365 Days of Praise

Have you ever considered that the Heavenly Father delights in Jesus? Yes, Jesus is God’s delight, as Isaiah 42:1 points out: “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights.” 

In a world full of evil, what a blessing it must be for the Heavenly Father to look at Jesus and say, “My soul delights in You.” 

Reading that our Heavenly Father delights in Jesus stirs in me a longing for Him to delight in me, but I can’t imagine that being the case due to the fact I still sin. 

Then again, could our Heavenly Father delight in us while not delighting in our sins? Yes. Proverbs 3:12 says, “For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” 

Our Heavenly Father has set His affection on us. He loved us before we were saved (John 3:16). Now that we are saved, He corrects us like a loving father corrects his children. So while celebrating God’s pure delight in Jesus, we can also mindfully learn what is pleasing to our Heavenly Father. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, in whom Your soul DELIGHTS. Help me be more mindful of how I can live so that You delight in me. 

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Are you familiar with the saying, “I’m your huckleberry”? Several summers ago, my husband, Keith, and I visited Glacier National Park. Right outside the park, we stopped at a restaurant that had everything huckleberry: huckleberry pie, huckleberry pancakes, huckleberry coffee. And for those of you who know Keith, you won’t be surprised that he wanted to buy me a T-shirt that said, “I’m your huckleberry.” I wasn’t quite sure what it meant to be someone’s huckleberry so I did a little research. To be one’s huckleberry is “to be just the right person for a given job or a willing executor of some commission.” ¹

What does any of this have to do with Jesus? There was only one person who could fulfill the righteous requirement of the law. Only one person could pay our sin debt. Only Jesus, “in whom all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9).

Jesus, in whom all the fullness of Deity dwelt in bodily form was “just the right person for the job” of saving us. Jesus is “just the right person” to empower us to live the Christian life. 

Are we rejoicing before Jesus? Are we daily thanking Him? Are we walking by His Spirit?  

Lord Jesus, One in whom all the fullness of DEITY dwells, God’s perfect provision and “just the right person for the job” of saving and sanctifying me, I love and praise You. 

Would you like to learn more about being led by God’s Spirit and become better equipped to discern God’s voice? Listen to this free podcast teaching: “Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.”

Have you ever felt weak when you were attacked by Satan? Have you ever felt that you were teetering and could fall? I have. What’s especially troubling is sometimes I haven’t even immediately recognized when I was under assault by the enemy. 

Those times could be more than disheartening if we didn’t have the full assurance that the Lord is our Defender, as David wrote in Psalm 27:1-3. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I will be confident.” 

What a contrast David draws between teetering in fear and being confident. Was his confidence in himself? No. The word “defense” in this verse means a fortified place, rock, strength, and a place of safety. David’s confidence was in the Lord, his rock, strength, and place of safety. 

The next time you feel under attack by the enemy or you are attacked by a person because you are standing on Biblical principles, go to the Lord, confident that He is your defense, strength, and place of safety. 

Lord, how I thank You that You are my DEFENDER against the enemy. I place my full confidence in You. 

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Have you ever been without electricity and light for a significant period of time? In 2021, a winter storm in Texas caused our home to be without electricity for six days, during which I experienced darkness to a greater degree than ever before. Sitting in the darkness, I thought of what unbelievers will experience in eternity; forever separated from the light of Christ, who the prophet Zechariah referred to as the “Dayspring from on high” (Luke 1:78). 

What did Zechariah mean when he used the term “Dayspring from on high” in reference to Jesus? No doubt, “Dayspring” refers to what we would expect—the light of day. Jesus, the Dayspring of heaven, brought heaven’s glorious light to our dark world. He brought it not only to our world at large, but to us individually when we turn to Him. 

If you know someone who is not a believer, share with them that Jesus is the Dayspring from on High through whom they can have eternal light. 

If you are struggling with darkness, if your thoughts are dark, if your perspective is dark, turn your face to the Dayspring from on High. Ask Him to rid you of any darkness, of any sin, and to fill you with His glorious presence, the Dayspring from on High. 

Glorious DAYSPRING FROM ON HIGH, shine the light of Your presence on me and in me. Show me sins I need to confess. Forgive me. Fill me with the Light of Your presence.

Would you like some resources to help you triumph? Check out these books that can be read individually or used as group Bible studies: The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World and Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.

Have you ever questioned the “why” behind God’s commands? If so, it helps to remember that God created us as Genesis 1:27 reminds us. “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” 

Our Creator knows what is best for us and what hurts us. Jesus’ commands such as those found in Matthew 6:34 not to worry and in Ephesians 4:31-32 to forgive and to put bitterness away from us are examples of our Creator’s instructions that serve our best interests. They help us have more peace, contentment, and joy. 

What can happen if we, the creation, ignore our Creator’s ways? Romans 1:24-25 warns us. “God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.” 

God created us. His Word is our instruction manual; far more important than a car or appliance manual. If we want our life and relationship with Him and others to run smoothly, we’re wise to read and follow His instructions. How well are we following our Creator’s instructions? 

Heavenly Father, CREATOR, forgive me for too often ignoring Your instructions. Awaken me to the importance of reading and following Your holy teachings. 

Would you like to deepen your relationship with God? Discover the many resources on our website that can help you grow in your walk with the Lord. We offer several free resources, including podcasts, video teachings, listening guides, and more!

Has anyone ever broken a promise to you? More than likely, you answered “yes.” Promises are broken every day, but there is One, God, whose promises you can count on today and for eternity. 

Beginning in Genesis, God promised to never destroy the earth again with a flood. God kept His Noahic Covenant, another word for promise. 

God promised Abraham that He would make a great nation out of his descendants. The nation of Israel is the fulfillment of God’s covenant. 

God made a covenant with King David that he would have a descendant on the throne forever. That covenant/promise is fulfilled in Jesus. 

God promised a new covenant fulfilled by Jesus. “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:27-28). 

Yes, Jesus made a covenant, a promise, sealed with His blood that anyone who repents of sin and believes in Him for the forgiveness of their sins will be saved and given the Holy Spirit. 

Other people may have broken their promises to you, but the Lord, the Covenant Maker, can be trusted today and for eternity. 

Lord Jesus, COVENANT MAKER, thank You for the peace and eternal life You give me through Your blood sacrifice. I worship and praise You.

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Are you at your wit’s end? Do you need someone to talk to who can help you sort out your problems and worries? If so, go to God, where you will receive the best counsel in the world. 

Where do we find God counseling someone? Among numerous places, we find Him counseling Cain in Genesis 4:6-7. What was the problem? “Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.” What counsel did God give Cain? God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?” Then, He warned and directed Cain, “…if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 

Yes, God is the wonderful Counselor, as Isaiah 9:6 says. Talk to Him, then follow His counsel. I record what God prompts me to do in my journal, Prayers of My Heart so I have a record of what He places on my heart. 

What do God’s counseling prompts sound like? At times He has counseled me, “Open your Bible and read a Psalm.” Other times it has been, “Stop procrastinating and tackle what is before you.” Or, “Instead of wondering about someone, call them.” A wise Christian will both talk things out with their counselor and also follow up on what He tells them to do. 

Lord, You are the wonderful COUNSELOR. Increase my sensitivity to Your Voice. Help me take seriously Your counsel and follow through on what You lead me to do.

Would you like an organized way to record what God is speaking to you? Grab a copy of Prayers of My Heart prayer journal to write down what God places on your heart. 

Would you rather God contend—plead a cause—for you or would you rather Him contend against you? If you answered that you would rather God contend “for you,” then you have reason to jump up and down for joy. Why? 

Isaiah 51:22 states, “Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God who contends for His people, ‘Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, the chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again.’” 

Did you catch Isaiah’s words? “Your God who contends for His people.” Yes, God contends for, not against us. 

A “hallelujah” with hands raised in praise is appropriate because as God has dealt with Israel, so He deals with those who place their faith in Christ. 

Lord, I thank You that You are a God who CONTENDS FOR—not against—Your people. I praise You with hands raised high. 

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Heavenly Father. Lord. Savior. You’re familiar with those descriptions of God. Shepherd. Love. Peace. The list goes on. But what about Consuming Fire? Are you familiar with Deuteronomy 4:24 that warns, “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”? 

Where in the Bible do we find the Lord showing forth that aspect of His nature? In Genesis 18:20, the Lord said to Abraham regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, “their sin is exceeding grave.” Genesis 19:24 records that after rescuing Lot and his family out of the cities, He “rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven.”

The New Testament reinforces the holy, consuming fire of God’s nature. Hebrews 12:29 states, “our God is a consuming fire.” Revelation 20:9 speaks of a future day when fire will again come down from heaven and devour those who fight against Him and His saints. “And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” 

Yes, our God is a consuming fire before whom sin cannot remain. 

Lord God, CONSUMING FIRE, burning in righteousness and purity, I worship and praise You. 

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