At His Feet

Some thoughts on praising God.

Hebrews 13:15-16

With Jesus' help, let us continuing offer our sacrifices of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of His name. Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God.

What I get out of this passage is that 1) Jesus is the one that helps us offer (and keep offering) our sacrifices of praise to God the Father. Makes sense because Jesus Christ is God, God Son, and also our high priest for eternity. He intercedes on our behalf, like the priest in the old times. The scripture also reminds us to praise God by proclaiming the Good News about Christ and doing good to others.

It leads back to the commission to share the gospel which is very important and also to love others. Which leads back to God's important commandments: Love God with your everything and love people as yourself.

When we love God, we love people because of the love God places in our hearts. God wants us to love people and to tell them about Him so that they won't die and go to hell. Think about it? God loves us and that is why He called us and died on the cross for us. He loved us so much, He sacrificed His one and only beloved Son because He knew that was the only way to save us. So God tells us the same thing.

Tell others about Him and love them too.

This requires sacrifice in our lives because it takes time our of our days or humbling ourselves before God and others. It takes opening our hearts to one another and looking out for people we may not even know. It's hard and it takes hard work to do these things but that is what we're called to do and we don't do it alone. God said that He helps us and goes with us; He provides for us and placed His Holy words in our hearts and on our lips.

We praise God by the things we say and do. Jesus said that the things that comes out of our hearts is what defiles us, not if we keep traditions or not. (He told the pharisees that when they were bashing the disciples about the tradition of washing their hands before eating. It was a ceremonial thing.) So if things like greed, violence, and hatred, and unbelief is in our hearts then that defiles us. Hebrews also warns against unbelief because unbelief corrupts many.

The bible also says that God will not be mocked; what a person sows, that they will also reap.

Father God,

God, I come to You with a heart that feels kind of sad and disturbed right now. I am anxious but I know that You are faithful and You hold my right hand and guide me along the path I am on right now. God, I just feel like I keep failing You over and over and it's so frustrating how this cycle seems to just keep going but You said something different and also to be deliberate....God, only You can change my stubbornness into obedience and turn my pride into humility. God, I need Your strength and I want to see things how You see them. I need Your help, please do not leave me. My God, Jesus Christ, please help me to please You and to do it with the right mind set and heart that is determined to obey You no matter what. God, please help my family also because You said that my brothers and sisters in You are going through the same things I am. I pray for peace for them and soft hearts. Help us with our personal trials and struggles and God, thank You because You are the perfecter of our faith. God, Jesus, thank You for being our high priest that helps us constantly and cleanses us with Your Holy Blood. God, thank You that You are faithful and that You have bigger plans for us and You protect us and hold us close. Thank You for Your discipline and for adopting us as Your children. God, please, I ask believing in You and all that You say, Lord please change me and make me willing to be used by You. God, please help me tear off the things that are hindering me and open my eyes to what my security blanket is and help me to leave that so I may chase after You more and more. God, please heal my grandmother, heal her throat that pains her so. Lord, please lay Your holy hands on her and heal her. God, when the harvest come, I ask that You will give me the strength to give full credit to You and not take it for myself because it is by YOUR POWER AND GLORY THAT THINGS HAPPEN. HELP ME TO NOT STEAL YOUR GLORY WHEN IT COMES. ALL THE GLORY AND HONOR GOES TO YOU. In Jesus name, Amen.