NOT WITHOUT SACRIFICE

Um just been uh gleaning from uh some scriptures and some things that uh over the weekend and then throughout the first of the the week. And u I want to I want to start off by saying that you know I didn't give the credit as I wanted to during the service. uh Sunday, but brother Josh did a really great job on putting together this. Uh I do appreciate that so much. He is not here. So, um he he he can go back and watch this but we are talking this month on the altar of incense.

The altar of incense. And uh I I want to uh just say from the very beginning there are a lot of different directions that we can go with this. And I have felt released to just flow this path. And so if you if you hear the theme that was set Sunday, uh not without sacrifice, that's what we're staying in that vein. So um I want to stay there for just a little bit. Um, as we've already established this throughout this whole year, um, the tabernacle is what we're studying in general and that there are lots of parts that go to this and this just being one of the pieces of furniture that we are talking about.

But there are a lot of things that is in common throughout the tabernacle. There are lots of things that we can we can go to one particular piece of furniture and also see that same reflection in another. Um God is a God of order. Let's say that he is a God of order. He's a God that that puts everything in motion. There is a reason why in Genesis that he starts off and he creates he creates all of these. God created the heavens and he created the earth. Then he goes on into stages throughout those days one two three four and he creates this and then God says it's good.

Everything that God puts in your life, there's reasons for it. There are things that uh people that cross your paths. There are people that will adjacent themselves to you that are there is a reason behind it. Some long term and then there's some that are are just for a season. And so that's that's one of the reasons that I've learned not to and there is a portion of of grief that we all have when someone leaves our life. Amen. There there is a portion of that that we feel because we're human.

But at the same time, we must understand that God has he has something greater for us. There there is reasons that that person's in our life. There's reasons why that person has has has exited our life. Uh not to say that they're completely gone, but they they are no longer in that circle of our life. And so God puts everything in order. He has a plan. And throughout this plan, I I want to just show you from the tabernacle just for a little while. I want to talk to you a little bit about how all of that works.

In what we've been talking about in this Moses, he takes and instructs the children of Israel. And you will find this in Exodus the 20 uh the 35th chapter. Exodus 35 verse 4-9. You will find and I do have this in the NIV. So, if if things get kind of out of whack for you, that's why it doesn't show on the screen as I'm talking about it. Um, but Moses instructs the children of Israel to bring an offering. There are things that he would inquire of them that they bring.

Those that were willing, the scripture says he wanted them to bring these things. He number named these. He named them by this. see gold, silver, bronze. Then he goes on to say blue and purple and he get he talks about all the ribbons that are there, those those uh pieces of material. He goes on to talk about the hair of goats and ramkins that are dyed red. And there's reasons behind all that. And I I don't we we don't want to get sidetracked here, but there are reasons behind these colors.

And there are other types of any type of of leather that would be be worn well, those that can can withstand a lot of pressure and a lot of heat and a lot of the there are things that he required of them. And then he goes on to talk about the acacia wood. We spoke of that that this piece of furniture is built from not this one. I don't even know what that I won't even ask brother Josh hopefully but acacia wood olive oil for the lighting and then spices that would be added to the oils for fragrance and incense.

Then he would go on to ask for stones. There's precious stones or there are all kinds of precious stones that would actually be put into the ephod which is a portion of a piece of of um uh that would hang over the priest. There is a shield there, a breastplate and that is a totally different study in itself. All of these things they were to ask of them. These people were to bring this as an offering. Everybody say offering was something that they would bring and give to the Lord.

I um began to study because I once this this acacia would just kind of just intrigued me of how that each piece was was made and how that they would make it out of this acacia wood. The acacia wood is a this tree grows in subtropical. It's it's all across the desolate areas. Uh you find them still in Africa. But um I I want you if you would put that picture up. Uh our media group has a picture there, but um is it there? It's on the back one, not on the front one. But these acacia trees, everybody turn around and look at that one.

No, these these acacia trees are are everywhere. They can grow from anywhere from 5 foot uh to 60 foot. Um they're they're beautiful to look at. They're that you can tell that they're very hearty and they're very what we would we would say durable. Uh and it's the reason that they would have these trees is is uh they would the Lord would request the best, right? Because it it was there was beauty in it. And if you were to look at what this the number two that I had listed for them, there was a a picture of the actual wood.

Number two is that there was a very is a very beautiful piece of wood. Um as far as the density of of that wood there there was beauty in it. And many of you is it there? All right. Many of you would probably uh if you had u a cutting board in your home, it is full of oils. It's uh uh you still can buy a aacia wood. Uh you can you can buy it and and make there there lots of cutting boards and lots of of of your um countertops and things of that nature in your kitchen because it sheds water.

So in understanding that you would understand why that they wanted this for the tabernacle. I I found this though interesting that that this acacia wood it was made everything in the tabernacle that was wood was made from this type of wood. Interesting. You had the ark and its and its rods. It's its poles. You'll find this if you want to put this down in your journals. uh Exodus uh 37 and 38 the chapters there um you will find all of this recorded you have you have the ark and its poles you have the table of shoebre and its poles you have the uh brazen altar and its poles you also have the altar of incense and its poles all of these pieces of furniture was made from this acacia wood.

It was made that way because they wanted to make sure that that it would not decay. They wanted to make sure that it would it would uh would be resistance to any type of disease or any kind of bug or anything that it it would shed those types of things. Now, I did find this interesting that even though it was one of the most beautiful woods that it was wrapped in gold or in bronze. It was because of its beauty. Now, now just take this from me because I I don't have I don't have a lot of of of Bible knowledge about this wood because it doesn't give it to us.

But its beauty is there yet God instructs them to wrap it in gold. He instructs them to take and cover the natural beauty with something that he instructs them to do. I I began to look through all of these these characteristics of this particular wood and as I began to study them, I also looked at what would be the harvest of these woods. I I watched u and and you guys can go on and you can probably Google it and YouTube it and all of those things and and it's really hard to find uh really good um um really good materials there.

And so I I just began to dig through different things and I I found some really interesting things about the harvest of these and and how that u they would have these people. Now now understand it wasn't just the harvesting of the wood. There was there was uh they would take and cut into the side of these trees into the bark of these trees and they would what we call the gum or the sap of that tree was used in that day and time. It was used in spices. It was used for different types of illnesses that you might have.

It was used as as a medicine at times. And so so all of these things there was there was so much coming out of of these trees that they were harvesting. Now Moses asked of the children of Israel. He asked them to bring the acacia wood. Understand this has to be harvested. It has to be there's there has to be something that that has to be done to it. I I I was intrigued by this and that there is an unseen danger about that acacia. Number three, our our pictures back there.

Would you show this? The acacia wood also has a thorn. The acacia wood grows these thorns out and it is a protective for the tree and and there would be and it tells all kinds of things how that birds would nest and it would keep any kind of any kind of predator from getting to where the birds were and it goes on and on. But I I found this very interesting that that some of these some of these thorns were just so humongous. I I they'd have hands that were just the the thorns would be just as big as a hand.

A part of what they would have to harvest is harvesting around these thorns. So, you would understand me if I was to tell you that when we talk about sacrifice, it's a little deeper than just bringing a piece of wood. It's a little bit more than just saying, "I I need the wood." There had to been harvesting going on, and those men would have and women would have to work their way through those thorns. to get to the wood. I want to take a turn here and this is something that the Lord laid on my heart.

There is a responsibility of the church. We have a mission. God has brought us to this place for a reason. Amen. Matthew 28, we know the scripture. Matthew 28:E 19 says, "We are to go," and this is in the the ESV, "We are to go and make disciples of every nation. God has instructed us what we are to do." Amen. Just as Moses would would come out to the people and say, "I I want you to bring the acacia wood." I I want you to look at it in this form and then in this this light is is God ask of us to go and make disciples.

He didn't ask you about the thorns. He didn't ask you of what it would take. He already understood that. But he needed someone to make a sacrifice. He needs someone that would bring themselves to a place of of going and digging out and and reaching in and and yes, it's going to bring scars to me. It's going to bring it's going to be scraping coming across my arms to get to it. But but there are people in our world today. I I I I just felt this in the Holy Ghost, folks.

There are people that are in our world today that need the Lord. There are people that are hurting. There are people, and if you would put my thorns back up there, please. There are people that are in this type of situation. They're down inside of there. They're in the thorns. Matthew 9, scripture says this. Matthew 9:35, Jesus, and I will paraphrase some of this, but Jesus, he's walking through the cities and the villages and he's teaching in their synagogues and he's preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

And the scripture says that he came to a certain place after doing all of this, healing the sick and and and and all of the diseases, healing them. He comes to a particular place here and he opens his eyes and he sees these people scattered. They're everywhere. He says, "And it's like them being without a shepherd." and he's got all of these people standing around him. He's got his disciples around him. Now, I I I I want to make sure that this picture is very clear to us that there is there is a time for us to pull ourselves together.

There's a time when we need to be around the feet of Jesus, but there's also a time when we look at Jesus and say, "Where where is that harvest, Lord? Where is where is those that need you? We have got to get to a place that we God, fill us up. Fill this building up. But not only this building, but every building that is around us, fill it up, Lord Jesus." Why? Because there are people that need to know who the Lord is. Put my thorns back up. I I want you to get this tonight.

is there there are people that are there and it's going to take one of us, two of us, three of us, four of us going in different directions sometimes, reaching in and grabbing those that are hurting, Jesus goes on to say this in verse 38. He actually says in verse 37, he said, "Look, look at the fields." Telling his disciples, "Look, look at this. Can you see this? Can Can you see the thorns, folks? Look, look, look. There's people in there. There's people that are hurting.

I was I was just filled with compassion the other day at work. I say at night, let me just say that I'm working nights, folks. But I was filled with this feeling that overflowed me. I began to talk to a young man. As a matter of fact, he was helping me with with some of this. We were talking about this particular piece of furniture and on our on my job, they do a lot of building crates and different things. And I was explaining to him what I needed to do. And in that conversation, he starts talking about how he was raised.

He's originally from Russia. his family came here several years ago. And I said, "Well, what what kind of what kind of religious background do you have?" Because he was he was very interested in this piece of furniture. He said, "I'm I'm apostolic." He called himself apostolic, even though he's been away from any of that for quite some time. Once one, always one. And my heart just sunk because he he'd been going through through some things and he'd shared those over the last few months.

So, we were talking. He began to explain how his grandfather how his grandfather was was of what he called the old ways. after talking to him a little bit, realized that that he was part of a group that came out of who we are. And and I was just my heart sunk. I got a man that is that is struggling in his own personal life, but just from a simple conversation of of building something It struck a conversation up and I keep waiting for him to come through the doors on Sunday.

He keeps telling me he's going to do it. But I thought, how many people are like that? How many people I know and sometimes it's just it just takes a lot out of us to to just go out of our way to do certain things. I get that you you you're busy in your life and you're busy in your world and you're busy about all of the things that we need to be doing. But the truth is is they're there and they need somebody to go in there after them. They need somebody. God told Moses, he says, "Tell them to go get the acacia wood for me.

Go get it." I don't know about you, but there's some that would probably say this. Do you know what we had to do to do that? Do you know what it took me to get that out of there? There should be something inside of us that says, God is worth it. Is worth it. It's worth everything that I do. Everything that I can do for your kingdom, God, is worth it. Whatever it may be, we used to sing an old song that said, "Whatever it takes to be more closely closer to you, Lord, I am willing to do that.

Can can we really say that?" You know, we we we get comfortable in what God has given us and what he's blessed us with. He We get comfortable in those things. I want to ask you young people. I'm glad you're in here. I want to ask you young people, what would you do if you didn't have the cell phone anymore? Cuz I really think that there there are things that God sometimes wants us to lay down. Yes. Amen. And he wants us to lay them down for this purpose. As you know, Sunday we talked about how that this is a place that only you and him are.

You and him go here. It's just about the Lord and you. H how many of you would would be willing, God, if it brings me closer to you, can I lay this down? Amen. Can I lay this down? If it draws me closer to you, Lord Jesus, and it draws others closer to you. I really feel that God is speaking to the church today that there is a field out there and it's full of thorns. It's full of thorns. And he's asking you just would you bring it to me? Would would you would you allow yourself to just bring it to me?

Yes, God. You know, you know, I really worked hard for that, God. I worked hard for that. I I worked hard to get to that place. He gives us the challenge to go into the fields. He gives us the challenge to get out there and do the harvest. Again, the harvesting of this this wood just really it sparked something inside of me that folks, we if we want to be more like him and we want to get close to him, we've got to be willing to sacrifice. We got to be willing to get out there and and go out go into the highways and byways as the scripture says and compel them.

The scripture tells us that. And when they came back and they were asked about it, says, "Lord, we've already done that." Well, he says, "Go out there and get get a hold of those out in the just whatever you can get a hold of." And we're over there doing this, huh? We're over there sweating and we're over there, you know, we've been trying. We God, we're working on it. Yeah. You're standing here telling me that. Get out there and do it. That That's what we hear from him.

Yes. Because because he he did all of this to show us this is what it's about. Amen. It is said, we don't have scripture for it, but how many of you have ever thought about the fact that there was thorns that were shoved into our our Lord's head. They made a crown. Some would say that it even came from this type of of tree. I mean, you think about it. It's it's common. He He gave his life. They were shoved into his head. And he ask of us today. Can you Can you just go in the fields and work for a little while?

Can Can you go out there and just compel somebody? Can you go out there and see if you can bring somebody to my house? God, help us today. That we would understand that this is about the kingdom. That's right. This is about the kingdom. Our commission was to go and make disciples. Baptize them. Bring them in. Baptize them. teach them. That is our commission. That is what we're supposed to be doing. Every bit of that is a part of the plan of God. From the front door all the way through the veil in order.

God help us. I want you to do something for me right now if you would. I I want you to if you would close your eyes and we want to lift our hands and and again this is just simple instructions here. But I want you to lift your hands and I want you to I want you just in your mind God will lay someone on your heart. God begin to talk to you. And I really felt this that that at this simple act right here, God's going to he's going to show you somebody that you need to be reaching for in the name of Jesus across this room right now.

Lord God, we know that you are well aable to give us those instructions that we need to lay that person on my heart, God. God, help me to do my part. Help me to do my part for the kingdom. Lord, help me to do what you have asked of me, Lord Jesus. Ask God of me, Lord, to do what you have done in my life, Lord Jesus. You reached down and you touched us. You reached down and pulled us out of the mire. You pulled us out of that, God. And we want to do the same Lord Jesus.

Oh hallelujah. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Speak into our lives Lord Jesus. In the name of Jesus. He has called us to be laborers. Not just to receive but to give. What is it that you have to give today? What is it that you have to give? Our mission is clear. God, I know what I need to be doing. Everyone in this building, you know what you need to be doing. This old song came to mind. Lord, lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me. And may I ever do my part to win that soul to thee.

How many of you remember that? We need to be the one reaching. We need to be the one that is reaching through those thorns and reaching after those that are hurting. God asked of the children of Israel just as he asked of their labor to be sacrificed. God ask of us to also bring our offerings to him. Would you sing that old song with me? Lord, lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me. And may I ever do my part to win that soul to thee. God lay someone upon my heart.

I really feel that God has a reason behind this delivery tonight. that God has has commissioned every one of us. He's given us this order. We're going into schools now. School is opening up. And those of you that will be in classrooms, even some of our teachers, it's your desire that they would see Jesus in you. There will be children that will be in those classrooms that will be literally in the thorns. There will be young people. There will be those that you will work along beside and you will go to school with that will be in those thorns.

And when God askked of us, will you go? The question will be will you will you do what God has asked of you? I I I I I really again I I I don't want to be so heavy tonight, but I just feel that in my spirit that God is leading us to another dimension. God has blessed us, folks. He has given us opportunities. He has given us opportunity after opportunity and as as a group. God has blessed us. Now it's our turn to go and do what God has asked of us. God help me Lord Jesus to do your will.

Help me to do the one of us. Bring the sacrifice. Help me to go to the harvest. Help me to do my mission. those things that you've asked of me. He prays that those of the harvest, he prays them that they will go and do what he has asked of them. Would you lift your hands again with us? God, in your name. In your name, Lord Jesus. I love you. I thank you, Lord, for this opportunity. I thank you for what you're doing in our lives. The things that you have prepared for us, Lord.

The things that you are working in us, God. You're you have done so much for us in our lives, God. Now, let us give back to you, Lord. The sacrifice that we bring to you, Lord Jesus. The things that you have given us, God, we want to be mindful of those things and bring them back to you, Lord. God that you would ever be most gracious in our all that we do in Jesus name. Everyone say in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Uh I am uh I I have been released of that right there. So how many you have any questions?

You got anything that you would like to ask? real gold. That is not real gold. Like you said, we would sell that. But think about it that and I made mention of that the beauty. Now, I like wood. Some people probably say cover it up. I I've seen places where they had beautiful pieces and they would cover it up with paint. I have a piece in my house right now that um my grandmother years ago uh well they were cleaning out her house after her death and they threw it out on the side of the road.

Just put it out on the side of the road. I went by and saw it and I said, "Are they throwing that away?" And so I stopped, picked it up, took it home, realized that it was it was solid oak underneath it. So, I stripped it down, refinished it, had my sister come and visit us. She walked in, "Oh my goodness, that is so beautiful." She was probably one of the ones that threw it out. And started asking me about it and I said, "Oh, that was at Maul's house. I've never seen that one." Oh, it was the one that was covered up with all those layers of paint that was sitting on the side of the road.

again. Sacrifice though, that's a lot of work. Add to it, bro. It's very interesting. That is very interesting. Mama. So true. So true. So true. And and and and they even tell us that now that they they still plant these in certain areas to keep the erosion down because the roots of that tree go so deep. Um and it and it just branches out. That is it's very it's a very interesting piece of wood. I I I really never thought much about it. And then again bringing the the actual harvest of it back in and I was watching how these guys were suited up and I thought why are they doing that?

And then all of a sudden I realized there's a reason why they're suited up. Interesting. Amen. No. Yeah, that's what we call it is gopher wood. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was the acacia wood was a was a wood that it did it it still does. It holds a lot of oils in it. And uh they would strip the some of the bark back and it would it would the sap would come out of it and make gum. And they literally sell that and it some of your spices that you buy at Walmart's got has got this in it.

Um there there is all kinds of of ointments and all kinds of um you know uh nutritional value behind that sap that comes out of that tree. It's interesting they digestive system that was one of the things that it talked about. They just was again I I I I I just find all of this very interesting how that God puts something together and how that an individual has this and they know the value of it and then God turns around and and he asks, "Will you give that to me? So true.

Oh man, that just opens up a whole different part, you know. We uh Thank you. That's that's where I get my messages from right there. But think about it. um you're going into a place, you know, we've always been taught this and Ty, you'll you you'll agree with this that um one of the things when you you going into a knife fight, you know you're going to get cut, right? You know that. And so you go in, okay, where am I going to get cut? What part do I want him to cut?

But the truth is when you are when you are doing God's work, may I say this? There's going to be times you're going to come out and you're going to come out beat up. You're going to feel like that you're you're you're going to hurt. There is you're going to feel like that you've been in that fight. But the truth is that is a part of the kingdom of God. That's a part of his work is is still be able to do that with compassion and say, "God loves you. God wants you to be a part of his kingdom." That there there is there there is something that just brings out that inside of you that that that even though I know that there will be things that a person might say or do that hurt, I'm going in after them.

I'm going to make sure I get a handle on them and bring them out. Um, and I know my time is out, but couple of years ago, uh, several years ago, let me just I I I lose track of time. several years ago, um, and I may have used this time or two, but I had a guy that was a part of our church, um, that he dealt with, uh, addiction. And so I worked with him and worked with him. We got him, you know, got him cleaned up and God was doing a work in his life. And uh one Sunday evening, I had not heard from him in about a week because when he would he was well he he he done well in his job.

He worked in an off offshore rig. He worked on a rig and then he was clean while he was out there. As soon as he hit ground, he was headed to the nearest drug. And so I I I I knew that and and so I asked him after we went through this one time I I told him I said look when you get to that place you know that you I said you call me when you feel that urge call me and and there had been a number of times where I'd talked him through and he and he and and God begins to work on him.

There's one time I didn't get a call from him and a couple of it was about a week long and I'd realized that he'd been in a hotel just binging out and I left church service. I had told them told my wife and them to go ahead and have service. Go ahead and pray. Go ahead. I mean just but I left there drove it was two-hour trip. drove to where he was and get it and got into that room, started cleaning that room out, pleading the blood of Jesus, talking to him and and he was at a place he was ready to just just get it over with.

And and and just praying with him and finally we got him out of that. And if I was to talk to him to this day, he would he would remember that time. Let me tell you something. There are people that need you to come and pull them out. They need somebody that sees the thicket, that sees the thorns and come and pull them out of there. That is what God has called us to do. Not saying that every one of them is going to be a case like that, but sometimes you have to go to extremes.

And God's asking the question again tonight, will you do this? Will you go? Praise God. Would you stand with us? Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this time we have had today. We thank you for all your many blessings, God. We ask you, Lord, that we do what you have called us to do, God. that we would do our part to bring your kingdom of life to bring it to where it should be, Lord, doing what you have called us to do, and that is to go into the fields of the harvest, Lord, and and and reap that that is out there, Lord Jesus.

God, that we do our part and do our part well, Lord Jesus. But it's all for your kingdom and all for your glory in the name of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And everyone say in Jesus name. Amen. God bless you. We'll break here and the rest of us will be in in just a few moments.