365 Days of Praise
Praise to Lord of All the Earth
“It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth …” (Joshua 3:13).
I often hear a person say that it doesn’t matter who you worship, as long as you worship someone or something. It matters to the Lord of all the earth. Why would the Lord of all the earth want His creation to bow to and follow another god? He doesn’t! He’s the One we’re to bow before, listen to, and follow. Him alone.
Heavenly Father, we praise You, LORD OF ALL THE EARTH! Your majesty and power are glorious. You reign in perfect righteousness.
Praise to LORD OF LORDS
“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Anyone can call themselves “lord.” Anyone can “lord” themselves over another. But no one is inherently the LORD of LORDS except our LORD. When Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior, comes again to earth, He won’t be coming as a baby. He’ll be leading a heavenly host army. And on His robe and on His thigh, we’ll read this name: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
You, Christ Jesus, are LORD OF LORDS. We bow in worship. We rise in praise.
Praise to the Lord My Banner
“Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).
Do you need a rallying point: some place you can go to find victory over your old nature and the devil’s temptations? Moses discovered that the Lord was his rallying point. When he held high the Banner of the Lord, the Israelites were victorious over their enemies. They fought in God’s name and strength, not their own. The same holds true for us. The Lord is our Banner. When we lift His name high in prayer and look to His strength, we find victory over our sin nature and the enemy.
LORD MY BANNER, we praise You and lift high Your name over our flesh and the devil.
Praise to God who LOOSENS BONDS
“O Lord, surely I am Your servant, …
You have LOOSED MY BONDS.“
Do you ever feel “tied up” by a spiritual, physical, or emotional bondage? Are you concerned for a loved one who is in bondage? In Psalm 116 we’re reminded that God can do what no one else can do. He can loosen cords that bind us. In fact, He has loosed us from the bonds of death and given us freedom for eternity. “Unbind him and let him go,” Jesus directed those who witnessed Him raise Lazarus from the dead. “Unbind her. Unbind him,” Jesus commands when we call out to Him in faith.
Lord, You are the great and mighty God who LOOSENS BONDS. We praise You for the bonds from which You’ve set us free and pray You loosen and set free those who are still in bondage.
Praise to the LIVING WATER
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of LIVING WATER.’
“I’m thirsty!” How many times have we said or thought that? And, if possible, we reach for a drink of water. Our bodies need water. In fact, they’re largely made up of water. The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Science School explains just how important water is to our body:
Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. The brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water.
So we get that our body needs water. But, what about our spirit? It needs water, too; Living Water, the Holy Spirit. Jesus clearly explained this.
If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'”
But this He spoke of the SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the SPIRIT was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
As water is to the body, so the Holy Spirit is to the soul.
Our body is dead without water. Our spirit is dead without Living Water.
Plain. Simple. Truth. Drink or die.
LIVING WATER, sweet Jesus, thank You for coming from above to speak truth into our lives. Thank You for giving Your Living Holy Spirit to all who turn to You for salvation.
Praise to God who LISTENS
“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will LISTEN to you.”
Do you ever wish that someone would listen to you? You may ask a person, “Are you listening to me?” They may answer, “Yes.” But you still wonder if they’re really listening and hearing what you’re saying. We don’t have to wonder if God listens to us. He clearly states, “You pray. I’ll LISTEN.”
Lord, thank You for LISTENING when we come to You in prayer. We praise You!
Praise to the LION OF JUDAH
“Stop weeping; behold, the LION that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
Messiah’s title, LION OF JUDAH, can be traced to Genesis 49:9 when Jacob blessed his son, Judah, and referred to him as “Young Lion.” Christ, who came from this noble tribe of Israel, is not a “Young Lion.” He is not one who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, as Satan does. (1 Peter 5:8) He is not a pretend Lion King. Rather, the Lord Jesus Christ is THE LION of the TRIBE of JUDAH. He is the noblest. He is the most powerful. He overcomes all, even death. He alone is worthy to open the scroll that is sealed.
Lord Jesus Christ, LION OF JUDAH, we worship You, worthy above all others!
Praise to Jesus, Light of the World
“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life'” (John 8:12).
What do you do on the Fourth of July? Do you like watching fireworks light up the night sky? There’s something about the brilliance of spectacular light bursting across the darkness. As we celebrate our nation’s declaration of independence from the British Empire, what a good time to also celebrate the believer’s declaration of independence from Satan’s empire. What a wonderful reminder that Jesus is the Light of the World.
The fireworks we watch are a flash in the darkness. Jesus is constantly brilliant and will one day be the source of Light by which we live for eternity. No doubt, when Jesus announced He was the Light of the World, He must have sounded braggadocios to His listeners. How could a carpenter from Nazareth claim to be the Light of the world? Yet, Jesus made the claim, and He is who He says. Jesus came from heaven bringing truth that enlightens every man who will receive Him. Fireworks come and go. Invite Jesus into your heart and live with His brilliance for eternity.
Lord Jesus, You are the LIGHT OF THE WORLD and our Light. We give You honor and praise!
Praise to the LIFTER OF MY HEAD
“You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who LIFTS MY HEAD.”
Have you ever had your head “hangin” low? Perhaps you were ashamed. Or, maybe you were just down. Imagine this comforting reality – God sees you and cares how you’re doing. He is the one who LIFTS YOUR HEAD in your most “down” times. What happens when He lifts our heads? Our eyes turn from looking down to looking up – to looking at His glorious face where we find hope and peace. If you’re down today, take a moment to look up in prayer to your Heavenly Father. Let Him lift your eyes to the hope and glory that is in Him.
We praise you, God, the LIFTER OF OUR HEAD!
Praise to the God of Life
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'” (John 14:6).
Have you ever looked for “life” in someone or something apart from Jesus? Perhaps in your younger years you were “the life of the party.” Maybe in your adult years you bought into the idea that the right job, house, car, or person would bring you all you wanted in life. But, perhaps later you realized that things and people can disappoint and fall short of that for which we long. Our hearts will never be happy until they’re at home with the Lord. He is the life for which we yearn.
Lord, You are the way, the truth, and the LIFE! We bow and worship You.