365 Days of Praise
Praise to the TRIUMPHANT Lord
“When He (Jesus) had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having TRIUMPHED over them through Him.”
Do you ever feel like things are out of control? Does it seem like politicians and people in authority ignore your voice? Does it seem like we live in a world where truth is ignored and people are deceived? Christ can relate. He was pronounced “not guilty,” then crucified. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Christ TRIUMPHED over the grave, rulers, and authorities. He disarmed them and made a public display of them. The good news is – Christ is still on the throne. Wrongs will be righted one day. Deceptions will be revealed. Right and truth will prevail. The Triumphant Lord is also able to triumphant over strongholds in our lives, despair in our heart, and sin that entangles us. Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Christ is the triumphant Lord. Look to Him. Call on Him.
Lord, You are TRIUMPHANT over death, rulers and authorities. You are triumphant over powers and sin. We ask for Your help to stand against evil and to live godly, holy lives.
Praise to God, a TREASURE
“GOD… is the One who has SHONE in our HEARTS to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. For we have this TREASURE in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”
When you were little, did you go on a treasure hunt? Today, do you put your treasured valuables in a safety deposit box or a safe place in your home? The Bible tells us that we (Christians) are as a safety deposit box. Although we’re earthen, God trusts us with a treasure. What is the TREASURE? It’s God. It’s the knowledge of Him shining in our hearts. It’s His great power within us. With humble reverence and gratefulness beyond measure, we bow and worship God for this great gift of His presence in us.
Lord, YOU are the TREASURE that men seek, and we have You in our hearts. Thank YOU! We adore and worship You.
Praise to Our TOWER OF STRENGTH AND REFUGE
“For You have been a refuge for me,
A TOWER of STRENGTH against the enemy.”
Terrorists killed innocent people. Illness struck suddenly. Your job is a constant source of worry. Do you ever feel that you get past one storm and another hits? When a flood of sorrow, despair, or enemies surround you, run to the Lord. He is a TOWER OF STRENGTH. He is a place of refuge. You can pray. You can pour out your heart to Him. Then, be still and listen to His counsel. Follow His wise voice.
Lord, we praise You – a TOWER of STRENGTH and REFUGE. When we don’t know how we can get through the next minute, when our heart is aching to the point of death, when there is no one who can console us, when there is no shelter from despair or the enemy, You are there. We find refuge and strength in You.
Praise to Our TOWER of DELIVERANCE
“He is a TOWER OF DELIVERANCE to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever.”
If you’ve never read 2 Samuel 22, read it. David models praising God with a sincere heart. In other words, David isn’t praising God because he feels he must, he’s been told to, or he thinks it’s the right thing to do. He’s praising God because he’s overwhelmed with thanksgiving to God. He has SEEN God answer prayers and meet his needs. In 2 Samuel 22:51, David reminds us that God isn’t just a TOWER OF DELIVERANCE to him, but also to us.
Lord, You are a TOWER OF DELIVERANCE! We praise You with our whole heart!
Praise to God, the TRUST of ALL the ENDS of the EARTH
“By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the TRUST of ALL the ENDS of the EARTH and of the farthest sea;”
When you think of God, how big or how small is He? David points out that God is the One to whom ALL people can come (verse 2), and that God hears the prayers of people throughout the earth. Do you live in a remote part of the world, but are receiving this? Are you in a rehab and looking for One you can trust? Are you in a country where these words are being translated? Are you a missionary living with those who speak a different language? How incredible it is to know that the God of our salvation, who answers in righteousness is the TRUST OF ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND OF THE FARTHEST SEA.
Lord, we worship You, who are the TRUST of ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH and of the FARTHEST SEA.
Let God’s GLORY SHINE THROUGH YOU! RECEIVE AND SHARE MORE DAILY encouragement by CLICKING HERE. Record your praises of God in Prayers of My Heart.
I pray you have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Praise to Jesus, a TREASURE OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
“Jesus Christ…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Are you at a place in life where you have decisions to make and don’t know what to do? Perhaps you’re at a crossroads and trying to figure out God’s will. Or, maybe you’re in a personal or business relationship and aren’t confident about the wisest way to move forward. Maybe your questions are of a larger nature – about life, who God is, and your purpose. If so, look to Jesus, whom the Apostle Paul explains is “a place where good and precious things are laid up.”* In other words, Jesus is a TREASURY OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. In Him is the full explanation of God’s gift of salvation and our role and relationship to Him. We are not alone. We can look to Christ. We can pray and ask Him for wisdom and knowledge for how to proceed.
Lord Jesus Christ, we praise You, the TREASURY of all WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE to whom we can turn.
*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2344&t=NASB**
Praise to our TENDERHEARTED Lord
“Be kind to one another, TENDERHEARTED, forgiving each other, JUST AS GOD in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Have you ever known a hardhearted person? It seemed no matter how much you try, they shut you out. If you do anything wrong, they’re relentless and unforgiving. Not so with our Lord God. Although He could have every reason to be hardhearted toward us when we sin, instead, He pursues us and forgives us. What a TENDERHEARTED Lord we have! And, this is important – He commands us to be like Him – tenderhearted and forgiving.
Lord Jesus, we praise You that You’re TENDERHEARTED. How blessed we are to have You, a forgiving Lord! Help us be like You, forgiving toward others.
Praise to Christ, the TEMPLE of God
“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the TEMPLE of HIS BODY.”
The question the Jews had asked Jesus was, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” The “things” Jesus had done included making a scourge of cords and driving the sheep and oxen out of the temple, pouring out the coins of the money changers and overturning their tables; and saying to those selling doves, “Stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” In other words, Jesus acted like He owned the TEMPLE, and the Jews asked for a sign of His authority. “I’ll give you a sign,” Jesus said in so many words. “Destroy the TEMPLE and I’ll rebuild it in three days.” But, ahh, He wasn’t talking about the building. He was talking about His body; which they did destroy, and He raised in three days. Miraculous, yes. But the point God is driving home to me is the action Jesus took in the TEMPLE. He drove out all that wasn’t supposed to be there. Certainly, He feels the same about our bodies – His TEMPLE – in whom His Spirit dwells.
Lord Jesus Christ, TEMPLE of the Most High, thank You for coming from heaven and tabernacling in us. Help us honor Your presence.
Do you need encouragement that Jesus cares about you and your body? If so, you’ll find His tender mercy in these 6 short, meaningful chapters.
Praise to Christ, our TEACHER
“If I then, the Lord and the TEACHER, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
The scene doesn’t make sense at first glance: Lord and TEACHER. Stinky feet. A bowl of dirty water. Messy. Jesus on His knees washing feet. However, the moment had to do with more than washing feet. It was about humility, servanthood, forgiveness. Our Lord and TEACHER physically illustrated what He would spiritually do for us. It would be messy (a bloody mess). He would wash away our filthy sins. However, He went further. Our Lord and TEACHER taught us that as He had done, we are to do. We are to humbly serve each other. Jesus is our Lord and TEACHER. Are we doing as He did: serving each other?
Jesus, Lord and Teacher, thank You for humbling Yourself by giving Your blood to cleanse us of our sins. Help us live unselfishly and serve one another as You did.
Praise to our SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot SYMPATHIZE with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
Have you ever felt so badly about your sin that you didn’t want to go to God in prayer? The writer to the Hebrews understood. However, he pointed out the flaw in such thinking. First, when we sin and are repentant, the place we need to be is at the throne of grace. Second, he explains that Jesus understands the power and pull of temptation. He experienced it. Third, Jesus knows our weakness. Now, the question is, will we hurry to the throne of grace and receive help in our time of need? Our SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST is waiting for us.
Lord, we praise You that You’re a SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST who invites us to draw near with confidence to your throne of grace!