365 Days of Praise

²¹For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image…²⁴ 

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. ²⁵ 

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie…”

Have you ever been with a person whose convictions changed as often as the seasons? Perhaps they read a book and decided to follow that person’s opinion and philosophy of life.  Then they read another book and decided to follow a different view. Thank goodness believers don’t have to worry about God flipping His opinion every other year.  Thank goodness and thank God that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) In other words we can depend on Him. Christ and His teaching are  IMMUTABLE. They are unchanging. What He called holy yesterday is holy today and will be holy tomorrow. What He called sin yesterday is sin today and is sin tomorrow. And, the grace God extended yesterday is the grace He extends today and extends tomorrow. We follow and serve an unchanging, IMMUTABLE God.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, IMMUTABLE, unchanging Lord God!

“For there is no partiality with God.” 

Heavenly Father, we praise You that You do not show partiality. Rather, You IMPARTIALLY judge us in light of our response to Your Son. Stir our hearts to a greater passion to share Jesus with others. 

People long to be immortal.

“If I can drink from the Fountain of Youth….”

“If I can exercise and eat right….”

It’s in the human heart to want to live, not die. However, we will physically die. Jesus alone possesses immortality.  The good news is… the IMMORTAL ONE offers immortality to us. Yes, it’s possible for us to live forever in heaven. But, we have to drink from Christ, the Fountain of Life. (John 7:37)  We have to enter heaven through Jesus,

“who alone possesses IMMORTALITY and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”(1 Timothy 6:16)  

Who do you know who needs a drink from the Fountain of Life? Will you offer them Christ, the living water?

IMMORTAL LORD, we praise you and thank You for inviting us to immortality in heaven!  Stir our hearts and open our eyes to those with whom we can share You.

Can you imagine someone telling you what to name your unborn child? How about being told that your fiancé was going to have a son who would be born BEFORE the two of you came together sexually? While your head is spinning, add another piece of information: your fiancé is going to be pregnant not by a man, but by the Holy Spirit. At this point, it’s too much to absorb, but before you can ask a question, you’re told, “you will name Him Jesus.”  Before you can protest that you had planned to name your firstborn son after you, you’re told “Jesus” was selected because he would “save His people.” Your heart is racing. “Save our people?” That thought is a good one! But before you can finish the thought, the messenger continues, “…from their sins.” You want to blurt out, “What? Save people from their sins? But only God can do that.” And, that is exactly what Jesus did. “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.'” Matthew 1:23

Lord Jesus, IMMANUEL, we praise You! You’re not a God who is far removed. Nor are You one who has left us to die in the guilt of our sins. Rather, You’ve come from heaven to earth, IMMANUEL…GOD WITH US. Thank You, Lord Jesus.

“I wish I could see God.” Have you ever said those words or wished you could ask God for His opinion on a particular subject? If so, look to Jesus. Study His walk on earth. Pay attention to His teachings. Why? Because Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is the image of the invisible God which means “an exact replica, representation, or ‘picture’ of an original.”* In other words, God with skin, hair, nails, eyes, teeth…a beating heart, a warm touch, wisdom beyond our imagination. When we look at Jesus, we’re looking at God. When we listen to Jesus, we’re listening to God. If it has been a while since you read Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, go back and read it very slowly and carefully. Listen as if you were sitting in Jesus’s presence.  Listen for why Jesus might be speaking those words to you. Then think carefully about if you are heeding them. In other words, taken them into your heart. Have you made His words your way of thinking. This might be a good place for us to start if we want to be kingdom children.

Okay, so I’m not going to suggest that you do something that I’m not doing so I just re-read The Sermon on the Mount, and yes, Jesus convicted me of a sin and reminded me of many truths. It was big. It was huge. I knew there was someone in the back of my mind I needed to forgive and didn’t think I was holding onto any resentment, but I was. I forgave. Jesus took my resentment. It’s lifted. Okay, friends. It’s your turn. I’m pausing typing to pray for you that you will read and take to heart the words of Jesus – God with skin. The Sermon on the Mount

LORD Jesus Christ, IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, as we gaze on You in the Bible and as we listen to Your words and teachings, quicken our minds to take in your words not just give them a nod of approval. Lord, magnify your words in our brains. Create new pathways of kingdom thinking so we live and walk as kingdom children in our world. We love You. 

Are you in a dark spot? Maybe not literally, but it feels like it. You’re down. You don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps it’s the sin that surrounds you that oppresses your spirit. Maybe you’ve lost your vision for future projects or the vision for the family for which you long. Perhaps the thought of growing older and entering the sunset years seems bleak. Whatever you’re going through, remember this important fact: God is a lamp who illumines darkness. Yes. God is light.  You know that. I know that. But we sometimes forget. So today, right now resolve to carry the Light of Christ with you into every thought and situation. How? Well, my friend, you’ve already begun. You’ve opened your heart to the psalmist’s words in 2 Samuel 22:29, “You ILLUMINE MY DARKNESS.” So say the words loud and strong to Jesus.  Yes, right now. Say them with me, “Jesus, You illumine my darkness.” Now think on ways He does illumine your darkness. Grab a pen and write whatever comes to your mind. I’ll start us out, then you add to it.

Jesus, You illumine my darkness with the truth. When I read the Bible, you encourage my heart.

(Your turn.) ______________________________________________________________________

Dark spots and times in our lives aren’t the end of the tunnel. Rather, dark spots and times are signals to turn on the light just like when we walk in a dark room. We don’t bemoan the dark room. We don’t stand in one place in the dark room and say, “I can’t see how to move forward.” Instead, we put our hand on the light switch. So we put our hand on the Bible. We turn on the light switch.  We turn the pages of the Bible. Dark spots=invitations to invite Jesus in.

Jesus, You illumine the darkness. You illumine my darkness. Darkness cannot exist when You are present. So fill us. Prompt us to quickly turn to You and Your Word any time darkness begins to move into our heart or mind . We love You, sweet Savior.