365 Days of Praise

Radiant! You look radiant. Do people say that when they see you? Does the glow on your face cause them to comment? If you said no, neither has anyone said that about me. Guess who that is said about, though? Jesus. Hebrews 1:3 describes Him in this way:

 “He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature,…”  Hebrews 1:3

The word “radiance” is only used 5 times in the Bible and in each instance refers to God. Commentator Vines defines God’s “radiance” as “shining forth, of a light coming from a luminous body.” Isn’t that exciting? One day we will see Jesus and His radiance. So remember that when things around you are dark, Jesus isn’t. Nothing can extinguish His radiance. One glorious day we’ll join those who are living in God’s radiance. We’ll fall on our knees overwhelmed by what we see. That day is coming when we go to Jesus or when He returns through the clouds. Keep watching and living for Him!

Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus, our hearts are overwhelmed when we think of how we will one day stand in Your radiance.  We praise You and look forward to that day! 

“He’s coming with a sleigh and reindeer.” That’s what some parents tell their children about Santa and kids get excited in anticipation of his arrival. But hey, believers! The real gift-giver from above is coming in the clouds and not with a sleigh and reindeer. Rather, Christ will come with the armies of heaven following Him. (Revelation 19:14) Rather than wearing a human made santa suit, Revelation 19:16 describes Christ’s robe and what is written on it:

on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’

Christ’s coming isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a fact. It’s incredible and beyond exciting.  As Old Testament believers once looked forward to the day the Messiah would come, believers look forward to the day Jesus will return to earth in glory. How magnificent that will be!

Christ Jesus, LORD OF LORDS, we bow in worship and praise You, King of Kings. 

Do you ever feel empty or drained? What about anxious or uptight? Does mad or angry better describe you? Or sad and melancholy? Whatever our condition, whatever our need, we have a SUPPLIER. Short on perseverance? Ready to give up or cave in? Feel like you’re going to blow a fuse? Don’t know how you’ll ever smile again? Those are temporary feelings that we can have at times. But if we’re a Christian, we have hope. God offers to SUPPLY all our needs according to HIS RICHES in GLORY in CHRIST JESUS. Don’t tightly hold on to any angry or discouraged feelings. Rather, open your heart and hand. Take hold of what you need through God’s SUPPLY of glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

“And my God will SUPPLY all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 4:19

Do you agree that our world is filled with a variety of gods to which we give our time, energy, and money? What kinds of gods? Sports gods, education gods, work gods, money gods, pleasure gods, political gods, and social gods to name a few. In effect, we worship them when they become the driving force in our life, occupy our thoughts, and even affect our mood.  However Jesus makes it clear in John 17:3 that there is only one TRUE GOD. He is to be the object of our love and passion. He is to occupy and control our thoughts, emotions, energy, and resources. We are to love the LORD with ALL our heart, and ALL our soul, and ALL our mind. (Mark 12:30)  And, importantly, as He states in John 17:3, He is the way to eternal life.  

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 

What or whom do we worship and therefore give power to in our lives?

In the last several years, there has been an increase in the number of people wanting to know about their ancestors. However, genealogy has always been important in the Bible. For instance, consider the first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the New Testament, Matthew 1:1.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Just in case someone might doubt Jesus’s rightful place as heir to King David’s throne, His lineage is recorded for the next twenty-five verses.  Yes, Jesus is the Son of God, but He is also the Son of David. Among the many important implications, it is important to recognize that Jesus knows what it is to live in human skin –  to need a nap, to feel tears roll down His cheek, and to thirst as He hung on the cross.  Jesus’s genealogy is well proved and we will one day see Him sitting on His throne.

Son of David, we praise You for willingly leaving Your heavenly home to put on flesh and live among us. We love and adore You.