SO VERY OFTEN, people think that if they’ve served in some way that God is delighted with them. You go to church and serve, you deserve an “attaboy”. You volunteered in a soup kitchen and say, “I’m good! God is pleased”. You clean the church, serve in children’s ministry, give to the poor, give to the church, provide a meal- heck, you’re good with God! Not so much. Israel fell into this rut of just giving to God an offering and going away unchanged.

God’s law and system for sacrifices and offerings was never meant to take the place of a repentant heart and mind. The sacrifice was to be an impetus for a broken heart over your sin. Something had to die. God delights in a contrite heart that is full of remorse for sin and heavy with grief because of your own wickedness. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” Psalms‬ ‭51:17‬ ‭Hence, there are things that God despises: bringing an offering with no heart change.

You showing your face at church once in awhile doesn’t please God. You cannot sweep your sin under the rug, go about serving God and others and think, “Me and God are good!” You can’t lift your hands in worship and sing praises to God with a loud voice and all the while harbor sin in your heart. Your offering is not accepted. Cry out to Him for forgiveness, be brought low and be crushed over your sin; then you can be sure you will be accepted by Him.  #runyourrace

To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page