“Sacrifice of Praise”

God is faithful, never faithless

Dr. Lawrence E. Blakey

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.

Isaiah 9:6

The 27 chapters in the second half of Isaiah generally bring a message of forgiveness, comfort, and hope. This message of hope looks forward to the coming of Jesus. Isaiah speaks more about Jesus than any other Old Testament prophet. He describes Jesus as both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord.

The fact that Jesus was to be both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord could not be understood clearly until the New Testament times. Based on what Jesus Christ has done, God freely offers forgiveness to all who turns to him in faith.

This is God’s message of comfort to us because those who heed it find eternal peace and fellowship with him. As we approach the last paragraph in this final chapter of the year 2009, we find that throughout this year in every situation and in every circumstance; be it may in the good times and in the sad times, when we feel up and when we feel down, through it all God has sustained our every need.

People of God I’ve come to know that in spite of what the world is dealing with, in spite of the terroristic threats that we may endure, in spite of the economizing down size for financial purposes, in spite of jobs being loss and layoffs are over taking CNN headline news, in spite of being over looked by man, in spite of no one believing in you; but you, in spite of what the doctor may have told you, in spite of what the financial institution determines, “God is faithful, never faithless”.

An interpretation which is based on our information, what Christmas is all about; which is exchanging names, shopping for others, finding the right tie, or the right size dress. We’re moving at a fast paced motion and looking at our pockets, mean while picking out the right gift for that someone.

We intend on tiring ourselves out by moving from one mall to the next, all the while of feeling the pressure of pain that is resting on your feet, the backaches, the headaches, the gas prices steadily on a roller coaster.

Our main goal and our main mission is to finish what we set out to do; and so after we’ve packed out our cars with gifts, and we take the gifts home to be wrapped, we put them under the tree, and we anticipate the day to give out the gifts that we’ve worked so hard on getting.

And so the question is raised as to are we willing to go out of our way for the God whom we serve? Are we willing to sacrifice our time and our efforts in seeking God spiritually in building a relationship with him?

So much so when it is time to pray, when it is time to push the plates back, when it is time to purchase a gift for God through worship and praise, in spite of the way we feel, how awful it may seem, through the heartaches and through the pain; at the end of the day you can sit back and feel good about yourself and your spiritual life knowing what you’ve done and what price you’ve paid, and what gift you’ve offered unto the Lord?

Understand people of God the most expensive price that was paid was when God had sent his son Jesus to pay the price for us. In spite of what Jesus went through, in spite of how he felt, in spite of how Jesus’ adversaries mistreated him, because at the end of the day people of God, when Jesus laid on the cross, I believe bible scholars what made Jesus feel good about the situation which was at hand and the gift that he left for us, was as they raised the cross the bible says “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” In other words whatever is lifted in his name, whatever is exalted in his name, he will draw all men unto him.

And because we are Aires to the thrown and because we are linked with Jesus, because we have a connection, because we know the savior, people that don’t know you, don’t like you, don’t care for you, will be giving unto your bosom and not even knowing why they are doing it. He says I will give you buildings that you didn’t build, roads that you didn’t pave, things that you know you didn’t deserve but because you are my son, because you are my daughter, because you are my child, I will give you a land that flows with milk and honey, where ever your foot shall tread, I will give it to you as a possession. “God is faithful never faithless”.

And so here we see in verse #6, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Understand child of God that the fourfold name and attributes of the child (Jesus) who shall be born upon the throne of David.

God is the true living word, he is the infallible source of guidance, he is the inexhaustible wisdom, the truth, and he is the way. Body of Christ, no matter what season that we may fall upon no matter what situations that you may be dealing with, know that God is the true and living God, his word will always sustain our every need, he will always lead and guide us throughout every aspect of our lives.

Understand the sensitivity of your spirit through prayer, if you can stay awake in prayer; you can always sleep through the storm. “God is faithful, not faithless”.

” Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most high.

Psalms 50:14
“Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing

Psalms 107:22
The contextual analysis just simply places us in these two particular verses, whereby it is shown that giving thanks to God relates to his power, his majesty and his glory. Thanksgiving, Todah (Toh-dah) root word meaning thanksgiving, adoration and praise. This word is derived from the verb (Yadah). To give thanks to praise. The root of Yadah is Yad=hand.

Thus to thank or praise God is to lift or extend one’s hand in thanks to him. People of God, thanksgiving’s not just about a turkey, some dressing and a couple of friends/family gathering together to help you celebrate the occasion. However, it is good to be able to come together and fellowship with one to another because holidays come and they go. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away but my *words shall not pass away.

Body of Christ, it is the word that we need daily. This is why we should be thankful because God has made this available for you and I to be able to possess. Listen child of God, heartfelt thanksgiving’s not primarily the ritualistic thank offering sacrifice Leviticus 7:12, is meant here. The sacrifices like the tithes are instituted to show that everything that we own and possess belongs to God.

Thank offerings were a kind of peace offering that an Israelite could sacrifice out of gratitude Leviticus 7:11-15, but this verse may also refer to the verbal sacrifices of worship and of praise Hebrews 13:15. People of God, you must understand that this is no easy task to handle, but when you do understand that God has overcome in your place and for you and then has given you the anointing that resided upon him to do the same thing which is overcome the works of the enemy and the spirit of the adversary, then you can rejoice, praise and give thanks while even being in the midst of challenge and difficulty because ultimately you know you’re going to win.

I can literally praise God and thank him due to the fact that I already know that I am an over comer, in spite of what I may be going through, times may be tough but I’ve got to praise him, the road maybe rough but I’ve got to praise him, when it’s dark and dim in my life I’ve got to praise him, when I’m at my wits end I’ve got to praise him, when I can’t figure it out I’ve got to praise him, when I’m at the end of my rope, I’ve got to praise him. In other words I will not, I shall not get depress, oppressed or even feel defeated, because I’ve praised him, I’m now lifted from my problems, lifted from my situations, lifted from my circumstance, lifted from people who says that I wouldn’t make it, lifted from my PAST! Because I now know that I live in a place of expectancy, if God said it, then it’s got to come to past.

Understand people of God, it is something that WE the believer must constantly be armed with in our mentality, we must always remember that God begins from a stand point of righteousness or a stand point of victory; the bible states and declares that your righteousness is for me.

Now understand beloved that righteousness is not a possession, it is not something that we possess. It is child of God a position that God has elevated you and I to in Christ Jesus. It is if I could put in these medial terms, it is a geographic spiritual location, it is a place that God has you and I that is reserved for those who have come to know him through the blood of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin which are exercising faith in his name and in his power. It is that SECRET place that David speaks about in the book of Psalms. When we come to place where we want to go and know, that’s when God will begin to reveal himself to you and I. So when we lift our hands and extend our arms in a position of surrender then and only then will the Lord Jesus Christ will step into our heart, that’s a place where I want to be, that’s the sacrifice that I want to make, it’s not about me it’s not about you but it’s about God getting the glory and people of God, my bible scholars that is the “SACRIFICE OF PRAISE”. Let us not forget the true meaning of being thankful, and remember to TOH-DAH!