Offering Our Best

Hi friends, it's been a while since I have been here so I thought I would drop in and let you know I am still around, still waiting on God but in the meantime getting closer to Him and learning more and more of Him even as I read His word.

In all my years of serving Christ I have never read the Bible all the way through from cover to cover. I've read a lot of it, but never actually read it through so I decided over the last couple months that I would and it has been a very interesting time. Having knowledge of the Word, the birth of Jesus, His time on earth, death, burial and resurrection, the Holy Spirit is really opening the eyes of my understanding as I focus on the how the law was instituted, the different ceremonial acts, the responsibilities of the priests and so on. It's like...well actually it is....reading a book knowing the ending of the story even though I am now at the start.

With this awareness, I totally see how necessary it was for Jesus to become the perfect sacrifice. In Hebrews it is summed up this way. "Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the sacrifice, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool. For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."(Hebrews 10:11-14 NIV)

It makes such a difference to read from the beginning and continue reading. I remember trying before to read a portion of the Old and a portion of the New at the same time, just to get through it, but I think reading it from the start, chapter after chapter is much better. I am enjoying the way it all unfolds.

However what I really wanted to share today is that as I study the book of Leviticus I see one common thread over and over again. God gave us His best and so He expects the best from us.

Every offering made to God from the Israelites had to be the best.

For a burnt offering it was a male animal without defect.
For a grain offering it had to be an offering of the finest flour.
For a fellowship offering, an animal without defect.
For a sin offering, a young bull without defect.
A leader who sinned unintentionally had to bring a male goat without defect.
In the case of a member of the community sinning unintentionally, it was a female goat without defect. And so it went on and on......

God is Holy and so demands holiness through Jesus Christ our Lord. In giving His life on the cross, Jesus paid the ultimate price by giving the best He had to offer.....His life. From the beginning of time God prepared His very best for us. When He placed man in the Garden of Eden it was filled with the best. Gen 2:9 says, "The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food."

It is always His intention that we receive good from His hand. Psalm 84:11

As I encourage myself I want to encourage you, in view of God's mercies and Him giving us His best, offer Him your very best in every thing at all times.

Give Him the best of your life, your youth, your energy, good health and soundness of mind.
Give Him the best of your day when it's early and fresh, not when you are tired and worn out.

All that we have, we owe it to Christ. Whether we live or die, we are His.

Blessings,
Vickie