|
God's Daily Word Ministries | PO Box 190 | Lorena | TX | 76655
|
| MY ONLY HOPE You Lord are my shepherd, You guard me and keep me safe; You Lord are my savior, You pull me out of early graves. You Lord are my light, You shine Your love ahead of me; You Lord are my peace, You comfort me and heal grief. You Lord are my strength, You fill when my heart is weak; You Lord are my sovereign hero, You alone are my victory! You Lord are my forgiveness, You are my lifelong friend; Only You are worthy of my trust, My only hope until the end. J. E. P0LL0CK August 8, 2O12 Psalm 23 is an easy psalm to love. I imagine most Christians count it as one of their favorites. To be sure it covers the necessities of life. Truth is you cannot love this psalm and not love the shepherd, Yeshua (Jesus) - He's the one whose leading and guiding, saving, protecting, comforting, preparing sustenance, anointing for service (more protection!), and all-around providing the strength we need to move forward from grace to grace until our final destination is in sight. I suggest the reason David began this sheep song with "I shall not want" is because he realized the Lord is everything he needs! Trust in the Lord with all your heart, don't lean (bend toward) your own understanding (what you think you know). Acknowledge His leading, follow Him, and the Shepherd of your soul will guide you in safety (the right path). What do you want out of life? How do you expect to get it? The Bible proposes a fairly simple two-step plan: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Find lasting peace in Jesus and enjoy! *THE RIGHT PATH* Turn to the left, Turn to the right; Stand up - Sit down, Fight! Fight! Fight! Come to Jesus, Your strength won't last; Surrender your pride, Learn how to laugh. Fall in the dark, Look for the light; Fall down - Get up, Fight! Fight! Fight! Come to Jesus, Your peace will not last; Surrender your weary heart, Laugh! Laugh! Laugh! JEFF 2012 http://bible.cc/psalms/37-4.htm |
During the days of Moses, God established specific laws for sacrifices. God called for animal sacrifices to teach His people the seriousness of sin and to prepare the way for Jesus. God taught that when a sacrifice was offered, it was to be pure and without blemish: "If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord" (Leviticus 1:3).
Approximately 900 years after the sacrificial law was given to Moses, God used the prophet Malachi to call the people back to a true heart of worship. Since the time of Moses, the people of Israel had gone through many highs and lows in their worship and were currently on another downward spiral. The priests had become very casual with the sacrifices – they had lost all sense of reverence and had ceased to offer God their absolute best.
Malachi 1:7-8
"You place defiled food on My altar. But you ask, `How have we defiled You?' By saying that the Lord's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?"
With the perfect and acceptable sacrifice of Jesus, the need for animal sacrifice has ended; "He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood" (Hebrews 9:12). Through faith in Jesus, our sins are completely forgiven; "By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" (Hebrews 10:14). Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus has become our final sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin – we have been perfected by His blood.
However, each of us who have experienced God's mercy and grace are now urged "to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1a). We are to offer this sacrifice not to earn or even maintain our Salvation, but because "this is our spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1b). A true understanding of God's grace in granting us eternal life ought to compel us to a life of thanksgiving and sacrificial worship.
But when we leave His presence for the pleasures of this world, we create blemishes on our heart; and when we practice or give approval to sin, we become spiritually crippled and diseased. We must present ourselves to God and allow Him to use us for His glory. He deserves our very best! We should offer ourselves with a pure heart, without selfish ambition or pride, and free of worldly compromise.
God has given us all we have, made us all we are, and is leading us to all we will become. Let's worship and serve Him with the best we have to offer; let's present our lives to Him as an unblemished sacrifice.
Have a Christ Centered Day!
Steve Troxel
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ---Hebrews 12:2CROSS YOUR HEARTDoes joy cross your mind When sin leaves you blind; Does Jesus help you see How the truth sets you free?Does joy cross your soul, When despair takes its toll; Does Jesus help you out, When you fall into doubt? Does joy cross your heart, When pain won't depart; Does Jesus help you cope, When steel bars imprison hope? Do you rejoice in the Cross, When you pause to think of God; Do you cling with all your strength, To the Savior whom Our Father sent? Jeff Pollock May 27, 2008 Our Creator loves us so much He crucified His One and Only Son, so that all who are touched by Him will know the peace of Heaven. see John 3:16http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/HolyLandVideoBlog/~3/294561244/day-7-of-the-to.html
