365 Days of Praise
WE ARE GIFTED
““When He ascended on high,
He led captive a host of captives,
And He gave gifts to men.”“
Sometimes it’s hard to believe. I know. Pastors tell us we’re gifted, and we just don’t buy into it. We look around at other people, and think, “Yes, he’s a gifted teacher. She’s gifted with faith. He’s gifted with administrative abilities. She’s gifted to be a great encourager. Me? I have nothing.” BUT, as with many of our innate thoughts, we’re wrong. We have to put on the new self and mind that are ours when we become Christians. And, one of the “newbies” is “we’re gifted.” This gifting is not a natural talent with which we’re born. Rather, it is as Ephesians 4:8 states, it is related to Christ’s resurrection celebration and pouring out spiritual gifts on all His followers. If you are a Christian, He gave you a birth day gift. It’s not wrapped with paper and bows. It’s in your new inner man and is to be unwrapped and used for Christ’s kingdom. When you use it, it will make you super happy. It’s like you finally find yourself and your purpose for existing. Have you unwrapped your gift? Are you using it? It opens up like gift wrapping tissue being flung from a gift bag when you’re walking in step with Christ. Here are a few of the fun ways you’ll see gifts being expressed. Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. If you don’t immediately identify your gift, why not start by exercising your faith and encouraging others? (2 of the gifts!)
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gifts of Your Spirit. What a joy to serve You with them!
WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF GRACE
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.“
What does it mean to you that you were “given grace.” Do you know what “grace” means? It’s a word that is spelled closely to “grave.” Change the “v” to “c” and it changes your destiny – your eternity. You see, because of graCe, your soul does not go to hell when your body goes in the graVe. Because of graCe, you’re forgiven. Your graCe filled soul goes to heaven when your body goes in the graVe. For what does the C stand? Christ. His love, compassion, goodness, and sweet favor extended to us on the cross. Raise your eyes toward heaven. Bow your knees. Call out to God, a God of GRACE and glory. Praise Him. Then, ask Him to USE the graCe He has extended you to serve others with the graCe gift He’s given you.
Heavenly Father, it overwhelms me when I meditate on Your GRACE, and that I am the recipient of it. Thank YOU! I sing Your praises and ask You use me to pour out Your graCe on others.
WE HAVE GOD’S POWER WORKING WITHIN US
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,“
Do you think you’re “hard wired” genetically and can’t change? Or perhaps your habits are so deeply ingrained that you’ve given up and ceased striving to change or improve? If so, your mind is not in alignment with God’s, but it can be believing this one little verse. Read Ephesians 3:20 again….slowly. As a Christian, you have a dynamic force at work within you that overrides your innate inability to change. We can change because of “HIM who is able.” So, yes, maybe we’re not able to change on our own, but we have “HIM WHO IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY BEYOND.” And, God’s “far more abundantly” ability is BEYOND all that we even ask or think. We have God’s “power that works within us.” It is HIS power that even drives you to read this post. He is working within you. Our job is to BELIEVE HIM, turn to HIM, and grow in HIS WORDs. I’ll have more on this in a new study on which I’m working. I can’t wait to share it with you. In the meantime, pray for me – that all God wants me to share with you about “how we change,” He first works in, out, and through me.
Heavenly Father, You give us hope. More importantly, You give us truth. We can change; not because of our innate ability, but rather because of YOUR POWER WORKING WITHIN US. What a great hope, and we thank You!
WE’RE ROOTED and GROUNDED in LOVE
“you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,“
A few days ago I was dismayed to discover that the cucumber plant I had planted in my vegetable garden was gone. I had noticed it wasn’t thriving like the other plants. I had noticed it was looking poorly. But I thought it was simply off to a slow start. Then, one day, it was simply gone. Since I’m fairly new to gardening, I had no idea what happened. I wondered, “Did my dog dig it up? Did another animal get into the garden and eat it?” I had no clue. A few days later, I noticed a second plant was beginning to look poorly and observed a few holes in the leaves. I inspected the plant, but didn’t see caterpillars or other insects on them. However, I decided to play it safe and sprayed them with an organic bug spray. And, so, we are like the plants. God has rooted and grounded us in the fertile soil of Christ’s love. We lack for nothing. However, we must be on guard for sometimes unobservable but very real infestations of greed, bitterness, pride, and overly busy schedules that eat away at the leaves and fruit God intends for us to bear. God has rooted and grounded us in love. What’s eating away at you?
Heavenly Father, sometimes we feel that something is wrong, but we don’t know what it is. We know in our minds that You have rooted and grounded us in love, but something is “eating away” at us. Please show us what it is. We pray that we thrive in the garden of Your love and bear the fruit of Your love to others.
WE ARE STRENGTHENED with GOD’S SPIRIT in the INNER MAN
“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,“
Do you ever feel weak? Are you ever concerned for loved ones who seem “down and out?” If so, you might consider doing and praying as outlined in Ephesians 3:14-16: “I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man…” Now, that’s a sermon! 1st – Paul BOWED before the Father. 2nd – He acknowledged the RICHES of God’s GLORY. 3rd – He acknowledged that our Father can GRANT us things. 4th – He asked that we be STRENGTHENED with power in our INNER man. When was the last time you prayed that for your child, spouse, parent, friend, pastor, or self? It’s a wonderful prayer. Why not believe it, pray it, then proclaim, “I am STRENGTHENED with POWER through GOD’S SPIRIT in MY INNER MAN.”
Heavenly Father, would you please strengthen my loved ones and me according to the riches of Your glory with power in our inner man?
WE ARE A DWELLING of GOD
“…in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.“
It amazes me when I read verses that refer to my body being a dwelling place of God; or the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) I like how commentator Matthew Henry explains this passage in Ephesians: “Observe, not only the universal church is called the temple of God, but particular churches; and even every true believer is a living temple, is a habitation of God through the Spirit. God dwells in all believers now, they having become the temple of God through the operations of the blessed Spirit, and his dwelling with them now is an earnest of their dwelling together with him to eternity.” When we wake in the mornings, go about our day, and end our evening, shouldn’t this thought be ever present on our minds: “I am a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” If it were on our minds, how would it affect what we do and say?
Heavenly Father, please make me increasingly mindful that I am the dwelling place of Your Holy Spirit so that all I do and say bring You honor and glory.
WE ARE of GOD’S HOUSEHOLD
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.“
Do you ever feel lonely? Do you ever wish for more family? Or, long for the family you never had? There is no perfect earthly family. But, we have a perfect family to which we can look forward: God’s family. What a blessing to know that Christians are “part of God’s household. That has a good ring to it, doesn’t it? In the meantime, while we’re on earth, God wants us to be kind to one another. (Ephesians 4:32) If we have disagreements with one another, we’re to follow His household rules. First, before we point the finger at our brother or sister, we’re to examine ourselves and get the logs of sin out of our own eyes. (Matthew 7:5) Then, and only then, are we to go to the person with whom we have an issue. We’re to approach them lovingly and for the purpose of restoration. (Matthew 18:15) In other words, back room gossip and slander are a violation of God’s household rules. Are we glad we’re part of God’s household? Then, we must act like it.
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we tear one another down. Help us repent of our selfishness and pride. Help us lovingly relate to one another as children of Your divine household.
WE HAVE ACCESS to the FATHER
“through Him we have our access in one Spirit to the Father.“
I remember the first time I read Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” My reaction to that verse was, “Wow! Satan had access to God? He could go into His presence and talk to Him?” The thought astounded me. Fast forward to this side of the cross; to us. WE have access to God. We are able to go into His presence through the Spirit. Are we taking advantage of the opportunity? Do we pray about our needs and return in prayer to thank Him for His answers? (Philippians 4:6) Maybe we take advantage of the opportunity sometimes, but not as often as we might. If so, let’s begin today to take advantage of our remarkable opportunity to have access to the Father.
Heavenly Father, I need You. I need Your strength, healing, and empowerment to live rightly before You. Thank You that I have access to You. Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, grace, and empowerment. Make my life a reflection of You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
WE’RE RECONCILED to GOD through the CROSS
“might RECONCILE them …to God through the cross,“
Yesterday, while editing my Bible study on 1 Corinthians, I reviewed a comment I’d made that we no longer deal with “meat sacrificed to idols” as the Corinthians did. However, after work, I went to a nail salon and noticed a plate of apples in front of two Buddhas. I asked the Vietnamese lady doing my nails if she ate the apples after offering them to Budda. We had an interesting discussion as she explained Buddha couldn’t really eat them. “So, can you?” I asked. “Or, do they just sit on the plate and turn brown?” As we visited, I began wondering, “Would I eat one of those apples if she offered it to me?” I realized that the issue of “meat sacrificed to idols” was still pertinent. Then, I had the opportunity to visit with her about Jesus. “No, I do not sacrifice to Jesus. Jesus made the sacrifice for me by dying on the cross.” As Ephesians 2:16 explains, Jesus did it all. He reconciled us to God through the cross. The Vietnamese lady will continue to offer food to the non living Buddha. We, on the other hand, offer ourselves to the living God to whom we are reconciled. Aren’t you grateful?
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus Christ who reconciled us to You through the cross. Jesus, we love You and praise You!
I AM GOD’S WORKMANSHIP
“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,“
“I am God’s workmanship.” Say it to yourself. Be humbled by it. But He not only created us as human beings; He recreated us in Christ Jesus. In other words, He made us anew. The word “created” in verse 10 means “to form, shape, to completely change or transform.”* That means we have a new start in Christ Jesus. And with our new start, come new works – good works. Maybe we look at our past and think of the times we’ve blown it. But our past is just that – past. After we’ve repented of our “bad works,” God calls us to today and to the good works for which He created us. I’m walking as His workmanship today. So are you.
Heavenly Father, what a delight to start over every day and to know that Your mercies and compassion are fresh every morning. Teach us how to walk as Your workmanship.