He Doesn’t Want Our Sacrifices and Offerings

I don’t want your sacrifices–I want your love;

I don’t want your offerings–I want you to know Me.

Hosea 6:6 TLB

What a revolutionary statement. We work so hard, especially in a smaller church where so few do so much; and in a larger church where there are so many services. We can easily say, “I have to do this or that.” Really, the Lord doesn’t want all of our hard work and offerings. He wants our love. He wants us to know Him.

It goes back to 1 Corinthians 13. Without love, our offerings, sacrifices, gifts are meaningless.

This verse is a good reminder today that there is a preeminent task for me at the top of my queue of tasks. That is, to spend time in His word, to spend time at His feet, and to worship in Spirit and in Truth.

 

Tired: A Good Kind of Tired

I am very tired this morning.

On my third cup of coffee, I still spilled it over the counter while stirring in my whipped cream. Which reminds me of the floor that needs mopping while I take the time to blog or procrastinate depending upon your perspective.

Chloe the wonder dog woke me up at 9:00 a.m. to take her to the dog park. Groping around in the dark [okay, so it's not dark at 9:00 a.m. but when you go sleep at 1 a.m., back to the story] I wash my face, brush my teeth, put on my contacts and my dog-park sweats and head out the door. Mind you we did already “go for potty” at 5:13 a.m. But then again, this is part of my normal Saturday routine. And, the love for my dog compels me. We had a great walk.

As I say, though, after Friday Night Ministry, it is tough to wake up alert. It’s tough to wake up.

 

Chapter Three: An Excerpt from “On The Mountain…”

Chapter 3: An Appropriate Response
Exodus 24:1-8

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, And he rose up early in the morning,
and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Exodus 24:4

Ill never forget the time when, as a senior in high school, I walked onto school campus only to see everyone crying all around me. Yearbook in hand, wondering what in the world had happened, with absolutely no tact, I blurted out, “What! Did somebody die or something?” Actually, Mr. Averdesian, my chemistry teacher, was the one who had died. He was my favorite teacher. At that moment I could have crawled out of there like a bug on the ground. That is a great example of an inappropriate response.

Or how about the time at home group, leading worship, the Lord’s presence had come among us and there was a great sense of quiet and peace. I was playing a slow, intimate song when all of a sudden I couldn’t see a thing. My entire chord chart was white. In shock, in surprise, with inexperience on my side, I stopped playing and shouted “OH man! I need contacts.” My girlfriend who had been singing with me whispered under her breath, “quench!” Yes, I had definitely quenched the Spirit. How do you continue after that? I didn’t.

 

Day by day and through the night…

Day by day the Lord also pours out His steadfast love upon me,

and through the night I sing His songs and pray to God who gives me life.
Psalm 42:8 TLB

I wish I could pause my life right now and expound on this verse. I realize it’s a paraphrase, but it is so full of rich application.

I’ll probably come back to this. I just know I’ll be meditating on it for weeks.

Great lyrics for a song, by the way.

 

Isaiah 41:10

Today the verse on my perpetual calendar is:

Fear not, for I am with you.

Do not be dismayed.

I am your God.

I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you.

Isaiah 41:10 TLB

Just to think about the ramifications of this verse on our lives is mind-boggling!

More to come…

 

Chapter Two: An Excerpt from “On The Mountain…”

Chapter 2: Be There

Then the Lord said to Moses,
“Come up to Me on the mountain and be
there…”
Exodus 24:12

The Lord is a jealous God who desires to spend time with us alone. Many people have not come into the realization that Jesus truly is our lover, the bridegroom. He seeks to have an intimate relationship with us, just as a husband and wife.

Marriage, Ephesians tells us, is the mystery of the relationship between the Church and Christ (Ephesians 5:32). It is a symbol, although grossly lacking, but serves to demonstrate to us how God the Father desires intimate fellowship with us. Jesus wants to be one with us even as He and the Father are one (John 17:21); so much, that this is His prayer. Paul even quotes God’s original intention for marriage in this same chapter of Ephesians:

 

What’s in a Name?

Brenda. Brittany. Bernice. Bertha. Elizabeth. Angela. All of these names are those that people often call me. The first few at least start with the letter B. Elizabeth is a great name. Angela? That’s the newest one today. I’m so used to people not remembering my name, that I answer to nearly anything.

Bridgette. Briget. Brigid. Brigette. Bridgett. Bridget is an uncommon name and most people don’t know how mine is spelled as there are many versions. I’m used to that, too. This doesn’t even take into account all of my nicknames.

 

Banish Fear and Doubt: Devotional from Joshua 1:9

Yes, be bold and strong!

Banish fear and doubt!
For remember, the LORD your God is
with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 TLB

I love the phrase “banish fear and doubt.” When I think of the word banish, I think of refugees. I hate to admit that I think of the song by Tom Petty that says, “you don’t have to live like a refugee.” But in this instance, it’s so true.

So often fear is our captor, not our captee. We allow it to control us. We submit willingly to its power over us.

 

Chapter One: An Excerpt from “On The Mountain…”

Chapter 1: The Calling to Come Out

And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at
the foot of the mountain.
Exodus 19:17

Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God. If there is any singular verse representing the purpose of a worship leader or music minister, this is it. As I was reading through Exodus and Mark, the Lord began to reveal to me how important it is to both personally and corporately set aside time to worship God. Reflecting upon the revelation of the scripture, the philosophy of ministry that I have come to embrace became solidified in my mind and reinforced as a principle.