365 Days of Praise

“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.”“

Matthew 11:29

Gentle. The all powerful God is gentle?  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. Moreso with Christ. While holding infite 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! I praise You!

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“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”

Psalm 36:9

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 bursting and flowing, spashing, and dancing in the sunlight. “Come to Me and drink!” Jesus invites all. (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, we might ask? The FOUNTAIN of LIFE: GOD.  Thirsty? Dry? Maybe it’s because our view of God is 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 me! Fill me up. Flow in and through me!

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*Blue Letter Bible, http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4726&t=NASB, **John 7:38

“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

Colossians 1:18

Today 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 our 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 follow Him and rise!

Lord God, I praise You, the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD! 

“…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.”

Romans 3:25b-26.

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 even committed before Jesus died. The forebearing Lord is just. The forebearing 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 God, I praise You for Your FORBEARANCE! You are great and merciful! 

TODAY IS CATCH UP DAY!  

 BE SURE TO RECORD GOD’S ATTRIBUTES IN YOUR PRAYERS OF MY HEART PRAYER JOURNAL. RECORDING IT HELPS PLANT GOD’S ATTRIBUTE IN YOUR MIND. PLUS, YOU’LL HAVE A TREASURE KEEPSAKE OF GOD’S 365 ATTRIBUTES AT THE END OF THE YEAR.  HERE’S MINE:

*”Forebearance,” http://www.blueletterbible.org  

“We had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”

Hebrews 12:9-10

Jesus. Friend. God. Father of Spirits. The ways in which God the Father, Son, and Spirit reveal themselves is incredible, isn’t it?* In Hebrews 12:9-10 we’re tiold that God is the Father of spirits. Not only did He birth our existence, He also assumes responsibility for our discipline so that we share in His holiness. The next time we feel a sense of conviction for something we did that we know went against the expressed will of God, let’s pay attention rather than ignore His voice. It’s the Father of our spirit calling to us. 

Father of Spirits, thank You for loving me and calling me to holiness. I praise You!

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“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.”

John 15:13-14

On Valentine’s Day each year, couples express their love for one another; while many who are not in a relationship long to be loved. However, Jesus pointed out that there is a love greater than romantic love. It is the love of one who will lay down their life for another; which is exactly what Jesus did for you. If your spouse isn’t expressing that lovin’ feeling and a significant other isn’t showing up at your door with candy and flowers, be assured there is One who profoundly loves you. The Son of God calls Himself your FRIEND and showed off His love for you in the most profound of ways. Red is the color of His love, and His heart beats for you. Listen. 

Jesus Christ, lover of my soul, I praise You! Thank You for calling me FRIEND and laying down Your life for me! 

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“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

James 1:17

Are you going through a dark time physically, emotionally, or spiritually? It can happen to even the most dedicated follower of Christ.  What are we to do during the darkness of trials, temptations, and despair? Remember the truth:  God is the Father of lights. Regarding this verse, Charles Ryrie writes, “God is the source of all light – physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual – and He does not change.”* If we need a change, then we do well to look to God and follow His advice on any moral, physical, intellectual, or spiritual issue. That’s where we’ll regain the light for which we desperately long.   

Lord, I praise You – the Father of Lights! Fill me with the gift of the Light of Your Presence.  

*Charles Ryrie, the Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition, New American Standard Bible 1995 Update, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, page 1969.

“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…”

Romans 8:31

“Which team are you for?” “What candidate are you for?“

Have you ever thought about who might be for you? The answer is GOD. Although life may throw us a curve ball, and at times we may not feel like anyone is for us, remember, God is; proved by the fact that He did not spare Jesus, but delivered Him over for us. The next time you feel like nobody is for you, look UP! God is. 

Father, I praise You that you are for me. What a blessing and comfort!

“I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True…”

Revelation 19:11

Have you been in a relationship with someone who was NOT faithful and true? If so, you know the deep hurt of that kind of a relationship. God knows that hurt. He gave everything to Adam and Eve, but they were NOT faithful and true to Him. Could that be why it’s so important to Him for believers to know that CHRIST IS FAITHFUL and TRUE? We can count on Him.  We can depend on Him. He won’t abandon us or let us down. 

Lord Jesus, You are FAITHFUL and TRUE. I thank You and praise You!

“Now the God of peace, wo brought up from the dead the great Sheperd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 

Hebrews 13:20-21

That may seem like a mouthful to read. But if we go back and slowly meditate on the verses, we see that the author is pointing out to us that the One to whom we look to equip us to do every good thing and His will is God. We look to God; who raised Jesus (the great Shepherd) from the dead.  Now if God can raise Jesus from the dead, He can certainly equip us to do His will. And, that, my friend, is praiseworthy! 

Lord God, who EQUIPs me to do every good thing and Your will, I praise You!