you do not love the Lord more than parents, wife, children and
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and gold, but with the precious blood of His own Son. Initially many Christians feel obliged to serve God for the sake of conscience, until one day they truly know the loveliness of Christ and cannot help but present themselves to the Lord willingly and gladly. And as they so offer themselves, the Lord will bring them to the door and pierce through their ear with an awl. The doorpost is where the blood was customarily applied at the time of Passover. Today they too have shed their blood, for they have been brought to the cross. They love the Lord, and therefore they want to be His slave forever. Because He loves them, they will serve Him forever. Now if you are like these Christians, you cannot help but say, "O Lord, You loved me, saved me and liberated me. I love You, I must serve You forever."
Things to Present
1. Persons—The first item to be presented is our loved ones. If you do not love the Lord more than parents, wife, children and friends, you cannot be Christ's disciple. But if you offer all to the Lord, no one else will occupy and control your heart anymore as long as you live. The reason why God saves you is to wholly possess you. Many tears, many human affections and many sorrowful hearts will try to pull you back. Nevertheless, you must say, "O Lord, all my relationships with people I have placed on the altar. I have been detached from all of them."
Paul Rader's wife was sick. People asked this minister of God in America why he did not pray for his wife. He answered that the Lord had not yet asked him to pray for her. Another brother asked him if he would not feel terribly sad if his wife should depart from the world. He replied that she had already departed (since brother Rader had previously offered his wife on the altar of consecration)!
God wanted a servant of the Lord to lay down his best friend. And his response to God was this: "I am willing if You so desire."