365 Days of Praise
What We Learn from Stinky Feet
Jesus’s words in John 13:14 and stinky feet and a bowl of water don’t make sense to us at first. He said, “If I then, the Lord and the TEACHER, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Lord and TEACHER on His knees washing feet? Messy. A lot of trouble. Dirty. The moment had to do with more than simply washing feet, though. It was about humility, servanthood, forgiveness. Our Lord and TEACHER physically illustrated what He would spiritually do on the cross for us. It would be messy (a bloody mess). He would wash away not just dirt but filthy sins. Jesus taught us we’re to do as He demonstrated: humbly serve one another. Are we?
Jesus, Lord and Teacher, thank You for humbly washing us with Your pure blood so we’d be cleansed of our sins. Help us humbly serve one another as You did.
What’s Your Take On This
I’d love your thoughts on Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 6:13-16.He begins saying, “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, …that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time…” Some say Christians are free of the Law and commandments. We live in a time of grace. I agree we live by God’s grace. But, what about the charge to “keep the commandment without stain or reproach”? Could it be that although we’re saved by grace, God expects us to act like His children; not like unbelievers? Paul’s next words reflect one who is intimately in love with and in awe of the One they’ve seen. “He who is the blessed and only SOVEREIGN, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion!” Paul’s words and life are a praise to Jesus and match his charge. What’s your take on this?
Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed and only SOVEREIGN, we worship You. May our lives match our lips.
“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, …that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time – He who is the blessed and only SOVEREIGN, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. 1 Timothy 6:13-16
What Does it Mean God is a Consuming Fire
Heavenly Father. Lord. Savior. You’re familiar with those descriptions of God. Shepherd. Love. Peace. The list goes on. Consuming Fire. Wait! What? God is a Consuming Fire? Yes. That is one of the ways the Bible describes the Lord. You see, our Heavenly Father is majestic beyond our imagination, full of glory. That is why people fall at His feet. It is why God’s anger burned toward Moses when He called Moses to lead the people out of Egyptian bondage and Moses asked God to send someone else. (Exodus 4:14) God’s fiery anger burns against evil and sin as Deuteronomy 4:24 warns. “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” It is why the Lord “rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven.” Genesis 19:24. The New Testament reinforces the holy, consuming fire of God. Hebrews 12:29 states, “our God is a CONSUMING FIRE.” Should we fear Him? Yes, in holy reverence. Should we be afraid of Him? Not if we’re covered in the blood of Jesus. What should we expect of our God who is a consuming fire? Revelation 20:9 tells us. Fire will once again come down from heaven and devour those who fight against Him and His saints. “And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” Nothing. No one can stand against our Lord who is a consuming fire.
Lord God, CONSUMING FIRE, burning in righteousness and purity, thank You for saving us on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. Thank You for the day when You will make all things right.
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Do You Wish You Had More Support
Do you ever wish you had more support at work? Perhaps you wish you had support parenting your children. Or, you may wish you had a supportive spouse or friend. I remember a night long ago when I realized that God was my SUPPORT. I was in a position where no one could help me. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t. It was that I had to go through something by myself. I was lonely and didn’t know what to do. It was just God and me. And guess what. I found that I wasn’t without help. God was with me. He was my SUPPORT. As 2 Samuel 22:19 says, “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my SUPPORT.” If you’re looking for support today and don’t have it, look to God to fill the spot. He won’t fail you.
Lord God, thank You for being our SUPPORT. When no one else is there, or even if they are, You are the ultimate SUPPORT we need.
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Do You Ever Feel Fragile or Like You Might Pop
Do you ever feel fragile or like you might “pop”? Do you feel like you can’t take life’s pressures any more? David knew what it was like to feel that way and found God to be the SUSTAINER of his soul. Listen to his words in Psalm 54:4. “God is my helper; The Lord is the SUSTAINER of my soul.” What does it mean for God to be the sustainer of our soul? It means that our minds, emotions, and will are revived by Christ. We call to our Sustainer in prayer. We daily sit in His presence. We meditate on His truths. We absorb encouragement from His Word. As we do, the Lord refreshes and sustains us by His Spirit to carry on.
Lord God, we praise You, SUSTAINER of our souls. Thank You for the many times and ways You sustain us. We love and praise You!
“God is my helper; The Lord is the SUSTAINER of my soul.” Psalm 54:4
Why It’s Important to Open Our Hands and Hearts
Do you ever feel empty or drained? What about anxious or uptight? Does mad or angry better describe you? Or sad and melancholy? Whatever our condition, whatever our need, Philippians 4:19 tells us “God will SUPPLY all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Short on perseverance? Ready to give up or cave in? Feel like you’re going to blow a fuse? Don’t know how you will ever smile again? Although we may have those feelings at times, we’re not hopeless. God offers to SUPPLY all our needs according to HIS RICHES in GLORY in CHRIST JESUS. Rather than tightly clutch to anger or discouragement, we can open our hands and hearts to God who will pour into them His SUPPLY of glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for supplying all we need according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus!
Remember This On Dreary Days
Dreary days. Gray skies. They can make us feel gloomy. The death of loved ones or estrangement from family or friends weigh our hearts. On what can we focus? Malachi 4:2 tells us that “for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” What does that mean? Theologian Charles Spurgeon explains: “Jesus, like the sun, is the center and soul of all things, the fullness of all good, the lamp that lights us, the fire that warms us, the magnet that guides and controls us; he is the source and fountain of all life, beauty, fruitfulness, and strength.” Jesus is called the Sunof Righteousness because on the most dreary of days, when we are gloomy and despairing, we can call on Him to shine in our hearts and minds.
We praise You, SUN of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and look to You to enlighten, quicken, grow, and ripen us to holy surrender and fruitfulness.
*http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1020.htm
What Song Are You Singing
Are you dragging through your day singing the blues? If so, that can change. Yes, we have a choice what music or songs we play in our head and to what song we walk. In Exodus 15:2 , Moses tells us the music he walked to. Listen to his words, “The Lord is my strength and SONG, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him…” The word “song” in this verse can mean “music” or “melody.” In effect, Moses says, “The Lord is my melody. He’s the music to which I walk through my day.” What music or words play in your head throughout the day? Make the choice to tune your heart to God in the mornings and walk through the day singing His praises. Can’t think of a song? How about “Jesus Loves Me”? What better song to walk to through our day?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for being the SONG to which we can walk through our day. We love You!
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God’s Perspective
Perspective. It’s everything. Our nation has been suffering terrible tragedies from shootings, hurricanes, flooding, fires, and hate crimes. We can look around and feel hopeless and vulnerable; wondering why God has abandoned us. Or, we can turn to the Lord, scale the heights of heaven and gaze on who God is, what He’s done, and will do. Proverbs 18:10 reminds us, “The name of the Lord is a STRONG TOWER; The righteous runs into it and is safe.” God is not uncaring and and He is not inactive. He sent Jesus to overcome the eternal consequences of evil for all who call on His name. God has given us His Spirit to comfort and strengthen us. He’s creating a new world where evil doesn’t exist. From the perspective of heaven’s heights, I’d say our God is wonderful, loving, and faithful to we who are often unfaithful. What say you?
Heavenly Father, You are a loving, good, faithful STRONG TOWER. to whom we run to in these difficult days.
“The name of the Lord is a STRONG TOWER;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Do You Want More
An AT&T commercial once asked a group of children, “Who thinks more is better than less?” A little girl quickly responded, “We want more. We want more.” We can identify with her plea for more when we’re going through a difficult time. We want more of God’s strength. We want more of His grace to get us through our day. Second Corinthians 12:9 reassures us that God hears and responds. The verse says, “He has said to me, ‘My grace is SUFFICIENT for you, for power is perfected in weakness.'” What does it mean that God’s grace is SUFFICIENT? Does it mean barely enough? No. Rather, the Biblical word means, “to be possessed of unfailing strength, to be strong, to be enough.”* When we feel weak and like we can’t make it, God Himself is the answer to our cry.
Heavenly Father, thank You that when we’re weak, You respond to our cry for help, assuring us that Your grace is SUFFICIENT unfailing strength.
“He has said to me, ‘My grace is SUFFICIENT for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9