Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

What Were the Sacrifices in the Torah? What Do They Mean Today?

Today I am sharing an article from GotQuestions.org for some review and thoughts around the various sacrifices from the Torah, which are much misunderstood by Christians today. I do not consider this article or GotQuestions.org definitive, for that we always test against the Bible and for topics that are complicated or unfamiliar we may also want to test against other study resources for clarity as well. I did, however, think this provides a good overview of the various types of sacrifices. I will comment briefly below on potential relevance still today.

What were the various sacrifices in the Old Testament?  (from GotQuestions.org)

There are five main types of sacrifices, or offerings, in the Old Testament. The burnt offering (Leviticus 16:8–138:18-2116:24), the grain offering (Leviticus 26:14–23), the peace offering (Leviticus 37:11–34), the sin offering (Leviticus 45:1–136:24–308:14–1716:3–22), and the trespass offering (Leviticus 5:14–196:1–77:1–6). Each of these sacrifices involved certain elements, either animal or fruit of the field, and had a specific purpose. Most were split into two or three portions—God’s portion, the portion for the Levites or priests, and, if there was a third, a portion kept by the person offering the sacrifice. The sacrifices can be broadly categorized as either voluntary or mandatory offerings.

Voluntary Sacrifices

There were three voluntary offerings. The first was the burnt offering, a voluntary act of worship to express devotion or commitment to God. It was also used as an atonement for unintentional sin. The elements of the burnt offering were a bull, a bird, or a ram without blemish. The meat and bones and organs of the animal were to be totally burnt, and this was God’s portion. The animal’s hide was given to the Levites, who could later sell it to earn money for themselves.

The second voluntary offering was the grain offering, in which the fruit of the field was offered in the form of a cake or baked bread made of grain, fine flour, and oil and salt. The grain offering was one of the sacrifices accompanied by a drink offering of one-quarter hin (about a quart) of wine, which was poured into the fire on the altar (Numbers 15:4–5). The purpose of the grain offering was to express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill toward the person making the sacrifice. The priests were given a portion of this offering, but it had to be eaten within the court of the tabernacle.

The third voluntary offering was the peace offering, which consisted of any unblemished animal from the worshiper’s herd, and/or various grains or breads. This was a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fellowship followed by a shared meal. The high priest was given the breast of the animal; the officiating priest was given the right foreleg. These pieces of the offering were called the “wave offering” and the “heave offering” because they were waved or lifted over the altar during the ceremony. The fat, kidneys, and lobe of the liver were given to God (burnt), and the remainder of the animal was for the participants to eat, symbolizing God’s provision. The vow offering, thanksgiving offering, and freewill offering mentioned in the Old Testament were all peace offerings.

Mandatory Sacrifices

There were two mandatory sacrifices in the Old Testament Law. The first was the sin offering. The purpose of the sin offering was to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement. There were five possible elements of a sin sacrifice—a young bull, a male goat, a female goat, a dove/pigeon, or 1/10 ephah of fine flour. The type of animal depended on the identity and financial situation of the giver. A female goat was the sin offering for the common person, fine flour was the sacrifice of the very poor, a young bull was offered for the high priest and the congregation as a whole, and so on. These sacrifices each had specific instructions for what to do with the blood of the animal during the ceremony. The fatty portions and lobe of the liver and kidneys were given to God (burnt); the rest of the animal was either totally burned on the altar and the ashes thrown outside the camp (in atoning for the high priest and congregation), or eaten within the tabernacle court.

The other mandatory sacrifice was the trespass offering, and this sacrifice was exclusively a ram. The trespass offering was given as atonement for unintentional sins that required reimbursement to an offended party, and also as a cleansing from defiling sins or physical maladies. Again, the fat portions, kidneys, and liver were offered to God, and the remainder of the ram had to be eaten inside the court of the tabernacle.

The sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ. As with the rest of the Law, the sacrifices were “a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). Christians today recognize Christ’s atoning death on the cross as the only needed sacrifice for sin, offered once for all (Hebrews 10:1–10). His death opened the “holy place” for us (Hebrews 10:19–22) so that we can freely enter God’s presence and offer our “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15; cf. 9:11–284:14—5:10).

There can certainly be some engaging study and discussion to be had around the relevance of the sacrifices today and their role when Yeshua returns. I think a few key points I would highlight:

  • It is not possible for us to do these sacrifices according to instruction in the Torah today without the priesthood and the temple.
  • The death and resurrection of Yeshua is the focus of all forgiveness of sin. Sacrifices were looking ahead or foreshadowing His death and reminding people of the penalty that has to be paid for sin. The death of animals in and of themselves does not lead to forgiveness of sin. If sacrifices return in the millennial kingdom, they will not be replacing the death of Christ nor making it void of purpose. They would simply again be looking back to the death of Yeshua and reminding us of the penalty of sin.
  • The death of Yeshua for our sin fills with meaning the sin offerings mentioned above. It is not related directly to the other sacrifices.
  • The other sacrifices still have meaning that cannot be executed according to the law today due to lack of priest and temple. However, consider and reflect prayerfully on how we may still connect with Yahweh today for these areas: voluntary act to express devotion and commitment to God, express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill, and thanksgiving for provision and fellowship over a shared meal. These all have meaning that can inform and prompt us to pursue a closer relationship with Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to be thankful for the redemption from sin through Yeshua. Help me not take that for granted. Help me to live my life submitted to You and seeking to follow the example that Yeshua provided for us rather than following the traditions of men or the church. Lead me in how I can come to You with thanksgiving for Your provision and for the unmerited goodwill you have toward me. Amen.

Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed Are Those Who Have Been Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness

Paul and Barnabus remained focused on doing the work that God set them apart to do… they boldly proclaimed the truth of Yeshua as Messiah. Many, even leaders amongst God’s people, did not want to hear it and rejected the message. They reacted with anger and bitterness. Some at first accepted and welcomed Paul and Barnabus (earlier in Acts 13) but then turned on them in jealousy when they saw the Gentiles gathering to learn about Messiah! They attacked Paul and Barnabus and pushed them away. But there were also those who gladly accepted the truth of Jesus. This is also how it is today… not much different at all. Many will come against you when you preach the truth of Jesus Christ, even some who claim to be Christians. But we are called none the less to boldly proclaim the gospel!

Acts 13:44-52

Paul Turns to the Gentiles

      44The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. 46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

47“For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,
THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’”

      48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

I have found scripture to be very helpful in teaching me how to proclaim the gospel. I believe it can be helpful to all of us. Paul and Barnabus continued to obey God and share the gospel, even when others opposed them. At some point, when a group is hostile in rejecting Yeshua we are right to “shake the dust from our feet” and move on. They will face judgment before God and there are many more that need to hear the truth of the gospel that are ready to receive it. It is disappointing to be sure that the Gentiles who were there and hungry to hear about Messiah, lost that opportunity due to the jealous and hostile response of the Jewish people at that time. I continue to be impressed that even as people came against Paul and Barnabus, they were continually filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

These lessons are helpful to me personally. My joy should come from the Lord, not approval of other people. I am accountable to God and will do my best to obey and trust Him, even when I face resistance and personal attacks. Count it as glory to be persecuted because of the name of Yeshua.

Matthew 5:10 10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Are you letting others discourage you from sharing the truth about Yeshua? Are you continuing to try to “force the gospel” on someone who has rejected it rather than moving on to more fertile ground? What changes is God leading you to make in your life in this area?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please grant me wisdom to know who and how to reach people for the glory of Your kingdom. Help me to have courage and conviction to stand for You and Your message even when others come against me. Help me know when it is time to move on and shake the dust from my sandals without leaving others behind unnecessarily. Help me be fully submitted to You and to be used by You for Your glory. Please prepare people to hear and receive Your message without hostility and jealousy of one another. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Adjust Your Starting Point to Meet Your Audience, but Do Not Adjust the Message

Paul was a master of identifying with his audience and meeting them where they are in order to lead them to Yeshua as Messiah. In Acts 13, he is proclaiming the gospel to Jews studying the scriptures and worshipping Yahweh on Sabbath. As such, Paul begins in a place they already know. Paul begins in the Torah and shows them how Torah and prophecy were pointing forward to Yeshua as the coming Messiah. This is the foundation of our faith. After establishing the foundation, Paul continues to discuss forgiveness and reconciliation through Yeshua as Messiah. The people want to hear more. That is a success anytime we share the gospel. We should take care to remember that Yeshua was not establishing something new. He was the promised Messiah and all that He taught and lived was based on the foundation of Torah and the prophets. He was also not shy about calling out the wrongful persecution and rejection of Messiah resulting in His death on the cross.

Acts 13:13-43

   13Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said,
“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18“For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19“When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. 20“After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21“Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22“After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.’ 23“From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25“And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

      26“Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27“For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28“And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29“When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30“But God raised Him from the dead; 31and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32“And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ 34As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.’ 35“Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.’ 36“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; 37but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. 38“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 40“Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:

      41‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH;
FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’”

      42As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.

In a separate example, when proclaiming Jesus to pagans, Paul begins differently to connect with them.

Acts 17:22-34

Sermon on Mars Hill

      22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23“For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29“Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

      32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out of their midst. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

We should also take a lesson from Paul in that we try to understand where people are in their knowledge and acceptance of Yeshua and let that influence where we begin to tell them about Messiah. If they are devout Jews who understand the Torah and the prophets, then we begin there. If they are lost and hurting in the depths of addiction or selfishness and sin… then begin there. However, let us be sure to remember that wherever we start, we need to come back to Torah and the prophets and the law, upon which the teachings of Yeshua are based. Yeshua was judged righteous in living according to the Law perfectly. That is the standard and guide post we should not ignore as if it is obsolete.

Consider another example in Acts 15. They meet the Gentiles where they are, but they count on the fact that they will also be taught Torah, or the law of Moses, over time as they continue to learn more about Judaism.

Acts 15:18-21

18SAYS THE LORD, WHO [k]MAKES THESE THINGS known from long ago. 19Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

. Our proclamation of the good news of Yeshua will be much more effective if we pay close attention to where our audience is rather than just starting from our understanding of the scriptures and God’s plans. That said, we must not alter the truth of present an incomplete message of what Yahweh desires. We must come back and teach over time the fullness of the Torah and the prophets and the Law, all of which served as the foundation upon which Yeshua lived and taught.

There is an important point to highlight before we wrap up about the Law that Paul speaks of in Acts 13.

38“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

We are freed through Yeshua from some things which the Law of Moses could not free us from. Note, that Paul does not say “we are free from the Law”. Rather he specifically indicates that Yeshua provides forgiveness of sin that could not be achieved through the Law alone. For those sacrifices related to sin and forgiveness in the Law, they pointed forward as foreshadowing to the death of Messiah. It is through Yeshua that we are forgiven of sins and set free from that guilt.

How can you apply this truth in your life? What are some examples of where or with whom you may share the gospel (e.g. work, school, prison ministry, etc.)? How should you adapt your approach in each case?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your holy scriptures. Please help Your people to return to Your ways. Let all who worship You through Yeshua open their eyes to live and worship You fully the way that He did in accordance with the Torah and the prophets. Let us not be confused, living in man-made traditions that make up so much of modern-day Christianity. Open our eyes to the wonderful ways of Your Law! Help us to have wisdom in connecting with and reaching different audiences and leading them to You without compromising Your word. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Seek His Will with Fasting and Prayer and with Others

Those of us who are true followers of Yeshua are all part of one body. We are to work together for the glory of His kingdom, not fight amongst ourselves to each scratch out our own kingdom by our own strength.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

      12For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

It is a wonderful and awesome thing to watch when we see our fellow Christians living out the gifts and purposes that God has created them for and working together as a body of Christ to bring glory to God’s kingdom instead of creating our own selfish kingdoms. We see such an example in Acts 13:1-12.

Acts 13:1-12

      1Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

      4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11“Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

It was through fasting and prayer and ministering to the Lord that Saul and Barnabus received their guidance from the Holy Spirit. They were not busy going about their own pursuits, but rather actively seeking and honoring God when they heard from Him.

A group of believers gathered together in prayer and fasting and laid hands on them to send them on their way. Their mission was one appointed from the Holy Spirit and that was important as they encountered spiritual resistance along the way. It was the power of God that allowed Saul (also Paul) to overcome the enemy who was coming against them… and what a powerful sight that must have been for those who saw it! It was enough for the proconsul to believe in Messiah.

When God appoints you on a mission and you faithfully seek to fulfill it, He will provide the path and power to successfully complete it!

Have you heard from God what your gifts and purpose are? Have you earnestly sought after Him in prayer and fasting? Have you taken time to even ask Him and then listen for a response? Do you study His word and apply it to your life? Do you come humbly before Him in prayer? If not, challenge yourself to start today. Do not wait for tomorrow. Make time for prayer with our Creator consistently as if it is as important as the very physical food we eat… because it is that important.

Do not dismiss to easily the possibility that Satan is coming against you when you try to obey God’s commands and live for Him. Satan may absolutely come against you. With God’s help you will overcome! Gather together with other believers in fasting and prayer to seek God’s guidance and blessing for your life.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people come together in fasting and prayer and in seeking Your will for each of us. Help us to draw near to You in fervent prayer. Help us fully submit to You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

God Can Make a Way Where None Exists

I am sure the people of Judah did not see how they would get out of the Babylonian captivity. They certainly had not gained enough power on their own to break free and return to Jerusalem. They would remember the word of the LORD by Jeremiah that they would return, but they likely could not know how.

God makes a way when none seems to exist. He stirred the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia. The people were not only allowed and encouraged to go, but also supported financially. Then the LORD stirred up also the people whom He wanted to return to Jerusalem.

What are you facing today that may feel hopeless? What situations face you that you cannot see clearly a path forward to success or resolution? Call upon the LORD and trust in Him. Whether or not He delivers exactly what You are asking for, trust in Him! Know that He is able, and He may do it in a way that you don’t anticipate.

Ezra 1

Cyrus’s Proclamation

      1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

      2“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

Holy Vessels Restored

      5Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. 7Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods; 8and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 9Now this was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates; 1030 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a second kind and 1,000 other articles. 11All the articles of gold and silver numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

All of us face situations that are beyond our control. It may be seeking the right path for us or our children that God has for us. It could be challenges at work or school, illness, physical or other limitations, or even finding meaningful fellowship with others who strive to live as Jesus demonstrated.  Sometimes it may seem there is no way to control or plan with our own power to get to the outcome we want. I encourage you to turn to the LORD and diligently pray for Him to meet our needs and bless us in these situations in which we find ourselves striving but unclear on how to overcome.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people trust in You. Help us to bring our burdens to You and ask diligently for Your help. Help us to trust You in the outcome. You may often answer in unexpected ways, but Your ways are higher than ours. Help us to find peace in You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Free Offer – with Eternal Benefits! Hurry Before Offer Expires!

We all like “free” offers. It is exciting to get discounts on movies or restaurants or vacation packages! As a matter of fact, when we hear about a free offer, we often race to tell our friends and family and even people we just meet so they can take advantage before the offer expires. We know the offer is not really free, but someone else has paid the price and it is free to us.

How many of us would turn down an offer of a $100 gift card? How many of us would tell all our friends, or even people we just meet at a store how to get the gift card?

God has made us the most compelling offer… and it is free to us, but to truly accept it will change you forever.

Read along in John 3:16-17 [NKJV].

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

It is easy to start taking this offer for granted. Do we still get excited to share it with others as we do when we find a good deal? or do we allow ourselves to get comfortable and only share with those we know already believe? Deep down, perhaps we should ask how completely we really believe if we are not excited to share it with those we are close to. I may not tell someone about a $100 gift card if I am not really sure it is real, even if I am trying to get it for me. I may be more concerned about looking foolish if it does not pan out.

The offer from Yeshua is the best one we will ever receive, and it does have an expiration date. For each of us this offer expires when we do and the price has already been paid, whether or not we accept it.

To learn more read The Message of the Cross – Salvation.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your offer of salvation and reconciliation to You. Thank You for forgiveness of sin. Help me to repent of my wrong ways and pursue Your ways. Help me to have the courage and boldness to tell others about You and this wonderful offer of forgiveness! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hearing From Jesus Prayer Partner

We humbly ask you to join us as a prayer partner to pray for Hearing from Jesus ministry and staff regularly. Let it never be about us but about honoring and obeying God faithfully in our lives and ministry.

We think of Paul and the disciples as strong leaders of the people and loyal followers of Christ, but they also taught us the importance of prayer. On multiple occasions they, as faith leaders, asked for prayer from other believers on their behalf.

Acts 4:29  29“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,

Ephesians 6:19-20  19and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Colossians 4:2-4  2Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. May the grace and peace of Jesus Christ be with all of you.

So, too, Jesus provided many examples of the value of prayer and instructed us to pray on many occasions.

Matthew 9:35-38 35Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

      36Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Thank you for your support. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Focus on Your Role; Trust God to Do His

For those with ears to hear Him, God calls each of us to a purpose for His kingdom. As we develop and grow in wisdom and discernment and learn to listen more closely to God through prayer, we are able to understand our role and what He calls us for more clearly. This is an important principle as it should guide us in how we deal with difficult circumstances as well as guide us when things are going well.

Let us take a closer look at the early church. Herod was persecuting them. He killed James and arrested Peter with intent to do the same, though the fervent prayer of the followers of Christ led to God freeing Peter from Herod’s wicked plans. The persecution scattered the early believers to a number of different cities and they continued to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ boldly.

They remained focused on what God called them to do, despite persecution. They were not in a position to overthrow the government by force or even protect themselves by force of arms. They had to trust God and they chose to keep doing what He called them to do… proclaim Jesus boldly. The results were to the glory of God’s kingdom, and many began to follow Jesus.

But what of one of those in power who persecuted God’s people… what of Herod? The believers rightly left that up to God to handle given their situation at the time.

Acts 12:20-25

Death of Herod

      20Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country. 21On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

      24But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

      25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.

Herod understood the Jewish faith and history of God with His people. He had no excuse for accepting from others the claims that he was a god. He should have rebuked them, but he did not.

Proverbs 16:18  18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.

Herod was accountable before God, as are we all. We do not always understand how and when God deals with the wicked, but all face judgment before God. All are held accountable for their actions and attitudes toward God and others.

2 Corinthians 5:10  10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Our role as followers of Christ is to go about the business He  commanded us to do and trust in Him for the rest. We see in Acts 12 that the followers of Christ did that and did that well. The result?

24But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

Let us go and do likewise.

What areas of your life do you feel overwhelmed or distracted in facing big problems or challenges? Are you trusting God to help you with the part you cannot do yourself or are you trying to figure out how to do it all yourself? Are you focusing on doing the specific things that God has called you to do, either in His word for all believers, or specific to your own life and talents? What changes can you make in your attitudes and actions to help align with the approach that the early believers demonstrated in Acts 12?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to focus on what You have instructed me to do and trust You for the rest. Help me to be bold and take action to glorify You and lead others to You even when persecution is waiting for me. Raise up more leaders to restore righteousness of Your ways and remove the wicked from leadership. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.