Leviticus 7:30a “His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the Lord.

 YOU HAVE TO ASK

 This short phrase struck me as a I read through the instructions for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings.  Even though it was the job of the priests to do the sacrifices and accept the offerings, each person had to present their own offerings.

There are just some things that you have to do for yourself.  You can’t expect someone else to live righteously for you.  You can’t get into heaven because of your great grandma’s faith.  You can’t just add on to your friend’s prayers by saying, “Ditto.”

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you show your children to live their own faith?  Easy – show them how.  Teach them to pray.  Teach them to read the Word.  We teach them everything else, but we expect them to figure out faith on their own.

I have heard parents say, “Well, I don’t want to force little Johnny to believe.  He has to make up his own mind about religion.”  Really?  The most important decision in their lives which will determine their eternal destiny and we let them “figure it out.”  Why not just give them the keys to the car at 16 and say, “Figure it out”?

We must show them how to use “His own hands…to bring offerings by fire to the Lord.”  Now, we don’t need offerings.  We have Jesus. But we must show them how to come to Him.  Everything we do with them should point them towards Jesus.

Father in Heaven, accept my offering of praise today.  I come to You with outstretched hands, giving You my all.  May I be the example to my children and others.