~ Be THANKFUL & Keep Your Word ~

In Psalm 50:14-15 (CEV) God talks to us about want he truly wants out of us. He tells us that HE is the Most High God and the ONLY sacrifice he wants is for us to be thankful and to keep our word. I stop here at the verse because I wonder why this concept is very important to him. Hmmmm… perhaps can it be that we are to give up something? He goes on to say in verse 15 that we are to pray to him in times of trouble and he will rescue us and we will honor him. The true sacrifice that honors the Lord Ladies is a THANKFUL heart. He wants us to obey him and he will show us his power EVEN in times of trouble. We offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving…..

In the NIV translation of the Bible it says:

“sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me”

What is sacrifice anyhow? It is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as the surrendering a possession as an offering to God or a divine supernatural figure. Well, God is my divine Supernatural Father figure so that definition I will take. J

I believe our feelings are a possession because I mean they do belong to us right? When we surrender the way we feel to God despite the situation and continue to thank Him in the midst of the storm we sacrifice thank offerings to Him.

Here is another example: In order for me to offer up a thank offering to God as a sacrifice I believe that would require me to give up something my flesh loves to do. My flesh LOVES to complain. When I wake up in the morning and I “feel” so tired mentally and physically I at times complain. I moan, pout and complain about how much I do not want to go to work and how I deserve to stay in bed longer with my hubby. But what am I really doing sisters? Who am I really giving praise too? It sure is not my Gracious Father…I am praising the enemy with my lips.

The one thing my flesh desires the most is to complain and remain there. I believe the enemy works through these desires. He wants me to stay there with an ungrateful heart because he knows I won’t give praise to my Father with my “defeated” feelings. He knows I will praise “his sly of a snake self” most likely by my moaning and complaining staying all in my fleshly desires. He is a sly snake I tell you. But sisters?!?!?!? We are smarting than him. God gave us authority.

God says “obey me daughter” fight pass your feelings and offer me a sacrifice of praise this morning. The enemy says “complain and pout you deserve to stay in the bed and not get up”. God wants us to keep our word which I believe is our faith in all situations and praise His Holy name no matter what. Be thankful through it all he says to us because I will save you. I am your God I go before you. You will honor me in the end.

We must train ourselves to be thankful no matter what and keep our word to our Father. God will provide a way out if we truly surrender our ways and truly depend on him. It truly is about HIM not us after all.

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Jesus, thank you for your word and thank you so very much for showing us what REALLY matters to you. Our one true desire is to be more like you. Forgive us for complaining and moaning and not offering you praise with our lips. Help us Lord Jesus, to stand and fight against our flesh. We love you and honor your precious name. Amen