Friday, February 24, 2012

Is Your All On The Altar

It became starkly evident that, "God offers peace, rest, joy, and life, but these can only come after the fire has fallen on the altar of sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice." So, in my mind, God is calling me and every soul who is seeking Him to come to the place where we become that perfect sacrifice. We must sacrifice our self-will, our dreams, our wants, our ambitions on the altar. Then and only then can He inspect it, and if found proper, consume it, and then let His Glorious Presence fill the altar."And as Mary proclaimed to the Gabriel, "Let it be unto me according to your Word!"Let us not fool ourselves in thinking that we can enjoy the blessings of God without the fire of God.
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Only one thing pleased the Lord during the day of sacrifice, "a perfect offering on the altar." When it was proper and presented properly, 2 things were noted:

"It was an offering given to the LORD by fire very pleasing to the LORD."Lev 8

"Fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground. " Lev 9

And when things were NOT done properly, death happens and He reminds us,

""This is what the LORD meant when he said, 'I will show myself holy among those who are near me. I will be glorified before all the people." Lev 10

And He continued to exhort His people regarding the demand for them to be something that He is,"After all, I, the LORD, am your God. You must be holy because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves...." Lev 11

From this we must conclude,

1) God wants to send fire on the earth (Jesus actually said the same thing, Luke 12).


2) He will only send it on a perfect sacrifice presented properly before Him. (we are to be the living sacrifice, Rom 12)

3) When we attempt at religion in our own way, it will bring death. (old way brings death, 2 Cor 3)

4) If someone is near Him, Holiness WILL be shown through them. (display a new holy nature, Eph 4)

The old Elisha Hoffman hymn speaks of this issue clearly,

"IS YOUR ALL ON THE ALTAR?"


You have longed for sweet peace,

And for faith to increase,

And have earnestly, fervently prayed;

But you cannot have rest,

Or be perfectly blest,

Until all on the altar is laid.


Chorus


Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart, does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest,

And have peace and sweet rest,

As you yield Him your body and soul.
Would you walk with the Lord,

In the light of His Word,

And have peace and contentment always?

You must do His sweet will,

To be free from all ill,

On the altar your all you must lay.


O we never can know

What the Lord will bestow

Of the blessings for which we have prayed,

Till our body and soul

He doth fully control,

And our all on the altar is laid.


Who can tell all the love

He will send from above,

And how happy our hearts will be made,

Of the fellowship sweet

We shall share at His feet,

When our all on the altar is laid.


By: Russell White

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