What Are We Offering?

      When I offer something to someone I first consider if they will value it. Many times I receive gifts that are of no use for me.  It is thoughtful, but it would be more appreciated if they took the time to consider what I really need.

      In Leviticus 22:1-2, The Lord says to Moses to be very careful with the sacred gifts that the Israelites set apart for Him, so that they do not bring shame on His holy name.

     What can I really offer God when He owns it all? Well the offerings that were given in the old testament were animal sacrifices.  What good could God do with dead animals?  The Old Testament was a type and shadow of what was to come in Christ.  In the New Testament Christ became the ultimate sacrifice and we now who are in Him are His offering to God.

     These special gifts in the Old Testament had to be spotless, perfect, or God would not receive them.  In Christ we are now a spotless and perfect bride. Therefore as Romans 12:1 says we must daily present ourselves to God as living sacrifices which is our reasonable service.  If we choose not to draw near to the Father and therefore abide in Christ then we are no different than the world.  We have spotted blemishes and bring shame to His name.

    My son recently told me that I am someone who gets irritated alot.  In 1 Corinthians 13 the bible says love is not irritable.  So I am misrepresenting God, bringing shame to His name.  This happens because when I am home I don't always draw near to God, I spend too much time watching television, working on the computer, playing video games.  I am behaving like a sluggard.  The only way love can be evident is when I am in Christ.

     We are called to be holy as God is holy.  I cannot just put on holiness when I am at church.  I am the church, my home should reflect holiness as much as anywhere else.  God's nature should be evident in my life at all times in all places.

     In the Old Testament a sacrifice was brought to a tabernacle to be presented to God.  In the New Testament we are the sacrifice and we are the tabernacle.  We are Christ offering to God through His sacrifice for our sins.  Giving a sacrifice is no longer something we do but who we are.

    Father right now I repent for bringing shame to your name, for not presenting myself to you as a living sacrifice.  Not fully enjoying what I have in Christ but having a double standard in my private and public lives. I thank you Lord for forgiving me and accepting me in Christ as a spotless offering.  May I honor you and bring Glory to your name in all I say and do.

Challenge:  Let's ask those closest to us what character flaws we hold, asking for their forgiveness and repenting before God.

Biblical Reference:  Leviticus 22, Romans 12:1, 1 Corinthians 13, Hebrews 10:11-18, Galatians 3:27

New Standard

God is no respecter of person's He loves us all equally, but He does hold a higher standard for leaders because of the greater responsibility and influence they hold. One is a leader because others follow them. So if a leader is taken out many will fall with them.

This is the plan of the enemy to take out leaders. A leader cannot expect others to follow what they do not practice. As leaders we must lead the way. A leader is always to blame for lack of productivity. We are the driving force behind seeing objectives reached, goals achieved, missions completed.

Change does not transpire without it first starting with leaders. As leaders we would love to blame those we are leading but we are really to blame if things aren't going as planned. Children are a reflection of the parents, employees are a reflection of their employers, a congregation is a reflection of their Spiritual leadership.

The plan of the enemy is to hold back the day of final judgement. He does this by weakening leaders. Keeping us from our main task found in Ephesians 4:12-13 of equipping God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. So as in Ephesians 4:14-15 they will no longer be immature like children, tossed and blown by every wind of new teaching, influenced with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, they will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 

As leaders we should expect a deeper conviction, their should be no gray areas, things should be either black or white, we must no longer live questionable lives, we must be blameless. With what God is speaking to the church in this hour it must first begin with us. We must no longer compromise. It is time to raise the standard. We must let everything in our lives that can be shaken removed so that the Kingdom can come forth.  The kingdom advances as leaders equip and followers work.  We are in the Army of God and we must no longer live like civilians, each of us must complete what God has assigned to us until the enemies of our God have become His footstool.

I repent right now as a leader for not living up to this standard. For letting my guard down. Being involved in questionable activities. Not following my convictions. I pray like David Lord do not take the Holy Spirit away from me. Change me, make me, mold me, form me into you. Use me to prepare the church your bride for the marriage supper of the lamb, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

Challenge: As leaders let's examine our hearts to see if there are any questionable activities in our lives and repent?  If you are not a leader repent for not praying enough for those who are leading you.


Biblical Reference:  Leviticus 21, Romans 2:11, Isaiah 9:16, 1 Cor. 4:16, Ezekiel 34, Proverbs 20:23, Ephesians 4:12-17, 2 Timothy 2:4, Psalm 110:1, Acs 2:35, Hebrews 1:13.

Spiritual Prostitution

     We were created for fellowship with God, sin is what breaks fellowship, but through the work of the cross fellowship has been restored through the forgiveness of sin.  In Christ there is now no separation between us and the Father.  We have continual fellowship and partake in all Heavenly Blessings. Spiritual Prostitution is when we have experienced the goodness of God yet give ourself over to lesser things.  

     When my wife first came into my life all I wanted to do was be with her, we would spend hours and hours together just talking. With time I have taken her for granted, not being as affectionate, just going through the motions of marriage, being easily distracted with the cares of life, and giving my attention more to electronic devices, like cell phones, computers, television, video games, etc.

     My relationship with my wife reflects the relationship I have with God.  The relationship I once had where I would spend hours in prayer and bible study has declined.  Not that I am blatantly in sin, but I am distant.  I can say I have lost my first love.  The passion has dwindled.  I go through the motions and outwardly everything looks fine, but inwardly I know things are not the same.  I get so easily distracted I give myself over to lesser things.  

     In the new covenant God judges the state of the heart not just our actions.  He through the Holy Spirit now works within us.  It is hard to admit that I have committed Spiritual Prostitution but it is necessary if I want what I once had restored.  I do not want to be luke warm, I want to be on fire for God.  So as the letters to the churches in Revelations state I must repent.

    When my relationship with God is what it should be everything else follows.  When I abide in Him I bear His fruit.  His character is seen, and every relationship, especially with my wife will be for the better.   In Christ I love my wife as Christ loves the church, I give myself fully to her.  

     So I repent right now for being lukewarm for committing Spiritual Prostitution!  Taking for granted the blessings I have in Christ.  Not being a good steward of what He has given me.  I choose to return to my first love, let the fire of God be ignited within me.  May every relationship I now have reflect the relationship I have with you God, in Jesus Name.

Biblical Reference:  Leviticus 20, Gen. 5:23-24, 1 John 1:7, Ezek. 23:30, Hosea 1:2, Col. 3:2, Prov. 5:18, 1 Cor. 7:3-4, 1 Cor. 7:33, Eph. 5:23-30, John 15, Rev. 3:15-23, Rev. 2:21

Set Apart

To be holy means to be set apart, to be different, unique, to stand out.  We are no longer an imitation of the world we are an imitation of God which is where we discover our true identity.  We were created for holiness, our consciousness bears witness.  

Our conduct reflects who we model ourselves after.  If we model ourselves after God we follow His ways.  I cannot say I am something and my actions prove I am not.  We are saved by faith, not works, but our works justify our faith.

I keep telling my son that I love him, but my impatience with him causes me to yell and makes it hard for him to believe.  Love is patient.  So I cannot say something and mean it if my actions don't back it up.  The consequences of this will be, He will distant himself from me and most likely God because of the wrong image I portray.

Our family will bear witness how holy we claim to really be.  It is easy to have an appearance of something amongst mere acquaintances.  It is those who really are able to observe us often that see how we truly conduct ourselves.  Our family is the hardest to reach because of the lack of holiness in our lives.

We all want to be able to reach our closest loved ones so how do we become holy?  We must know His ways and through obeying His commands follow Him. The law is now written in our hearts.  When I read the word it quickens to my spirit what is already deep within me. The more I read it the stronger my conscience becomes. Meaning Ignorance is now exposed and the truth is placed at the fore-front of my mind.   This is the process of renewing our minds.

It is in the nature of the born-again Christian to live holy it just takes the peeling off of the old man and the putting on of the new man for this to take place.

 Traditions are hard to overcome, these are practices that have been passed down generationally that cause the word to have little effect.  So alot of our conduct takes time to change because of how deeply rooted these practices are within us.

God is faithful what He has begun He promises He is able to complete. All we can do is continue to present ourselves before Him and trust that through the Spirit and the Word we will change and become more holy.

I want to give up hope at times when I continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over, and say it just who I am, but I choose to believe the word.  I have seen much of my ungodly conduct change and I will allow God to perfect me until complete holiness is attained.

Reference:  Leviticus 19, Lev. 20:7 & 26, Deut. 14:2, Heb. 7:26, James 2:19-24, 1 Timothy 1:19, Romans 9:1, 1 Cor. 8:9, Heb. 13:18, 1 Cor. 13:4, Romans 2:15, Romans 2:14, Gal. 3:27, Mark 7:8, Matthew 15:3-6, Mark 7:13, Gal. 6:5, Heb. 3:14, Phil. 1:6,