365 Days of Praise
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.
I AM CREATED for GOOD WORKS
“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.“
I’m sitting in Room 804 of a hotel in Ft Worth, Texas. As I look out the window, I wonder, “What does God want of me today?” Then, I realize I already have the answer. He wants me to walk in the good works He has prepared for me. What are those good works? I don’t know the details yet. But, I know my walk must begin with a prayer, “Fill me with Your Spirit so that I walk by Your Spirit today.” I know my walk will involve choosing to be selfless. It will involve turning from temptation. It will demand I purposefully yield my will to His leading. It is a moment by moment walk. And, at the end of the day, I will look back and see the good works that God prepared for me to walk in. I’ll also see some mis-steps. No doubt, I’ll have to confess mud puddles of sin into which I walked when I wasn’t paying attention. But, it will be a walk on which Jesus is ever present; patiently whispering my name to guide me back on path.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the good works You prepared in which I am to walk. Forgive me when I stray. Quicken me to be increasingly sensitive to Your promptings and the good works You’ve prepared for me to do.
I AM SAVED
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.“
Meriam Ibrahim. Are you familiar with her? She is a Sudanese woman who faced being lashed and hung because she is a Christian. After giving birth to her son while in prison in ankle chains; she, her newborn, and 2 year old child remained in prison while her Christian husband fought for her release. There was NOTHING she could do to save herself. She was in shackles. She was imprisoned. And, so are we until we turn our faces heavenward and cry out to Jesus. We cannot save ourselves. But we can be saved. Someone beyond the prison cell, someone higher than Meriam, knew of her inability to save herself and did the necessary work to save her and rescue her from the domain of darkness in which she was captive. Today, if God has saved you; praise Him for the gift of your salvation. Praise Jesus for doing the work of paying for the price of your sins in His body on the cross. Praise them for rescuing you from the domain of Satan’s darkness. Praise them and say with deep hearted gratefulness, “I am saved.”
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, may a day not go by that I am not keenly aware of the blessing of being able to say, “I am saved.”
I Am SEATED with GOD in the HEAVENLY PLACES in CHRIST
“and seated us with Him in the heavely places in Christ Jesus,“
Work. Work. Work. Do you ever feel that you have to “work” for God? Or, that you have to “work” to make yourself a better Christian? True, we want to serve Christ. And, we want to work heartily for Him. However, our work must flow from a position of deep “seated” gratefulness and knowledge that our work is simply our being His vessels. When we attempt to do “works” for God that originate in our minds rather than heaven, they become burdensome. When we serve Christ out of a determined, “I must get this done,” attitude, we find the task draining. But, when we see all that God has done for us in Christ and that He has seated us in Christ in the heavenly places, our perspective and service changes. Seated in Christ, we whisper prayers to our Father and listen to what He’d like us to do. Filled with His Spirit, we tackle projects; knowing the joy and the gifts of His Spirit that we’re experiencing are flowing from Him.
Heavenly Father, it’s amazing for me to think on how I am seated with You in the heavenly places in Christ. Help me more fully rest in that seated position.