A Sacrifice God Will Bless

The Truth about Sacrifice. A life that is pleasing to God will include sacrifice. God will only bless a sacrifice that comes from a pure heart.

Text:

15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. —Hebrews 13:15-16 (ESV - English Standard Version)

11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. —Hebrews 13:11-17 (KJV - King James Version)

The Truth

On the south wall of the entrance area to the CIA’s headquarters, visitors are greeted by these timeless words of truth: “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” In fact, these words serve as the agency’s motto.

2 Chronicles 18 -
What happens when you feelings get hurt by truth?
How do you respond?
Don’t hate or punish the one who speaks truth to you…it is not their fault, they are only the messenger.

It is MUCH more loving to speak the truth in love to someone than to lie and make them feel better.

is something we find in the word of God and from the principles of His Word.
Those principles are timeless and never-changing.

What can

do for you?

I would like to encourage you today to EMBRACE TRUTH in every area of your life, because in doing so, you will find FREEDOM.

FALL IN LOVE with

.
If you don’t love truth, you will eventually believe a lie.

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: —2 Thessalonians 2:10-13 (KJV)

10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. —2 Thessalonians 2:10-13 (ESV - English Standard Version)

When we live and love in Truth as God leads us to through His Spirit and His Word…we can change the world around us.

One of the PRIMARY CONCEPTS of the Christian Life and the Word of God is

!

5 Types of Levitical Sacrifices

1. Burnt offering.
2. Grain offering
   
   • Ingredients of grain offerings:
     – Flour and oil
     – Frankincense
     – Salt
3. Peace offering.
4. Sin offering.
5. Trespass offering.

Now we are to live our lives holy and acceptable unto God -
Romans 12:1-2 which is our reasonable service.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. —Romans 12:1-3 (KJV - King James Version)

Living Sacrifices

What is it about a living sacrifice? They don’t make it easy.
Our flesh will fight us every step of the way to an altar of sacrifice.
Our carnal mind will try to talk us out of sacrifice and give us every reason in the world why we don’t have to go that far.

This is why we have to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto God…and be transformed by the renewing of our minds…so that we can do the acceptable and perfect will of God.
This always requires us to humble ourselves and acknowledge the Spirit of God more in our lives daily.

Sacrifice that is done UNTO THE LORD in the right way…is always pleasing to Him.
There is a difference in giving to the Lord and proper sacrifice unto the Lord.

We see it first in Genesis when Cain and Abel bring their offerings to the Lord.

They had been taught what WELL meant - we know this because Abel brought a proper sacrifice, while Cain for whatever reason did not.

When Cain is confronted with the truth about his sacrifice…he gets angry.

So we want to give, sacrifice and do good - as God’s Word directs us to.

5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
9 As it is written,”He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! —2 Corinthians 9:5-15 (ESV - English Standard Version)

Giving starts with ourselves…we must give ourselves completely to God.
Then we allow His Spirit and His Word to Guide us..

Then we must do good and share with others.

16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. —Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)

This means that beyond giving ourselves, we are required to do good…and to share what we have with others.

This church has always been a great church, a caring church, a giving church.
God has helped this church to not just survive but THRIVE in difficult times.

Video for I AM GLOBAL: https://youtu.be/ZpUxn6HP-Ek?si=JFGIOtFnShj90ru2

I want to bring God a sacrifice that He will bless.