30daysofpraise – Page 11

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His Word

August 5, 2022August 18, 2022 krisshetter

"…encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory."  1 Thessalonians 2:12

“Jesus what would I be without your red letter words? Without the revealing words about our Father God? Thank you Lord, for each time I open my Bible that your desire is to teach me about your kingdom and glory. Amen”

For many years I sat in a church pew without ever cracking open a Bible. I didn’t even open it when the pastor told us what page to turn to – because the scripture was up on the screen. My own Bible sat gathering inches of dust. It wasn’t until just a couple years ago, when I was unable to attend church, that I realized all the teaching needed was available right at my fingertips.

“..my friends, stand over this volume, and admire its authority. This is no common book. It is not the sayings of the sages of Greece; here are not the utterances of philosophers of past ages. If these words were written by man, we might reject them; but oh, let me think the solemn thought — that this book is God’s handwriting, that these words are God’s.”
Charles Spurgeon on the Bible

How glorious is it that God – that omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being – gave us all we need to know about Him and how to best have a relationship with Him? Not only did He write down what we need to know He sent Jesus to reveal even more! If we needed to summarize the purpose of Jesus’ brief physical walk on this earth it might be to say so that we could be pulled even closer in this relationship. To know the one who created us like we know our own hand. To want to be so close to Him that we become one with Him. To know how simple it is to receive His full mercy and grace by just saying, “yes I do and I will.” Throughout Jesus’ life He pointed us back to the Father and forward to the Holy Spirit. Reminding us who sent Him and why.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God^[may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Yes, my friends, there’s still a lot about God and the Trinity that are a mystery. His thoughts and ways are greater than ours. But sometimes we just need to shrug and say, “maybe that’s not for me to know just now.” Until then we can lift up our voices in praise for the gift of His Word. It shouldn’t be taken for granted. For most of our human existence we didn’t have this gift widely available. The Bible is now translated into about 1,500 languages. And for that we should give glory!

Hope Eternal

August 4, 2022August 18, 2022 krisshetter

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests."  Luke 2:14

“Glory to you oh, God, for through you I have hope and peace! The world cannot give me peace but only unfulfilled desires and longings. The world relies on the seen and external for their hope but faith is through the unseen and eternal! Today as the world spins out of control I place my peace and hope in you, God. Amen”

I promise myself each day that I won’t check in with the chaos of the world and yet time and again I find my fingers creeping over my keyboard to read the latest news. As a Christian and a citizen of this world it’s been difficult to find the balance of my responsibility as a “not yet.” By that I mean I’ve been saved but not yet home with God. I long for the day to see Jesus’ face and be free of this chaos. But Jesus clearly wants us doing God’s good works while here on earth.

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12

So that means we have a responsibility to be good citizens of our communities. Spreading God’s Word through deeds and words. It means we need to know what stresses and pains our world is experiencing so we can be God’s message of hope and therefore glorify Him.

In the book of Jude he admonishes to take steps to help those who are new believers and not yet believers. It’s important to note the danger he warns of by getting too close to the fiery chaos of the world.

“…save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” Jude 23

Mixed with fear. I think sometimes we Christians like to dabble in the world of chaos thinking a little bit is ok. But each time we turn on the news or start discussing politics we should first give thanks to God for where our eternal hope lies and then proceed with a bit of Jesus’ Teflon surrounding us. He let the Pharisees ignorance and at times evil ways bounce off Him. Because He knew who He belonged to. And He consistently gave glory to God when speaking back into the chaos.

Friends, it’s not wrong to be actively informed or involved with the goings-on of the world. Jesus and the apostles jumped in with both feet to tell the world about the Father. They didn’t turn away from the troubles of the world, they came to spread hope and glorify God. But we must always remember the Kingdom awaiting us.

Majesty Revealed

August 3, 2022August 18, 2022 krisshetter

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  Acts 7:55

“Lord, there are so many times you quietly reveal yourself to me. At times I miss the chance to see and glorify you while other times I realize the moment is very special. Thank you for finding ways to communicate with me and showing me your full glory. Amen”

Each time I go play golf – which I’m fairly new at and definitely very terrible at – I say a prayer thanking God for the opportunity to enjoy this thing called “Creation.” I ask for Him to help me remember that I “get to play golf” rather than it being some awful task that I’m being drug into. Because if you’ve ever tried learning something new you know there’s a steep learning curve which can bring you to the point of wondering why you ever embarked on the journey!

The other day not only did God bless me with meeting three new golf friends but He revealed Himself to us on the second hole of the course. And it gave me the opportunity to proclaim His glory to strangers.

At the green of the first hole, I noticed two large hawks hopping along the ground near the tee for the second hole. I pointed it out to my new friends and we interrupted our putting to stop and notice the unusual sight. And when we had finished there, we drove over to the next tee. When we all arrived, I looked over to a post located maybe 4 yards away and there sitting majestically was one of the large hawks. It was at least 2 ½ feet tall. Just sitting and watching us. I have never been that close to a wild hawk before because they are a bit skittish. I gasped and pointed to the hawk and we all stood there and stared. He/She was stunning and slightly scary looking with its large beak and talons. And I realized God was reminding me of my prayer. To not take playing golf too seriously that I don’t notice the beauty of His creation. I found myself, amongst these strangers crying out loud, “Glory to God!” And then he flew off.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

I certainly hope I never am in a situation like the disciple Stephen – being stoned to death. In his terrible demise, God helped him take his eyes off the pain and suffering and lifted them to the glorious scene of God and Jesus. Friend, it doesn’t matter if you are just going through the motions of life or you’ve found yourself in a stressful, painful situation, God will reveal Himself to you. Seek Him and you will find Him.

My Body Is Yours, Lord

August 2, 2022August 18, 2022 krisshetter

"Therefore, I give glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God." Romans 15:17

“Heavenly Father, as I begin this workout help me have the strength and fortitude to complete it so that I may be strong in order to serve you with all my heart, mind, and body. And in that service my body gives glory to you for all that you have given me. Amen”

One of the many lessons I’ve gleaned through studying the Bible is that Jesus wants all of us – our entire body, mind and heart. He’s not a halfway kind of guy. You’re either on the path and maybe struggling to stay on it or you are wandering off into the forest. There’s no one foot on and one off. Because when we get to the narrow gate you’ve got to have both feet firmly planted to walk through it. This includes taking care of the body God gave us.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore,  honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Put in context this Bible verse is referring to sexually immoral acts. However, it can also simply remind us that our bodies are God-given. And like all God’s gifts He wants us to use it as good stewards. Why? To put our gift into service for the children of God to glorify Him.

One day, after beating myself up about my weight, my aging face, my bad hair I stood in front of the mirror and had an epiphany. I am a child of God. My body belongs to Him. And my complaining and lack of caretaking of my body was rude. Yes, rude and disrespectful to God. I needed to instead think of ways to care for this gift and glorify Him with it.

Whatever state our bodies are in, be it fit, or old, not quite fully functioning, or basically in working order, we need to take care of it so that when called upon by the Holy Spirit we are ready for action. Even if you are in a wheelchair, your arms can be strong to hug a person or maybe just hold a hand. If you are struck with a disease affecting you physically God still wants you in His holy service.

So friends, break out your sneakers, snap on your headband, pick up those weights and getting moving. Get strong. Get ready. Your neighbor, your friend, a stranger, a family member may need you today to lend a hand. And when you step forward to help remember to thank God for this gift and glorify Him!

To God Give The Glory

August 1, 2022August 18, 2022 krisshetter

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:11

Holy Father, Loving Jesus and Ever Present Spirit, today I will exalt you; I will praise your name forever. Great are you, Lord! You are worthy to give all glory and praise! I will speak of your glorious splendor and majesty. I will tell of the power of your wonderful works and I will celebrate your abundant goodness and proclaim your great deeds. Amen*

A few years ago, I started a prayer project. I had no problem asking God for things to happen in my life. I also didn’t struggle with asking for forgiveness. And I always added others to my petitions. What I had a difficult time doing was praising God. Not just thanking Him for what He has done for me, but praising Him for who He is. It seemed silly and flowery.

As my faith has progressed, I’ve realized how important it is for us believers to acknowledge God’s magnificence, power and well, just plain awesomeness. It helps to put our whole lives into perspective. It reminds US who really is in charge. So, I started the 30 Days of Praise series. Eventually I went on to write 30 More Days of Praise and then 30 Days of Thanksgiving.

Recently, I kept seeing the word “glorify” in the study I’m doing about the Trinity. I started looking into the differences between praising God and giving God the glory due to Him. I found this helpful description of praise and glory:

Praise (ἔπαινος; epainos) means the excellence of a person. Glory (δόξα; doxa) means splendor and greatness. Honor (τιμή; time’) means respect and high status or value.
Dr. Thomas Clothier

And it got me thinking how I need to up my praise game. God isn’t just excellent in the ways He shows up in my life. He, without anything to do with me, is full of splendor and awesome in power! Jesus’ every move was to glorify the Father. The Father loved and glorified the Son. The Holy Spirit came to live in us to glorify Jesus’ act of salvation and to continue the work of the Father. The Trinity uses us to glorify the work of creation – it’s beauty and mystery.

We glorify him when we care more about what he wants than about what we want. Even better, we glorify him when we want the same things he wants.
Peter Krol, Knowable Word: Helping Ordinary People Learn to Study the Bible.

I’m not sure I can fully describe the glory of God through words but I’m going to make an attempt to show how our everyday lives can be lived to give Him the glory due. Please join me on this 30 day prayer journey of glorifying God and watch as His love for us unfolds into a beautiful story.

*This prayer was taken from parts of Psalm 145, “David’s Psalm of Praise.”

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The Great I Am

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021 krisshetter

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”  Exodus 3:14

This week I’ve been reading a lot about going ahead of God. Thinking I know the right way, the right answer, and moving forward on that path without first seeking God. I was reminded of when I was asked to be our elementary school’s PTA president. At the time, the elementary school was the largest in the district with over 1,000 students. And it was about to undergo a major construction program to build more classrooms. That meant a lot of turmoil with the way kids were dropped off at school, where classes would be held and how many of our PTA programs would take place. I told the committee I could do the job but I didn’t think they would want my style of leadership. I wasn’t an “insider” and didn’t have any qualms about squashing old ways of doing things. Yet they returned to me multiple times asking me to take the job. And I did.

You’ll notice in this story, like we do in so many Biblical stories of failed leaders, that I haven’t mentioned consulting God. Because I didn’t. That is, until after I said, “yes.” I believe it was the next day after I agreed to the job that I had my first of many conversations with the Almighty about this decision. It went like this, “Lord, I’ve done this thing. Please help it not be the wrong decision.” In other words, I went ahead of Him and now wanted Him to fix my mess.

And God was with me throughout the two years of my term. He was there when I cried myself to sleep. He was there when I had parents screaming at me over the phone. And He was there when people who I thought were friends turned their backs on me. But He didn’t take away the consequences of my decision.

Thank God that most of the time when I’ve failed to let God lead my life it hasn’t resulted in some horrible final outcome. He has picked me up and dusted me off. And after too many times of being on that same wheel I’ve decided to take a different path. To trust that God is the Great I Am. The One who has the best laid plans. Who can make my path much more smooth if I just consult Him first. If I release my need to be the most knowledgeable, not just about my life but other’s.

I praise God today, on this final 30^th day, for being I Am. For being the Lord Almighty. The God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

If you’ve ever seen the Jim Carrey movie Bruce Almighty you’ll see a man who takes this idea of control to the extreme. He wants to be in charge of his life and no one knows better than him. So God sort of turns over His powers to him. And what a mess he makes of it. At first he thinks answering prayers is so cool and then when he becomes inundated with millions of prayers he just gives everyone what they ask. And as we know, God doesn’t give us all we ask. He gives us what we need. The movie is hilarious to be sure but it speaks to our innate need to be in control. To take over the job of I Am.

We can shake our heads at characters like Saul who stop seeking God’s direction and make every mistake possible. But how many of us today will do the same? How many of us yesterday forgot to place God at the top of our consultant list and instead called our friends or family for advice? And then probably did what we originally wanted to do anyway?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

Friends, God is God and we are not, thankfully. His thoughts and ways are so much better than ours. If we truly believe this and accept Him as our creator, as an active participant in our lives, then we need to seek His plans for us. Let’s all start right now by thanking Him for being the Great I Am.

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His Grand Orchestra

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 krisshetter

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Isaiah 55:12

The other morning my husband and I were out for an early morning walk. The clouds were building to the east and I commented that I hoped it would rain. You see, living in Southern California we don’t see a lot of rain. And I love the rain. I love the sound of it hitting the pavement, especially when it wakes me in the middle of the night. We get up just to watch it rain. I even love the sound of the water hitting under my car as I drive down the road. There are so few times when the rain becomes a long, monotonous affair where I live that I never get tired of it. At my daughter’s house in Missouri, I could sit for hours watching and listening to the thunderous rain come down!

The sound of rain is just one instrument in God’s beautiful orchestra. The music of His creation is so glorious! And that’s what I praise today.

I’ve been praying the last few days for God’s direction for these last few days of praise. And on my way to have lunch with my parents – which typically is a difficult visit – my playlist of Christian music came on. A fun and almost silly song began playing which put me in just the right frame of mind for my impending encounter with my parents. And I praised God for His music. And then I praised God for putting this entire line of thought in my head!

When I think of all the beautiful instruments in God’s orchestra what also comes to mind are the voices of some of my closest friends. Their laughter and warmth. Their sarcasm and wit. I told one of them, in preparation for her day at a school office, that no matter what is thrown her way I know the office will be blessed with hearing her joyous giggle.

During the stresses of the last year and a half I started doing a sort of mediation technique to help me rest in God’s peace. When I’m at our local park with my dog I sit down on the grass and do a centering countdown. It goes like this:

What 10 different things do I see?
What 9 different things do I hear?
What 8 different trees can I find?
What 7 different smells can I smell?
And so on..

It’s amazing just sitting and listening to the music of God’s creation. The breeze rustling in the trees. Birds chirping. Children laughing. Moms talking on their phones. Cars driving by. Airplanes overhead. Bees buzzing. My dog panting. So many sounds, some of which are exactly the same as at the time of creation others unique to this very time and place.

And of course, there’s what we traditionally call “music.” I marvel that since the beginning of time we humans have been creating new types of music and songs. When you look at a music book there seems to be a limit to what can be created. There’s only a certain number of notes to use, right? And yet day after day, year after year someone creates a new song or even a new sound! How else can this happen than by some glorious design by a being who loves music and who loves the sounds of the earth?

Praise God for music that speaks to us when we need it most. Praise God for the sound of crashing waves. Praise God for thunder and chickens squawking and the crunching of gravel under my feet. Praise God for his magnificent orchestra of life!

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Repair My Soul, Oh Lord

August 18, 2021August 18, 2021 krisshetter

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  Psalm 23:1-3

A couple of ladies in one of my Bible study groups have had workmen at their houses this year. If you’ve ever had people working on your house you probably have already conjured up the trials and delays you experienced. It seems inevitable. So often promises are made and quickly broken from timeframes to costs. One of these ladies missed Bible study to be at home for a painter, who had not completed the work the day prior. The next day the painter arrived only to tell her he was going to another job instead and just needed to pick up his ladder. After multiple delays the painter fired my friend. Yes, you read that correctly. After asking him to give her a better idea of the actual timeframe the painter called her up and said he couldn’t work with her!

Thank goodness when we need work done on our hearts and minds God is a much more trustworthy repairman! Today I praise God for refreshing us, for fixing our missteps, for repairing our souls.

I was recently talking with a friend about forgiveness. And what came out of that was the need not only to forgive but to ask God to help repair our hearts and minds of all the negative associated emotions. Forgiveness is not an easy task when we’ve been hurt, abused, taken advantage of, or even when things or people are taken from us. And so, we give it to God to help us forgive. I wonder however, how often when we forgive others do we have a residual bitterness or pain or guilt left in us? I find this is often the case for me when it comes to having to forgive myself. When something triggers a bad memory I cringe a bit and that demon called “guilt” or “shame” wants to raise it’s ugly head.

God doesn’t want us to just forgive but to live a life of forgiveness – a life free from that guilt and shame and bitterness. All of it. Not one single tiny pocket of it left in our hearts.

Psalm 51 has so many great prayers to God for restoration and healing. Here’s a couple:

Verse 2: Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Verse 7: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Verse 12 — Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

God has a 1-800-Repairman hotline. He not only answers 24/7 He jumps into action when needed. It’s time to ask God to completely remove those the negative emotions from our past. To be completely renewed. To be completely healed.

A Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin again after each stumble – because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time.
C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity

Isn’t God so loving, so unique in this trait? He lives as our own mini-repairman right in our souls. We don’t need to wait for the next appointment (in 3 weeks) or be disappointed when he doesn’t show up. All we need to do is ask God to fix us. And even if we aren’t sure exactly what the problem is, if we ask him to make a diagnosis He will – free of charge.

I know that I will mess up and break some things in my life. I also know that when I gave my life over to Christ I got a lifetime warranty. All repairs covered upon asking.

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He Pursues Us

August 17, 2021August 17, 2021 krisshetter

Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders⁶and goes home.  Luke 15:3-5

I’ve always been the kind of person that makes sure no one is left behind or left out. This served me well as a Girl Scout leader. I was always counting heads making sure none of my little sheep got lost. I can count two times in my 13 years as a leader of two troops where someone was lost. One was an adult so I wasn’t quite as concerned about that. But the other was a child, who was being supervised by another adult while at an amusement park. When all our groups gathered for a “touching base” the adult mentioned he hadn’t seen her in a bit. The casualness of his report shocked me. I went immediately into “Lost Sheep” mode – sending out the troops to start searching and contacting the park security team. Thankfully the young lady was found within a short period of time. But my trust in the adult was gone.

As a Christian we should take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus will never take our missing status casually. I praise God today that he pursues us even when we don’t realize we are lost.

In past praises I’ve mentioned I love the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. She didn’t realize she was lost. She just knew her life was miserable. He sought her out and changed her life forever. A sheep brought into the fold. This weekend I had the pleasure of learning about another woman at the well that was pursued by God – Hagar.

The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. ⁸And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”  Genesis 16: 7-8

Hagar, as a refresher, was Sarai’s slave. Sarai encouraged her husband Abram to sleep with Hagar in order to have offspring. But once Hagar became pregnant, Sarai treated her slave terribly. Hagar fled to escape further persecution. And the “Angel of the Lord” – Jesus – sought her out.

What I learned about this small scene in Genesis made the story all the more comforting. First, this is the first instance in the Bible that the “Angel of the Lord” makes His appearance. Second, this is the only time God addresses a slave and calls her by name. On top of that He makes what can only be called a promise, or a covenant, with someone other than the Israelites. And it’s this slave who names God.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seenthe One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

Just think of it. This lowly slave. Someone not worthy of anything in man’s eyes being sought after and called by God. Being allowed to speak with God and helping us know who He is. If God pursues her, how can He not pursue me?

That little Girl Scout that got separated from her group? She didn’t think she was lost. She was distracted by the bells and whistles of the amusement park. Left on her own long enough she would’ve certainly gotten emotional. Friends, so many of us lose our way or become slaves to something or someone. And sometimes we run away from everything to try and be free. In all these circumstances we’ve moved from His safe folds to the dangerous pitfalls of the world. But He will pursue you. You just need to stop and rest at the well for a minute and listen to His voice beckoning you home.

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Our Elegant World

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 krisshetter

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Genesis 2:9

Some time ago I set about trying to change myself completely. I told my friends I wanted to be more “sparkly.” What that meant to me was someone who, when they enter a room, people instantly want to be around. Someone who’s laughter draws others in to their sphere. Someone who seems so light of heart and lacking in any strife. Someone who, I said once, practically poops out glitter. Well shock of shocks, I realized that I’m just not ever going to be that person. So, I decided if I’m not “sparkly” then maybe I should try to be “elegant.”

I absolutely love Pinterest. You can ask it how to do anything and up pops a bazillion articles on how to do it. So, as I was scrolling through one day, I kept getting all these “Traits of an Elegant Woman” posts. However, after a recent theology night at my church I decided “elegant” wasn’t my ballywig either. After making some goofy jokes and embarrassing myself in front of complete strangers I realized I had failed just about every point on the “elegant woman” list. So maybe God just wants me to be a better version of who He made me to be? Now there’s a thought!

But in my short-lived quest of elegance, I noticed that God, Himself, has created so much elegance in our world. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines elegance this way:

Refined grace
Tasteful richness of design
Restrained beauty
Scientific precision

Today I praise God for His elegant creations and His elegant ways. But what do I mean by that? In looking at that list what comes to mind are the everyday sunrises and sunsets of which He blesses our earth. A glorious butterfly that languishes on a leaf. A smooth and quiet breeze. A gentle pattering of rain.

There’s so much to our world that really isn’t necessary for sustaining life. Yet God not only made things good, He made them very good.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  Genesis 1:31

God is so elegant in the big things like sunsets but also in the behind-the-scenes system of how everything works seamlessly. Think about the entire process of our water cycle: water evaporates from the ocean, creates condensation and is stored in the atmosphere, ice and snow drop, water comes down through rivers and groundwater, and the run-off goes back into the original source. So cool.

This God elegance isn’t always what we might call beautiful. Sometimes it seems terribly violent. A wildfire rips through a forest causing destruction. And yet that fire was also made by God. A necessary step in another elegantly crafted eco-system.

As inhabitants of this world, it’s so easy to not see the minutiae or even the bigger picture. We get trapped in our small, daily lives of running errands, paying bills, raising kids, etc. We should all take time on a regular basis to stop and admire this elegantly crafted world. Lay on your back and contemplate the clouds. Roll over and feel the life giving dirt beneath the grass. Be amazed how the seed from that dandelion blows and lands to bury into the ground to create new life. And marvel about how very, very good it all is.