So true, God wants us to do what the Word says, as scripture urges. God desires this sacrifice of praise, and that’s a good idea as well as a command because it keeps our words HOLY… What comes from our mouths should be praise, only praise, so that it becomes our spoken sacrificial offering. Speaking of God is a good and is an apt sacrifice of our time. Our words for praise and sacrifice don’t mirror the old time sacrifices of animals because it is offerings OF words to move THE WORD, which IS Jesus, which is needed. Jesus completed God’s mission for Him on earth… Jesus was the sacrifice that saved the people for God’s cause, for our Father’s sake so that He would have us all free from sin and able to come Home. But was that sufficient to save everyone? ONLY IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND AGREE! Our sacrifice of living in praise helps to bring Heaven on earth to those ears that have not yet heard… We are to speak OF GOD and speak in support of God. 

“Sacrifice of Praise” lyrics is in a favorite praise song of mine, quoted from Paul out of Hebrews 13:15-16, and described in Hebrews 10 (see 23JAN writing “Once For All”). We are able to speak in sacrificial words as well as work in sacrificial acts. Jesus was and is BOTH. Jesus spoke of God and Jesus lived as God. Jesus was and is ALL. Jesus praised God and Jesus sacrificed for God. Jesus sacrificed for us, God sacrificed for us, we can sacrifice our time and lives for Him. These are all trades of sacrifice of earthly freedom FOR ultimate freedom. That is what we praise, that we can do the same.

Our HOPE is found in our praise. Our re-imagining of ourselves to be more like Jesus, IS a choice,  we are to speak in praise and acknowledgement of God: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.“

Because this is a choice, that is what makes a sacrifice of our own desires necessary.  And yet any praise we can give is both worth our time and our lives, as that praise IS a fruit of the Spirit maturing, because the Word is planted, grows, fruits, nourishes sweetly. James commands us in a similar thought thread: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.” 

Therefore as Paul writes the Ephesians, let us: “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.“

Let us therefore instead of making a sacrifice of other things, let us make as sacrifice of us, and we be the offering, the fragrant offering of Christ in our walks. Let us be a SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. (It’s well worth our time, and His.)

TO YOU LORD!!

AMEN