*A Sacrifice of ‘Biblical’ Proportion

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

If you are a Christian there is a very good possibility that you either have this verse highlighted in your Bible, or have it inscribed upon some object or picture in your home. It certainly is a wonderful promise of God, but out of context it might be misleading, for it comes on the heels of Paul’s acclamation to the Philippian church for being persistent givers—the previous sentence speaking of their ‘acceptable sacrifice’ that is ‘pleasing to God.’

What Does ‘Acceptable Sacrifice” Look Like?

This past week I went to the bookstore located on the ‘Focus on the Family‘ campus in Colorado Springs, and was searching for a pocket Bible to purchase. Not finding exactly what I was looking for, I sought the help of an employee standing nearby. Kate (according to her name tag) came to my immediate aid.

As it turns out, the type of Bible I desired was not in stock, but that did not impede Kate. She excused her self for a moment and disappeared into the back room. When she returned she held a Bible in her extended hand.

“Is this what you were looking for?” she asked.

As I reached out to take it from her she added, “I want you to have it. I bought it a while back, but it’s not the one I use. The only problem with it is that my name is engraved on the cover and I wrote in it in a few places.”

Sure enough, there was her name, written in gold on the leather cover, Kate Larimore.

Kate,” I protested, “I can’t take your bible.”

Kate was insistent, so after a few more ‘back-and-forths’, I conceded.

When I returned to my hotel room, I opened my ‘new’ Bible anxious to see what treasures Kate had recorded inside. The words she wrote here-and-there brought a joyful tear to my eye.

On the inside, front page was written: “This HOLY BIBLE presented to,” (and then in Kate’s own handwriting), “Kate Larimore”

From: (and again in her hand), “Jesus Christ, aka Yeshua…her Bridegroom”

DATE: Before the beginning of time!”

I wiped a tear and turned the page.

The words ‘HOLY BIBLE’ appeared once again, but then another hand-written inscription from Kate:

The Holy Bible: the account of God’s refusal to leave us alone.

Amen Kate!

This morning, as I returned to my Bible study, I thought it no coincidence that ‘sacrifice pleasing to God’ was part of the subject matter. I knew I wanted to share about Kate’s generosity and wouldn’t you know it, the Lord provided the scripture lesson.

Related (or unrelated) articles

• Who is Jesus Christ and Why Should I Care? (prweb.com)
• Part Two: Learning to Hear God’s Voice (todaysfreshmanna.wordpress.com)
• The First and the Last: Read first the Jewish Bible, and last the New Testament? (onedaringjew.wordpress.com)
• Reading (revelation217.com)
• Attitude adjustments (jillcobb.wordpress.com)
• May 16 – Daily Post (theinchimdailybiblemeditation.wordpress.com)
• …try, try again. 1 of 3 (gbumcjenw.wordpress.com)
• Faith Child – Lift Jesus higher (ptl2010.com)
• May 15 – Daily Post (theinchimdailybiblemeditation.wordpress.com)

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*In God We Trust: True of False?

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Do You Believe That?

Seriously, do you believe that the Lord thinks about you constantly ~and~ that He desires a peaceful life for you void of evil ~and~ that He also wants to ‘give’ you a hope-filled future? I hope you do. Now the question is do you believe this promise is just for you?

Just Tell Me What You Want

Have you said that to God? How many times have you started your day by asking the Lord to reveal Himself to you, or to share His will with you, or if He would just somehow, someway, tell you what He wants you to do, and you will just do it? Frankly, I do that all the time?

God, Is That You?

I have discovered that there are at least three (3) real good indicators in place to determine if what you hear is actually God speaking to your heart. First, is what Gods saying consistent with His Word? Second, do we see Biblical Christians and modern-day believers practicing whatever it is He is now asking you to do? And finally, and for me this is a key factor, is your initial response to God (in regard to what He has told you) to make an excuse as to why you can’t do what He is asking?

Related (or unrelated) articles

• why we (desperately) need the Bible (lmelonakos.wordpress.com)
• Christians should …………..learn that life has already begun (authenticinfluence.wordpress.com)
• The Test of True Biblical Discipleship (kimolsen.wordpress.com)
• Spiritual warfare 2: The resources of our warfare (boynhillbiblestudies.wordpress.com)
• Trust in God man (egwquotables.wordpress.com)
• Free from the Stronghold of Trouble (ptl2010.com)
• Elijah, Obadiah, and the King Ahab (jerfireandhammer.wordpress.com)
• A Study Through the Bible: James 5:7-12 (hisrib.wordpress.com)
• Who is Arrogant? (new.exchristian.net)
• When God Hates (pastorron7.wordpress.com)

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