“¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV)

I am a child of God and I am to imitate Him. I am to love and love and love. I am to give of myself as a sacrifice to God and as a demonstration of love.

Jesus came to this world for one purpose and that was to sacrifice Himself for us. He walked and did the work of God for His time here until the time was for Him to die for our sins so we did/do not have to die. I am brother to Jesus and therefore my actions should be the same. I should be walking this world doing the work of God until it is my time to go home to heaven. I am to walk in love, sacrificing self for the good of others.

Thank you God for pointing me to your Word and specifically these verses as the reminder of the actions that I should be taking and how I should be acting here in this world. I have to continually remember that I am not here for myself and my task is to follow the direction you give and impact the lives of others through the sacrificial walk in love.

I know that I will continue to stumble on this path and I will fall down, skin my knee, but when I look to You, I will get back up and continue on the path to You. Lord, I honor You with my presence and I know that this walk is one that You will give the strength for me to undertake. I know that it is not natural as man to sacrifice myself, and only through Your strength am I able to complete the tasks that you ask me to do.

“¹I love you, O Lord, my strength.” – Psalm 18:1 (ESV)

What are you here in this world for? How are you making it through? Are you walking in sacrificial love?

When I look at what God has commanded of me, I can only think that in order to accomplish those, I have to have given a lot to God and denied myself. And that is sacrifice.

“¹I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” – Romans 12:1 (ESV)

“Living sacrifice” is an interesting take. As I think of what a sacrifice is, I think to the death of something for the life of something else. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were killed and offered to God. They died as a representation of something or as a gift.

Paul refers to “living sacrifice” to indicate that there is no “death” associated with our work for Christ. I was spared the horrible death by the death of Christ. I am given the opportunity to continue doing for my God without the fear of dying for absolution or as a gift of my loyalty.

I get to “live” as a representation of the love that God has for me. I get to do the work of Christ here in this world, knowing that my reward is in heaven. I was absolved of my sin and can now focus on the good I am able to bring through the love of Christ each day. I am a child of God and He will protect me from death to be sure that I have every opportunity to live for Him and demonstrate His love to those around me. I AM A LIVING SACRIFICE!!!

Are you dying trying to get absolution? What is your mission/purpose here in this world? Will you accept that you can be/are a “living sacrifice” to God?

I have been through a number of situations where the actions I took were misunderstood to the point that I was accused and treated as though I had done something wrong.

“⁹He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, ¹⁰said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And he sprang up and began walking. ¹¹And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’” – Acts 14:9-11 (ESV)

Paul and Barnabas where preaching the Gospel and as all were hearing the words, this man who was healed believed. The people saw the actions of Paul and misunderstood them to be the actions of the gods they worshiped.

Paul was only doing the work God had tasked him with, and yet he was misunderstood to be a god himself. Paul and Barnabas ran into the crowd to only claim their human nature and that they preached the Word of God, yet the people refused to believe and went about their ceremonies and rituals.

“¹⁸Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.” – Acts 14:18 (ESV)

I have to understand that the Will of God will not be understood by all people. I can only do the work that God has tasked me with and continue to display Him in all that I do. There are going to be a vast majority of people that do not see what the that the work I do is for God. There are going to be plenty of people that misunderstand my actions. There are going to be those that hear my words and are not clear as to the meaning and reasons for them and place them with something they know causing them to misunderstand. Even when I may speak directly to the misunderstanding, they may still have difficulty believing.

My duty is simply to continue doing the work that God has given me and know that He will care for my well being just as He did for Paul.

What are your actions saying about your relationship with God? Have you been misunderstood? What should you do based on your relationship with God and the misunderstanding of those actions by those around you?

Being a sinner, I know that I need all the help I can get. Christ provides that help.

“¹¹And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ ¹²But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have not need of a physician, but those who are sick.’” – Matthew 9:11-12 (ESV)

When I am sick, I go to the doctor. When I require to know something, I go to the teacher. As I sinner, I go to Christ. Jesus points out to the Pharisees that those in need are those that He should be working with. Not those that “already have” such as the Pharisees themselves.

“¹³Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Matthew 9:13 (ESV)

God does not want my ritualistic ceremonies of sacrifice. He wants my loyalty and to give myself to Him (see Hosea 6:6). God only wants me to follow Him with all of me. And, in return, He will provide that which I need.

As a sinner yourself, are you coming to God? Are you willing to simply give yourself to Him? Will you come to God with loyalty and allow Him to provide for your needs?

As I continue studying sacrifice, I continue to find evidence that sacrifice is not what God is looking for in me.

“⁶For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” – Hosea 6:6 (ESV)

Here God proclaims about the people of Israel and Judah that they spend more time with Him as opposed to ceremonies to Him. “God prefers real participation in the covenant on the part of his people, here expressed as ‘steadfast love’ and ‘knowledge of God’, to the polluted ceremonies of the northern kingdom that ignore these qualities (ESV Commentary).”

I do not have to parade around, displaying to all my religious undertakings. God does not want me to overtly appear to be giving to Him to make sure that all can see. God does not want the empty words from my mouth to fall on those around me.

The only sacrifice God wants of me, is to spend the time with Him, to get to know Him. God wants a relationship with me. God wants me to participate with Him in the growth and discipleship of those around me. I am commanded to simply obey Him and do His will and commune with Him each and every day.

What do you believe God wants from you? Do you wrap yourself up in ceremony to “please” God? Will you embrace that God wants you to participate in a relationship with Him?

This morning I was brought to Psalm 50, to a verse I studied back in November 2017. In fact, I have simply copied my study here and added the thought questions at the bottom.

Thanksgiving sacrifices were certainly part of the Old Covenant, and were “right” under the law.

“¹⁴Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and perform your vows to the Most High, ¹⁵and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” – Psalm 50:14-15

God wants our sacrifices, however he wants them with the right heart. God did not need the sacrifices, only wanted them as a show of devotion to Him. Thanksgiving sacrifices provided an opportunity for us to fellowship with God. In verses 7-13 you see that God already has everything he could want.

Isn’t it our duty to offer to God?

“²³The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” – Psalm 50:23

And look what that duty provides for us.

Thank you God for all of the wonderful things you provide and we ask that you enter our lives and fellowship with us.

When you give glory to God, what is your state? Are you looking to show your devotion to Him? Are you looking to create a reason to fellowship with God through your thanksgiving?

As I read in the Old Testament, I see many references to sacrifices and revere their importance at the time as our savior had not yet come to bear the weight of our sins. And then I come to Psalm 40 this morning.

“⁶In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.” – Psalm 40:6 (ESV)

God required and still requires today, repentance. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were symbols to The Lord of our repentance for at the time we did not have a direct line to God to commune and fellowship. We went through the priests with our gifts to God to repent. Somehow the gravity of the gift (sacrifice) determined the level of forgiveness. Even here in Psalm 40, the sacrifice is deemed less important than the repentance itself.

I still sacrifice today, only not with burnt or sin offerings. I sacrifice with my actions to do that which pleases God. When He asks, it is my responsibility to do and by doing for God, I sacrifice worldly pleasure for myself. It is in the actions that God is pleased and not in what I gave up. He knows what I gave up. I have to remember that the rewards I could receive here in this world are just temporary and mean very little when I think of my eternal rewards in heaven.

“I repent O Lord for where I have failed you. Those places I know and those places I don’t. I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. Lead me in the path to your grace and direct me in the actions that please and bring glory to your name.”

When you are alone with God, are you repenting or are you relying on some sacrifice to represent you? Will you actively seek repentance from God? Sacrifice is not enough, will you take action?

“³O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” – Psalm 5:3 (ESV)

“³In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my request before you and wait in expectation.” – Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

My role is to bring to God and wait for Him to do His work. I am also tasked with taking up my part when commanded. God needs me to do my part.

I cannot simply ask God to “fix” things and then proceed as if everything will be better. I have work to do to honor the “request” I have placed before God. I must do His work as commanded. Think of the musician that prays for a great performance. God does not pick up the instrument and perform for them. The musician must play and trust that God will provide the means to greatness as they play.

I find it hard to continue working each day when I am doing it on my own without a plan or something to strive for. I have to have a goal to shoot for and something to accomplish. God gives me that something. I have given my life to the Lord to do His will and that is enough for me. I still “request” His guidance, and then take up the work. My actions speak louder than my words and therefore I must continue.

Lord, I give my request to you and ask for your continued guidance today, tomorrow, and always.

Are you praying and waiting? Are you forgetting the last part of doing the work? Will you continue the work that you have committed to God and are you praying for guidance with that work?

We all make mistakes and for those mistakes it is good to repent and ask for forgiveness. I know that each morning I ask God to forgive me for where I have failed. And, as God, I know that He loves and appreciates and honors my request for that forgiveness.

I will say that God would much prefer that I simply not make the mistakes and need the forgiveness. Sometimes the mistakes are mine and I have made them as I have disobeyed Him. If I would have just done as I commanded, my need for forgiveness would not have been.

“²²And Samuel Said, ‘Has 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 listen than the fat of rams. ²³For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.’” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (ESV)

Saul was instructed to completely wipe out any remnants of Amalek, including all livestock. Saul elected to spare the best of the livestock and planned to use as a sacrifice to God as a thank you for the great victory that was given. The sacrifice was in honor of God and Saul though he was doing the right thing. But, his disobedience, was not accepted by God. God simply wanted Saul to obey.

I do not get to make the rules in how much I obey. When given a task by God, I must simply obey to please God. Can I ask and plead to do another way or perform another task? Yes, and God is willing to listen and give me the chance to plead my case. But once the decision is made, I am held to completion. I must obey.

When you find yourself with a task to complete, do you find yourself trying to only complete what you want? What about asking for forgiveness and repenting for not completing as instructed? Wouldn’t it be just easier to obey and not have to repent?

This morning I read “The Nazirite Vow” from Numbers 6. Now I am aware of the importance of a vow and what it represents. The taking of and completion of a vow demonstrates commitment to that which is vowed, and serves as reminder to the stance taken.

I follow with this, I am certainly glad Christ died to satisfy all that would be considered for staying holy with this vow. All of the sacrificing of ewes, lambs, rams, grain, and drink are difficult to keep up with. Even cases that are out of our control like in verse 9 are difficult to manage.

“⁹And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.” – Numbers 6:9 (ESV)

If someone were to die next to me without warning, I would be defiled. Now that would be difficult to remember and consider as I continue with my vow.

I want to reiterate that I understand the vow and the reason for them, and I do not want to discredit anyone that chooses to take one. I will say again, I am glad that Christ died for me to satisfy the need for me to take such a vow.

I have given my life to Christ and He is asking for me to simply Love and to go and make disciples. In return, He has forgiven all of my sins (known and unknown) and has prepared a place in heaven for me to reside when my time here is done.

What have you been doing to earn your way? Are you aware of the love and sacrifice provided for YOU? Are you glad of the sacrifice given by Christ?