Sunday, 21st April 2024
Bible Reading: Romans 12: 1-2
Memory Verse: Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. Romans 12:1 (AMP)
To sacrifice is to give up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations. The Old Testament is full of various sacrifices such as Burnt Sacrifice (Lev 1:3-17), Grain Offering (Lev 2:1-16), Peace Offering (Lev 3:1-17), Sin Offering (Lev 4 & 5), etc.
When Apostle Arome Osayi sacrificed his career few weeks before he would become a Management staff in a lucrative Oil company in order to enter into full time ministry, his colleagues thought he was insane. Who resigns from such a place? However, that was a commanded sacrifice from God to secure a higher dimension of glory in the path of destiny. Be careful of what you call ambition. Make sure your ambitions are in the line of God’s divine plan for your life. Minister Mercy Chinwo Blessed had to sacrifice fame and mouth watering deals as a Nigerian Idol star to embrace Christian music. That sacrifice sent her to about 4-6years in the wilderness. Sacrifice could be very painful atimes. Today, it is amazing what God is doing through her music ministry.
The French Cultural Center was about to send Nathaniel Bassey and another female Nigerian music star on a tour to France and then Pastor Nathaniel had an encounter with God. After the encounter, he pulled out. The director of French Cultural Center at that time declared him a non persona grata and said he shouldn’t come near France. He had also worn a Beckerly scholarship with a music group of three other persons and again, he pulled out. His other group members thought he was bizarre. The group told him they were also believers. The issue is that they haven’t touched what he touched in his relationship with God hence couldn’t understand why he would sacrifice such a golden opportunity for an ‘unknown’ future. Today, all can see what God has made out of Pastor Nathaniel’s life.
What could God be asking you to sacrifice – a relationship, part of your daily meal, money, ambition, or your time? Know for sure He has a higher reward ahead of you if only you would persevere.
Quote: Those who give much without sacrifice are reckoned as having given little – Erwin Lutzer
Prophetic Decree: May your altar of sacrifice speak glory in the end, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
1. I receive grace to endure the pain of sacrifice, in Jesus name.
2. I receive grace to press unto my destiny sacrificially, in Jesus name.
3. I receive grace to stand alone and endure the shame of sacrifice, in Jesus name.
4. Lord, help me to pay the needed sacrifice for my glory to shine, in Jesus name.
5. I receive grace to sacrifice anything for the Kingdom to grow within and around me, in Jesus name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 1-4
