Tag: sacrifice

The Cost

Posted on by pastordarryl68

In 2 Samuel 24, when presented with the opportunity to worship Yahweh by giving the very minimum effort (building an altar on King Araunah’s threshing floor on King Araunah’s land using King Araunah’s oxen and materials), King David resisted firmly. Instead, he bought the threshing floor on which to build the altar and the oxen to sacrifice. He said, “I will not offer anything to Yahweh, my God, which costs me nothing.“

Follower of Jesus, when our maximum effort is to offer the bare minimum expected – whether to Yahweh, to our family, to our employer, to our team, or even to the stranger on the street – is that not a betrayal of what Jesus says makes us a disciple? What did Jesus say? “If anyone is to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross (the symbol of ultimate sacrifice), and follow me.”

Question to ponder before the Lord: What is the cost I’m paying toward the Kingdom of God?

You Can’t Out Give Yahweh

Posted on by pastordarryl68

It is “religious” to ask, “What is the minimum I must give? What is the minimum I must share, do, serve, etc., in order to meet the ‘standard’?” It is religious to ask, “What does the law or the code require?”

From the heart and character of Yahweh, the example of Jesus Christ Himself, the apostle Paul, Peter, and the others, being a follower of Jesus INSPIRES just the opposite – “If anyone is to be my disciple, he must deny himself, take up his symbol of humble sacrifice (his cross), and follow me.”

It is the nature of Yahweh AND those conformed to the image of His Son to ask, “What is the most I CAN give and still live another day to serve my King?” To be Christian is to embody the Spirit of humility, sacrifice, compassion, hospitality, and generosity, to go the extra mile, to turn the other cheek, to leverage our strength, our earnings, our gifts and talents for the testimony of the King and for the good of His Kingdom.

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:6