365 Days of Praise
Praise the IMAGE of the INVISIBLE GOD
“He is the image of the invisible God…”
“I wish I could see God!” Have you ever said those words or perhaps wished you could ask God for His opinion on a particular subject? If so, look to Jesus. Study His walk on earth. Pay attention to His teachings. Why? Because Jesus is more than “like” His Father. The Greek word for “image” in Colossians 1:15 means “an exact replica, representation, or ‘picture’ of an original; it assumes a prototype, that which not merely resembles, but from which it is drawn.”* In other words, when we look at Jesus, we’re looking at God. When we listen to Jesus, we’re listening to God. Jesus – the IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD. Jesus – God with skin.
LORD Jesus Christ, we praise You, the IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD!
Praise to God who ILLUMINES the DARKNESS
“You are my lamp, O Lord; And the Lord illumines my darkness.”
Are you in a dark spot? Maybe not literally, but it feels like it. You’re down. You don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps it’s the sin that surrounds you that oppresses your spirit. Maybe you’ve lost your vision for future projects or the vision for the family you which you longed. Perhaps the thought of growing older and entering the sunset years seems bleak. Whatever you’re going through, there’s good news. God is an eternal lamp that illumines darkness. Wherever you go, whatever your future, He will be there. Day by day, moment by moment, you can turn from darkness and look to the Light of His presence. You can say with the psalmist, “You ILLUMINE MY DARKNESS.“
Lord, we praise you, for you ILLUMINE OUR DARKNESS.
Praise to Jesus, HIGH and LIFTED UP
âBehold, My servant will prosper, He will be HIGH and LIFTED UPÂ and greatly exalted.”
Things arenât always what they seem. And, simply because things appear one way in a moment of time, it doesnât mean theyâll remain that way. Case in point: Jesus. If we’d been in Jerusalem when Jesus was hanging on the cross, we might have labeled the moment, âJesus failed.â However, what appeared to be Jesus’s lowest moment, was in fact, God’s highest plan being accomplished. Three days after Jesus’s death on the cross, God raised Him. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God – HIGH AND LIFTED UP and greatly exalted. The next time something appears to be a failure or loss, stay close to God. He and Jesus are HIGH and LIFTED UP and greatly exalted. Nothing is slipping by them.
We praise You, Lord Jesus, HIGH and LIFTED UP and greatly exalted.Â
Praise to God, Our HIDING PLACE
âYou are my HIDING PLACE; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.”
David had been deceived. He thought he could hide his sin. But guilt consumed him. Listen to his words: “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; …You are my HIDING PLACE; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” On occasion, we might be like David and think we can hide our sin from God. But the truth is, we can’t. He sees us and even knows our thoughts. Yet, even while in our sin, He invites us to a place of forgiveness – Himself. Today, we can turn from trying to hide our sin and confess as David did, “You are my HIDING PLACE; You preserve me from trouble.” We can experience “songs of deliverance.”
Lord, how sweet to know You as our HIDING PLACE; who preserves us from trouble and surrounds us with songs of deliverance. We praise You.
Praise to the Lord, Our HELP
âOur soul waits for the LORD; He is our HELP and our shield.”
“Help is on the way.” It’s all I could think to say as I grabbed my purse and headed to the car. She needed to hear those words. She needed to know that help was on the way…the kind of tangible help we need when we’re at our wits end, when we don’t know how much more we can take. And so, God wants us to know, “He is our HELP.” We may not see Him, but we have the full assurance that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present HELP in trouble,” Psalm 46:1. Are you in trouble and need HELP? Are you in despair and need HELP? Are you disturbed about something and need HELP? Unlike the friend who had to wait for me, the Lord is our present HELP. We need only call on Him. “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the HELP of my countenance and my God,” Psalm 43:5.
Lord God, we praise You, our HELP and the HELP of our countenance. Â
FRIENDS, I think most of you know that my non-profit is taking our P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference to every state. This morning I’m leading the conference in Sheridan, WY, 9-12:00. Â Thank you for the many ways you’ve helped get this conference across the nation through your donations and prayers. Through you, God is answering people’s cries for help. Please pray a great crowd will show up, for God’s anointing on my teaching and the ears of all who attend. Pray seekers will come and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you.
Praise to Jesus, HEIR OF ALL THINGS
âin these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed HEIR of ALL THINGS, through whom also He made the world.â
Why is it important to know and praise Jesus as the HEIR OF ALL THINGS? At the time these words were written to the Hebrew people, it appeared the government had control over all things. However, God wanted the Hebrews to know that Jesus was the ultimate possessor of everything. He created the world and everything in it; therefore, it is ultimately His. It was important for the first century Christians to be assured. It’s important for us to be assured.
LORD, we praise You for appointing Jesus as the HEIR OF ALL THINGS. Thank You for the assurance that our nation and world are His possession.
Praise to Our Heavenly Father
âTherefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
How would you describe your earthly father? Was he “perfect?” Did you know him or was he an absentee dad? Was he loyal or disloyal? On this side of heaven, there are no perfect fathers. But we have a Heavenly Father who is…um….heavenly. He’s perfect. What a blessing it is to know that He is here for us. He loves us. He is available 24/7. He wants us to come to Him with our needs. If you’re feeling alone or down, be encouraged. Your Heavenly Father has His eye on you. Call to Him in your need. Wait silently for Him to speak to your heart and direct you.
HEAVENLY FATHER, thank You for being ever present and for loving us. We praise You.Â
Praise to Our HEARING GOD
âIn my distress I called upon the Lord. Yes, I cried to my God and from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help came into His ears.”
Do you have children or have you ever babysat? Think for a moment to when a child cried. Maybe they were in their crib. Or, perhaps you heard a thud; then the cry of a toddler who had fallen. What happened in the moment that they cried out? Their voice “came into your ears.” I love the way that David worded 2 Samuel 22:7, “I cried to my God and from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help came into His ears.“
In the same way that a child’s cry can be heard by us even if we’re in another part of the house, so God hears our cry from His temple. Our cries to God go into His ears. Our Heavenly Father is a HEARING GOD, not a deaf God. What do you need to cry out to Him about today?
Hearing Father, thank You for showing us that You hear us. You listen and answer. Help us be sensitive to Your voice in response to our cries.Â
Praise Jesus, Our HEALER
âHeal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, for You are my praise.”
February 28, 2002 God healed my mother. Bernice Ruth Taylor went to be with the Lord. No longer did she suffer the physical ailments that had ravaged her body. She was ready to be with Jesus. She took off her oxygen mask, smiled at us, and after we verbalized our love for one another, she closed her eyes. However, none of us were prepared for the next moment. Mama’s eyes flew open and she startled us with, “boo!” How long she’d planned that dramatic and joyous moment, I’ll never know; or if it was a spur of the moment idea. Regardless, she made her point. She wasn’t scared. She was, in fact, excited. Jesus was her HEALER, and she was on her way to Him. With that, mama closed her eyes a final time. The LORD is our HEALER. How can we not praise Him?
Lord God, You are our HEALER and we praise You!
Praise Jesus, head over ALL THINGS
âAnd He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,â
I recently heard a television anchor report on a well known religious leader whose viewpoint on a moral issue was contrary to the Bible. She then invited viewers to “weigh in.” “Let us know what you think. You can twitter if you agree or disagree.” As she continued with the next story, my mind lingered on her invitation. I wondered, did she know that it was not our opinion or the opinion of the religious leader that mattered; but only the opinion of Jesus, who is HEAD OVER ALL THINGS?Â
LORD, You are HEAD OVER ALL THINGS! Help us demonstrate that You are our LORD by following Your moral laws.