365 Days of Praise
Double Jeopardy
HAPPENING NOW: WV P.R.A.Y. with Passion Across the Nation Conf. THANK YOU for your PRAYERS!
Have you heard of the legal term “double jeopardy”? In our legal system it means that a person can’t be tried for the same crime two times. In God’s system, it means the same; which is an incredible blessing. Jesus was tried for all the sins we’ve ever committed and will commit. God has promised to not try us for our sins that Jesus has already been convicted of and paid the debt. As if that’s not enough of a huge eternal blessing and relief, there’s more! Hebrews 2:17 explains that after Jesus took our place and died for our sins, He assumed the role of High Priest and entered into God’s presence to offer His blood as the sacrifice for our sin. Jesus demonstrated the greatest of mercy when He took our place at the judgement seat and was convicted for our crimes. We can’t be tried again for our sins because Jesus was tried for them, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Resurrected, He sits as God’s right hand praying for us. Run to Him in gratitude. Live for Him in joy.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, our Lord and high PRIEST! Thank You for taking our place at the judgement seat and dying for our sins. How can we serve You?
“Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high PRIEST in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
How To Get Through the Next 86,400 Seconds
I’M ON MY WAY TO THE West Virginia PRAY CONFERENCE on September 7! Prayers, please, for safe travel, God’s anointing, and an outpouring of people attend; for salvation for seekers, and recommitments by Christians to pray more purposefully and live more passionately for Christ. Thank you!
Have you ever wondered how you were going to make it through the next 86,400 seconds? (24 hours) You may have even said to someone, “I need help and I need it now,” but felt like your plea wasn’t heard. If your thoughts are going places they shouldn’t go or your emotions are spiraling, look to God who is described in Psalm 46:1 as not just a future help to us in heaven, but rather as a very PRESENT HELP. Commentator Charles Ryrie explains “Very PRESENT HELP can have the idea of ‘well-proved help.'” In other words, we don’t have to hope God can help us. Rather, we can rest assured that God is present and He is reliable. We can pray, “God, thank You for being present with me. Please help me now.” How does His help come? In different ways. He may strengthen us to get through what seems impossible. He may send a person who offers their help. Let’s keep our eyes and hearts open to the help He provides and thank Him for it.
Lord, thank You for being PRESENT to HELP us. Help us keep our eyes on You and trust each day to You.
Write your thanks to God HERE every day and you’ll develop a more optimistic viewpoint. Why? You’ll see how God is being your present help. I’ve marked Prayers of My Heart journal from $14.99 to $9.99. Get it now!
“God is our refuge and strength, A very PRESENT HELP in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Why Jesus?
“Why?” That was the question millennials asked me at a recent conference. Why this… Why that… “I guess that’s why we’re called the Y Generation,” a 29 year old explained. “We want to know why.”
Millennials, also known as the “Y Generation,” are those who were born during the 1980’s and early 1990’s. They’re the children of baby boomers. Those in Generation Y aren’t prone to accept pat answers. Rather, they want to know why. In other words, just because a preacher, teacher, or parent says something, in their opinion, that doesn’t necessarily make it true. So, “Why believe in and follow Jesus?” For this reason: Jesus demonstrated that He was more than man. People witnessed His resurrection from the dead three days after He had been crucified by soldiers skilled in executions. Jesus said He is the way, truth, and life. Peter spells it out, “there is no other name under heaven that has been given by which we must be saved,” Acts 4:12. That’s why. There is no other name by which we are saved.
Jesus, name above all names, name by which we are saved, we praise You. Your name is sweet to our souls.
Near or Far? Here’s the Answer
Jesus told His disciples He was going to die and ascend to His Father in heaven; but that He would not leave them as orphans. (John 14:16-18) Jesus explained that He would send a Helper to them; and the Helper would not only be with them, He would be IN them. You can’t get more NEAR to someone than to be IN them. And, that is God’s gift to believers. Christ’s Holy Spirit is IN Christians. NEAR. Not far away. NEAR. Not inaccessible. Still not convinced? Listen to what Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is NEAR to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Call on God in sincerity and truth. He’s NEAR.
LORD, You are NEAR, not far removed. Thank You that we can call on You in sincerity and truth.
Are You Living with Disappointment?
Life is wonderful, but would you agree that it can sometimes be disappointing? Yes, we might like to dream of a different life, but it’s not always possible. God said in Exodus 20:9 that work is a part of our life. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” Jesus said, as recorded in John 2:24 that He didn’t entrust Himself to any man, knowing what is in man. So what or who can we build our lives on so we’re not disappointed? Jesus. First Peter 2:6 describes the hope to which we look: “I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him (Jesus) will not be disappointed.” There’s that word – disappointed. If we’re disappointed in ourselves, another person, or a situation, we do well to remember that we live in a temporary world. Christ is God’s precious corner stone on which our heavenly future is built. We may be living with disappointment today. We will not be disappointed in heaven.
Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNER STONE. Thank you that even though we may experience disappointment in this life, we will not experience it in heaven with You.
Where is Jesus When Natural Disasters Occur
Wildfires. Flooding. Volcanoes. Tornadoes. Earthquakes. Have you been affected by a natural disaster that killed a loved one, destroyed your livelihood, injured a loved one or caused you physical harm? Have you lost everything and in devastation raised your fist and asked God why? There are many questions we won’t have answered until heaven. But we can know this for sure. Jesus explained to the disciples that our current world is under the rule of Satan. He wanted us to know that and that He is praying for us. What is Jesus praying? Among the myriad of things, we know that He prays as in Luke 22:32, that our faith not fail. John 17:15, 24 record Jesus’s prayer that we be kept from the evil one and we see His glory. When we watch loving Christians respond to those suffering natural disasters, we’re seeing the face and hands of God.
Lord Jesus, thank You that You care for us and pray for us. Thank You for those who reach out to others in times of crisis.
Making the Switch
Me. Me. Me. We probably wouldn’t want to admit it, but in our innermost being we may be more self-centered than others-centered. Our day may not begin with, “Heavenly Father, how can I serve You?” Rather, our first thought may be on what we want to get out of the day. Have you ever considered doing a 180: a turnaround based on Ephesians 5:2? “Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an OFFERING and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” In other words, we who are “Christ followers” are told to follow His example. We’re to walk in love and offer ourselves to serve God’s purposes. What happens when we do? We have the opportunity to be a fragrance of Christ to God and others.
Christ Jesus, You are the ultimate example of being an OFFERING and sacrifice to God. Help us follow Your example so that our lives are a fragrance of You.
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When you feel like your life is spinning out of control, remember this
It’s messy. It’s hands on. It’s commitment. It’s time consuming. It’s up close and personal. What is messy, hands on, and up close? Being a potter, which is the way God is described in Isaiah 64:8. “O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our POTTER; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” If you feel like your life is spinning out of control, remember that you’re in the divine Potter’s hands. He’s not going to let you fly off His Potter’s wheel. Rather, just the opposite. He’s molding and shaping you into a vessel of honor and glory.
Heavenly Father, we praise You that YOU are our Potter. Thank You for being intimate with us; for shaping us into a vessel who will serve Your purposes.
Is Holy Fear Good or Bad
Does a holy fear ever rise in you? What kind of holy fear? The good kind. A reverential fear. An overwhelming acknowledgement of God’s greatness and our smallness. Utter awe at the thought of standing in God’s majestic presence. Tear filled sorrow for those who don’t know Jesus. Trembling for those who flagrantly defy God and set themselves against Him. One day every person will give an account of their lives to God, who Genesis 14:19 describes as “…God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.” Christ tells us that those who deny God will spend eternity apart from Him. If we’re in a relationship of saving faith with Jesus, what are we doing to make sure others know Him? May holy fear cause us to think more of others than of ourselves; to speak to the unsaved about Jesus, and pray for them.
Heavenly Father, POSSESSOR of HEAVEN & EARTH, how comforting to know that because of Jesus we will live eternally in Your presence. Stir our hearts to share the good news with those who are walking in darkness.
When You Can’t Seem to Please Anyone
Do you ever feel like you can’t please anyone? Or, at least you can’t please someone you want to please? Maybe it’s a co-worker, spouse, parent, child, or friend. You do your best, but it seems they’re never satisfied. Trying to please people who are never pleased can cause us to feel defeated and drained. Unless we keep in mind that we can’t please everybody, and we focus on pleasing the most important person – our Heavenly Father. Jesus models doing that, even when others were disappointed in Him. For instance, the disciples were no doubt shockingly disappointed when Jesus didn’t resist being crucified. Martha and Mary were disappointed when Jesus delayed coming to their sick brother’s side. John 8:29 explains Jesus’s position. ”He (the Father) who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” No, we can’t always please others. But we can follow Christ’s example of pleasing our Heavenly Father.
Following are some of the ways Jesus pleased the Father. Which are you already doing? Which do you want to begin doing?
- Jesus used Scripture to stand against Satan’s temptations. We can do that.
- Jesus shared His Father’s kingdom principles, how to be forgiven, and how to be saved. We can do that.
- Jesus was sensitive to others and reached out to them. We can do that.
- Jesus looked up in prayer and thanked His Father for hearing Him. We can do that.
- Jesus prayed before He made decisions. We can do that.
- Jesus followed His Father’s leading rather than doing things on His own initiative. We can do that.
Heavenly Father, as Jesus was well-pleasing to You, help us please You.