365 Days of Praise
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.
Thank you, FORGIVING LORD
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to FORGIVE us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
What would you do if God wasn’t forgiving? Would you sin less? Or, would you quit trying to “be good” knowing it was impossible? Would you throw all attempts of righteousness out the door and be as sinfully indulgent as you wanted? But God is forgiving. So, what does that mean for us? Does it cause us to want to live a less sinful life; one more pleasing to God? Does the awareness of all the “overs” God gives us create a deep sense of gratitude evidenced by us being less sinful and more like Jesus? God FORGIVES US. What does that mean to us?
Lord Jesus, thank You for FORGIVING our sins. We pray we not take Your forgiveness lightly, but rather, commit to live more fully for You.
Praise to Jesus, Our FORERUNNER
Jesus has entered as a FORERUNNER for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
A forerunner is someone one who goes ahead of others to a place where people will follow. Jesus went to heaven ahead of us and is being our high priest. He prays for us. He forgives our sins. How do we know He’s there? He told His disciples He was returning to heaven. Witnesses saw Jesus ascend through the clouds into heaven. Angels confirmed to the disciples what they had seen. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit after He arrived in heaven. And, He did. All is well, friends. Christ, our forerunner, is in heaven. He made it safely there. We will, too.
Lord Jesus, FORERUNNER of all who put their trust in You, thank You for the promise of safely seeing us through the travail of death and bringing us to heaven’s glory.
Praise to our FORBEARING LORD
“…in the FORBEARANCE of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Some people wrongly accuse God of not being tolerant. However, our faith is based on the tolerance* or forbearance of God. It’s not that God is tolerant of sin. Rather, sin is so “intolerable” to God that He sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we would be free of it. However, in God’s forbearing love, He “passed over” or “paid for” sins that had even been committed before Jesus died. Our forbearing Lord is just. Our forbearing Lord is the justifier (just as if I’d never sinned) of the one who has faith in Jesus. Do you have faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? Then you have reason to praise Him!
Lord, we praise You for Your FORBEARANCE! You are great and merciful!
*”Forbearance,” http://www.blueletterbible.org
Thank You, God, for Being FOR US
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is FOR US, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over FOR US ALL…”
“Which team are you for?” “Which candidate are you for?” We often talk about who we’re for. But have you ever thought about who is for you?
Say it out loud. “God is for me; not against me. He is for me.” As a matter of fact, God is not standing on the sidelines, cheering us on. He’s in the game…saving our souls. Rescuing us. Making a place for us in heaven. Righting our wrongs. Extending grace. Wiping away our tears. Interceding for us. Guarding us.
God is for us. How much is He for us? A tiny bit? A big amount? The Father and Son are so for us that they devised a plan to rescue our souls from Satan’s dominion. How? By Jesus switching places with us on the cross.
The next time we’re tempted to feel sorry for ourselves or Satan whispers, “God’s not answering your prayers,” answer back loud and clear, “God is for me so much that He took the cross for me. My God is FOR ME.” Then, in humbleness, thank the Heavenly Father and Son for being for you.
Heavenly Father, Precious Savior, that You are FOR US is beyond our understanding. We praise You, thank You, and pray our lives reflect our gratitude.
Praise to the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD
“He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”
Recently, I went to a funeral. We celebrated the life of a dear woman who went to be with the Lord. She follows Christ, who is the firstborn from the dead.
“Born from the dead.” Have you ever thought about what that means? Christians have a “new birth.” Before our salvation we are “dead in our trespasses and sins.” However, after we repent of our sins and confess Jesus as Lord, we receive the Holy Spirit and are “born” from our dead state and made alive in Christ. What we experience internally in our spirit at the moment of salvation will be fully realized eternally at our bodily resurrection. Christ has led the way as the firstborn from the dead with a resurrection body. We can be sure that as He rose, we will rise!
Lord God, we praise You, the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED TO HILL COUNTRY MINISTRIES YESTERDAY.YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS A BLESSING and ALLOWS US TO DO MORE THAN WE COULD POSSIBLY DO ALONE.
IF YOU MISSED THE “BIG GIVE” YESTERDAY, YOU CAN STILL GIVE HERE. YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE & DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
Praise to the Lord, the FIRST and the LAST
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”
Sometimes spiritual concepts are difficult. Not so with God’s announcement about Himself. God’s words are simple, direct, and clear. We don’t have to analyze anything or ponder God’s statement to understand it. We simply need to respond in faith. (Hebrews 11:6)
Lord God, You make it clear that there is no God besides You. You are the FIRST and the LAST!
I’m speaking at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, MIDLAND, TX tonight. If you’re in the area, I’d love to have you join me, 6-9 p.m. If you’re not, please pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on all there.
Praise to the Finisher of Our Faith
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Have you ever considered how much Jesus despised the shame of the cross? Yet, He suffered through it in order to not only give us a start in our Christian walk, but to also make sure that our faith is perfected, complete, finished. It is with tremendous gratitude each of us should look heavenward in praise of our Lord and thank Him – the author and finisher of our faith!
Lord Jesus, we praise You, the FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!