I 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.

Leviticus 3

I 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

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - looking at chapter three - Peace with God - covering 3:1-17, looking specifically at the theme We Bring Our Lives to God.  My commentary ends this morning by urging us to look at Romans 12:1 and how Paul seeks to have believers offer our lives "as a living sacrifice."  Leviticus 3 specifically discusses the peace offering and how animals served as a substitute for the sinner as the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The commentary also emphasizes how it was expected that confession of sin accompanied sacrifice and how the sacrificial system (still in place now albeit via Jesus Christ vs Old Testament ceremonial sacrifice) included:

1. acknowledgement of (and confession) sin
2. affirmation that God's just penalty for sin is death
3. acknowledgement of the principal of sustitutionary sacrifice - the animal took the worshiper's place
4. seeking of atonement and peace with God

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides a path for atonement and peace with You - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You forgive me and provide a path for forgiveness and reconciliation with You.  My sin, of arrogance, worry, impatience, harshness, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Leviticus 1

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. Leviticus 1:4

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing a review 1:1-7, looking at the theme Our Sin Requires Atonement. Here, the focus, as the theme states, is on atonement - my commentary indicates that Leviticus mentions "atonement" 53 times while "only 43 times elsewhere in the whole Old Testament.  Thus, Leviticus says more about atonement than any other book in the Old Testament." The word is defined as describing reconciliation with the "Hebrew word translated 'atonement' refers to the beginning of that process.  It denotes doing what is necessary for two parties to be reconciled.  In the case of our relationship with God, it refers to the taking away of sin."  The commentary gives Leviticus 17:11 as another scriptural basis to help us understand the role of shed blood with atonement, as shed blood "was the ransom payment for the death the worshiper's sin had earned." The laying of hands on the head of the burnt offering is described as transferring the sin and guilt of the worshiper to the animal sacrificed. The sacrificial system required by God is based on what the commentary describes as "a universal and unalterable truth-sin leads to death" as "laid down" by God since The Fall where just prior to the eating of the forbidden fruit God states that if you eat it, "you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17)." The commentary summarizes the sacrificial system by stating that:

1. Sin leads to death
2. God is perfectly holy - no sin is allowed in His presence
3. Our sin must be taken away for us to worship God and to enjoy fellowship with Him

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has taken my place as a ransom for my sin - thank You!  I am grateful as I know this is the greatest gift of all time and I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin continues, and I know You are not done with my sanctification. Please forgive me for my worry and other sins.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

 Ezekiel 24

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1

Day 231 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Ezekiel. While Babylonia lays siege to Jerusalem, God shares the news with Ezekiel who is in Tel Aviv at the time (Ezekiel 24:2). Striking this morning is the great sacrifice Ezekiel makes as God takes Ezekiel's wife (she dies) and the same language is used in reference to her as God uses for the city of Jerusalem ("delight of your eyes" - Ezekiel 24:15, 20, 25).

While Judah suffers her just punishment, we can only describe Ezekiel's wife's death as a "sacrifice" - I can view this as nothing else.  My commentary indicates: "Certainly it can be said that Ezekiel is being asked to give up no more than what God himself will give up one day in order to bring a sign to all the world. Perhaps that itself is the very answer: as Creator of the universe God can and does act in ways that confound man. Death undoubtedly has a totally different significance to God than it does to man. But the immediate mystery is how Ezekiel can seemingly take his wife’s death in stride and continue his ministry. What testimony to any man’s faith this would be!"

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

The reality is that all of our existence is from God and we don't deserve anything other than death - for  "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:32) and "the wages of sin are death" (Romans 6:23). 

We must also remember that God wants us to live sacrificially, giving of ourselves first to God and then to others - demonstrating God's love through our lives. Sometimes, the cost is high but God's grace is sufficient.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who grace is MORE than sufficient as You have helped me through many difficult times and I am sure there are difficult times to come - but You will never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace.  My sin continues - I often fail to love You and others as You command of me.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.

Portions of Leviticus and Numbers

The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. Leviticus 6:8-9

Day 50 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on the various (five) offerings commanded by God to Moses to instruct the Israelites to perform, including sacrifice of firstfruit offerings from the harvest as well the burnt offering as means to atone for sins.

According to my commentary*, the burnt offerings "are continuous sacrifices of unblemished animals which are completely burned and never eaten"  Overall, "the sacrifices and offerings are designed to bring the removal of guilt (expiation) or the obtaining of God’s favor (propitiation)".

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  

Because we all sin and the wages of sin is death, we need a Savior...and Jesus Christ is that Savior - as John Piper refers to Christ as the "perfectly complete" sacrifice.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and You willingly offered Yon urself as the perfect "once for all" complete sacrifice - for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such an act and such a God.  I sin...daily, including gossip, worry, harshness to others, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. v15-16

We no longer need to offer animal sacrifices but instead we are to offer our bodies (and lives) as as a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1).  As part of our living sacrifice we are to "do good" and "share with others".  Similar to my post from a couple of days ago, we are to be a light.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who sacrificed Your life...for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  I worry and I fall down in the roles You desire for me - as a father, husband, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

Lamentations 5

Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure. v21-22

Sin separates us from God.  In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices and the spilling of animal blood was used as part of ceremonial law to atone for sins and to help restore and reconcile individuals back to God.  Jeremiah is correct that he and the exiled Jews needed to be restored, and Jeremiah also delivered prophecies pointing to Jesus, whose death on the cross permanently eliminated the need for animal sacrifice.  While Jesus does want us to repent and confess our sins, He does not want animal sacrifice.  Instead, He wants our lives to be about Him and for Him - we are to sacrifice FOR Him:


Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who laid down His life for me...for me...amazing!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an act.  I miss the mark. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’”

Isaiah 62

“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” v11

As Isaiah continues to prophecy about the coming Savior - Jesus Christ - we get a glimpse of who He is; as a God who brings reward and payment for our sins.  What great gifts indeed! This reward is freedom from the sting of sin and death and everlasting life...among the many rewards.

Thank You Jesus!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for such gifts but I am not worth such gifts as I am often harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

There he built an altar to the Lord.

Genesis 13

There he built an altar to the Lord. v18

Those whom the Lord called often built altars - first Noah, now Abram, and others will follow.  This post here is a great read on why altars are built.  From this reference, I pick up several tidbits:

1. That we come to the altar (to God) as a starting point for transformation - "alteration" if you will
2. That broken stones are the basis for our altar - just as we come to God broken and sinful; we place our weights there for God to take them as well as our sacrifice and of course Jesus desires not animal sacrifice but our bodies as a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1)

I desire to be transformed into more of who Jesus is - please alter me Jesus.

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love, compassion and mercy.  You have spared me what I deserve - You did so by willingly and undeservingly submitting Yourself on the cross.  Thank You Jesus - I am not worth such a price.  Please forgive me for my lack of action and trust.  Help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Psalm 51

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. v17

As I have posted here with regards to Psalm 50, and also in Psalm 51:16, empty actions of sacrifice are meaningless to You. You desire us...are cares, concerns, worries, praises, etc.  You desire OUR LIVES to be a living sacrifice:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

A living sacrifice implies that through our daily actions and in the course of our lives we demonstrate giving something up in our pursuit of God.  We are not to conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2 - this also provides guidance about HOW to do this). 

 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, compassion, mercy, gentleness, patience, etc. and You chose me, knowing everything about me, including my sin.  You came for me, and suffered greatly and died for me.  You did not have to but You willing laid down Your life for me so that I could have life and in the full.  Thank You Jesus for such a gift of grace and mercy.  I deserved Your death but You stepped in front of my and interceded on my behalf.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift because my worry continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.


 

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Psalm 50

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. v14-15

God does not want empty actions, He wants us to truly know, desire, and worship Him.  Verses 8-13 demonstrate this through God's own words that He has no needs for the sacrifices that are part of the ceremonial law.  We are also to be living sacrifices - be who God intends for us.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that provides for His children all needs - and everyone is worthy regardless of abilities, circumstances.  You know everything about us, including our sin, yet You chose us anyway, suffering and dieing for us so that we would not be slaves to sin and so we could have eternity in heaven with You.  Awesome!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessings.  I continue to worry and fail to display love to others as You show to me.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Taking the Hit
Acts 20

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. v24

Today's devotion focuses on sacrifice as a demonstration that we are willing to serve God and expect God's greater reward.  Yet another theme of this devotion that was implied and should have been more explicit is one of control.  I have had difficulties turning control of my life over to God and He has graciously molded me in this area, demonstrating immense patience, compassion, mercy, etc. in the process - Thank You Jesus!

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God full of love and compassion for me...You are merciful and patient with me, even though I am not deserving.  Again Jesus Thank You.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love and dispense grace to others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.