Pastor Martin Carl Jarvis mcjarvissr@yahoo.com #11 "Sacrifice"

LIBERTY WORSHIP CENTER www.lwcenter.org The Twelve Point Focus of the 21st Century Church (return)

    As we recognize the love of  God for "the world", and we strive and desire to love Him, we should be beginning to love what God loves... people.  And we should be wanting (not just willing) to do whatever it takes to see them made well.  I stress "wanting" over "willing", because "willing" denotes acquiescing to do what is right (because it's right), while "wanting" is the desire to do it for the sake of the purpose.

     The ultimate mind set for a child of God is to want to do right, not because it's right, but because one's mind set is so in line with God that their desire reflects God's desires.

     "Sacrifice" for most people will never entail giving up ones physical life... but for some it has been and will be necessary.  But, primarily we are faced daily with situations where we are (1) Forced out of our comfort zone to interact with someone, or (2) Our claim to what is rightfully ours will counteract what God needs done at that moment.

     When we consider stewardship, and that God is the author of "good" stewardship, and when we consider the average life span of a human being compared to eternity, we recognize that our lives are but a speck of dust in time, and that as children of God for His agenda, we haven't the luxury of time to be self centered, and that to sacrifice a desire, a thing, a right, a life.... is hardly a sacrifice at all, when looking at the whole picture.

     The early church Christians suffering tremendous persecutions and tortures rather than to deny their faith, "..... and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:    And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and  imprisonment:  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;"  Hebrews 11:35-37      And, many of that time became believers through their witnessing the willingness of certain believers to suffer and die for their faith.

    God knew/knows what it takes to save His love ones... and at times it is at the sacrifice (in this life) of some of his already "enlightened" love ones.

     In our western culture it is difficult to embrace the teaching of Jesus that , "It is better to give than to receive"... but it is.
  Amen.