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Your reasonable service. What is true of a sacrifice. It must cost you something 2 Sam 24:24 What you invest isn’t expected to return to you They are offered to God for God’s sake, not for our sake They aren’t convenient, they are intentional
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What is true of a sacrifice • It must cost you something • 2 Sam 24:24 • What you invest isn’t expected to return to you • They are offered to God for God’s sake, not for our sake • They aren’t convenient, they are intentional • Numbers 7:17,23,29,35,41,47,53,59,65,71,77,83 finishing with 88
An example of sacrifice • My sacrifice, in obedience to what I know is part of my call • Three things to be completed within the next 2 weeks • Dig dirt from under concrete slab in pump house • Punch hole through the back corner • Punch a hole through the side of the well pit
What I learned over those two hours • Your sacrifice may be one where you stand alone • You may not have the “best tool” for the job • You can exhaust yourself and it is important to rest • It isn’t going to get done on its own • There are times you will be tempted to just give up • But the sacrifice isn’t for your sake, so stopping is not an option
Sometimes he’ll send reinforcements And they’ll bring their weapon of choice
What I could have taken away from that 1.5 hour • Why did I bother presenting my sacrifice? • Maybe I should have just waited for someone else to come along with better tools. • Was my sacrifice even worth it? • Heaven’s YES
It is about the heart • Had the dirt not been moved away, the concrete would not have broken through • Had the digging bar not been there, the concrete would still be in place (needed to pry it out)
What is true of a sacrifice? • It must cost you something • What you invest isn’t expected to return to you • They are offered to God for God’s sake, not for our sake • They aren’t convenient, they are intentional
What are we instructed to sacrifice? • Note: mercy and sacrifice – Matt 9:13, 12:7 • Psalm 107:22 • Psalm 141:2 • Jeremiah 33:11 • Romans 12:1 • Ephesians 5:2 • Philippians 4:18
So what then? • Fearlessly, intentionally, tenaciously examine what you sacrifice • Does your worship cost you something? • Does your offerings cost you something? (Tithes and offerings are different) • Do you give thanks when you don’t feel like it? • Are you willing to miss your favorite show to bring the sacrifice of prayer?