365 Days of Praise
Thank You, GLORIOUS GOD
“‘O may Your GLORIOUS name be blessed and exalted above all blessing and praise!’”
How do we “bless” God’s GLORIOUS name?
Nehemiah 9:6-8a provides a great example:
“You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.
You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before you.
You are Lord God, Who chose Abram and brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him…”
Do we get it? We bless God’s glorious name when we recount what He has done and give credit to Him.
Bless God’s glorious name right now!
LORD, we bless and exalt Your GLORIOUS name! You are the One who….
Praise GOD, Who GIVES LIFE to the DEAD
“God, who GIVES LIFE to the DEAD and calls into being that which does not exist.”
There are many things we can give each other, but we cannot give life to someone who is dead. Only God can and does. How does that make you feel? What thoughts do you have as you ponder this attribute of God?
LORD, You who GIVE LIFE TO THE DEAD, we praise You and exalt Your name! Thank You for raising our deceased loved ones to eternal life. Thank You for the resurrection life we will one day experience. Thank You for the life eternal that You have already given us. We love You and praise Your holy name!
Praise God, Who GIVES US BREATH
“Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it,”
God proclaims that He is the One who gives us our breath and spirit. He also says that HE has something to say to us. Among His many words are these: “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6) Reread His words. Meditate on what they mean for you. God identifies us with our righteous calling. Our BREATH GIVER comforts us that He holds us by the hand and watches over us. Our BREATH GIVER reminds us of our covenant relationship with Him and of our appointment as a light to the nations. Our identity, our comfort, and our purpose are God breathed.
LORD, You BREATHE life and SPIRIT; our identity, comfort, and purpose into us. We praise You.
Praise to God, Gift Giver
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Gifts! Who doesn’t like to receive a gift? Presents wrapped with brightly colored paper and bows. A gift tag with OUR name on it. And most importantly, someone who loves us holding the gift and offering, “Take it! I bought it for you!”
Beaming, our Lord God waits for us to take the gift He bought for us; a gift that cost His Son’s life.
Forgivesess is the first thing we see in the gift. Then His Holy Spirit, heaven, friendship eternity, and so much more! And with each day, we realize there’s more of God’s love to unwrap. The Gift Giver smiles as our eyes light up in joyful praise.
Lord God, thank You for GIVING us the GIFT of eternal life in Christ Jesus and for all that is encompassed in the gift of His life! We praise You!
Praise Our GENTLE LORD
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.””
When you think of Jesus, do you think of Him as gentle? It is one of the ways He describes Him. What does Christ mean when He says He is gentle? Another word is meek. It’s often explained as “power under control.” Although I can’t fully understand this great combination of attributes, I see a glimpse of them in my husband. Keith has great strength of character; yet he stoops down to pick a tiny flower amidst a field of grass in order to gently hand it to me on our walks. More so with Christ. While holding infinite power, He offers us His gentle, humble heart where we find rest for our souls. He invites us to walk closely with Him and learn from Him.
Lord Jesus, You are both strong and GENTLE! We praise You!
Praise to GOD the GATE
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”
Gates and doors – ways in which Christ describes Himself. Why? To help us understand that there is a passage way by which we enter heaven. We are here. Heaven is there. And HE, Jesus, is the “way” (John 14:6) to the Father. Some people say that there are many ways to heaven. Jesus says not so. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14. “I am the way,…no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6.
LORD Jesus, we praise You, the GATE by whom we enter into heaven and are saved.
Praise to CHRIST, OUR FRIEND
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My FRIENDS if you do what what I command you.”
As we celebrate Resurrection Day, Jesus’s words are especially significant. Our Lord and Savior pointed out that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for their friend. He did that for us. He proved to us that He is our friend. Now, we can prove to Him that we are His friend. How? By doing what He commands us.
Jesus Christ, all praise to You, wonderful Lord, Savior, and FRIEND. Thank You for laying down Your life for us. Help us demonstrate our friendship and love for You by doing what You command us.
Resurrection Day blessings, friends!
Praise to CHRIST, a FRAGRANT AROMA
“…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.”
Everyone enjoys a fragrant aroma; including God. When writing Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, I used my daughter’s puppy as an example of how we carry either the stench of sin or the aroma of Christ; depending on what we hold closely. Her puppy had a distinct odor and after holding her, that odor remained on me. It wasn’t pleasant. I showered and changed clothes. We must do the same if we’re holding sin close to us. The stench isn’t pleasant to others or God. We must set the sin aside and bathe in God’s forgiveness. Then, as Christ did, we can walk in love as an offering and sacrifice to God; a fragrant aroma to God.
Christ Jesus, we praise You. Thank You for giving Yourself as an offering and sacrifice to God; a FRAGRANT AROMA.
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Praise to the FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
“For with You is the FOUNTAIN of LIFE; In Your light we see light.”
When we come to God for new life in Christ, we do not come to a sippy cup by which we have to strain for a flow of refreshing life. We come to a fountain flowing, splashing, and dancing in the sunlight. “Come to Me and drink!” Jesus invites us. (John 7:37) And don’t stop drinking. God’s fountain flows from the “innermost being”** of the one who believes in Jesus From where does the living water originate? The FOUNTAIN of LIFE is GOD. Thirsty? Dry? Maybe it’s because we view God as a sippy cup, and it’s time for us to see Him as the FOUNTAIN.
Lord, You are the FOUNTAIN of LIFE! Splash on us! Fill us. Flow in and through us!
*Blue Letter Bible, http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4726&t=NASB, **John 7:38
Praise to Our FORTRESS
“I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my FORTRESS,
My God, in whom I trust!’”
In a tornado, a storm shelter is the “go to” place. It must be near. It must be stocked. Knowing we have a storm shelter gives us hope when there is a threat of deadly tornadoes. God is mindful that we live in stormy times on enemy ground. The apostle Peter writes that the devil prowls the earth looking for someone to devour. New Testament writers address the evil in the world. The question is, are we mindful that God is our FORTRESS; that He’s our “go to” place in the midst of life’s storms and temptations? Perhaps you’re like me and haven’t always been mindful of God as our FORTRESS. If that’s the case, we can increase our mindfulness by praising Him as David did. We can memorize and praise God, “My refuge and my FORTRESS, My God, in whom I trust.” We can believe and live our future days with confidence in God as our FORTRESS. We can go to Him in our times of storms, temptation, and evil.
Lord God, You are our FORTRESS. We love that we can turn to You any time, day or night. Thank You for providing Yourself as a safe haven in the midst of life’s storms, temptations, and evil.