Sacrifice To Me With A Voice Of Thanksgiving

Word of the Day
Beloved, all you must do is take a chance and believe. Do this even for a moment and things can change. Ask Jonah! After all his bellyaching, (no pun intended) he came to a place of giving thanks. He passed the test of giving thanks in all things. Everything looked hopeless and out of control until He surrendered his ways of doing things—until he realized I knew what I was doing. I always know best. Father knows best.

Remember I have seen the end from the beginning—you haven’t. Let Me orchestrate and you play according to My instructions. Beautiful music will be made this way. Don’t wait till your soul faints to offer thanks. There is a better way.

It is never My desire for you to get to the place of fainting. When there is nothing left to do but stand, you must stand (Ephesians 6:13-14). To be able to do this is the result of peace birthed from a thankful heart. When you refuse to be thankful or even if you simply ignore opportunities to do so, depression and hopelessness can come in. How can you pray in faith from a position of hopelessness? It is impossible. You see, depending on other things or people outside of Me are like having an idol. Idols are incapable of mercy and loving-kindness. They are deceptive and exalt your own ways of being and doing.

Once again, you must remember, to give a sacrifice of praise in the midst of seemingly insurmountable odds is the greatest gift of faith you can give. Giving thanks in the impossible situations of life make way for My delivering hand to work. There is only room for one hand to work. Sometimes I step aside and I let you try but it will be to no avail. Save time and heartache. Do it My way.

It is not by might or power but by My Spirit that things are done. Sacrifice with a voice of thanksgiving and you cannot hold on to idols of your own thoughts and ways. Take unbelieving thoughts captive and replace them by voicing thankful ones. In doing this, your mind will be renewed. Like Jonah, you will see My salvation in astonishing ways. Try Me and see.

When my soul fainted upon me [crushing me], I earnestly and seriously remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. Those who pay regard to false, useless, and worthless idols forsake their own [Source of] mercy and loving-kindness. But as for me, I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord! (Jonah 2:7-8 Amplified)

Prayer
Lord, I so desire to be obedient to You at the onset of anything You ask me to do. I renounce a heart of pride which proclaims my way to be better than Yours. Help me to learn from the life of Jonah that I might not spend my days in the belly of circumstances because I wanted to do things my way. Strengthen me in the day of trouble and I will not be dismayed. I cry out to You and You hear me without fail. Your ear is inclined to me.

Arise God and let my enemies be scattered. Help me not to look at people and gauge the outcome by what I see, feel or think. Let me base the outcome on Your character and a nature that does not change. There is no shadow of turning in You. What You were yesterday, You are today. What You were for Jonah, David, Elijah, Paul and so many more, You are to me. I give You a heart of thanksgiving and praise as a precious gift to be used for Your pleasure and according to Your glory. Like Jonah, I am seeing and will see the salvation of the Lord in astonishing ways. Amen

Reflect and Journal

1. How have you found yourself in Jonah-like shoes by wanting things your own way regardless of what you know is the right thing to do?
2. Has your way of doing things become an idol in your life?
3. Have you allowed another person or thing to become an idol in your own life to the point they or it distract you from doing what He has asked? Save time and heartache, be quick to obey.