Sacrificial or Superficial

During a morning time routine in prayer, as I begin to cry out to the Lord and made my petitions known to Him, I paused.  I did this only to reflect on what I had just previously prayed.  During that time I wondered had I surrendered anything in my walk with the Lord as a sacrifice or had my prayers been superficial.

What do you mean by sacrificial?  When a sacrifice is made, it is with the intention that something will be developed, instilled, or resolved in the life of a person who has considered oneself dead although the process of mortification had not yet wielded itself but the person has yielded themselves to a cause regardless of the outcome.  The outcome is based upon the one who has required it.

What do you mean by superficial? To be superficial is to be on the surface only. It's not real, it carries no weight and is easily penetrated.  It can easily be detected by others who are authentically bearing witness to themselves one way or the other.  Jesus was able to resonate with the church of Ephesus "who left their first love" Rev:2, and the church of Sardis, who had a reputation of being alive but they were dead. Rev 3. 

Dear God, may our times spent with you out of delight turn into something tangible by revelation,  His presence, impartation of some spiritual gift, an anointing, and much more as the Spirit gives. May our walk be sacrificial, even as you sacrificed your life for us.  You carried the cross willingly for our sins.

Let our walk with you no longer be superficial. You said when you return our works will be tested, whether it'd be wood, hay or stubble.  We desire to be that sacrificial church without spot, wrinkle or any such blemish.  Ephesians 5:27. Today, we examine ourselves to see whether or not we be in the faith proving ourselves (sacrificial) how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates (superficial)? 2 Cor. 13:5

Pencils Down

As a former student at many different levels of education I wasn't the most studious student. The thought of taking test were arduous and stressful at best.  The first time I ever heard of an open book test was the most exhilarating good news I've ever heard.  This would be easy, so I thought.  I didn't do as well as I thought because I was running out of time.  Well, one would say "how did you run out of time, it was an open book test"?  The answer is, I wasn't familiar with the text and didn't know where to go immediately for the answers. Therefore searching for the answers took up most of my time.

Oh Christian! This new life in Christ is an open book test. The Lord our God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. We are to be students of the Word. The Lord commands us to "study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen being not ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth" 2Tim.2:15. 

Too many professing believers on average struggle to read and study the word of God.  The book which we are admonished to meditate on it day and night.  Jesus said "my people perish because of the lack of knowledge and they err not knowing the scriptures" We were told to hold fast to the word of truth. How do we hold fast if we have no interest in the person who has went to prepare a place for us?  Jesus told us to search the scriptures and in that we will find eternal life.  It reminds me of the the five wise and five foolish virgins. The five wise had oil in their lamps (the word of God) and the five foolish were empty.  Beware Christian of the snare and the sin of slothfulness.  It's subtle, yet popular among professing Christians today.  I heard of an old adage; the Bible is B-I-B-L-E.(Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth).  

O Christian, one thing is for sure one day the Lord will say "pencils down". Hebrews 9:27 declares "it is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgement.  Don't neglect so great a salvation saints.