the prophets of baal had spent all day crying, cutting themselves with knives and nothing happened.

I KGS 18:30-38 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

Notice the sacrifice that was on the altar to baal was not the sacrifice Elijah used. He prepared his own sacrifice. Just like we must put ourselves on the altar and rededicate and re-surrender. We need to become broken before him and allow him to send down the fire to consume our sacrifice.

He asked the people to pour not four, not eight barrels but twelve barrels of water on the altar, the sacrifice and the area around the altar. Think about what a sacrifice it was to use the water, there was a famine and drought in the land. But they still offered it to God.

Notice Elijah didn’t use the altar of the enemy and try to pray to God. He repaired the altar before adding the sacrifice and water. He didn’t have to cry and cut himself with a knife, like the prophets of baal. He just said a simple prayer and all off the sudden there came a fire from heaven. God not only answered by fire, he consumed the sacrifice, the wood, stones, dust and all the water.

True revival will come when we see God’s fire. But first we have to repair the altar. It is not just a place for sinners to repent. The altar is a place to make changes in our lives through sacrificing what our flesh wants to do and spend time crying out to God for real change. Some churches have made a mockery of the altar.

What if Elijah’s sacrifice was like we are, as soon as the prayer gets serious our flesh wants to get up and call it a day. But in bible times the sacrifice was tied to the altar. What if our desire for God kept us tied to the altar until we were saturated with is presence? We must pour out everything before God. Re-connect to him in a deeper way.

There is no shame in needing renewal. Everyone needs to be refreshed (with the washing of the word), refilled with God’s spirit so we can pour him out to others. We need renewed so that we have fresh bread and not the same stale message for those who are lost.

If there was ever a time in history that needed God more than now, I do not know when it was. The only way people are going to be drawn away from the bone chilling coldness of this world is for the church to get on fire. It can only do that, if we sacrifice time to pray for the fire to fall once again.

As spring begins and people start to plan revivals in their churches, I pray each one prays for lost souls to come to know God. And that there will once again be fire on the altar.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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SACRIFICE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

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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EPISODE 101 — JUDGING THE SACRIFICE

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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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