Do You bring the Sacrifice of Praise?

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. - Hebrews 13:15,16,20,21

The sacrifice of praise must come from our lips if we truly confess Jesus Christ. The great Shepherd is alive and well to equip you for doing all that He wills you to do. God works in us and desires us to be pleasing to Him. Notice, God is pleased by our praise, generosity, and genuine desire to do good. He requires clean hands and a pure heart to ascend the hill of the Lord. When you are generous and share with others it is true that it will leave your hands. However, that which leaves your hands and is sown into the Kingdom will never leave your life. Bring the sacrifice of Praise unto the House of the Lord.

Questions for Reflection:

Do you bring the Sacrifice of Praise from your lips daily?
Are you a generous individual?
Do you seek to please the Lord?
Who has your heart you or Him?

Blessings,
Todd

The Time is Now to stay in the Spirit and Truth.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. - Luke 21:25-28

We live in a critical hour today, we need to be aware of the signs of the times. We must remove all those things that distract us from the need to cultivate our relationship with the Lord in Spirit and Truth. The Spirit is able to show you the signs of the times. We won't be surprised by His coming if we are found in Him. Take account of how you spend your time on the things of God or the things of man.

The temple is gone, but where are you as a living temple? Do you find yourself in the outer courts, inner courts, or Holy of Holy's. Unless the Lord builds the house the laborers, labor in vain. I want to be found in the Holy of Holy's completely seeking after HIM who died for Me. He alone is worthy of our praise and attention. Follow the voice of the Shepherd. Remember, my sheep hear my voice. Let the Lord build the House.


Questions for reflection:

Are the nations distressed and perplexed?
Do Men's hearts today fail because of fear?
Do I focus on God's Word and Plan or Man's fear?
Am I laboring in vain?

Blessings,
Todd

These Signs will follow....

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:14-20

I find it thought provoking when we read this passage of Mark that Jesus rebuked the eleven for their lack of faith and stubborn refusal to believe. Now 2000 years beyond the grave I am curious at how Jesus would respond to us. Jesus in this portion of scripture is getting ready to ascend to the right hand of God. I would suggest to all of us that whatever Jesus spoke to His disciples would have been pretty important.

For us as believers who claim the risen Lord it speaks of the signs that will follow those who believe. Would Jesus rebuke us, as He did the eleven, for our stubborn refusal as believers to allow the Signs that are to follow us, as He said would. This isn't our vain imaginations here, this is What Jesus himself said. In your time of reflection today ask yourselves these questions:

What are the signs that follow me as a believer of Jesus Christ?

Is my life a living epistle read of men?

Am I open and willing to allow the signs to follow my belief in Jesus?

Do I allow fear to block me being the vessel God wants to flow through today?'

Blessings,

Todd

Seek Him with all your Heart

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD....... - Jeremiah 29:11-13

As our hearts are yielded to him, we understand that all the grains of sand that man can see, can not compare to the riches that God has planned for your life. God has done all that is required to restore our relationship to Him. We now have to take the steps of applying the Word He has given to us. Not in legalism or religion, but in relationship to Him. The distractions we face in our relationship have to be removed to stay focused on His purpose and plan for your life.

God promised that when we seek Him with all our heart we would find Him. He promised to listen to you as you call upon the Lord and pray to HIM. Don't live in exile your whole life, when God has such a wonderful plan waiting for you. Choose life today?


Questions for Reflection:

Does our love for Him, compel us to live for him?
Are we living epistles that can be read of all men?
Do we desire the things that He desires for our life?
Have you sought Him with all your heart?

Blessings,
Todd

Streams of Living water offered

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.- John 7:37-39

As the Lord tabernacled with the Jews and foreigners, in the Land of Israel, it became clear that Jesus had need to announce the coming of the Spirit and the glorification of the Son. We notice that Jesus did not speak these words in John chapter 7 with a soft voice. It was a LOUD voice. 2,000 years ago our Savior shared with a loud voice about the coming of the Holy Spirit.

We need to come and drink of Jesus. He is the only thing that can quench our thirst. Once we have tasted of the living water that Jesus offers, we can be filled to overflowing by the Spirit of the Most High God. The Word declares, that we will have streams of living water, flow from within us. I challenge each of us today to receive Jesus and let the streams of living water flow from you.

We need to daily evaluate our life and ask ourselves is the Spirit of the Living God flowing from within me and in control, or am I dry and in control and have barely enough water to make it through the day. Don't live in a drought or desert land of selfish desires, when Jesus stands with arms open to offer you this living water.

Questions for reflection:

Have I tasted of the Living Water?
Am I filled to overflowing daily?
Is there a stream of living water flowing within you?

Blessings,
Todd

Who are the great cloud of Witnesses

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:1-3

The great cloud of witnesses knew nothing about what we see in most of Christianity today. God is not concerned about whether you are baptist, nazarene, catholic, lutheran, nondenominational, or pentecostal. What God is concerned with, is that we have a relationship with Him based on the blood of Jesus, the resurrection from the grave, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by a changed life.

We need to be open and willing to receive all that God has promised us. Until we are willing to die to self, control, manipulation, and every other manner of evil and begin to yield ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit at work with in us, we can not experience the Life God has for us. It is time that we begin to look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We can no longer afford to tie ourselves to a form of godliness that denies the power. We must take ownership of our faith and put our eyes on the JOY set before us. These simple truths in Hebrews 12 help us not to grow weary and lose heart.


Questions for reflection:

How would the Great Cloud of witnesses view my life?
Am I open and willing to the things of God?
Am I concerned about What God thinks more than other people?
What form of Godliness do I subscribe to?
Am I a changed life because of what HE has done for me?
What portion of my life does the Holy Spirit control?


Blessings,
Todd