Sacrifice in Service
Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
Both Veterans Day and Memorial Day are associated with sacrifice. Service men and woman who have sacrificed their lives, their personal careers, time with friends, families, free will, hobbies, and interests too support and defend this great Republic. America hasn’t had a draft for the military since 1975. All our armed forces are volunteers. Those who serve do so as a sacrifice. Those who are in our Armed Forces sacrifice their lives to serve their country.
Sacrifice is an offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage. But there is another type of sacrifice, the personal surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. To surrender a thing of great value, to be extremely devoted.
Sha’ul talks about sacrifice in his letter to Rome as a foundation of our walk with God. Not merely a Temple Sacrifice but a living sacrifice of our lives to Him:
Romans 12:1. I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice (thusia {thoo-see'-ah}: Sacrifice)—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service (latreia {lat-ri'-ah}: the service of God, the ministry of God, the service and worship of God according to the requirements of Torah)
This is a loaded scripture that few clergy talk about, many actually shy away from talking about this. This is critically contrary to the ever-popular “Prosperity” message. You don’t worship God to get rich! In fact this says the exact opposite. We are to serve God through a service of sacrifice, in every area of our life. There is a direct link between military service and this biblical concept. In the Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, or JROTC, Officer Candidate School, or Basic Boot camp in every branch the individual is humbled and broken, to remove self, remove pride, to remove individualism and build unity, comradery, and fight as a unit vice an individual. Hair shaved off, same clothes, same language, all done to remove individualism and foster unity. The recruits serve each other in cleaning, housekeeping, and food service. Naval Officer Candidates serve as Midshipmen on naval vessels as crew members over their summer breaks, doing the same jobs as the enlisted.
The military knows a secret that the body of messiah doesn’t and HaSatan does, you can’t win alone. Victory is only obtained by a unified greater body. At the individual level the soldier, sailor, or airman doesn’t fight for political idealism or lofty concepts of freedom and liberty for all. They fight for each other. Someone way at the top sets a mission which the unit will carry out together. When the incoming fire begins, the individuals fight to protect and save each other while attempting to destroy that which is attacking them. This sounds basic and simple, yet we in the body of messiah don’t live like this. We tend to be individuals that fight for our own selfish causes, for our own individual desires and we don’t protect and defend each other. This is NOT how it is to be in the Kingdom of God. Serving God comes at a great sacrifice:
Matthew 20:26-28. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! 28 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (diakoneo {dee-ak-on-eh'-o}: to be a servant, an attendant, to attend to anything, that may serve another's interests, to take care of the poor and sick) -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Coming into the Kingdom of God is coming into service. We had individuals within the military who had a hard time coping, they were incompatible with military life, many were discharged early because they were unable to adapt and learn how to serve. We have the same in the body of Messiah. I can’t tell you the number of people who have come and gone through here who have pressed to be served, pressed to lead but were unable to serve. Those who have problems in the military will have problems in the body of Messiah. We must crush those old ways, thoughts, and actions-every day Sha’ul said:
Galatians 5:24 (TLV). Now those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Ministering unto God, serving God requires sacrifice. When you come into the Kingdom there is an expectation of sacrifice, changing your actions and life to conform to the kingdom of God. Selfishness, anger, bitterness, grumbling, unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, divisiveness, gossip, slander, lying, stealing, cheating, sexual immorality, addictions, love of the world etc. Your life must radically change when you come into the Kingdom. You must sacrifice your flesh for service unto God.
It’s an even greater sacrifice to be in ministry, to be a congregational leader, to service both God and a congregation. Your life is no longer yours. 80% of seminary grads leave ministry within two years of graduating. No one prepared them for the life change, for the sacrifice to service and most aren’t willing to pay the price. 75% of all new messianic congregations fail in the first year. Of the 25% that survive only 2-3% will exceed 50 members. I’ve met many in the last 26 years who say they are called to ministry but aren’t willing to sacrifice, they aren’t willing to pray the price. Many want to be pillars of knowledge and sit in Elijah’s seat dispensing wisdom and judgment, but they can’t or won’t pay the price of what’s required to get there. Many pray for an outpouring, a great awakening, revival but aren’t willing to pay the price. I don’t know if our society could win or even survive a WWII type event today because people won’t sacrifice. They’re too selfish; they won’t sacrifice for the greater good. Can you imagine food rationing, gas rationing, clothes rationing today????
Scripture mentions individual or personal gifts of ministry, healing, words of knowledge, discernment, and even the fivefold ministry of God. Why does God give us these abilities? To serve others:
Ephesians 4:11-12. Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers. 12 Their task is to equip God's people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah,
We are told to serve with zeal, with passion and boldness for Messiah. Its work, it’s hard work. It is coupled with great joy and victories as well as betrayals, gossip, and slander. When you serve others, you are serving the Lord, regardless if people appreciate it:
Colossians 3:23-24. Whatever work you do, put yourself into it, as those who are serving not merely other people, but the Lord. 24 Remember that as your reward, you will receive the inheritance from the Lord. You are slaving for the Lord, for the Messiah
Serving Adonai and serve others reaps a supernatural reward. We serve Him with our lives, our time, our talent, as we just read, and with our resources
Leviticus 27:30. All the tenth given from the land, whether from planted seed or fruit from trees, belongs to ADONAI; it is holy to ADONAI.
This scripture states that all the tithe, whether it be seed of the land, fruit of the tree, or one tenth of all that you earn, is holy unto the Lord.
Malachi 3:8-11. Can a person rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tenths and voluntary contributions. 9 A curse is on you, on your whole nation, because you rob me. 10 Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and put me to the test," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. "See if I won't open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs. 11 For your sakes I will forbid the devourer to destroy the yield from your soil; and your vine will not lose its fruit before harvest-time," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot.
What is the tithe? It is the “gateway for the believer into the covenant of blessings.” In the Hebrew “maaser” or “maasrah,” is translated tenth, or tenth part, and in Greek “apodekatoo” and in both, it means a payment or giving or receiving of the tenth. The tithe is that tenth of everything that we give to God, which enables Him to invoke upon us the blessings. God is the creator of everything, the whole earth is His. All belongs to Him. We are simply stewards of what He has entrusted us with.
Abraham tithed unto Melchizedek, Isaac tithed, His son Jacob and many others also even before the law was given. A majority of believers don’t truly tithe because they have been taught that they are not under the law, tithing is done away with. God instructed us to tithe so that we portals of heaven could be opened to bless His children. Abraham tithed before Torah and God blessed him supernaturally.
Genesis 14:17-20. After his return from slaughtering K'dorla'omer and the kings with him, the king of S'dom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley, also known as the King's Valley. 18 Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen of El 'Elyon [God Most High], 19 so he blessed him with these words: "Blessed be Avram by El 'Elyon, maker of heaven of earth. 20 and blessed be El 'Elyon, who handed your enemies over to you." Avram gave him a tenth of everything.
Mali means My King in Hebrew and Tzadick means righteous one in Hebrew. It sets the stage for who Mashiach would be and directly connects Tzadakah (offering) with Righteousness (Tzadick) cannot be righteous (right with God) without tithing. We tithe everything. I’m an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy hunting. I tithe my venison! The more I tithe the more I receive, the blessing increases. If I’m given something and I already have one, I give one away. I can’t even begin to share with you what we’ve freely given away over the last twenty years. When someone gifts me, when I receive an honorarium, I tithe on it. When we sold our first home, we tithed on the profit (biggest tithe check I ever wrote).
When Adonai blesses us with something we share, we pass along the blessing. The more we do so the more He blesses. You reap what you sow:
Galatians 6:7-8. Don't delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps (therizo {ther-id'-zo}: reaps, harvests) what he sows (speiro {spi'-ro}: a root of Sperma, to sow or plant seed). 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life.
This is often used in association with tithing but it’s so much more. If you sow blessings you’ll reap blessings. If someone blesses you and you turn around and sell it for a profit, you’ve just lost the blessing. I know some do the pay it forward at Starbucks etc. That is good buts its small and limited. If you sow into the world, you’ll reap the world. If you sow into the spiritual, you’ll reap of the spirit. Conceptually, this isn’t difficult. It’s the application that tends to falter. If you tithe and also richly sow into the voluntary offerings God opens the gates of blessings upon you. If the gates can be opened, they can also be shut. We reap what we sow.
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
Both Veterans Day and Memorial Day are associated with sacrifice. Service men and woman who have sacrificed their lives, their personal careers, time with friends, families, free will, hobbies, and interests too support and defend this great Republic. America hasn’t had a draft for the military since 1975. All our armed forces are volunteers. Those who serve do so as a sacrifice. Those who are in our Armed Forces sacrifice their lives to serve their country.
Sacrifice is an offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage. But there is another type of sacrifice, the personal surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. To surrender a thing of great value, to be extremely devoted.
Sha’ul talks about sacrifice in his letter to Rome as a foundation of our walk with God. Not merely a Temple Sacrifice but a living sacrifice of our lives to Him:
Romans 12:1. I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice (thusia {thoo-see'-ah}: Sacrifice)—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service (latreia {lat-ri'-ah}: the service of God, the ministry of God, the service and worship of God according to the requirements of Torah)
This is a loaded scripture that few clergy talk about, many actually shy away from talking about this. This is critically contrary to the ever-popular “Prosperity” message. You don’t worship God to get rich! In fact this says the exact opposite. We are to serve God through a service of sacrifice, in every area of our life. There is a direct link between military service and this biblical concept. In the Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, or JROTC, Officer Candidate School, or Basic Boot camp in every branch the individual is humbled and broken, to remove self, remove pride, to remove individualism and build unity, comradery, and fight as a unit vice an individual. Hair shaved off, same clothes, same language, all done to remove individualism and foster unity. The recruits serve each other in cleaning, housekeeping, and food service. Naval Officer Candidates serve as Midshipmen on naval vessels as crew members over their summer breaks, doing the same jobs as the enlisted.
The military knows a secret that the body of messiah doesn’t and HaSatan does, you can’t win alone. Victory is only obtained by a unified greater body. At the individual level the soldier, sailor, or airman doesn’t fight for political idealism or lofty concepts of freedom and liberty for all. They fight for each other. Someone way at the top sets a mission which the unit will carry out together. When the incoming fire begins, the individuals fight to protect and save each other while attempting to destroy that which is attacking them. This sounds basic and simple, yet we in the body of messiah don’t live like this. We tend to be individuals that fight for our own selfish causes, for our own individual desires and we don’t protect and defend each other. This is NOT how it is to be in the Kingdom of God. Serving God comes at a great sacrifice:
Matthew 20:26-28. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! 28 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (diakoneo {dee-ak-on-eh'-o}: to be a servant, an attendant, to attend to anything, that may serve another's interests, to take care of the poor and sick) -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Coming into the Kingdom of God is coming into service. We had individuals within the military who had a hard time coping, they were incompatible with military life, many were discharged early because they were unable to adapt and learn how to serve. We have the same in the body of Messiah. I can’t tell you the number of people who have come and gone through here who have pressed to be served, pressed to lead but were unable to serve. Those who have problems in the military will have problems in the body of Messiah. We must crush those old ways, thoughts, and actions-every day Sha’ul said:
Galatians 5:24 (TLV). Now those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Ministering unto God, serving God requires sacrifice. When you come into the Kingdom there is an expectation of sacrifice, changing your actions and life to conform to the kingdom of God. Selfishness, anger, bitterness, grumbling, unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, divisiveness, gossip, slander, lying, stealing, cheating, sexual immorality, addictions, love of the world etc. Your life must radically change when you come into the Kingdom. You must sacrifice your flesh for service unto God.
It’s an even greater sacrifice to be in ministry, to be a congregational leader, to service both God and a congregation. Your life is no longer yours. 80% of seminary grads leave ministry within two years of graduating. No one prepared them for the life change, for the sacrifice to service and most aren’t willing to pay the price. 75% of all new messianic congregations fail in the first year. Of the 25% that survive only 2-3% will exceed 50 members. I’ve met many in the last 26 years who say they are called to ministry but aren’t willing to sacrifice, they aren’t willing to pray the price. Many want to be pillars of knowledge and sit in Elijah’s seat dispensing wisdom and judgment, but they can’t or won’t pay the price of what’s required to get there. Many pray for an outpouring, a great awakening, revival but aren’t willing to pay the price. I don’t know if our society could win or even survive a WWII type event today because people won’t sacrifice. They’re too selfish; they won’t sacrifice for the greater good. Can you imagine food rationing, gas rationing, clothes rationing today????
Scripture mentions individual or personal gifts of ministry, healing, words of knowledge, discernment, and even the fivefold ministry of God. Why does God give us these abilities? To serve others:
Ephesians 4:11-12. Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers. 12 Their task is to equip God's people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah,
We are told to serve with zeal, with passion and boldness for Messiah. Its work, it’s hard work. It is coupled with great joy and victories as well as betrayals, gossip, and slander. When you serve others, you are serving the Lord, regardless if people appreciate it:
Colossians 3:23-24. Whatever work you do, put yourself into it, as those who are serving not merely other people, but the Lord. 24 Remember that as your reward, you will receive the inheritance from the Lord. You are slaving for the Lord, for the Messiah
Serving Adonai and serve others reaps a supernatural reward. We serve Him with our lives, our time, our talent, as we just read, and with our resources
Leviticus 27:30. All the tenth given from the land, whether from planted seed or fruit from trees, belongs to ADONAI; it is holy to ADONAI.
This scripture states that all the tithe, whether it be seed of the land, fruit of the tree, or one tenth of all that you earn, is holy unto the Lord.
Malachi 3:8-11. Can a person rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tenths and voluntary contributions. 9 A curse is on you, on your whole nation, because you rob me. 10 Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and put me to the test," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. "See if I won't open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs. 11 For your sakes I will forbid the devourer to destroy the yield from your soil; and your vine will not lose its fruit before harvest-time," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot.
What is the tithe? It is the “gateway for the believer into the covenant of blessings.” In the Hebrew “maaser” or “maasrah,” is translated tenth, or tenth part, and in Greek “apodekatoo” and in both, it means a payment or giving or receiving of the tenth. The tithe is that tenth of everything that we give to God, which enables Him to invoke upon us the blessings. God is the creator of everything, the whole earth is His. All belongs to Him. We are simply stewards of what He has entrusted us with.
Abraham tithed unto Melchizedek, Isaac tithed, His son Jacob and many others also even before the law was given. A majority of believers don’t truly tithe because they have been taught that they are not under the law, tithing is done away with. God instructed us to tithe so that we portals of heaven could be opened to bless His children. Abraham tithed before Torah and God blessed him supernaturally.
Genesis 14:17-20. After his return from slaughtering K'dorla'omer and the kings with him, the king of S'dom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley, also known as the King's Valley. 18 Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen of El 'Elyon [God Most High], 19 so he blessed him with these words: "Blessed be Avram by El 'Elyon, maker of heaven of earth. 20 and blessed be El 'Elyon, who handed your enemies over to you." Avram gave him a tenth of everything.
Mali means My King in Hebrew and Tzadick means righteous one in Hebrew. It sets the stage for who Mashiach would be and directly connects Tzadakah (offering) with Righteousness (Tzadick) cannot be righteous (right with God) without tithing. We tithe everything. I’m an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy hunting. I tithe my venison! The more I tithe the more I receive, the blessing increases. If I’m given something and I already have one, I give one away. I can’t even begin to share with you what we’ve freely given away over the last twenty years. When someone gifts me, when I receive an honorarium, I tithe on it. When we sold our first home, we tithed on the profit (biggest tithe check I ever wrote).
When Adonai blesses us with something we share, we pass along the blessing. The more we do so the more He blesses. You reap what you sow:
Galatians 6:7-8. Don't delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps (therizo {ther-id'-zo}: reaps, harvests) what he sows (speiro {spi'-ro}: a root of Sperma, to sow or plant seed). 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life.
This is often used in association with tithing but it’s so much more. If you sow blessings you’ll reap blessings. If someone blesses you and you turn around and sell it for a profit, you’ve just lost the blessing. I know some do the pay it forward at Starbucks etc. That is good buts its small and limited. If you sow into the world, you’ll reap the world. If you sow into the spiritual, you’ll reap of the spirit. Conceptually, this isn’t difficult. It’s the application that tends to falter. If you tithe and also richly sow into the voluntary offerings God opens the gates of blessings upon you. If the gates can be opened, they can also be shut. We reap what we sow.
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
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Posted in November 2026
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