Your Day of Visitation: Heart for Sacrifice

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another word-filled message by David Entry. Preaching is the means by which God manifests His word and nourishes our spirits. May the life of God enter into you and you as you listen to this message. Be blessed.

[0:18] There is no place like home. And it's always a blessing to be in church. It says that, um, one thing have I desired, Psalm 27 verse 4.

[0:31] One thing have I desired, desired of the Lord that I may seek after. What is it? That I would dwell in the house of the Lord, not during fasting times, not once a week.

[0:46] So those people who have a problem with you for attending services, let them just know that they don't know what they are talking about. The psalmist said, I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, not some of the days of the week.

[1:04] All the days of my life, to behold, until you pay the price to be in the presence of God, you will not behold the beauty of the Lord.

[1:22] You want to see how good God can be? Ah, so are you trying to tell me that? So those of us who don't go to church, God will not bless us. Yes, yes, you won't get specific blessings.

[1:33] You will get the general benevolence of God. The rain will shine. But if you want specific blessings, you have to pay a price, boy. You have to pay a price. You have to take a step.

[1:44] I will show you in the scriptures how blessings don't come arbitrarily. How Christ has been crucified on the cross, or Christ has redeemed us.

[1:55] Galatians 3 says that. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Having made a curse for us, for it is written, curse is the one, he who hangs on the tree, that the blessing, watch this, that the blessing of Abraham will come upon we, the Gentiles also.

[2:11] And so when you talk about the blessings of Abraham, you are not a child of Abraham. You are not a descendant of Abraham. But there is a way the blessing of Abraham can come to us.

[2:22] So you see, when you are in Christ, you are entitled to the blessing. Why is it not showing then? Why is it not showing? You can be given money, and you can have money sitting in your account until you learn how to make a transfer, or write the check, or use the card.

[2:37] The money isn't going anywhere. The money is not going in. That is why many companies will always prefer you doing a direct debit. Once you do direct debit, you don't have to go back.

[2:49] It is just that. You have authorized it so every month, or at a certain period, it just does it. It's automatic, but with your permission. So you can have so much money in your account, and yet you will be kicked out of the house for non-payment of rent or mortgage.

[3:05] Why? Because you didn't send it. So the fact that when you are in Christ, you have come into the blessing of Abraham doesn't mean that you just stay. In 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10, it said, Did you see that?

[3:23] The grace towards me was not in vain. There are a lot of people who are making the grace in vain. A lot of people who are making the grace in vain. Ah, pastor, so show me. What do I do so the grace will not be in vain?

[3:34] If you open your eyes, it's right in that text. The text that says, I am what I am by the grace of God, also says that I labored with the grace. So the grace that made me what I am was not in vain.

[3:46] And even the ability to labor was a function of the grace. So he said, But not I, but the grace which was with me. So the grace helps me to do what I have to do so the grace will manifest its glories on my life.

[4:04] Is someone getting what I'm saying? Oh, I already feel like preaching. So he says that I am what I am by the grace of God. Nevertheless, most of us, we ignore that bit.

[4:16] Nevertheless, the grace was not in vain. You can have the grace and it will be in vain if you don't take steps. If you don't, labor is not cheap. Labor is hard.

[4:27] Labor is work, work, work, work. James chapter 1 verse 25 says, See it a man who looks into the perfect law of liberty. Perfect law of liberty is the word of God.

[4:40] It's the word of God. The perfect law. It says, See it a man who looks into the perfect law of liberty. Did you see that? Perfect law of liberty and continues in it.

[4:51] And is not a forgetful hearer. But what? A doer of, don't forget that, that work. W-O-R-K. There is work when you read your Bible. When God comes to you, he leaves you work.

[5:03] When grace wants to bless you, it will bring, it will give you JD. Every grace that blesses, gives people job description. Any grace that doesn't bring you job description, it's grass, it's grassy, it's not grace.

[5:17] Pure grace will leave you with a responsibility. First, Titus chapter 2 verse 11, it talks about, The grace of God that brings salvation.

[5:28] Oh, really? Really? Grace of God that brings salvation. Really? The grace of God that bringeth salvation. I think it's a new, the King James that you say bringeth.

[5:39] The grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to how many? All. So why is it that not all are saved? Because not all will take advantage of the grace. The grace has appeared to all human beings.

[5:53] Men there doesn't, it's not gender sensitive. It's all people. The grace of God. It brings salvation. You want to be saved, it's a function of grace. But that grace that brings salvation has appeared unto all.

[6:04] And guess what? Those who embrace that grace, ha, this is interesting. Once you embrace that grace, there's a job that is left with you. It said, the grace for, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

[6:18] Comma, it's not finished. It's not finished. Teaching that. Teaching us. So, if you are really saved, the grace that saves you also makes a requirement of you.

[6:29] It teaches you something. Every saving grace is a teaching grace. The saving grace, now obviously, once you are being taught something, that means that you are being told what to do. You are being showed what to do and how to do it.

[6:42] Teaching us, and it doesn't say that it teaches us for, how to receive prosperity. It teaches, what does it teach? That we should deny. So you have to work with it. Ah, come on.

[6:54] There's one of our guys, he used to go to church with their mom every Sunday, every weekend. They were always going to, but he was a, he was big time into bad life, but he was in church, not born again. It was coming to Carys and had the pure word of God that got him born again.

[7:08] Today, look, he's on fire, saving souls, teaching many. He has given up all the fraudulent lifestyle. He was in church. Some of you were in church and you, you, you were also still messing up and it was normal.

[7:20] I was a mass server. I was going to church 14 times a week. Can you break my record? 14 times a week just for you to know that wasn't just 14 times and every midday, every midday, Monday to Saturday, I'll go and ring the bell as well.

[7:34] So you can add six, 14 times six, it's 20 times round, round trip to church and back. Round trip, 20 times. That's how much I love God. But if I died, I was going to hell because I didn't know Jesus.

[7:45] I wasn't born again. Stop telling me about you are in church. Is church in you? Is church in you? Are you in Christ? You can be in church without being in Christ.

[7:55] Some of you know your cousins. You know your cousins. They are in church but they are not in Christ. You know your brother. I mean, I have a sister. He's in church. She's in church.

[8:07] I mean, I have cousins. I have relatives. They are in church but they are not in Christ. And then they say things like, how can you judge? Oh, come on.

[8:18] Jesus, I didn't judge. Jesus gave me the standard. He said, you will know them by their fruits. Their fruits. So the constant fruits they produce. Is it godly fruits?

[8:29] The beginning of the read how he says, I've called you to bear fruits. John chapter 15. That your fruits will remain. He says that abide in me. Verse 2, 15. He said, abide in me and if you abide in me then you will bring forth much fruit.

[8:43] Because you are meant to bring fruit. And then verse 16 he said, you have not called me but I have called you. John 15. But I have called you that you will bear fruits and that your fruits will remain. So it's important. Jesus said, you will know them by their fruits.

[8:55] What fruits are you bearing? For which reason you are saying, don't judge. Don't judge. Nobody's judging you. No, let me tell you. I think let me say this once and for once. When we talk about judging, it means, I saw, let's say, I saw brother A.

[9:10] He was, maybe, and I conclude that you will never go to heaven. You are, God will never accept you. Or, I just conclude without evidence. Because I saw you, I just conclude and I'm concluding on your life.

[9:23] Jesus says that remove the log in your eyes before you try to remove somebody's speck. Your own. There's a whole log, Matthew chapter 7, verse 1 and 2. There's a whole log, a beam, a beam of wood over your eyes.

[9:37] You are able to see beyond that, to see somebody's small speck in the eyes. So Jesus said, you have to take care of your own face. Alright, so sometimes we can be so spiritual, we begin to focus on what others are not.

[9:50] That's, you know, I was teaching you the spiritual church, Gestapo, Gestapo, Gestapo, police, you are not wrong. You are not looking for wrong in people. That's not what I'm talking about.

[10:01] That's when you are trying to write people off and judge them. But listen, this is that you are cohabiting with the guy and you are still in church and you are cohabiting. I met someone and he was telling me, I've regretted, I have regretted, I wish someone told me.

[10:16] He said, I, I was, I was living like a wife under every circumstance because I was living with my boyfriend, we were having children and everything but just that I wasn't a wife.

[10:27] but they expect wifely responsibility from me because obviously what a wife must do, the girlfriend living together with you must also do. You who are living with your boy, tell me what he's expecting of you which he won't expect if you become a wife.

[10:42] It's the same thing just that you are easily disposable. You are like a disposable plate. You are not royal china. You are a disposable plate because who, who will pay a big price for disposable plate?

[10:54] That's why he won't commit. Hey, I'm preaching you. Why, why, why are you condemning? Why are you, it's not condemnation. I'm telling you, the word of God is profitable for doctrine, profitable for reproof, profitable for instructions, correction, and instructions in righteousness.

[11:14] So anyone who handles, 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, anyone who handles the word of God effectively will know how to, it said it profits. When you use it this way, it will profit you.

[11:25] The word of God carries profits, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction. Someone is correcting instructions, don't judge me, don't judge me, don't judge me. You shall know them by their fruit.

[11:36] You shall know them. You shall know them. In fact, in Matthew chapter, I think, 12, 32, rather, it talks about how, how can you, being evil, bring forth good things out of your heart?

[11:50] For out of the abundance, chapter 12, verse 32, 33, 34, he said, a tree, a tree is known by its fruits. So when I see an orange tree, which is trying to behave like a mango tree, and I said, no, but this is, there are no mango fruits on this thing.

[12:09] This is orange fruits I'm seeing. He said, oh, don't judge me. Don't judge me. Don't judge me. He said, make the tree good, any fruit will be good. Else make the tree bad, any fruit will be good.

[12:20] For a tree is known by its fruits. So, the fruits tell us, now, coming back, I've gone, gone, gone, let me come track back into, he says, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying worldliness and, ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, godly, in this, not later, or when I'm perfect in my spirit, when I die, no, now, if you are saved, these are the things that the grace that saves you gives you a responsibility for living.

[12:58] So, this tension in your house, which you are the proponent of, you are always, you are fine with quarrels, with your family members, with your mother, with your husband, with your wife, with your father, and you don't, it doesn't bother you.

[13:16] As for me, no one can touch me. No, you must be concerned because the grace that brings salvation teaches us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lust and we should live soberly.

[13:29] Control yourself, bro. Live soberly. Are you saved? That grace teaches you live soberly, righteously. It's right behavior and godly.

[13:41] When they look, your life, your actions is God expressing and flesh restricting. We are talking about God expressing actions and flesh restricting actions.

[13:56] Flesh restricting mindset. A mindset that restricts, it doesn't let the flesh manifest because the grace teaches us. And so now, coming back to the subject of grace, we are saved by grace, but grace can be in vain on your life.

[14:11] The grace God has given you to live a holy life, to live a righteous life, to live a sacrificial life, to excel in life, to become what you used not to be. Hallelujah. I like that one. Grace to become what you are not.

[14:23] What? So don't worry about, as for me, I've always struggled with, you know, maths, with this. I've always struggled. No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, that's the statistic, clinical statistics.

[14:36] But once you are in Christ, that grace will come on you to become someone who looks like you have never struggled with this issue. It's never, it will be very difficult when you are in Christ.

[14:47] Watch this, I'm about to say something interesting. When you are in Christ and you do it well and embrace grace, it will be very difficult for people and even you yourself to trace where you are to where you are coming from.

[15:01] When you look at where you are and where you are coming from, it's like two complete opposite varying, your background, where you find yourself cannot be, it doesn't look like where you are coming from.

[15:16] That's how radical the power of God and the grace of God can change a person. But they can't do it without personal cooperation. God only works with those who are cooperating or those who are cooperating.

[15:29] He said, be it transformed by the renewing of your mind. You have to do the renewing of your mind. He said, he was begging in Romans chapter 12 from verse 1. He said, I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of your mercy.

[15:42] He said, I'm begging you because of God's mercies. I'm using God's mercies to beg you that present your body, not your spirit, brother. Your spirit is fine by your body. Your bodies present your bodies.

[15:56] Hey, this guy is trying to say something. I remember yesterday I quoted Matthew chapter 11 verse 15. Matthew chapter 13 verse 9.

[16:07] Matthew chapter 13 verse 16 and 17. Revelation chapter 2 verse 7. Chapter 2 verse 11. Chapter 2 verse 17. Chapter 2 verse 29. Chapter 3 verse 6. Chapter 3 verse 22.

[16:18] Chapter 3 verse 13. All says that he who has an ear let him. It's not by force. It's not by force. It's not by force.

[16:31] It's not by force. It's not by force. He does an ear.

[16:41] Let him hear. My son, give attention to my words. I like that scripture so much. Proverbs chapter 4 verse 20. My son, give attention to my words. Give attention and incline your ears to my saying.

[16:54] Incline, give attention and incline your ears. Open your ears to what God is saying. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit say to the churches.

[17:08] The Spirit is not speaking to the world. He speaks to the churches and the church speaks to the world. The Spirit speaks to the churches and the church speaks to the world.

[17:20] The Spirit doesn't speak to the world because that's what Jesus had to come and die. The Holy Spirit would have come earlier. But without the death on the cross the Holy Spirit cannot come. So Galatians chapter 3 verse 13 says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having been made a curse for us for it is written curse is everyone who hangs on the tree why, how verse 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us the Gentiles.

[17:45] Gentiles are people who don't have any dealings and relations with God. Watch this. Wow. That we might receive the Spirit. So without redemption you can receive the Spirit. It takes redemption to qualify to receive the Spirit.

[17:57] That's why Jesus said in my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would not tell you. I'm going to prepare a place when I finish I'll come when I finish I'll come for you and you where I am you will also be John chapter 14.

[18:09] And then he speaks when he speaks you study the text carefully then he begins to introduce the coming of the Holy Spirit. The coming of from verse 16, 17, 18 he talks about the Holy Spirit is going to come.

[18:21] He says the Father will send in my name he will abide with you. I pray the Father will give you the helper. That's the Holy verse 17. He says he will abide with you forever verse 16. He says the Spirit of truth he will come.

[18:32] Now without Christ's death on the cross no human being can receive the Spirit. And so now after he has died and gone those who are knowing Christ they can't receive the Spirit. The Spirit comes through us or when the Spirit is released he works through us today we read John chapter 16.

[18:47] He said he will convict the world of sin. He uses our message to convict the world. So when we shut up we have shut him up. He said he will convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.

[19:01] So the point I'm making here is that we have to be born again for the Spirit to speak and the Spirit speaks to the churches. And when he's speaking to the churches he wants those who are willing willing and obedient hear what he's saying.

[19:16] Now I beseech you therefore my brethren that he presents your bodies as a living sacrifice. Oh I like the next one. Bodies, body, your body, think about your body holy, living, holy and acceptable unto God which is that's what we call true worship reasonable worship service.

[19:35] You are playing drums in church and your body is not holy. You are not giving reasonable service. You are singing in church and your body is not holy. You are preaching in church and your body is not holy.

[19:47] He said present take your body and say Jesus, here is my worship. Not just your worship, your body too much. Any worship that does not include your body is not quality worship.

[20:01] it is Greek. The Greek philosophy separates physical living from spiritual living. So the Greek ideologies you can separate religion from natural life, from politics.

[20:18] That's why people say this is just between me and God. It's my private life. When I'm in town public, no one knows who I am. That's fine. When I, it's just, that is the Greek philosophy. That's the Greek philosophy that tells you when you die, your body is useless and your spirit goes to heaven and does it.

[20:33] No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. God does not want just your spirit. He wants your spirit, soul, and body. That's why when we die, he will resurrect the body one day to join. So when we are in heaven, we are going to be in heaven with bodies.

[20:45] Yeah. Your body, your body, you will, that's why the, the, the core, one of the core doctrines of Christianity is, I believe in the resurrection of the body.

[20:56] Hear it. Resurrection of the body. Resurrection, the apostles quiz, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our God, who was conceived by the Virgin Mary, by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered at the point of the valley, was crucified, died and was buried.

[21:14] He descended into heaven, the third day rose again from the day, ascended into heaven, and he seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, the communion of saints, that means fellowship, church fellowship, the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body.

[21:30] These are the core truths of Christianity. The resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Hallelujah. Now, so you present your bodies. Your serving God includes your body.

[21:42] I'm going somewhere. So if your body is part of your worship, then sometimes when your body goes through tiredness and suffering and pain because of worship, it is okay. It is okay.

[21:55] It is okay. Many people want to serve God without sacrifice. But this Abrahamic blessing we are claiming, it came because Abraham was willing to sacrifice.

[22:07] So Romans said, I beseech you by the message of God. That's strong. Those are strong words. It's like, I implore you. Please, please, I beseech you. This one, the pastor is begging you, not just once, is begging you to present your bodies by God's mercies.

[22:25] This is a mercy of God. Even when you get it wrong, God's mercy will prevail. So get up and continue doing it. Don't say, I have been trying, I couldn't do it, so now I give you up. Don't give up. I beseech you by the message of God.

[22:36] There is mercy to keep you going. There is mercy to keep you. Today, you couldn't do your fasting. You broke the fasting at 8 a.m. Because someone called you for McDonald's and you just break McDonald's.

[22:49] And after you finish eating, you realize you've done something wrong. You know, there are times when you are a genuine Christian, when you go off, afterwards, you feel down. If you don't feel it, then maybe there's something wrong, maybe comatose.

[23:02] So there are people who are Christians, but they are in coma. Comatose. In their Christian life, they are, in Revelation chapter 3, verse 1, it says, you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

[23:16] Hey, this thing says, I know your works. Thou has a name that thou liveth. And you are actually dead. You are dead.

[23:29] Plastic flowers. You are not original. You are not real. It says, all this noise is a dead noise. Not from living elements. Anyway, so, it says that, present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

[23:47] The body is what we are talking about. I beseech you, I'm begging you. I'm begging you. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. So, it's not only, some people feel worshipful only when music is playing.

[24:05] So, by the mercies of God. So, even if you have gone off, come back on track. There is mercy for you. Come back on track, sister. I don't know who I'm talking to.

[24:15] I think I need to talk to somebody who is listening to me. Come back on track. The prodigal son in Luke chapter 22, the Bible said, he came to himself. He came to his senses. And he said, my father has food.

[24:26] Why do I sit here and die? Let me go and be a servant in my father's house. Come back on, come to your senses. Satan is destroying more than you think. Satan is spoiling more than you think.

[24:38] He's destroying. Some things are not recoverable. Some things are not reversible. When I was a chemistry student, we were taught something. Irreversible reaction. There are some reactions once they kick in, you can't reverse it.

[24:53] It's irreversible. Irreversible. So, there are some reactions, they are irreversible. Listen, you might recover your spiritual life, but you might not recover your ministry.

[25:05] You might not recover your placement. You, let's say you are active in church. Backslide and get out of church and later on come. You might not find your feet. Others are doing it better.

[25:17] Maybe you used to be the main praise and worship leader. There are others who no one knows who God has anointed like David. You are Saul. There are Davids behind the scenes. Saul, God told Saul, I've rejected you.

[25:31] I actually chose you and your house, but I've rejected you from being a kid. It's there. The throne was meant to stay in his house, but with one way out of disobedience.

[25:42] 1 Samuel 15, verse 21, 22, 23. It said, obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience is better than us obeying the voice of God. It says that, okay, has the Lord great delights in burnt offerings and sacrifice as in obeying the voice.

[26:01] Obedience is more important than all the other things we do. Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice and to hearken, to heed, to listen is better than you are bringing fat, fat rams.

[26:13] Listen to what God is saying. But I think somewhere around that area, God says that, I've rejected you. You were supposed to be king. I've rejected you. Then he talks about, I found David.

[26:24] For rebellion is the answer. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king. Let's accept that. And he couldn't come again because he was rejected.

[26:35] He had a very good son called Jonathan. Jonathan could have reigned instead because Jonathan was good. But guess what? The throne was taken from Saul. Just, it might look like, oh, this is just small disobedience.

[26:47] It's not, it's big. Small disobedience. Disobedience in little things is a big thing. Disobedience in little things is a big thing.

[26:59] That's why I don't understand believers who are screaming and shouting and falling and shaking. But small obedience. God is telling, get on with that sister and work well with her. Get on with that brother and work well with him.

[27:10] Serve faithfully. Stop the complaining. Stop the gossiping. Stop. There's something simple. So little things. Don't, see, and don't compare yourself about just mine is just this.

[27:20] The other one's own is big. No, please. Never compare. Bible says that we comparing ourselves one to another are not wise. In Corinthians, don't compare yourself that you look at this one.

[27:32] comparing ourselves one to another are not wise. So don't use others to judge your quality. Use your, the instructions God has given you.

[27:42] For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among them are not wise.

[27:56] Don't be comparing yourself. Compare yourself to the standard of Christ he has shown you. So let's go back to Abraham, as I was saying. So, I beseech you by the message of God that you present yourself as a living sacrifice, not a dead sacrifice.

[28:13] A living, very active. Sacrifice that can be instructed. Sacrifice that can be told, move from here and go there. And the sacrifice is moving. Sacrifice.

[28:24] Listen, without a heart for sacrifice, you will never get the best of God. Without a heart for sacrifice, you cannot be sanctified for the best of God.

[28:36] Sacrifice is at the base of every sanctified living. Sacrifice is at the base of every sanctified lifestyle or sanctified living.

[28:49] It takes sacrifice to be sanctified. It takes the sacrifice of Christ for us to be justified. It takes our sacrifice to be sanctified.

[29:05] I feel like shouting hallelujah. Hallelujah! Alright, let's just get to Abraham and then we can finish. Genesis chapter 22 verse 1, and it came to pass after these things that God did tempt.

[29:18] Oh, God tempted Abraham that's interesting. Can you imagine? God, it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham.

[29:29] After what things? After all the fact that he's blessed him, he's given him a son and everything. God did tempt Abraham. Brother, sister, is it possible that God is trying to, no, that word tempt there is like test.

[29:42] Not tempt to do evil, but test, test to check your quality. Okay? It came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham. Okay? So it's like when a car is built, they normally will drive it through something to check quality control.

[29:59] God also does quality control. So God's quality control is put you through something to see where your real heart is. So sometimes somebody may even offend you and it might be a test to you for the love.

[30:15] You say, God, I want to be full of love. He may elect somebody very annoying and hateful come your way. God, I want to be humble. I want, oh really? I want to really, because I've understood from my pastor's teaching that God gives grace to the humble.

[30:31] God, I want to be humble. Really? Somebody will treat you like a slave and then it will punch your, your Bible and then yes, then we will see whether you are willing to condescend.

[30:44] Bible says, Jesus humbled himself. Sometimes, don't say, God, make me humble. God will not make, humbling situations will come your way and you have to embrace it and work it out. All right, so quality control, some things must be tested to check their solidity.

[31:00] So God, when God wants to promote you, it's just like every course. That certificate you have, that it didn't come with any kind of test, exam, rigorous, you know, it's not proper certificates.

[31:14] every certificate, every quality certificate comes with quality checks. You'll be tested to see what you are made up of. So, do you remember in 1 Peter chapter 1, I think verse 6 and 7, it talks about the trying of our faith being more precious than gold that perishes, that when it be tried with fire, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise.

[31:39] Because God will allow some things to come your way. So Abraham, it came to pass that after these things that the Lord did tempt Abraham, tested Abraham, and said to Abraham, what was the test?

[31:52] And then said to him, Abraham, he said, yes, I'm here, oh Lord. Then what's the test? The next verse 2, he said, take now, not tomorrow, thy son, thy only son Isaac, whom you love.

[32:04] Your heart is there. He said, me too, I want your heart, but your heart is somewhere. So give me that thing. Be careful where your heart is.

[32:15] If you want to do quality worship, God will ask for that one first. Maybe the one you want to get married to, you really love her, you really love him. And it's taking over everything.

[32:27] The person is not even a serious Christian, but you feel like, if I don't marry this person, I will die. That's, in the time of encounters, that's the first thing God is going to ask for. He said, he will tell you, cut off from her, or cut off from him.

[32:39] So God will test, some, I don't know what's in your life that this fasting, you are asking something from God, but God is also asking something from you. A guy came to Jesus in Luke chapter 18, he said, what must, what must I do from verse 20 or from 18?

[32:53] Yeah, rich man, young man, young ruler, it's called young ruler. Matthew chapter 19 and Luke chapter 18, around verse 20, the same, whatever you, he came, certain young ruler said, good master, what shall I do to have eternal life?

[33:06] Verse 19, verse 20, Jesus says that, go and do the Ten Commandments. Do the commandments. That shall not commit adultery. That shall not kill. That shall not steal.

[33:16] That shall not lie in UK. That shall not, that shall honor your mother and father. Honor your mother and father. And the guy said, I've done all these things. But he still knew that, he was taking, he said, I've been doing it from my youth up.

[33:30] But something was still not right. Then Jesus said, okay, there's one thing. Jesus actually said, one thing thou lacketh. Jesus answered and said to him, yet lacketh thou one thing. There's one. Sell where your heart is and then come and follow me.

[33:44] So that thou shall have treasure. It doesn't say you lose everything. You have treasure. Anything you give up for Jesus, it turns into a treasure in heaven for you. And some of it, when it's a treasure in heaven, it's not only when you die that you get.

[33:57] And it's on earth. You have like storage. Storage. Some of us, we have been storing your data in the cloud. Yes. Cloud storage. It's very similar.

[34:07] This one said, do it. So remove it, move it from the hard drive and store it in the clouds. That's what Jesus told the young man. He said, move your money, your physical resources and store it in the clouds.

[34:20] The guy said, no, no, no. I mean, I always want to see it physically. And this man left. Look at verse 23. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful for he was very rich.

[34:32] And he let, and Jesus said, you see how hard it is for rich people to, and he said, so that's very, how hard it is. Now, the guy didn't have money, money had him. So God will test you and ask you for something that is getting your heart.

[34:49] It's getting your attention. Anything you are, you don't, you are not willing to give to God. God can't let you keep it. Because it will take you away from God.

[34:59] Satan will use it against you. Anything I am not willing, we are not willing, you are not willing to give it away for God. That's why some people won't come to be born again because they don't want to give up some things.

[35:11] They don't want to give up their alcohol. They don't want to give up their stealing. They don't want to give up their dodgy deals that is giving them, bringing them a lot of money.

[35:22] They don't want to give up that relationship. I don't know how many of you, if you're a serious Christian and you actually talk to people about Christ a lot, you hear people, genuine people, maybe brother or friend or somebody will tell you, I really want to do this thing but no, I'm not ready because I don't, I'm not ready to let this relationship go.

[35:41] Yeah. Your ability to serve God in spite of the challenges, in spite of the temptation, that is what shows that that worship is genuine and it will be tested.

[35:52] It will be tested. Yesterday I spoke about how Abraham sacrificed for God and God visited him. Today I'm talking about the need, the need to continue and stay in sacrifice because most of the time when God wants to bless you, he's waiting for your sacrifice.

[36:09] And we are talking about the blessing of Abraham because of time. Let's read it from verse 13, Genesis chapter 22. Verse 13 says that, And Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and behold, behind him a ram caught in the ticket.

[36:23] And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. The next verse, And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah Jireh.

[36:35] That means God my provider. As it states unto today, in the mount of the Lord he shall be seen. Now look at the next verse. Then God, now the angel of the Lord called out from heaven, out of heaven, the second time, I see heaven is going to respond to you in the name of Jesus.

[36:52] And God said, By myself I swear. Can you imagine? By myself. Because there's no one greater. So he said, This by myself. That's why God said, Because who?

[37:03] He wanted to do so much. He wanted to prove to Abraham. Normally people swear by something that is greater. Like collateral. So you need something stronger in value as collateral. And he says that because God couldn't find anything bigger than himself, he swore by himself.

[37:19] Hebrews chapter 6. It's the phrase in your Bible just as some of us read. Hebrews chapter 6 from verse 13. For God, for when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swore by no one greater, he swore by himself.

[37:31] And he said, In blessing, one human being made God swear. His action, God said, God said, I will swear. And he couldn't find what he can use to swear.

[37:43] So he said, okay, I will swear by myself. And he said, In blessing, I will bless you. And in multiplying, I will multiply. How did Abraham get here? Because he said, Because thou has done this thing.

[37:54] Genesis 22, 15. Because thou has done this thing and has not withheld thy son, thy only son. He said, In blessing, watch this. That in blessing, is it not the same thing Hebrews was saying?

[38:05] In blessing, I will bless you. In multiply, I will bless you. Now, now, it's, now, when we have come into the blessing of Abraham, that's why we are called into the blessing of Abraham.

[38:16] How did he get this blessing? Because it's also a blessing that is a function of sacrifice. That Christian life that does not call for sacrifice is no quality. You can never live any qualitative Christian life without sacrifice.

[38:31] Excuse me. Hello. Excusez-moi. You can't live a qualitative Christian life without sacrifice.

[38:43] It's a heart of sacrifice. Except a grain of wheat falls to the ground. John 12, 34. Falls to the ground and dies and buys a load. But you gotta fall to bring forth much fruit.

[38:58] Fall to bring forth much fruit. That's sacrifice. And it must be willing. The sacrifice the Bible calls us into is not forced sacrifice. It's a voluntary sacrifice.

[39:12] It's not mandatory. It's commanded but it's voluntary. And I see somebody this year's season some of us you see I said don't compare yourself to somebody.

[39:24] Somebody's fasting is a major sacrifice. another person doesn't even have food to eat so fasting doesn't normally eat much. So yeah it's natural behavior.

[39:37] So we all have to be sensitive and open-hearted to God in our dealings with him because you don't know what God will call or require of you. When Moses was taking the people out of Egypt and when Pharaoh saw the plagues he was so scared.

[39:51] I think chapter 9 Exodus 10 he said to the children of Israel he said he said to Moses please all of you let go you can go and worship your God but leave your calf and your jewelry Moses said we don't even leave the calf foot the bottom part of the calf foot that no one leaves we will not no one eat we will not leave it yet we will take everything for we do not know what God will require of us when it comes to worship.

[40:19] We are going to take everything we will leave our children we will leave our young ones we will leave our resources we will leave our cattle we will not leave anything any worship that excludes some possessions is not genuine worship many many people who call themselves Christians don't have worship that extends to their possession that extends to their career you have a job and it doesn't even impact on the glory of God Pharaoh called Moses and he said go and serve the Lord he said go no problem he said Pharaoh called them go and worship their Lord just go it's fine I'm for it and let your flocks and your heads be kept back let your little ones also go with you what did Moses say Moses said you must also give us sacrifice and burnt offerings that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God you see that Lord yesterday I taught you he sacrificed our livestock also shall go with us not a hoof a hoof shall be left hoof is the bit of the cow foot that is not it in the heart bit so we will not even leave the one that shall be left behind for watch this for we must take some of them to serve the

[41:37] Lord our God and even we do not know what what we must serve the Lord until we come to the place where we tell God I'm open whatever request I'm willing that sacrifice that sacrifice until we come to that place our Christian life will suffer anemia spiritual anemia Abraham secured a blessing Abraham made God swear I see somebody's heart of worship heart of sacrifice I see somebody's heart of sacrifice making heaven swear oh Lord give me grace that I can live a life that will make heaven swear on my life in blessing I swear by myself in blessing I will bless you in multiplying I will multiply you I will multiply you that it is not quantifiable nobody can put limits on what because it's so vast that there's no merging apparatus that can tell the limits of your expansion because because watch this the verse 15 is very pivotal because thou has done this thing that's seriously because thou has done this if you have a

[43:00] Bible you must mark that thing or highlight it because thou has done this sister brother what is that destiny in your life what is that destiny in your life which you do it and it has redefined your work with God what is that destiny what is that destiny what is that destiny and when God comes he said there's one thing you lack there's always some one thing Satan wants to withhold use you to withhold from God God said give it to me as I'm speaking you know God is talking to you I came as a prophet of God not just to prophesy but to speak this is what the Lord is saying and they that have ear let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches there's no grace that comes at no cost grace we don't pay for it but we tap into it with a certain heart and willingness to put some things in place you gotta put something sister my brother you gotta take an action take a step don't be afraid when you obey

[44:12] God as I always say when you obey God he's responsible for the consequences it's not what you give in the name of sacrifice that makes the difference as how much you are willing to obey sacrifice obey you see your sacrifice must be an act of obedience not an act of obedience not an act of convenience because in the eyes of others it might look like you have tried but in the eyes of God you have to disobey it hold out that in this season of sacrifice in this moment in this time of divine visitation that you will help us you will help us to give anything you ask for including our entire lives to hand over to it takes grace let's not rush it doesn't take will power it takes grace Paul said nevertheless I labored more than them all yet not I but the grace so it even takes grace to be able to live a life of sacrifice thank you thank you for listening to to hear more from

[45:24] David entry follow him on Facebook Instagram Twitter and LinkedIn you can also subscribe to Carish Church on YouTube don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast so you are always up to date be blessed the