LOVE

The Power of Sacrificial Love

Dr. Mike 2026 , , ,

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

The act of sacrificing is as old as time. History records how people offered sacrifices to their gods. Yes, even before the first pages of the Bible were ever written. The Bible though helps clarify the intentions and purpose of sacrifices.

We have the initial story in Genesis of Cain and Abel both offering a sacrifice to God. God accepted Abel’s but not Cain’s. Later Abraham was ready to offer his son Isaac as an offering to the Lord. Later grandson Jacob offered a sacrifice to God. The people of that period found it natural to offer sacrifices in appeasing their gods. They realized there was a world beyond them. They thus practiced their religious rituals in an act to find favor with the gods. They believed these gods influenced world events and their lives. This was the custom of the times.

When you look at every culture in history, they had their gods to appease. What the Lord of the old covenant introduces is the fact there is only one god worth worshiping – Jehovah. So in a culture of sacrificial practices to many gods, HE introduces HIMSELF. HE starts with Abraham and his family lineage. With Moses, HE reinforces HIS position as the only God worth serving. The sacrificial rituals continue, but are aimed at the ONE God. The practices remain until the arrival of Jesus.

Jesus, God in flesh, clarified the meaning of the sacrificial practice. HE, and later the apostles would emphasize the reason behind the sacrifices. The purpose wasn’t to appease God, but to learn the importance of living a life of sacrificial love. All the rituals pointed toward Jesus.   

Jesus demonstrated the power of sacrificial love throughout HIS life. From birth through his last breath, HE packaged this way of life to live under HIS Father’s Kingdom. The Triune God’s way of life is built on sacrificial love.

The Father sacrificed HIS Son for the redemption of humanity. The Son willingly and in HIS own admission sacrificed HIS life for you and me. All this so we may join them in the eternal circle of Father-Son-Spirit. Sacrificing oneself for another is the way of God.

Real love is sacrificial. This is the love that is God-ordained. We witness its impact throughout history and in the lives of those closes to us. We see this from the love of a parent for their child. We read about the actions of an army buddy throwing their body on top of an exploding grenade. Love is about what’s best for the other person, not you.

If you want to know the depth of your love, ask yourself. Are you willing to sacrifice all for another person. A close family member, most likely. But to a stranger, that is the measurement of one’s heart.

Jesus, before we ever met HIM or heard about HIM, when HE was still a stranger to us, did this for you and me. That is the power of sacrificial love.

That is the love of God we want fully expressed in us and through us for the sake of all those around us. Until then, we walk humbly and gracefully knowing we are still a work in process.  We are very grateful for the love of God being expressed in us and through us for the sake of ourself, others, and HIS Kingdom. HIS earthly life showed us the value of sacrificing for others. It is how love is expressed.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Knowledge & Love

Dr. Mike 2025 , ,

“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.” 1 Corinthians 8:1

The apostle Paul made this statement when dealing with food being offered to idols. He highlighted the importance of knowledge and love when dealing in any situation. Whenever one-side ignores the other, the situation becomes out of kilter.

To get knowledge is important. Without knowledge one is ignorant and vulnerable to all types of negative influences. The Book of Proverbs contains over forty maxims emphasizing the importance of knowledge. One of my favorites state that knowledge is more valuable than gold. With knowledge one gains understanding, wisdom and insight. After the gold is gone, with knowledge one can repeat the process and acquire more. But without knowledge, one only ends up spending all the gold and not know how to get more.

Love is how best to interrelate with others. Love is concern with the welfare of others. Jesus is our role model. He demonstrated that sacrificing oneself for others is the best way to express your love. In modern vernacular, love means sacrificing something of the self to add value in the other person’s life.

When knowledge becomes the means of self-aggrandizement, one has lost their way. Likewise, when love becomes self-centered, one has misplaced love’s aim.

The purpose to gain knowledge is not for ego building or to make one feel important. But how can one best serve others. If love likewise turns inward, it is no longer love, but selfish vain glory.

So, Paul demonstrates here in regards to the fallacy of offering food to idols. Your brother may be ignorant of the subject. He has no knowledge of the matter. Don’t stone him. Instead use your knowledge to share the truth in a way that builds up the other rather than devour them. It is not simple to do. Our human tenancy is to blur out the truth like a heavy weight fighter throwing a punch in a world boxing match. Rather we need to learn like Jesus to balance compassion with the truth.

Love and truth best move together hand-in-hand for the Christ-follower. So does knowledge and love best move together hand-in-hand. Some of us find the path naturally easy. The rest of us need to ask the Holy Spirit teach us how best to approach the situation.

Yes, life is a learning process preparing you and me for eternity with Jesus. Each day we get to practice how best to apply the knowledge we gain into the lives of others with love. Every day we get opportunities to share the truth with others. Over time we will come to learn one important fact. People really don’t care how much you know. They really want to know if you truly care for them.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Living Sacrifice

Dr. Mike 2025 , ,

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.   Romans 12:1

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Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.   Hebrews 13:16

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…you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.   1 Peter 2:5

A Christ-follower is called to live a life of sacrifice.

Did Jesus not emphasize this point? If you want to follow HIM, you need to deny yourself and accept the responsibility of carrying your cross (Mt. 16:24). Did HE not teach us this lesson throughout HIS life? And did HE not leave us a strong reminder with HIS sacrifice on the cross?

Do you want to know how mature of a believer you are? Ask yourself. How willing are you to sacrifice your time, money, or resources for another person? No strings attached. It could be a family member or a total stranger. Do you have to fight the sacrificial urge or does it flow through you without a second thought?

Have you ever noticed how a self-centered child will rarely sacrifice themselves for another? Yet as we age, we learn the value of sacrifice as one of the highest acts of love we can perform.

When we marry, do we not sacrifice our own needs to become one with another? As parents, don’t we accept the responsibility and sacrifice for the sake of the children? On the job, don’t we sacrifice our desires for the sake of the team? As grandparents, don’t we sacrifice our resources for the sake of the entire family?

Throughout life one learns sacrifice is the art of loving another.

Yet, what about those who are not willing to sacrifice? The person who always wants to take without giving? The one who always has to have it their way. The spoiled child who grows up being the center of the universe.

Sacrifice is the way of life for a Christ-follower. Jesus demonstrated how sacrifice is about serving others. Most of the time it is always inconvenient. Most of the time it will cost you something. It could be time, money, or even opportunity. If you love someone without willing to sacrifice, are you truly loving that person? Or are you only filling up your own insecurity?

As Christ-followers, we live everyday willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. We consider it an honor to do so. We know who holds us in HIS grip. Our needs and desires are in good hands. We just want others to experience the same grace of God upon their lives. It begins with being a living sacrifice pleasing to God.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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