37 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
37 lines
4.6 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<script src="./js/MainHeader.js" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="head">
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Day By Day By Grace
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Bob Hoekstra
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October 22
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<h1>Abel's Acceptable Worship Sacrifice, by Faith</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>By <b>faith Abel</b> offered to God a more <b>excellent sacrifice</b> than <b>Cain</b>, through which he obtained <b>witness</b> that he was <b>righteous</b>, <b>God testifying</b> of his <b>gifts</b>; and through it he being <b>dead</b> still <b>speaks</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 11, '4-4');">Hebrews 11:4</a>)</div>
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<p>The Lord desires that people become true spiritual worshipers of Him. <i>"The hour is coming, and now is, when the <b>true worshipers</b> will worship the <b>Father</b> in <b>spirit</b> and <b>truth</b>; for the <b>Father</b> is <b>seeking</b> such to <b>worship Him</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 4, '23-23');">John 4:23</a>). This can only become a reality through faith in the Lord. One helpful example of this is <b>Abel's acceptable worship sacrifice, by faith</b>.</p>
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<p>Cain and Abel were two sons of Adam and Eve. The time came when they both offered sacrifices unto the Lord. <i>"And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gen', 4, '3-4');">Genesis 4:3-4a</a>). The sacrifice of <b>Cain</b> was <b>rejected</b> by God, whereas <b>Abel's</b> sacrifice was <b>accepted</b>. <i>"And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gen', 4, '4-4');">Genesis 4:4b-5a</a>). Our primary verse tells us why Abel's gift of worship was acceptable to the Lord. <i>"<b>By faith</b> Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain."</i> Abel's sacrifice was given <b>by faith</b>. It came from a heart that believed in the Lord and trusted in His righteous ways. <i>"The <b>sacrifice</b> of the <b>wicked</b> is an <b>abomination</b> to the LORD…but He <b>loves</b> him who follows <b>righteousness</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Pro', 15, '8-9');">Proverbs 15:8-9</a>). When the Lord accepted Abel's offering, He was declaring that Abel was righteous in His sight: <i>"through which he obtained <b>witness</b> that he was <b>righteous</b>."</i> Elsewhere, the word confirms that Cain was an unbeliever; whereas, Abel walked in righteousness. <i>"<b>Cain</b>…was of the <b>wicked one</b> and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were <b>evil</b> and his brother's <b>righteous</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Jo', 3, '12-12');">1 John 3:12</a>).</p>
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<p>When we offer worship sacrifices to the Lord, He is looking at our hearts. Are we trusting in Him? Are we yielding to the righteous paths that His word has set forth? Whether we are offering praise, giving thanks, doing good deeds, or sharing our resources with others, we are to do it all <b>by faith</b> in the Lord Jesus Christ. <i>"Therefore <b>by Him</b> let us continually offer the <b>sacrifice</b> of <b>praise</b> to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, <b>giving thanks</b> to His name. But do not forget to <b>do good</b> and <b>to share</b>, for with such <b>sacrifices</b> God is <b>well pleased</b>…you…are being built up a <b>spiritual</b> house…to offer up <b>spiritual</b> sacrifices <b>acceptable</b> to God <b>through Jesus Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 13, '15-16');">Hebrews 13:15-16</a> and <a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 2, '5-5');">1 Peter 2:5</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear heavenly Father, I want to be a true spiritual worshiper of You. I repent of any sacrifices that I have offered from self-interest or self-righteousness. I want to offer my worship to You through faith in Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.</div>
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