"No Bull..."

"For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering." (Psalms 51:16) Oh, I know, it sounds a little testy, but trust me, it really isn't what it seems to be; it's just what popped into my head as I was praying for a title. Even God has a sense of humor, don't you know? But seriously, do you actually think that it pleases God that animals need to be slain and their blood sprinkled around all over an alter? Do you think that pleases God? Nor does the smell of burnt flesh make Him happy; God is not pleased by death, whether it be man's or animal's, death is something that God hates. When I gave a message on Genesis chapter 7, I was drawn to the fact that God said at least four times, "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth", as if it grieved Him in His heart that He had to do what He did; which is why it says in verse 6:6, "And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart." God is love! He loves all of His creation and all that He created He put such glory into, that those who study anything which He has made, cannot deny that He is; they might pretend to believe otherwise, but that is all that they are doing, just pretending to believe a lie. I wonder if any of our atheist friends would die for what they believe? I mean, if they were given a choice, either deny what you believe and confess that there is a God, or die, if they would still hold true to their belief? I know that I will not deny God, because I know He is real and that death is only the beginning; but what do they have to hold onto, except a lie that offers nothing but hopelessness? Why do you think so many that don't believe are investing so much into finding life somewhere else? They are reaching for hope; hope in something other than just this; hope that there is something that expands past this life, but without putting any hope in God. If they only knew how much that God loves them? If they only knew how much they mean to God? That is the only reason for the spilling of blood; not that God likes blood to be spilled for our sins, but that God loves us more than words can express.... "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:6-11)