365 Days of Praise
Show Me that You Love Me
Have you ever wished someone would do more than tell they love you; they would show you? Romans 5:8 explains that is what God did when He sent Jesus to earth. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Then, Jesus SHOWED us how much He loves us dying on the cross for our sins so we could live eternally in heaven. He showed the greatest love, as explained in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than one lay down his life for his friends.” God the Father and Son proved their love. They DEMONSTRATED their love. If you think you’re unloved, think again! They’ve shown you.
Thank You, Lord, for DEMONSTRATING Your love by saving us. Please help us increasingly demonstrate Your love to others.
Friends, I have you on my heart. Is there some way I can be praying for you?
Could God Love Me
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 His words stirs in me a longing for our Heavenly Father to delight in me, but I’m so mindful of my sin, I can’t imagine that being the case. Then again, could our Heavenly Father delight in us, while not delighting in our sin? 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 even before we were saved. (John 3:16) Now that we are saved, He loves and corrects us like we love and correct our children. So while celebrating God’s pure delight in Jesus, we learn what is pleasing to our Heavenly Father and how to walk by His Spirit so we can increasingly delight Him.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, in whom Your soul finds pure delight. Thank You for delighting in us while we learn to walk in Your ways.
The Right Person for the Job
Are you familiar with the saying, “I’m your huckleberry”? Several summers ago, my husband 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 couldn’t keep from buying me a purple huckleberry teeshirt that says, “I’m your huckleberry.” I wasn’t sure what I was wearing 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.” What does any of this have to do with Jesus? Colossians 2:9 says this about Christ, “…in Him, all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” In other words, Christ is “just the right person for the job” to fulfill all righteousness in us. He is “just the right person for the job” to help us live the Christian life. Jesus is “just the right person for the job” to help us with any and every thing we need. In other words, He is heaven’s gift to us, the willing executor of our eternal salvation. Are we rejoicing in Him? Are we rejoicing before Him? Are we embracing Heaven’s gift for every thing in our lives? If not, why not?
Lord Jesus, You and You alone are the One in whom ALL the fullness of DEITY dwells. You are God’s heavenly provision, “just the right person for the job,” for our salvation and sanctification, for our daily walk with You and before You. How we love and adore You.
If You’re Wondering What to Do About Something
Are you at your wit’s end? Do you need someone to talk to who can help you sort out your concerns, problems, and worries? God understands. Our Heavenly Father is the original COUNSELOR. And, Isaiah 9:6 says this about Jesus. Not only is He our Counselor, He is a “Wonderful Counselor.” Our Heavenly Father and Jesus are wonderful counselors because they are excellent listeners and know us inside and out. We can talk to them and know they hear us, and when we quiet ourselves in their presence, we can hear them. Talk to your Wonderful Counselor, then follow His counsel. I record what God prompts me to do in my journal, Prayers of My Heart. It helps me follow through because I can reread what I’ve recorded that He put on my heart. What do God’s prompts sound like? His prompt might be, “Open your Bible and read a Psalm.” It might be, “Stop procrastinating and tackle what is before you.” His prompt might be, “Instead of wondering about someone, call them.” Or, “Do _____ today.” A wise Christian will both talk things out with their Wonderful Counsel and follow how the Wonderful Counselor prompts them. Are we wise?
LORD, You are the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. Increase our sensitivity to Your Voice. Help us take seriously Your counsel and follow through on what You lead us to do.
When You’re Teetering
Have you ever been weak and felt like you were teetering when it came to temptation? I have for sure. What’s especially troubling is sometimes I haven’t even recognized I was in the midst of a temptation. It could be more than disheartening if we didn’t have the full assurance that God won’t turn loose of us and not only that, He defends us. In Isaiah 37:35, God says,“’I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’” The word “defend” means “cover and surround.”* In Psalm 27:1, David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?” The word “defense” means a fortified place, rock, strength, a place of safety. These verses assure us that nothing can defeat us when we look to God as our defense and defender. Rather than fear that we’ll fall when tempted, we can fall to our knees and praise our DEFENDER.
Heavenly Father, thank You that we can look to You and be fully assured that You are our defense and strength. We love You.
*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1598&t=NASB
If You’re Down
Are you down or discouraged? Do you feel the heaviness of oppression? Are you down on yourself or disappointed in someone? Do you feel betrayed? The apostle Paul, whom God used mightily, had ample opportunity to be discouraged. Lonely nights. Conflicting opinions among believers. Physical sufferings. Wrongful imprisonments. Yet, in Romans 15:5-6 he writes, “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul got his encouragement from God. He got his encouragement from singing praises to Him. If we’re down, what can we do? Turn off the TV. Go to God in prayer. Open our Bibles. Receive His encouragement.
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for ENCOURAGING us in our innermost beings. Help us persevere by keeping our minds on You.
Here’s a Good Reason to Follow the Owner’s Manual
Have you ever wondered about the “why” behind God’s commands? If so, it helps to realize that since He created us, as Isaiah 40:28 explains, He knows what is beneficial to us and what hurts us. For instance, when the Scriptures were written, they didn’t have the research on the harmful effects of worry and stress. So, Jesus simply stated in Matthew 6:34, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” They didn’t have the research on the destructive nature of bitterness so God simply commanded us in Ephesians 4:31-32 to forgive and put bitterness away from us. In other words, God’s commands are in our best interest. They help us go through life with more peace, contentment, and joy. Just as a car owner is wise to read and follow the manual that came with their car, so we’re wise to read and follow the manual our Lord has given us. How well are we doing that? Where might we need to go back the Owner’s Manual and read what adjustments need to be made in our life so it runs more optimally?
Heavenly Father, Lord and CREATOR, forgive us for too often ignoring the commands in Your manual. Draw us to Your Holy instructions to obey Your teachings.
Heaven to Mankind, Here’s Comfort
When Simeon, anointed by the Holy Spirit, saw the infant Jesus at Christ's presentation in the temple, he knew He was seeing the long awaited Messiah. Jesus is the Consolation of Israel, but He is also the Consolation for any person who turns to Him for salvation.
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In Need of A Carpenter?
Have you ever looked at your life, job, or relationship, and felt discouraged or hopeless? Have you ever thought, “I don’t see any way things can get better?” Or perhaps, “My best years are over”? If you have had any of those thoughts, be encouraged. Why? Hebrews 3:4 tells us that God is “the builder of all things.” In other words, Jesus was more than a small town carpenter. He is the one who built the heavens and earth. Jesus built His global church from a small number of men and women. If He can build the heavens, our bodies, and recreate us at our spiritual birth, He can build our lives in new, exciting ways. This is not the time for a DIY (Do It Yourself) makeover. We need a professional. Ask the Lord, the Builder of all things, to reconstruct your thoughts, to remodel your day, to expand the SONroom of your heart so you sit and have meaningful conversations with God and ask Him questions and learn from Him. Ask the Carpenter to remodel you.
Jesus, Builder of All Things, You are our Savior Carpenter. You took nails that were meant for us on Your holy body so You could build us into a kingdom of priests. Reconstruct us into holy vessels who bring You glory.
Let the Blessing Sink In
Jesus asked His disciples who others said He was. Then He asked the more important question. “But who do you say that I am?” That’s a question every one of us must answer. Have we replied to Jesus as Simon Peter did? That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? Jesus affirmed Peter with these words, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (v17). Did we catch that? Jesus did more than affirm to Peter that he answered correctly. Jesus also pointed out that because Peter had confessed with his mouth what he knew in his heart – that Jesus is the Christ, Peter was blessed. Not only that Peter would be blessed one day, but that he was already blessed. Peter’s heavenly grasp that Jesus was more than a good man, that Jesus was God’s Son who had come to save us from our sins , sealed Peter’s destiny. His confession sealed his sins being eternally forgiven. So, too, my friend, you are blessed. Blessed with the forgiveness of your sins for eternity. Blessed with knowing the destiny of your soul so you don’t have to live in fear of death. In case you haven’t thought about it lately, let the blessing sink in.
Jesus, You are the CHRIST, the SON OF THE LIVING GOD. I praise You!
“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Matthew 16:16
HERE is where you’ll find scriptures and worship songs to encourage you throughout the day.