Offer Sacrifices of Praise to Jehovah
1 Under the Law covenant the Israelites were to offer sound animals from their flocks in sacrifice. Even the grain offerings of the poor were to be of “fine” flour. (Lev. 1:3; 2:1) We today are also under obligation to make sacrifices to God, and regardless of our personal circumstances, these sacrifices must represent our very best. But what sacrifices are Christians to offer? Paul said: “Let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.”—Heb. 13:15, 16.
OUR SACRIFICES TODAY
2 What would be included in our “sacrifice of praise” to Jehovah? It would include our sharing in the preaching and teaching work Jesus foretold for our day. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) With the great tribulation fast approaching, we want to do all we can to help those who are hungering and thirsting for the truth. (Matt. 5:6) Not only would we want to spend as much time as possible sharing in the field ministry, but we would want to offer our best in doing so.
3 The quality of our ministry depends to a great extent on the effort we put forth. In our field service we meet different types of people who may need special attention. By giving forethought to the problems that people in our territory generally face, we can be better equipped to present the message in a convincing manner. (1 Cor. 9:19-23) Why not rehearse your house-to-house presentations with another member of your family? The one taking the part of the householder could raise questions or objections that are common in your local territory.
4 When it comes to conducting home Bible studies, again preparation is required if we are going to offer our best to Jehovah. We should think about the needs of the student when we prepare so that we can adapt the material in order for it to be of the greatest help to him. We could ask ourselves, ‘What points should be emphasized for the benefit of this person? How can I help him to apply what he learns?’
REGULARLY OFFER SACRIFICES
5 Offering our best includes being regular in the ministry. Remember, Hebrews 13:15 says: “Let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” Are we regularly offering such sacrifices? The more frequently we go out in the house-to-house work the more familiar we become with the needs of the householders. Through experience we become better equipped to present the good news effectively.
6 During July it is suggested that we offer the “Kingdom Come” book in our regular field activity. Doing so, we will be focusing the attention of individuals on the theme of God’s Word, his Kingdom. We want to help people grow in appreciation for that message and come to the point where they, too, will praise Jehovah.
7 If we reflect with appreciation on everything that Jehovah has done for us, we will be moved always to offer our very best to him.—1 Chron. 29:14.