God should get the first and best part of everything we have because God has given us everything we have. God gave first and we are simply giving back as a sign we recognize where it all comes from. Jesus was the fulfillment of the first born being consecrated to God. His consecration as a baby was the most powerful foreshadowing of what He would do later as He laid down His life to redeem every person back to God.

Easter weekend 2014: Striving For Life

Repentance prepares our lives for what Jesus wants to do. John was given the purpose of preparing the way for Jesus and he preached for people to repent. This is still true today.

When we follow Mary’s pattern, we are living out the gospel. We have nothing, we give all we have, God multiplies it and we gain it all.

Hebrews 12:1-11 states that we are to endure hardships as discipline. Discipline is not just a punishment but a preparation for a task the same way conditioning in sports prepares athletes for the season ahead. God’s ways will always be mysterious.