Marcie stood before her Dad looking at her favorite toy car. Suddenly she jumped up in his lap and said, “You know, Daddy, this is my favorite toy. But I want you to have it.”

Surprised, he asked, “Why, I know that you love this little car. Why are you giving it to me?”

“Because I love you,” was her reply.

A few moments later she climbed back into his lap and said, “Daddy, I want my car back. I guess I didn’t love you as much as I thought I did,” and took her car back.

Many Christians have the same attitude toward God. We give ourselves to Him and then realize that it’s going to bring about changes in our lives that we did not realize. So, we take back our “gift.”

In Psalm 118 we read of a “festal” procession with people going “up to the horns of the altar.” The people in this procession are taking a sacrifice to God. This is not unusual because throughout the Bible people take many different sacrifices to God. In this verse, however, the people in the procession are required to take their “bough” in their hands - their sacrifice - and “bind” it to the altar. Once the sacrifice was bound to the altar, it could not be taken back!

Paul wrote, “Give your bodies to God and let them be a living sacrifice.” The sacrifice he writes of in this verse is not for our sin but for our salvation. When we accept His salvation He expects us to willingly “bind” ourselves to Him in loving service.

Prayer: Convict us, Lord, to become “willing” sacrifices and abandon ourselves in service to You forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 118:27b With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

A minister had been invited to have dinner with President Abraham Lincoln shortly after his inauguration. Shortly after they gave thanks for the food, the minister said, "I hope the Lord's on our side. We are facing some difficult times!"

"I don't agree with you," said the president.

“What?" gasped the minister. "You don't agree that we need the Lord on our side?"

"No," replied Lincoln. "It is my prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord's side."

When we ask God to be on the side of the choices we make or the paths we choose to follow, they may or may not be those that would honor God. The assumption is that God will be with us and bless us no matter what.

But when we choose to be on God's side, everything is different. We look to Him for guidance and instruction and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. Often individuals think that if we are a nation of slogans and signs that refer to God we will be honored and blessed by Him. Not so!

The Bible clearly and consistently reminds us that: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD!

Prayer: We acknowledge, Lord, that we cannot expect You to guide and guard us unless we willingly honor, worship and praise You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Exodus 32:26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers, knew what it took to be victorious. Once when asked the formulae he replied, "Dedication, hard work and sacrifice."

When his team met for practice, he would remind them that "You're here for to play football. And I'm here to see you play as well as your God-given talents and abilities will allow you to play. And that means total dedication!"

But dedication was not enough. Lombardi was known as a coach who was relentless in making his teams produce. He knew that dedication by itself would not be enough. It would take long hours of practice and preparation, perseverance and pain, suffering and sacrifice. It took every talent and every ability that every player possessed to become winners and champions.

Paul wrote, "Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life."
God gave us a new life to use for His glory. We must make every sacrifice to succeed for Him.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to commit our minds and hearts to You and then develop every skill and talent You have given us to work for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Romans 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

When he was fifteen years old, he tried to catch a ride on a heavily loaded truck. He was unable to pull himself onto the moving truck and fell beneath the wheels. His left leg was badly crushed and the surgeon decided to cut it off, but he begged them not to remove it.

They eventually agreed with him and were very successful in the surgery and treatment that followed. However, they said to him, “Harold, Your leg has been too badly damaged. You will never play football again..”

“Yes I will!” he protested. After his release from the hospital, he faithfully exercised every day. Not only did he return to play high school football, he set records in high school as the nation’s highest scorer. He then went on to set many college and professional football records. To this day Harold “Red” Grange, the “Galloping Ghost,” is recognized as one of the nation’s greatest athletes. Some sports writers have said that he is the definition of football and no one will ever again do what he did with a football.

Imagine with me, what you or I could do for Christ if we had his dedication and determination.

Prayer: Father, help us to be willing to make every and any sacrifice necessary to serve You faithfully with all of our hearts and souls. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

LOST – A NOSE
Read Romans 6:13 TLB

Ernie Camero startled the doctors at a hospital in Venezuela. He handed them his nose which had been cut off during a fight.

They bandaged his wounds, but couldn’t do anything with his nose.

Who has your nose, your hands, your heart?

Being a Christian is offering every part of your body to God to be used for His glory.

Your heart – for Him to love through.

Your lips – for Him to speak through.

Your hands – for Him to touch through.

Your mind – for Him to think through.

The Living Bible says, “Do not let any part of your bodies become tools of wickedness, to be used for sinning; but give yourselves completely to God – every part of you…to be used for His good purposes.”

Prayer: Father, I give myself to Thee, body, soul and spirit. Use me as Thou wilt. Make me to be obedient to Thy word and Thy will: in Christ. Amen.