“Broken” 

 Psalm 50:13-14

I don’t need the bulls you sacrifice;  I don’t need the blood

of goats.  What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I

want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High.  (NLT)

     The LORD no longer requires us to kill innocent animals as a sacrifice for our sins because the blood of Jesus was the final sin offering for everyone.  But what God requires is for people to nail their old life of sin to the Cross of Christ and be born again to live in repentance and thanksgiving to God.  It's far better to put our old life of sin to death and receive the power of the Holy Spirit to help us live in obedience to God, rather than killing animals and relying on our own power to defeat our sinful behavior.  All of humanity has a sinful nature and we live in a fallen world that embraces sin and the ways of Satan; and combined, they hold us in bondage to sin and death.  Only the blood of Christ can cleanse our sin and only the resurrection power of God can keep us clean. 

     There is only One God and He is the only One who can forgive our sins.  There is only one sacrifice for the complete atonement for sin and only one Savior who can fix our broken lives and our broken world, and He is the Author and Finisher of Life, Jesus Christ.  Although the death and resurrection of Jesus is ours as well, God does not force it upon anyone; we must make the decision to either live God's way or the world's way.  If you choose God's Way and submit your life to Jesus, He will direct the rest of your life-journey in ways that may not be the easiest road to follow. But when traveled in faith, it will guarantee you a healed heart that is, not only filled with the love of Jesus, but with honor and thanksgiving to the Lord God who saved your life, and the promise of a perfect world that is not broken and decaying with sin and death.

                                      A Whisper of Hope

I AM the Great I AM…the Living God.  Whenever you exalt My Name above all other names, you have My full attention.  Whenever you come to Me as your Savior, you can be sure of My life-saving Power.  Fear and doubt and weakness are a part of your fallen nature, but when you sacrifice your old sinful life to Me and live in thanksgiving and repentance, I will direct your path so that you can travel confidently Homeward bound.

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifice You want is a broken spirit.  A broken

and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.  (NLT)

                                            Obedience is far better than sacrifice.

                                                   (1 Samuel 15:22)