The Five Challenges of Self-Sacrifice

I want to love God with all my mind, soul and strength and love others as myself. I want to have a personal daily altar to God. I want to replace the perverse altars and idolatry of ideas that enable evil to influence our lives and those around us.

The five challenges of self-sacrifice from two weeks ago can be generally linked with worldview statements as follows:

1. An atheist doesn’t pray (even in a foxhole) because the naturalistic or secular humanist worldview holds no hope in God.

2. A “cosmic humanist” doesn’t read the Bible as the Word of God to direct their belief and practice.

3. A Satanist does not submit to Jesus Christ as King therefore will not submit to authority of the Scripture nor to God’s authority in the church as a disciple of Christ in a small group.

4. A strict existentialist does not commit to regular small group relationships nor order their life to serve others in the body of Christ at all because life is about their own experience not a shared membership in covenant with others.

5. A moral relativist embraces the worldly ideal of poly-theism and reasons to himself that there is equal plurality of all beliefs. Since there “absolutely are no absolutes” he can not be held accountable for any belief or action. This leaves him open to hedonism or complete self-indulgence the same as a Satanist.

Since I am not an atheist, humanist, existentialist, Satanist nor a moral relativist I will commit to self-denial and sacrifice to hear and obey God. In order to learn God’s ways I will include the following in my daily life:

1. I will pray with the mind and pray with the spirit.
1 Cor 14:15; John 4:23-24; Rom 8:26-27; Jude 20 .

2. I will present my body, remove negativity and receive God’s Word to renew my mind.
Deut 6; Joshua 1:6; Psalm 1; Psalm 19; John 15; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:1.

3. I will be in committed relationships for discipleship and fellowship.
Acts 2:42-46.

4. Through love I will serve others as a covenant relationships.
Gal 5:13; Eph 4:11-16.

5. I will get out of my comfort zone and be on mission because we as Christ’s Body are “God’s net.” (all four Gospels and Acts include Christ’s command and commission).

(The last two also include the sacrifice of regular and generous giving.)

~PD

Revival comes as I Repent, Renew and Re-form

We can identify where God is blessing and tend those altars in our lives. We can release God’s power and presence from heaven into the earth. God will run interference in demonic activity around us which is coming from idols and perversion in the culture.

Where is God’s blessing of “open heaven” for me/us? Like Isaac, I can re-dig old wells of blessing from our spiritual fathers. As I repent and receive God’s word my mind is renewed and I bring God’s kingdom to re-form the earth.

The five challenges of self-sacrifice Pastor Dwight asked us to write down for accountability last Sunday are:


1. Will I pray daily?
(I will pray with the mind and pray with the spirit) 1 Cor 14:15.

2. Will I read/meditate daily in the Bible?
(I will present my body, remove negativity and receive God’s Word to renew my mind) Rom 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:1.

3. Will I be part of a small group or team at least 2x a month?
(I will be in committed relationships for discipleship and fellowship) Acts 2:42-46.

4. Will I serve in a specific ministry in the church?
(Through love I will serve others) Gal 5:13.

5. Will I get involved with people in need outside church?
(I will get out of my comfort zone and be on mission because we are “God’s net”)
(The last two also include the sacrifice of regular and generous giving.)

Steven White wrote these confessions to daily build faith and renew his mind.
1. I will walk with Christ by my side, for Christ's Kingdom and Glory, and toward Christ's purpose for me!
2. I will see the Lord, I will fear the Lord, and I will put my trust in the Lord. from (from Ps. 40:3).
3. I will put my hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (from Ps. 42:11).
4. I will fear God and keep his commandments, this is my duty! (from Eccl 12:13)
5. I will walk before him faithfully & be blameless! (Gen 17:1)

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The Word of faith is in your mouth (Romans 10:7-10) You can write your own confessions of faith and meditation to renew your mind like Steven.

Update from Men’s Emergency Preparedness meetings
We are a proactive community of men of the Spirit, who seek God together, and who can give gracious answers to those who observe us when they see the hope that is within us.

We’ve had three good times of discussion and prayer and are ready to form an Emergency preparedness Council. Speak with Richard Lineberry about participating or ask for a copy of the policy he has written so far.

Financial Update
As we begin the new season of fall we give thanks for God’s blessing in and through you. As of August 31 our expenses have exceeded our income by about $1,800.

Last year at this time we were down $4,000. This year we were in the plus until the last two months when we had over 3,000 of air conditioning repairs and gave honorariums that exceeded our offerings for those who ministered (we believe sowing seed is essential part of good stewardship).
God grace you with food to eat and seed to sow, as you cheerfully give as God moves your heart.

-PD

Planting and Tending under
an Open Heaven (Portal)

Reading Portals, Releasing the Power and Presence of God Into the Earth, by Patti Amsden, I recognize altars of sacrifice and consecration which my parents made then tended, and which in turn created a portal for me and our children to experience the blessing of an open heaven: specifically in the areas of worship, the arts and service in the church. As a junior in H.S., I remember kneeling down in my dad's sanctuary before I would practice piano, organ or voice and simply saying, "I offer myself to you. Help me do my best." Sometimes I believe I added "for your glory." Later I often added that after I knew Jesus as my Lord and was filled with Holy Spirit. I did not realize that although they were far from perfect, they made an open heaven for me to grow in worship and ministry. And God has continued to bless that in Barbara’s and my children as well.

As a teenager, my father separated himself to God to become a pastor. With some degree of purity, he and mom consecrated and sacrificed themselves generously for the Christ and His Body, the church. I grew up watching them practice hospitality and care for others, as they invested in music lessons for us, and as they made worship, church and caring about others a focal point in our lives. I didn’t value a lot of that, but looking back I can see God’s favor on them and therefore on us kids as we grew up. I can still hear them saying, “We go to church to give, not to get.” Now I have better understanding.

Mom was an artist and dad a musician. Barbara also is musical, so it was natural for our children to cultivate these gifts. They benefited from an open heaven to grow in worship and the arts but they had to choose to offer themselves to God and to serve others.

If you are a first generation Christian in your family, you are building and tending altars for others in the future. We all have the benefit of the sacrifice and consecration of those who have created an open heaven in this spiritual family called Covenant Life, e.g. Richard McAfee’s “Hearing Heart” model.

Ask yourself or others where the blessing of God seems evident. Where do you feel God’s enabling grace? In business, education, craftsmanship, education, in the medical field, etc…? When do you feel God’s power and presence? Where do you feel God’s blessing and presence may be hindered?

Is your life dedicated to God or is it about what you want to do? Probably there is mixture in all of us, but what specific altar of sacrifice are you making or tending? Our nation is experiencing judgment for cleansing. Let’s repent, plant and tend for an open heaven of God’s blessing through us. Grace and peace.

-PD