These are sermons and devotional messages by other people that spoke to my heart. I like to keep them for future reference. I claim no copyrights to any of them. They are here just to help me when I need to hear the message again. (Emphasis is mine, as these are the lines that spoke the loudest to me). Links to the original sermon page as well as the ministry page are placed in each one. Links to scriptures are included through Biblia.com or BibleGateway.com

Monday, August 30, 2010

Giving Your Best

By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page

You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 17:1

"God's love moved Him to sacrifice that which meant the most to Him -- His only Son. Our response, if we truly understand His love for us, is the desire to give back to God that which means the most to us.

The Old Testament reveals that God set forth high standards for the sacrifices He required of His people. A worthy sacrifice had to cost the people something. As their hearts shifted away from God, the people began struggling to give God costly offerings. They would bring blind, lame, and sick animals, assuming God could not tell the difference (Mal. 1:8). God saw what they were doing and declared their offerings to be in vain (Mal. 1:10). Throughout the Old Testament period, God was setting the stage for the ultimate, perfect, and sinless sacrifice of His Son for the sins of humanity.

The offerings we give back to God reveal our hearts' condition. A heart that overflows with gratitude for God's love will respond in selfless devotion. If we are unwilling to sacrifice our time, our possessions, our money, or our energy, we indicate that we do not love God as He desires. God takes delight in the person who gives to Him cheerfully out of a loving heart, a person who understands that God is the source of everything he has and who knows that God will more than compensate for whatever is sacrificed for Him (2 Cor. 9:8).

If you struggle in giving your best to God ie...your time, heart, money, pause and reflect on what God sacrificed for you. Trust Him and give Him the best that you have because you love Him with all your heart."

1 comment:

Chica said...

I have already noticed in myself, quite some time ago, that more and more as I grow in God my heart desires to give back. For example: I love doing volunteer work at the church office. I spend many hours there. I love doing it, and in my heart I really am doing it to worship Jesus. Also, I desire to give things to others more. For example: giving away my furniture when I moved, wanting to give my new monitor to the church or to someone needy. My heart has the desire... and it's growing.