ARTICLE: OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE

1 Samuel 15:22 "But Samuel replied: "Does God delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices in as much as obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of Rams".

Before I became a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian, I was a gay man who spent most of his time in performing on many stages (in dance, song and acting) in every theater venue I could audition for, with hopes of landing some great character roles (and I was fortunate to do so). I even went through a phase where I became a professional female impersonator (lip-syncing to Sheena Easton). My whole life, since the age of three (3) years old, I had been "performing" on one stage or another-- and continued with the sense of needing to "perform" in every area of my life. Then at the age of 25 years old, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and through the "totality of deliverance" (meaning beyond the initial sweet "Christian's loving embrace of Jesus' love"; to having someone tell me "the truth that set me free"; and then my realizing my need for repentance; and then asking Jesus to forgive me for all of my wretched sins and to become my Lord and Savior). It was a challenge to hear the blessed Pastor tell me "the truth that homosexuality is an abomination and a sin God abhors and homosexuals would NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven (but rather, a harsh truth that homosexuals would go to hell). (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

NOTE: The challenge that Church Leaders: Pastors, Preachers, Reverends, Ministers and so on face today is telling the gay or lesbian who may come through the doors of the church looking to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, is to break down the one thing every homosexual safeguards: They don't believe that being gay is a sin and therefore they see no need for repentance! I was once embracing this same deceptive mindset, BUT praise God for the Pastor who was bold enough to tell me the TRUTH-- and then The Holy Spirit opened my eyes to my need for repentance and again, praise God, the rest is history; and what a historical journey it has been!

Months later, after attending this same church and listening to the very Pastor who lead me in "the totality of deliverance" I was asked to use my "talent in singing" and became a "Praise and Worship Leader". I was thrilled to do so, because after I gave my life to Jesus, I had taken a hiatus from theater. So there I was on my first Sunday morning service with the sheet music on a music stand and a microphone in my hand. My first song was an upbeat, rhythmic worship song and I began to do what I had done all of life as a "stage entertainer" and I began to dance around the stage like a well trained Broadway dancer who was in the musical "A Chorus Line" or "Chicago". I remember the looks on the faces of the congregants and my Pastor and his lovely wife. I think it was later described that my first attempt at leading Praise and Worship, although it was very entertaining, the church members and leadership felt they witnessed a "Broadway performance" rather than a church's Praise and Worship session, as I zealously sang out the Christian song List I was handed that morning. Folks, my point is, I didn't know anything about being sensitive to The Holy Spirit...all I knew to do was "perform like I did when I was in the world of professional theater". When I was up there on the platform singing that first morning I had no guile or agenda and I surely had no intentions of offending the people, The Holy Spirit, Jesus or God.

Overtime, with the guidance, leading and instruction of The Holy Spirit, I began to know the difference between "performing like the world" and "singing "For One Audience--JESUS! This is not to say that Father God didn't use my abilities in dancing, acting and singing in the church ministry. I was not only active as the P & W leader, but I also would eventually be blessed with the privilege of being a Youth Leader and I wrote and directed MANY skits and plays (dramas and musicals that always had the message of what Jesus did for all mankind in His dying on the Cross at Calvary). I was thrilled beyond words to see how God could still use the gifts and talents He had given me.

What I learned early on as a new babe in The Lord was that Father God was not interested in my sacrifice of my gifts, but He revealed to me that what was really important was the issue of being "Obedient" to the leading and instruction of His Holy Spirit. God doesn't care about "our works" and our "ability to perform". Although HE does use these things in the Body of Christ, He wants our heart, mind and soul...our fellowship with Him and to be willing to allow Him to mold us into "the image of His son Jesus Christ" everyday!

What does "Obedience is better than sacrifice" mean to you? What is your story? Is it similar to mine, if you came out of a professional career, where it was all about "the sacrifice of your gifts and talents" in order to receive the affirmation, applause and acceptance of others around you; and a boost of ego in your low self esteem?

If we are a SINGER, a DANCER, an ACTOR, an ARTIST, a FASHION DESIGNER, a FIELD WORKER, a MOTHER or FATHER....let us do it ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, after all, HE is The One who has given us these gifts and talents from the very beginning (and it's just that some of us allowed Satan to take us and these gifts and talents in directions that weren't necessarily pointing and leading folks to Jesus and the Gift of Salvation we have in Him. God desires us to go from "glory to glory" in every valley and mountaintop experience" in our lives--and along the way "being obedient to His divine and practical instructions and directions for our lives as well. I'm not saying that "the world's theater" and other entertainment venues are all evil... I just know for me, there is NOTHING like giving glory, honor and praise to My Jesus in Praise and Worship and all of the other God-given gifts and talents! After all, HE HAS GIVEN US THESE THINGS FOR HIS GLORY AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF HIS KNGDOM!

Go forth with ALL of the God-given talents and gifts and allow The Holy Spirit to reveal to you the difference between "obedience and sacrifice". I would rather be lead by the hand of The Holy Spirit in His divine instruction , rather than present my own efforts in offering "sacrifices of praise" with my own plans and agendas on how the P & W service is going to go. The best thing I ever did while in P & W, or when I would have the privilege of preaching the Gospel before the the Church, in the absence of my Pastors, has been when The Holy Spirit would whisper to me that He had something else The Father wanted to speak to His children in that particular service-- I had absolutely no problem laying aside what I had planned to do in the service that day and do it The Holy Spirit's way! Hallelujah! Again, "Obedience is better than sacrifice". And God's Agenda is always far more superior and effective than man's could ever be!

I pray this encourages, inspires, challenges and blesses you my beloved. I love you all very much and we NEED each other everyday to encourage one another...GOOD NEWS: JESUS IS COMING BACK VERY SOON! There is a Kingdom in Heaven and I hope to see you ALL there one day!

5-21-16 J.