I know what "self-sacrificing" means in English; but to see it expressed in another language gave me a new and deeper perspective than I have ever had. The Spanish word misericordia means "self-sacrificing." When I look at the word, I see three parts: one, the root ser which means being or existence; two, although I do not know this to be true in Spanish, mis- in English is usually a negative prefix (meaning whatever follows is not true); and three cordia , which reminds me of the Spanish word for heart, corazón . The rough interpretation that immediately entered my head was "a heart that is willing to give up its existence." For me, that was powerful. The Bible expresses it this way: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Self-sacrificing love is a love that cares so much about you that I do not care about me anymore. It is a love that feels that your life, even without me in it, is more...

In family worship, we have reading from the book of Ezekiel. There are a lot of deep and awesome truths found in that book, some of which unlock other controversies that we have yet to understand. Throughout the coming weeks, I will write about the book of Ezekiel based on various points my family members bring out each night. I pray that you will blessed. There she was. A baby. Abandoned. Bloody. Polluted. God describes it this way in Ezekiel 16:4-6: And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee ; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood , I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when...

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh" (Hebrews 11:4). Since the earliest years of this earth's history, the blood of martyr's has been the seed that spreads the truth of God's character and influences the living to trust in Him.  Abel was a steadfast adherent to the will of God. More than anything else, he wished to exalt his Maker as the Supreme One, as the Master of all that is. By sacrificing one of his choice lambs for a burnt offering to the Lord, this younger son of Adam was looking ahead to both the Father's immense pain in separating from His Son in a gift to the world; and Jesus' immeasurable sacrifice.  Though an imperfect reflection, it was indeed "a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." It was heart service. Abel believed in his heart that a...