“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

In order for a covenant to be established and enforced, a sacrifice must be made. God has already done His part. Man must do his if he wants to reap and continue to reap the blessings of a covenant with our heavenly Father. We have a covenant of grace with God, our Father, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. No other blood needs ever to be shed again; neither will any other blood, shed as an offering, be accepted by the Father (Hebrews 10:8-10). The sacrifice God expects of His children, who are already washed in the blood of the lamb, is the sacrifice of obedience, thanksgiving and praise.

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell a savor or take delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I look upon the peace or thank offerings of your fatted beasts. 23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream.  Amos 5:21-24 AMP

The Lord wants our sacrifice of obedience! God cannot and will not receive offerings or sacrifices from the wicked—those who pretend to serve God, but who are just in it for what they can get from Him! If we are not submitted to God in our heart attitude, our words and our actions, then our sacrifice is a stench in God’s nostrils and our singing and worship sounds so bad to Him, that He can’t stand to hear it.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Ephesians 5:1-2 KJV

God requires justice; He requires that we obey Him and walk in His love. He will gladly accept worship and sacrifices from those who honor His word.

I will accept no bull from your house nor he-goat out of your folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills or upon the mountains where thousands are. 11 I know and am acquainted with all the birds of the mountains, and the wild animals of the field are Mine and are with Me, in My mind. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine. 13 Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, 15 And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.  Psalms 50:9-15 AMP

In verse 9, God says, “I will accept no bull from your house, nor he-goat out of your folds.” There is nothing we can offer back to God that He does not already own—all the animals are His—every beast of the forest and the cattle upon a thousand hills. We must bring Him an offering that He chooses—not an offering that we choose!  The Lord wants us to be exclusively dependant on Him and to look to Him for everything—for provision, protection and direction. He expects to have our full trust and devotion. The devil is always trying to separate us from God any way he can. He tries to get us to act independently—convincing us to look to ourselves and not to God—out of arrogance or out of a lack of faith in God’s willingness and ability to provide for us. Never think or act like you are a bother to God! Over and over, God reminds us to trust in Him, rely on Him, and ask Him for what we need.

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.  Hebrews 13:15 AMP

The Lord wants our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving! Therefore, when we offer our offerings to Him, it should only ever be in a spirit of deep and genuine humility, with the gratefulness and thankfulness of a people who owe Him everything. When we recognize Him as our Lord and source of life, provision and blessing, then we cannot help but praise Him. Praise springs easily and readily from the heart and lips of a humble, grateful child of God. This you cannot do if you trust in your own strength, ability, and wealth; neither can you do it if you blame God for your problems! You must acknowledge His Lordship and His beneficence!

He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.  Psalms 50:23 AMP

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psalms 107:21-22 KJV

Oh that men would praise the Lord and glorify Him with their sacrifices of thanksgiving!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

The Lord is good!

“Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!” Psalms 31:19 NKJV

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalms 23:1-6 NKJV

Expect His goodness

“[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! 14 Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.” Psalms 27:13-14 AMP

David makes this exclamation: “What, what would have become of me, had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living?” In other words, “Because I trusted in God’s goodness I experienced it. I couldn’t have made it without Him! You need to expect Him too and He will take care of you!” God wants us to know how much He loves us and He wants to show us how good He really is. We need to get a revelation of His goodness – we need to expect His goodness.

Express gratitude

“Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple. 5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of the far-off seas.” Psalms 65:4-5 NKJV

Deuteronomy 28:47 (AMP) says that all these curses shall come upon you, “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of [mind and] heart [in gratitude] for the abundance of all [with which He had blessed you].” Many of God’s people are not blessed – they are cursed – because they do not acknowledge God’s goodness toward them; they do not recognize that all their blessings have come from Him; they don’t appreciate what they already have and what He has already done; they are not satisfied with His goodness. They either take God for granted, or they think that He has not done enough for them, or they take the credit for the blessing. They walk on dangerous ground. God makes it very clear that He is the source of our blessing and it is vitally important that we serve Him with joy and gratitude.

Praise God for His goodness

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Psalms 100:1-5 NKJV

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord And the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindness.” Isaiah 63:7 NKJV

Because He is good – we can be good

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-24 NKJV

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-11 NKJV

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Romans 15:14 NKJV

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is also the character of God. The Holy Spirit imparts God’s character to us so that we can be like Him here on the earth. We are to demonstrate God’s goodness here to the world. We are to tell them and show them how good God is!

I will not jump out prematurally but I will step out when God telss me to do so. I know that my life is not a game, I am placed here for others , to tell them about Jesus and change lives for the Kingdom of God.

The areas I have been stretched in the past several weeks is my love walk and also in the area of submission to authority. I am learning that regardless what the man or woman of God asks me to do, I just submit to authority. I obey and rely on the grace of God to get the job done. Every day is another day to learn and work on my fruits. I remind myself daily my life is not my own. I have been bought with a price.