Cain & Abel -
Genesis 4:4-5 (NLT) “while Abel brought several choice lambs from the best of
his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his offering, [5] but he did not
accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain very angry and dejected.
Hebrews 11v4 “By faith Abel offered God a
better sacrifice than Cain did. He was commended righteous, when God spoke
well of his offering.”
God demanded the shedding of innocent blood for the covering of mans
sins.
Hebrews 13:15 says. “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving thanks to his name.”
God knows that we must give in order to receive, but first He requires a
sacrifice of some sort. We become receivers of His abundance.
Ephesians 3v20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine”
Abraham’s trial of faith:
Many of us would try to offer God an Ishmael when He demands an Isaac, a
son of faith.
Never had a young man looked so handsome, stood so upright.
Genesis 22 God came to Abraham and said, “I want you to take Isaac, the son you love,
and go to the land of Moriah. I want you to offer Isaac as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains.” In absolute obedience, Abraham
immediately saddled his animals, he took young men with him and his son and he went to the place that God had told him about. When they arrived at
the mountain, Abraham said to the young men, “You stay here with the animals. I and the boy will go yonder and worship.”
As Isaac and his father went up the mountain, Isaac asked his father, “Where is
the lamb?” Abraham turned and said, “My son. God will provide himself
a lamb for a burnt offering.”
Abraham gave first and received after.
David and Araunah’s offer:
2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21
God was testing his pride, but,…………. David brought a sacrifice that
was truly a sacrifice. David was a giver, not just a receiver.
He understood the key. The underlying principle of all sacrifice.
It is something we must do in spite of the way we feel.
The high cost of sincere praise:
There is a price to pay to enter into praise and worship.
It is so easy to settle back in the pew and enjoy the efforts of others. But
God has commanded from us…………. the sacrifice of praise.
Deut. 6:5-6 (NLT) And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and
all your strength. [6] And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to
these commands I am giving you today.
When we give it to Him in time of difficulty we are operating according
to the principle of sacrifice, and God is pleased.
The sinful woman and the alabaster jar. Mark 14
God demanded that sacrifice cost something.
We are conditioned by tradition
We have been trained to respond to God on the basis of feeling and not of
faith. But praise is an act of the will.
David said, Psalm 30v1 “I will bless the Lord at
all times: his praise shall (will) continually be in my mouth.”
Some just decide ‘I WILL NOT!!!!!!!!!!”
Disciplined to praise:
Part of the sacrifice of praise is the directing of our thoughts toward the Lord.
In Psalm 103:1 David said, “Bless the Lord, O
my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
It is absolutely necessary that we learn the
sacrifice of praise.
Praise releases miracles
An act of the will:
Leviticus 22:29 says “ And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the
Lord, offer it of your own will.” AV
They didn’t always have a choice in some of the things that God commanded
them to do, but, when it came to thanksgiving. God told them that they
must bring their free-will into operation.
Romans 12v1 “I urge you brothers, in
view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship”
1 Chronicles 12 v15-20
A true sacrifice of praise.
David knew the power of worshipping God. |
