Monday, August 31, 2009

Stolen from Mark Blogerson

I think God measures our acts of worship by their level of sacrifice. No sacrifice = No worship. Remember the story where David wants to buy a threshing floor from Araunah the Jebusite? Araunah offers it for free, but David refuses. He says, "I'm not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifices." Other versions says use the phrase "cost me nothing."Honestly, I wonder how many of our acts of worship don't even count because they don't involve any sacrifice? His sacrifice warrants more than spare change. His sacrifice warrants more than spare time. We've got to do better than leftover spirituality that offers God what's leftover. For the record, I don't believe anyone has ever sacrifice anything for God. Sure, we make temporal sacrifices. But let me ask a question: if you always get back more than you gave up have you really sacrifice anything at all? The think the answer is no! In the words of Jim Elliot, "He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Mark Batterson
www.evotional.com

I have been thinking about this very premise all week. I wanted to write about it, but Mark is an amazing writer so when I read this on his blog this morning I figured I would just steal it!
One word of encouragement...make sure your not just thinking about the great things your gonna do "later on" or "one day" for God. Instead do what he is telling you today. Even it feels a little difficult or uncomfortable. It might even seem a little foolish or humbling, but HE IS WORTH IT! Don't let your emotions discourage you from something you know you are supposed to do for him and don't ever make a decision when you are mentally, physically, or spiritually exhausted. Those who chase after the comforts of this life will always end up wanting. It's amazing how pushing through the sacrifices God asks us to make do something amazing...we learn, we become better people (more like Him), and we truly see how sufficient His grace can be when we let it!

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