Forgo Pleasure and Go For Sacrifice

What a dead life we live in! A life that seeks death, a life that seeks pain, a life that seeks doom! The ages are passing by, the days are growing old, the light is getting dim. We live in the ends beginning, but yet strive for pleasure without satisfaction. Pleasure is like a virus that eats deep and deep into our mind, until nothing is left of us. Scholars define pleasure as “something that provides a source of happiness.” Hmm... Interesting, but I tell you, its just for a short period of time. For the pleasures we seek on earth are temporary, that's why they are called earthly desires, but the sacrifice we make are eternal. The greatest sacrifice that has ever being made, was made by Jesus. He gave is life for ours, and his sacrifice wasn't for 10 years, 100 years, or even a thousand years, it is forever/eternal. That's the power of Sacrifice!

Solomon is mostly known for his abundance in wealth, but one thing that distinguished him from others is the wisdom he had. He knows the end result of his pleasure filled life and he was bold enough to tell the world about it.

In Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11, Solomon said...

"Pleasures Are Meaningless

2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem (wives and concubines) as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

"Chasing after the wind" he said. The way we came to the world is same way we will leave it. We came with nothing, we leave with nothing. So, why not make sacrifice, which is the only thing that lasts even after death, because one way to avoid pain (hell) after death is to sacrifice pleasure. For the moon to be seen, the sun has to leave. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, remember what Jesus said "I have overcome the world," and our flesh is part of these world.

So many great people have passed through this same place we call earth, kings, queens, prophets, poets, musicians, doctors, and many more, but are we really learning from their past experiences or trying to re-live the legacy and life style of the old generation? We all know where pleasures lead to, but I tell you, it takes great discipline to forgo pleasure and seek sacrifice.

What Exactly Is Sacrifice?

Sacrifice doesn't mean 'death,' as men call it, it doesn't mean loss or pain, sacrifice means “gain.” Theoretically, sacrifice always begins with some shortcomings, but at the end of it all, the reward is far beyond the sacrifice that was made.

"Your latter end shall be greater than the beginning."

The bible said “give and it shall be given unto you.” “Giving” is a form of sacrifice. Remember, “God gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God sacrificing his own Son doesn't mean the end, but the beginning of a new dawn, because Jesus rose on the third day and we as Christians arose with him. Romans 6:4 says “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” The spiritual laws are universal, just like the natural laws are. For instance, gravity is always the same everywhere, so is “giving.”

An interesting thing about sacrifice is that, its not just for the benefit of ourselves, but to the benefit of others (around us and far from us). One of the reasons we exist is to help save man by using our time and knowledge (i.e sacrificing) for their good. It is the ultimate display of love at the cost of oneself. When Jesus died for our sins, he never asked for anything in return, we should also cultivate the habit of giving without expectancy. I believe that “giving more than we have is true sacrifice.” What reward is there if you give out of abundance?

Learning to sacrifice is learning how to love. I tell you, unless man learns how to love his neighbors, enemies, (and God), his/her time on earth will be a waste of precious time, for he/she will not be granted God's greatest gift to man, “Eternal Life.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 says “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love begets Sacrifice, and Sacrifice begets Eternity with Christ.