Day 3: Sacrifice

ThanksLiving: living a thankful life

 “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12

sacrifice: [sak-ruh-fahys]noun; verb

1. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
2. a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil
3. (verb) to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.
4. (verb) to make a sacrifice or offering of.

Please carefully read the definitions above and highlight the sections that mean the most to you.

Sacrifice in the Year of 2020

In this year of 2020, we have seen a demonstration of sacrifice lived out right before us on the part of our health care workers as they have tenderly cared for our Covid patients. Many doctors and nurses have contracted the disease themselves, and sadly, some have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.

Sacrifice for Sin

The first sacrifice for sin was accomplished by God in the Garden of Eden. The last sacrifice for sin was confirmed by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The road to the cross was paved with sacrifice. Most of the definitions above speak of the giving of One for the sake of another. God gave Jesus, His Son in sacrifice for us (for you , for me) not only because of our great need, but because of His great love.

In this season of ThanksLiving, let’s give thanks to God for those who sacrificed to give us life.

For Jesus: Thank you, God, for giving Jesus as sacrifice for our sin. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, we now live an abundant life.

For Caregivers: Thank  you, Father, for the sacrifice of our caregivers; for their struggle to feed, clothe, love and care for us, often at the expense of their own needs and comfort.

For First Responders: Thank You for those You’ve set in place who sacrifice their comfort and safety to cover us with their protection and service. Give them your strength and courage to go forth in the work You have given them; the defense and care of those in need.

For Health Care Workers: Thank you, Father, for the tireless service and ministry of health care workers,  who often risk their own health for the healing of others.

For Teachers: Father in heaven, thank you for teachers who are often underpaid and overworked. Many teachers give from their own resources to supply their classrooms, and provide food and clothing for their  students. Give teachers rest and peace this ThanksLiving season.

More Sacrifice

Please click on a link for more information on sacrifice.

Serving Others an article by Joyce Meyer Ministries

A Servant’s Heart a short Bible study by Mary Kane

Sacrifice  a blog post by Jane VanOsdol

Comment

Please leave a comment below on what God teaches you today about sacrifice in the Comment section.

sacrifice. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sacrifice (accessed: November 15, 2014).

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Day 1: Light

“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:5

 light¹ [lahyt] noun 

We can fatten or establish.

When we live for self.

Establish your heart.

Sterizo is the Greek word for establish. It means to make stable, to make firm, to strengthen. It also means to set one’s mind.  The bible tells us to set our mind on things above, not on things on earth (aka live for self). A strong mind= a strong heart.

We live in tough times. Temptations are ever present—just a click away. A clean strong heart will not happen by accident. The choice is ours. We can live for the flesh and indulge our selves to death, or we can do the good thing. the hard thing. the holy thing.

Establish your heart, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Leave me comment below and let me hear how you are strengthening your heart. I’d love to hear from you!

by Mary Kay Kane

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 Spend time with Jesus Today!

Today is a new kinda quirky Bible journal for busy people who want to jump-start their day with Scripture. Begin the day with a look verse and short assignment. Then, revisit your work in the evening to add notes, make changes and apply what you’ve learned. Only By Prayer recommends you focus on one journal entry a day.

Today is a good time to be with Jesus!

Click to open the Today Bible Journal pdf !

Today Bible Journal Part 4

  Today Bible Journal Part 3

Today Bible Journal Part 1

Today  Bible Journal Part 2

By Mary Kane

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I’ve been talking and thinking about a spiritual growth mindset.

It’s everywhere. What we think and how we think matters. God tells us in His word we are not to be con-formed to this world, but trans-formed by the renewing of our minds. We need to leave behind the fixed mindset which is motivated by fear and doubt and live on the wild-side of faith aka Spiritual Growth Mindset.

A spiritual fixed mindset means scarcity. Same old same old.

A spiritual growth mindset is water-walking, giant-stalking, mountain-moving abundant kind of life. I want that. It’s the kind of mindset that pleases God.

The lunch boy had it.

⁵ Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” ⁶ But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

⁷ Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

⁸ One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ⁹ “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

¹⁰ Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-26269a" data-link="[a]”>[a] to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

¹² So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.” John 6:5-13

The lunch boy listened.

He wandered out into the wilderness with several thousand other people to hear some preaching. There, he overheard Jesus talking to His disciples about feeding the people. The disciples were stuck in a fixed-mindset mode, so they gave nothing, not even offering the little they had.  But the lunch boy had a faith that was as big as God. Therefore, he took a risk and gave it all.

1 boy + 5 loaves + two fish + JESUS= 10,000 lunches. Talk about a spiritual growth mindset.

Spiritual fixed mindset says I can’t.

Spiritual growth mindset says God can.

What do you have that you can give to Jesus? A little money? A little learning? A little house? A little talent? Take a chance, step out in faith and exercise a spiritual growth mindset and watch what God can do.

What do you think about a spiritual growth mindset?

Leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!

By Mary Kay Kane

copyright 2017. all rights reserved

To read other posts in this series, please click on the links below!

Spiritual Fixed Mindset

Spiritual Growth Minsdset (Part 1)

“Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.” (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.)

These are a few of Maria’s favorite things. A few of my favorite things include Jesus, family, dark chocolate, the U.P, winter, organic food, salad, skiing, biking, canoeing, and the wilderness. What about distress, persecution, famine, or the sword?

These are a few of my favorite things said nobody ever.

Favorite things are supposed to  provide comfort, pleasure, peace, fulfillment, and joy. But the Bible says we can count difficult painful trials as good things. Why?

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Because God will use them for our good. Romans 8:28 does not say all things are good, but that He will use all things for our good.  Some things, good things, bad things, hard things, painful things, evil things, every-things can be counted as good.

Good and good-er.

The word good used in this verse doesn’t mean ease and comfort. Verse 29 provides a truer definition of good.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

Good is anything that conforms us to the image of Christ.

Conforming is not easy. It’s a process of pressure and pain, a re-rolling of the soul. Like dough in the hands of a baker, He pushes, prods, pinches, and molds until we are conformed to the image of Christ.

The Greek word for conform is sym-morphos. Sym- means with, beside, accompany. Morphos means fashioned like.

Sym- + morphis = beside you while remaking you

While we are going through the painful process of conforming please keep a few things in mind:

1. God uses all things to conform us. Things we think may destroy or harm us are used for the benefit of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
2. When we are conformed, we will be like Christ. That is good news!
3. Jesus is with us, beside us, accompanying us (sym-) through the whole painful messy conforming process.

Whatever you are going through right now, don’t let the enemy have the win. God has promised to use it for your good. While your situation may not be a favorite thing, you can count it as a good thing.

By Mary Kay Kane

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