Welcome to my blog this has been used for personal reason since its conception but during our 28 days of fasting and prayer earlier this year those that partnered with us were able to join me through this media. Now I’ve invited the entire church…as we now begin another spiritual growth campaign called “Time2Build…Building the Church while Building a Church!” I’ve been working hard to get this brand new, hot off the press family devotional guide that will help deepen our experience as a church during this campaign. Each day I will post a new daily devotional for you to use in your daily family time.
The way this will work is, each week I will share a message during our weekend worship experience that will tie into that week daily devotionals. This is a very exciting time for our church and we’re believing God for miracles, spiritual growth, and unspeakable joy! Below is day one.
TRUE DEDICATION
“So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the LORD." 1 Kings 8:63 (NIV)
What do we mean when we say dedication? To one person it may mean giving up a part of a football game to come to church on Sunday mornings, to another it may point to a decision to begin giving some of their money to the Lord's work, while to another it may add up to leaving all that they know to serve the Lord as a missionary in a foreign country. What does it mean to dedicate a temple, a church, a child... a life - to dedicate them to the Lord. In I Kings 8 Solomon dedicates the great Jerusalem Temple to the Lord, and in so doing teaches us some important lessons about the character of dedication.
Dedication means Open Declaration
Dedication is a public announcement of your intentions and commitments. Many see dedication as some inner commitment that no one can really see or understand. Not true... it is expressed in public commitments and public actions. Do you know when dedication begins to happen? When you begin to place your faith on the line in terms of public commitments. It's that willingness to declare to others that adds up to dedication.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Rom 12:1 (NIV)
The way this will work is, each week I will share a message during our weekend worship experience that will tie into that week daily devotionals. This is a very exciting time for our church and we’re believing God for miracles, spiritual growth, and unspeakable joy! Below is day one.
TRUE DEDICATION
“So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the LORD." 1 Kings 8:63 (NIV)
What do we mean when we say dedication? To one person it may mean giving up a part of a football game to come to church on Sunday mornings, to another it may point to a decision to begin giving some of their money to the Lord's work, while to another it may add up to leaving all that they know to serve the Lord as a missionary in a foreign country. What does it mean to dedicate a temple, a church, a child... a life - to dedicate them to the Lord. In I Kings 8 Solomon dedicates the great Jerusalem Temple to the Lord, and in so doing teaches us some important lessons about the character of dedication.
Dedication means Open Declaration
Dedication is a public announcement of your intentions and commitments. Many see dedication as some inner commitment that no one can really see or understand. Not true... it is expressed in public commitments and public actions. Do you know when dedication begins to happen? When you begin to place your faith on the line in terms of public commitments. It's that willingness to declare to others that adds up to dedication.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Rom 12:1 (NIV)
Dedication means Sacrifice
They sacrificed an unbelievable amount that day! 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. That's a lot of T-bone steak and legs of lamb! Why? What could be the purpose of such sacrifices? What did sacrifices do for men that were so important to the Lord? Sacrifices are “A gift of trust to the Lord.” As they sacrificed they declared that they trusted God to take care of their needs. They were saying, “Instead of hoarding and declaring my trust in myself, I’ll give to you Lord to declare my trust in you.”
Dedication will inevitably involve some sacrifices. Sacrifice is ultimately an expression of trust in the Lord. You're willing to give something up because you trust Him more then that something.
Dedication means Praise
A significant part of dedication is praise to God. Solomon’s praise as he dedicated the temple centered on the fact that God had kept His promise. There is a specific praise that not only expresses, but actually increases our dedication to the Lord. The specific praise that grows our dedication is "Thank You Lord for your Faithfulness.” It is a praise that recognizes that all that we have comes as a result of God's promises to us... as a result of His faithfulness in our lives.
That type of praise recognizes that I can be dedicated to God because God is dedicated to me! He is dedicated to my joy, my peace, my growth. God has dedicated Himself to my personal happiness and fulfillment. How dedicated is He? "He who did not spare His own Son, how He not also along with Him will freely give us all things." (Romans 8:32)
Family Discussion Question: What sacrifice would REALLLLY stretch your dedication?
They sacrificed an unbelievable amount that day! 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. That's a lot of T-bone steak and legs of lamb! Why? What could be the purpose of such sacrifices? What did sacrifices do for men that were so important to the Lord? Sacrifices are “A gift of trust to the Lord.” As they sacrificed they declared that they trusted God to take care of their needs. They were saying, “Instead of hoarding and declaring my trust in myself, I’ll give to you Lord to declare my trust in you.”
Dedication will inevitably involve some sacrifices. Sacrifice is ultimately an expression of trust in the Lord. You're willing to give something up because you trust Him more then that something.
Dedication means Praise
A significant part of dedication is praise to God. Solomon’s praise as he dedicated the temple centered on the fact that God had kept His promise. There is a specific praise that not only expresses, but actually increases our dedication to the Lord. The specific praise that grows our dedication is "Thank You Lord for your Faithfulness.” It is a praise that recognizes that all that we have comes as a result of God's promises to us... as a result of His faithfulness in our lives.
That type of praise recognizes that I can be dedicated to God because God is dedicated to me! He is dedicated to my joy, my peace, my growth. God has dedicated Himself to my personal happiness and fulfillment. How dedicated is He? "He who did not spare His own Son, how He not also along with Him will freely give us all things." (Romans 8:32)
Family Discussion Question: What sacrifice would REALLLLY stretch your dedication?
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