#Online Bible Study

A Life Poured Out As An Offering To God


2Timothy 4.6-8
“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God…”

 

All I really want to do is close my eyes and drift into lala land as I type this. I have had a busy day/week so far.
Yesterday, I had to move from school to school carrying a heavy bag with my laptop because I spent sunday night at NCCF family house and didn’t even go to my house before I had to start walking around to tie up the loose ends on my personal community development service.
I have said it before that waiting isn’t my best suit but on this walk of #Purpose, it’s a must.
So monday and today(which will be yesterday by the time this post is published) has seen me running around and around and around…
I came back home on monday evening tired and really in need of sleep. I was just sooooo tired.
But then I woke up on tuesday with the above verse ringing in my heart and I will simply share my study done during my quiet time with us/with someone who needs this word like I do too.

 

2Timothy 4.6-8
“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God…”

 

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God…
What does Paul mean by that?
First of all, what is an offering?
A gift you offer right?
Does it hurt to release an offering to someone?
When you release an offering that doesn’t cost you nothing, it can be easily translated to mean that it wasn’t really worth anything to you yes?
Paul said, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.
How?
He meant that he had gone all out for God.
The good, the bad, the ugly, everything that happened in his life had been poured out to please God. He deemed it all for God.

 

Now, I believe that we’d understand a bit of what Paul means by pouring out his life to God as an offering if we read a bit of his story in the Bible.
You know the books he wrote right?
You want to read about a bit of Paul’s life in ministry? Start from Acts, then 1Corinthians, then 2Corinthians, then go unto Philippians..etc.
Paul’s life is sprinkled all about the books he wrote in the Bible and I believe that it is instructional for us too.
He was a man totally sold out to God, not just in words but in action.
Key word, TOTALLY sold out to God.

Paul could say “my life matters not to me except I use it for the work God has given unto my hands” and mean it. (side note, can you/me say those words with all of our heart and mean it? Just a thought)
So when that verse was ringing in my head, I had to think.

What would Paul think of walking all around schools and being told to wait here, do this and that all because he wanted to carry out an instruction that had been laid in his heart?
Will he sing “I am tired, I have had a tiring day?”
Or he would say “thank you Lord for finding me worthy to even do your work and raise souls for you?”

 

The deal is, our flesh does not like giving an offering to God.
Even giving 50naira to God when you are broke seems like such a chore (for those who don’t yet have the giving ministry settled in their spirit), so how much less giving of our lives to God.
The flesh will totally rebel at that.

 

But here was another man who damned what the flesh might want..
2Samuel 24:24
“But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the lord my God that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen.”

 

This man (my future first son’s namesake) had a choice to give God what would literally cost him nada and he said no. What I want to give to God must hit me deeply within.

 

So you see all those running around for God that you do?
All those stuff you encounter in your path of purpose?
It would all surely cost you something.
The question is, will you gladly release what it costs you?
Seeing it all as an offering – a pleasant offering that God accepts?
Will you let your life be poured out to God as an offering unto Him? And be glad about it?

 

So I should be able to say as I get to the schools, “thank you Lord, this is for you and it’s stressful but I am glad that it is. I am glad for the opportunity to even be used in this way in the first place”.
So you should be able to say “thank you Lord for giving me this vision. It threatens to drown me right now, but I know that it won’t. I thank you for the grace to even have a vision. I offer all the stress I go through in it to you, for your glory.”

 

I wrote in my journal as I studied and meditated on this that:
Yes, there’s a reward for pouring our lives out as an offering to God but let’s dwell on you getting it right here first – on pouring out your life as a pleasing and sweet smelling offering before God and let it stay that way”.

 

I believe that the path of living in purpose that God has placed us on contains lots of lessons that can mold us continually into the image of Christ if we let it do so.
It’s a whole different ball game when you are doing what you do for the Lord. There are lessons strewn everywhere that you must learn how to pause, listen and learn from.

 

Are you in a season like me where you need to remember that what you do is for the Lord and not unto any man?
Then let Paul’s words sink into your heart.
Even as you go on whatever journey the Lord has set you on, continually chose to let your “I am tired” turn into “thank you Lord for the grace to even work for you”.
Turn the tiredness into praise.
Tell Daddy thank you for this awesome day of walking in purpose in you.
I thank you because my life is even now, being offered up as an offering unto you and it will stay that way.

 

I know God wanted me (and someone) out there to get the first step of using our lives as an offering to Him right but I can’t also help but share what happens when we do so…
2Timothy 4.6-8
“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

 

The message version says that there’s a God-applause waiting for me and not just me(Paul), but also for everyone who stays faithful till the end, waiting eagerly for our Lord Jesus Christ to appear.
If Jesus appears today, would He meet you doing the work He has sent you with joy? Relegating th your life as an offering?

 

I pray that we will all stay faithful wherever God has placed us, and make a definite decision to use our lives as an offering acceptable and pleasing unto Him even as we go along in the path He has placed us on.
Prayer:
Lord… I thank you for the privilege to be used by you.
I thank you for grace you have given to me, for salvation and your pulling me out from darkness. I am forever grateful Lord.
What you did and still do for me cannot be quantified. Help me to always remember this when my flesh fails me on the path you have sent me on.
Nothing I do can repay you for your love but help me to offer up my life in return, as a proof of my love for you.
Let my life be an offering unto you, one that is always sold out to you and your purposes for my life…
Always and forever Daddy, may my life glorify you.
Thank you Jesus, in Jesus name I have prayed, amen.

 

 

So dears, the study I have typed up there is just a short word from my journal, I dee is just a short word from my journal, I definitely didn’t milk this verse dry.
Please share the rhema you got as you followed the study above with us.
I loooove to hear from you and glean wisdom from the family of believers.
So comment below, I will be learning along.
Till our next #OnlineBibleStudy,
Love,
Frances.

 

 

P.S: Please bear with me that there’s no PDF of this study for download today.
I am posting this study as a serious offering and “staying faithful” in where God has placed me.
My eyes were closing as I typed and I have a school to get to tomorrow.
Things will get back to normal soonest 🙂

 

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4 Comments

  • Reply
    Princess Okechukwu
    September 18, 2015 at 12:24 am

    “Yes, there’s a reward for pouring our lives out as an offering to God but let’s dwell on you getting it right here first – on pouring out your life as a pleasing and sweet smelling offering before God and let it stay that way”.

    But let’s dwell on getting it right first… This statement resounded with me. I have come to realize that I cannot do without being. In other words, I cannot fulfill my purpose on earth (the doing), without knowing how to be the sacrifice for His use. In being the sacrifice, I will need to make sacrifices.

    Lord, I lay my life as an offering to you first. Teach me and show me how to be a sweet smelling sacrifice for your use. Amen!

    God bless you, Bebe!

  • Reply
    Frances Okoro
    September 19, 2015 at 8:44 am

    Amen and amen and amen Princess. Amen.

    We cannot fulfil purpose without getting this part right. We must have to lay down our lives in entirety and learn to chuck up our sacrifices to God as an offering…just as it should be.
    God help us all.

    Love and lots of love bebe

  • Reply
    Tope BANKS
    September 22, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    Its almost 12 in the night,I am in a bus feeling sorry formyself as if who sent me this message? Then I see this. Dunno what to say again. Bless you dear

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      September 24, 2015 at 7:34 am

      Awww Tope… despite the stress and all you are going through, I am glad that this spoke to you to keep on.
      See it as an offering yes?

      The verse had that “aha” moment for me too.
      Grace is available.
      *hugs*

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