365 Days of Praise
A “Go To” Resort
Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Nice verse, right? No, not nice verse. It’s an incredible verse. Fear is coursing through the veins of people. “What will happen to our nation/world? What will happen to my children and grandchildren? What will happen to me?” This is not God’s intention for us. Let’s look at the meaning of some of the psalmist words and rethink why Psalm 34:4 should be our testimony. “Sought” in this verse means “resort to.” Think vacation. You leave and go to a place that revives you. This is what we can do spiritually rather than trek through our day with fear. We can trip off to heaven. We can “resort to” the LORD in our spirit through prayer. What happened when the psalmist resorted to the Lord? God answered him and delivered him from all his fears. The word “deliver” means “snatch.” The Lord snatched him away from his fears. Friends, what a blessing to know that when we resort to the Lord rather than resort to worry and imagining the worst, He snatches us from our fear. That’s the best vacation we could take in our worrisome day.
Heavenly Father, thank You that we aren’t stuck in fear. Rather, we can resort to You.
Show Me that You Love Me
Have you ever wished someone would do more than tell they love you; they would SHOW you? Romans 5:8 explains that is what God did when He sent Jesus to earth. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Then, Jesus SHOWED us how much He loves us dying on the cross for our sins so we could live eternally in heaven. He showed the greatest love, as explained in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than one lay down his life for his friends.” God the Father and Son proved their love. They DEMONSTRATED their love. If you think you’re unloved, think again! They’ve shown you.
Thank You, Lord, for DEMONSTRATING Your love by saving us. Please help us increasingly demonstrate Your love to others.
One More Reason to Praise God If You’re a Believer
Would you rather God contend – plead a cause – for you or against you? If the answer is you’d rather God contend “for you,” then you have reason to jump and down for joy! Isaiah 51:22 states, “Thus says your Lord, the Lord, even your God who contends for His people, ‘Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, the chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again.’” Yes. A hallelujah with hands raised in praise is more than appropriate!
Lord, You CONTEND for us, not against us. We praise You with arms lifted high!
Here’s a Good Reason to Follow the Owner’s Manual
Have you ever wondered about the “why” behind God’s commands? If so, it helps to realize that since He created us, as Isaiah 40:28 explains, He knows what is beneficial to us and what hurts us. For instance, when the Scriptures were written, they didn’t have the research on the harmful effects of worry and stress. So, Jesus simply stated in Matthew 6:34, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” They didn’t have the research on the destructive nature of bitterness so God simply commanded in Ephesians 4:31-32 to forgive and put bitterness away from us. In other words, God’s commands are in our best interests. They help us run smoothly and go through life better than if we ignore them, just as a car owner’s manual is written so the car will run optimally. If we’re wise, we’ll read and follow our Owner’s manual. In what area do you need to do that?
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable,” Isaiah 40:28.
Heavenly Father, Lord and CREATOR, forgive us for too often ignoring Your commands. Draw us to Your Holy Presence and to surrender to Your will.
Heaven to Mankind, Here’s Comfort
When Simeon, anointed by the Holy Spirit, saw the infant Jesus at Christ's presentation in the temple, he knew He was seeing the long awaited Messiah. Jesus is the Consolation of Israel, but He is also the Consolation for any person who turns to Him for salvation.
Read more...
Where is Our Faith in God’s Commands
We talk about it. We sing about it. But, how much of it do we have? What am I talking about? Faith. We place our faith in the person of Jesus Christ and that He substituted His body on the cross in place of ours. We stand at a distance and say, “Whew! That’s great. I didn’t have to go through the scourging and crucifixion. Thank You, Jesus. I believe.” But when God says to exercise our faith in regard to cutting off our sin we say, “No way. Can’t do.” He says to exercise our faith and forgive as He forgive us and we say, “No way. Not gonna do.” He says to lay aside our old self and put on the new self-made in the image of Christ Jesus, and we stand there with folded arms. If we really had faith that God “calls into being that which doesn’t exist,” as Romans 4:17 states, then we would obey His commands, trusting that they lead to the promised abundant life. So the question is, where is our faith?
Lord Jesus, You CALL INTO BEING THAT WHICH DOES NOT EXIST. Where is our faith in your daily commands?
Could You Use Some Compassion?
Could you use some compassion? Has life been brutal? Does it seem like everything is going wrong? Are you trying your best but it never seems to be enough? Are you on a treadmill of bad habits that you’re trying to break and can’t? Do you feel like a failure? If you’ve ever felt one of those ways then you know how our soul longs for compassion in the midst of those times. Exodus 34:6 is an incredible word from God if you could use some compassion today. It says, “Then the Lord passed by in front of him (Moses) and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, COMPASSIONATE and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” Those are refreshing words to hear at any time. But do you know when God expressed His compassion? It was on Moses’s second trek up Mount Sinai to do a “redo” of the Ten Commandments since he had angrily shattered the first tablets when he found the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. Yes, God called Moses back up the mountain and showed him compassion. Our Heavenly Father is compassionate. Go to Him. Call on Him.
Heavenly Father, thank You for deeply loving us, forgiving us, and being COMPASSIONATE toward us. Help us gratefully receive Your compassionate and walk in it rather than cling to desperation and loneliness.
If You’re Disappointed
THANK YOU for YOUR PRAYERS for my speaking engagement at LIFT AZ. The women were amazing and God is faithful!
Are you disappointed? If so, in what? Or, are you disappointed in a person? Or, are you disappointed in yourself? God understands disappointment. Lots of things can cause us to feel let down. Sometimes our disappointment is because we have unrealistic expectations about others. I write about that in The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World. Other times, our disappointments are valid. No one is perfect, including us. First Peter 2:6 is encouraging because God wants us to know that there’s something He’s provided that will never disappoint us: our faith in Jesus. “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Look around and consider what you’re building your expectations on. If it’s a dollar amount, a certain house, a perfect spouse, perfect children, a perfect friendship, job, or even you being perfect, then you will experience disappointment at times. But if you build your expectations on Jesus and your life on His teachings, you will not be disappointed. It’s our choice. Live disappointed or build our life on Christ.
Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE on whom we can build our lives and not be disappointed. Thank YOU!
What to Do when Life doesn’t go according to plan: GET It HERE.
Let the Carpenter Rebuild Your Life from the Inside Out
Have you ever looked at your life, job, or a relationship, and felt discouraged or hopeless? Have you ever said, “I don’t see any way things can get better?” Or, have you thought, “My best years are over”? If you have had any of those thoughts, be encouraged. Hebrews 3:4 tells us that God is “the builder of all things.” In other words, God is the one who engineered the heavens. God is the brain behind chromosomes. Jesus built His church from a small number of men and women. If God can build the heavens, our bodies, and recreate us at our spiritual birth, we can look to Him, the Builder of All Things. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit of glory. Ask the Carpenter to renew and remodel you from the inside out.
Jesus, Builder of All Things, You are our Savior Carpenter. You took nails that were meant for us on Your holy body so You could build us into a kingdom of priests. Where we’ve fallen, reconstruct us into holy vessels who bring You glory.
Ready or Not, He’s Coming
Did you play Hide and Seek when you were a child? The familiar, “Ready or not, here I come” warns the person who is hiding to be ready. Revelation 1:5-7 is the opposite of child’s play. It is a serious warning that Jesus is coming and we need to be ready. “Behold, HE IS COMING with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” “Amen” means there’s no discussing it. It’s happening. We will either be ready for Christ’s appearing because we’ve repented of our sins and been forgiven or Jesus will come and find us in our sin and shame. If you’re not ready for Christ, respond to His gift of salvation today. Read John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:8-11. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent of your sins. Receive His gift of cleansing you and His gift of the Holy Spirit. Today is your opportunity. Prepare to meet Jesus. He’s coming.
LORD JESUS, COMING KING, we believe that as You came once to earth you are coming again. Thank You for Your gift of salvation. Stir the hearts of the unsaved to realize that ready or not, You are coming. Stir our hearts to tell others about Your gift of salvation.