How can we seek God's approval in our daily sacrifices and offerings? The God Who Answers by Fire Leviticus 9:24 records, “Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown.” God’s visible approval affirmed that the offering, the priesthood, and the worshipers were acceptable. The same holy God still receives worship today, and He still signals His pleasure—now by the inner witness of His Spirit and the fruit that follows obedient lives. What Pleases God—Then and Now • Obedient hearts – “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). • Offerings prepared exactly as He asks – Moses and Aaron followed every detail (Leviticus 9:7–21). • Pure motives – “The LORD weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2). • A mediator God appoints – then Aaron; now Jesus (Hebrews 8:6). • Reverence – the people “fell facedown,” acknowledging His holiness. Our Daily Sacrifices Romans 12:1 calls us to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual service of worship.” Under the new covenant, sacrifices are not animals but ordinary moments offered in surrendered obedience. • Time: setting apart the first moments of each day (Psalm 5:3). • Speech: “Let my mouth speak wisdom” (Psalm 49:3). • Work: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). • Resources: cheerful, proportional giving (2 Corinthians 9:7). • Praise: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). Practicing Acceptable Offerings 1. Check the blueprint: compare every decision with Scripture, as Moses did with God’s verbal instructions. 2. Rely on the Mediator: confess sin promptly, embracing Christ’s finished work (1 John 1:9; Hebrews 10:12–14). 3. Pursue purity: guard heart and body, refusing compromise (2 Corinthians 7:1). 4. Maintain gratitude: recognition that every offering is a response to grace, not a bid to earn it (Ephesians 2:8–10). 5. Expect His confirmation: peace that rules the heart (Colossians 3:15) and fruit that endures (John 15:8). Guarding Against Strange Fire The next chapter shows Nadab and Abihu bringing “unauthorized fire,” and “fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them” (Leviticus 10:1–2). Presumption, innovation, or self-willed worship still forfeits blessing. Stay within revealed boundaries; God defines what honors Him. Living Under Christ’s Perfect Offering Hebrews 10:14 proclaims, “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Our daily sacrifices flow from His once-for-all sacrifice; they do not compete with it. Because the ultimate fire of judgment already fell on the cross, believers now serve in freedom, confident that God still sends His approving fire—reviving our hearts, empowering our witness, and validating lives wholly given to Him. |
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