Offering Sacrifices of Thanksgiving

Psalm 50:23

New Century Version (NCV)

"Those people honor me
who bring me offerings to show thanks.
And I, God, will save those who do that."


 The most trying of trials will put to the test the practice of this scripture. 

Today I find myself having to do just that, 'lift up my heart in praise.' I was met with one of, life's unexpected suprises, and must make the choice between fretting and complaining or trusting God with my situation. I can't look at the problem and fix my focus on that alone. I must pry my eyes off the problem and now fix them on the promises of God. The most important promise I need to fix my eyes on, is the promise of His grace being available and sufficient in my time of need! 

Yes, I need to know, right now, that His grace can change feelings of anger and frustration and discouragement, into, patience, peace of mind and ever increasing confidence that He is already delivering me out from one of, 'life's unexpected surprises;  but the only way I can obtain this grace afforded me, is by using it.

What is 'grace'? It's the ability of God; the strength and power of God's word made available to us when we call. By the spoken word, God created the heavens and the earth and spoke life into existence. It is this very same word that Jesus used; and now we use in Jesus' name.

Holy Spirit is our teacher, and is teaching us today how to respond to the enemy's attacks in life by not reacting to them. When we learn to respond by using God's word, Holy Spirit can steer us out of the enemy's plans of frustration, and into the abundant blessings of our salvation, according to the above scripture.    

If I want God to show me His salvation and save me from regrets when things go wrong, I must do what the scripture holds up to me as an example.  I must learn to be thankful for all the promises in God's word that are working for me to give me a hope and a future. To read it and ignore it will not help me.  I must believe that God's grace is whatever I need, and available whenever I need it. Jesus asked those who sought after him, 'what do you want'.  Demomstrating the multifacetedness of God's grace.

When your, 'knee jerk' reaction is based on feelings of fear; then the grace to ask God for, is the grace of wisdom that will bring with it confidence. Then begin thanking Him for it, and for also giving you keen insight of the situation from His perspective. 

Your first response should be to know what you need from God, and then asking for it.  From there Holy Spirit will guide you on how to pray.

Fear wants to paralyze your thinking, that's a reaction; but God wants you to respond by remembering the grace given to you, that is a  proactive decision. When you confront the enemy with the ability of God's grace, you unleash the power of God's word that will frastrates the enemy and turn situations around, for he can't stand against  a person who knows how to yield the word of God. Satan is always looking for a more opportune time; when you're distracted, depressed, discouraged, sick or feeling weak. But God gave us his grace to bolster us in our weaknesses, so no matter how we feel or what we feel, we are strong in Him.

We received salvation when we put our trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, but we are daily being shown salvation from faith to faith, grace to grace in areas of our lives.
This is how God can shows us His salvation, when we learn to daily be thankful for the grace given to us. Thankful people keep the grace of God flowing, they have tasted the good things of God and have experienced it's life delivering power on their behalf. So offer up thank offerings for the provisions God has given to us.

Do you have any questions? Feel free to ask.

Rising to the top with Less

Rising to the top with less? Do you think anyone in today's world would believe that? The less-than's demand  more from the more-than's. They don't care how they get it, they just want it, and if there is a group willing to help them achieve their greed, they rejoice and stand at attention; all ears are listening and all eyes are fixed waiting for the details how to accomplish that task.

But their greed is like a sink-hole that sucks them down deeper into the poverty they desire to escape from. Consider the ant ascending a sandy hill, and upon reaching it's summit suddenly loses it's footing and though it tries repeatedly to regain traction, can't, for the ferocity of the alerted sand bug is feeling  and using the vibrations of his prey's endeavors, pulling him down, deeper and deeper into the hole that the ant is trying feverishly to escape; in the end, the ant becomes his meal.

Well, this little story describes, sadly, how devoid of solutions our human reasoning is at it's end,  with similar results not un-like the story of our little ant.  The more we work to attain, the less desired results we gain.
So you ask, how can I stop the downward spiral? Good question! Here is our first clue.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD". Isa 55:8. Well said!  God is informing us, we don't think right thoughts or react correctly. We need His solution; but we don't automatically think his thoughts, so what should we do?  To know what God thinks we must study who God is. This takes time reading God's word, familiarizing ourselves with His ways until it becomes second nature to think His thoughts and respond according to His will.
It's time to change lanes. God is saying, 'learn me'. Be still. Be still in your thinking, stop working your way through the problem, stop talking your way through it, stop rationalizing your way through with familiar steps you have used before...'and start learning me.'  
Proverb 3: 5 -6,  Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
⁶In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (AMPB)

In the book of John, we read a discourse that sounds foolish to most, but is spiritually wise  and unpretentious  in it's simplicity, and unoffensive to those who are truly seeking to succeed. I say unoffensive because the foolish things of God offends those who are considered wise in their own estimation. If you trust in your 'elite' degrees and promising college education and the very familiar saying, "well, it worked in the past...," you'll  truly miss a gold nugget from God's word, that not only will raise you up, but has the potential to keep you up and put you over into a place of success, abundant life and joy in the Holy Ghost!

"...He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."'  (That is the key note.)
'" He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth, but he has come from heaven. He tells what he has seen and heard..."  John 3:29-36.

He must increase and we must decrease! He must become greater and we must become less. His word must be paramount in our life, and our stubborn ways must come to an end if they don't glorify Him. Give God's word first place in your thoughts, by honoring His word above your own reasoning. Humble your opinions and take on God's, learn to agree with His word by saying, 'yes' as you obey it.  Begin walking out God's plan for your life as He reveals it to you through prayer and daily bible reading; and watch yourself rise to the top like cream does in milk; become,'fat' (with anointing; Isa. 10:27 KJV & NIV), separated from the mixture, delightfully rich, and becoming the savoring, 'hmmm',  to discriminating taste buds.

In other words, those who humble themselves ...will be lifted up by God, [James 4:10], and "...ye shall eat the good of the land," Isa 1:19.

Have a blessed day.

Overwhelmed?

Did you know that being 'overwhelmed' isn't always negative!

Recently I've come across a verse while reading, Isaiah 61:10 NLT, that says, God wants to overwhelm us with His JOY, "I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness."

If you want to experience this overwhelming joy in your life and turn back the waves of despair and depression, here's a quick tip: Ps 50:23 NIV, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

Again, AMP: "²³He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.

God is ready to, 'dress' you and 'drape' you and 'demonstrate' His joy, salvation and righteousness. Now if that brings a word of praise to your lips, you've just begun to prepare the way.  It really is that simple.
But, (you knew it was coming, the proverbial 'but'), to keep the Lord, dressing you and draping you,  and demonstrating to you His kingdom lifestyle, you must be consistant in keeping the 'prepared way' open by consistantly staying thankful.
Wow!  Now it just got hard, you're thinking.
Well, if that is what you are thinking, here's another good tip. Keep it just that, a thought.
 Because, Proverb 18:21 says, "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences".   Good or bad!
Be careful what you think, and especially careful what you speak. For out of the issues of the heart the mouth speaks.  Don't speak thoughts that are anxious and only rehearses the problems in your life, for more of the problem you will have.
.
Remember, you are preparing the way, for either the salvation of God to overwhelm your lifestyle, or more of the problem to overwhelm you.
Your tongue sets its' course. You come to a fork in the road, which way to you turn; praise and thanksgivings on the right turn, or, rehearsing the problem on the left turn. Your free will must make a choice.

If you want change, consistancy is the key factor in bringing it about.

One more encouraging word I want to mention before ending.  I hope you noticed that your job is to speak praises and thanksgiving, and God will do the rest.
He said He will, 'dress' you and 'drape' you and it is He who will, 'demonstrate' his salvation and righteouness to you. These are his responsiblities. So...
Don't grow weary in well doing...Heb 10:35, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! ³⁶ Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."

"Let us  hold tightly without wavering, [in our minds], to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."

It's time to be OVERWHELMED with His joy!

What is in our heart?

 The 'well' inside us is flowing from our hearts. May God's praises be on our tongue, words of blessing flowing out of our mouths. Rivers of living water on course to a desert land, watering the thirsty, rejuvenating the parched, giving life to seedlings that'll put down deep roots into good soil, bringing forth a yield, 30, 60 100, times more. More that enough. Amen

Start pumping your well to release the blessings of God in your life. Prime it by spending time in His presence, praying in the Holy Spirit, making melody in your heart, and daily reading the word of God.

Let the river flow!