I really admire people who have the gift of poetry. To be able to take everyday life and turn it into a beautiful metaphor. Or, just make clear a concept in a few simple words. I found this beautiful poem about what God is that I thought you might enjoy! He is our refuge, our rock, our answer and so much more.
Be sure to add your words of praise for today in the comments section!
God Is…
God, Is The Refuge God, Is The Rock God, Is The One, Who Sets Eternity’s Clock
God, Is The Treasure God, Is The Answer God, Is The Pleasure God, Is Adventure
God, Is The Right The Reason and Reality God, Is The Light The Judge and Finality
God, Is The Hope And Glory, Above All Things God, Is He, Who Spoke … Brought Forth, Living-Beings
God, Is The Power The Passion and Supreme God, Is … Our Unbeatable Dream-Team!
God, Is Wisdom And The Beautiful King God, Is The Vision In All Good Things
God, Is Mercy God, Is Just He … Is ‘ Who ’ We Need God, Doesn’t Need Us
God, Is The Holy-Core And Sacred-Mystery God Is … And Therefore … So, Are We
God, Is What His Word, Shows And What God … Is Made Of Everyone Knows … That, God Is … Love
I’ve been seeing Charles Spurgeon’s name and quotes pop up frequently in various Bible studies. Spurgeon was an English Baptist pastor in the late 1800s. His first pastoral calling was when he was only 19 years old. He was seen as a remarkable young man of faith with special speaking abilities.
In March, my son-in-law turned me on to the book, Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare. It is six books of sermons in one. The energy this pastor exuded through his speaking and writing is something to which any pastor would aspire. He calls for bold faith, bold prayer, and grasping tightly to God for deliverance. I want all of those. Bold faith, without fear. Bold prayer — pleading for the ones I love, the ones I meet, and our country. And to grasp tightly to God in expectation of answered prayers. One of Spurgeon’s sermons is titled, “To the King Eternal.” For today’s praise, I’d like to share just a small portion of this sermon.
And don’t forget, this is a Praise Challenge — so be sure to add your praise for today in the comments!
“We would begin with adoration. We worship from our hearts the Three in One, the infinitely glorious Jehovah, the only living and true God. We adore the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. We are not yet ascended to the place where pure spirits behold the face of God, but we shall soon be there, perhaps much sooner than we think, and we would be there in spirit now, casting our crowns upon the glassy sea before the throne of the Infinite Majesty and ascribing glory and honour, and power and praise, and dominion and might to Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”
Charles Spurgeon, The Golden Key of Prayer, To the King Eternal
You can feel his love and adoration for God. He longs to be with the Almighty in the most holy of places. Can we all say the same for ourselves? Do the people who see us each day see the Glory of God on our faces? Do our family members feel the love of God bursting out from us and enveloping them? That’s the kind of Christian I want to be. I’m not there – yet. But with God’s immeasurable grace and guidance I will be.
Please share your praise for God, our eternal King, today – who we adore and who we shall soon be with!
Did you realize that Jesus, in the upper room before His death, cleansed all the disciples’ feet. By all I mean even Judas’ – the betrayer. Jesus, however, made it clear that not all of the disciples had been cleansed. “Those who have had a bath (cleansing of the spirit) need only to wash their feet (to remove the sins of the world from them); their whole body is clean. And, you are clean, though not every one of you.” John 13:10. When Judas left the room with clean feet that’s all he had, clean feet. Feet that would then be sullied the minute he walked out into the world.
By all accounts Judas seemed like a loyal follower in the eyes of the other disciples. He had all the same benefits of following in the Lord’s footsteps. The same teachings. The same experiences with miracles and blessings. But he never surrendered his life over to Jesus. He kept one or even one and half of his feet in the world and with the devil. He mistrusted God’s Word. He thought he knew better. He lived in fear of what the world would do to him if he fully submitted to Jesus.
Contrast that with Peter. I realized today that Peter is the “Martha” of the disciples. Always headstrong and trying to control each situation. He also thought he knew better. However, in his heart he loved and trusted the Lord. He accepted admonishment and the teachings of Jesus. He, as my BSGs (Bible Study Girls) love to say, was making imperfect progress. He had a foot and a half in for God. Until God helped him pull in the rest of him.
I had a couple of encounters with Christian women recently who were counseled to “run to God, for His arms are wide open.” I was so saddened by their responses which included, “How” and “It’s too late for me.” The first reminds me of how, as Christians, we absolutely must share our testimony. We must do the work God makes clear to us in His Word. By enveloping us in His teachings, submitting every single thought, worry, fear, joy, to Him through prayer and petition we will come into His arms. God gives to those who ask. Judas had everything available to him. But he never submitted. He never asked for God to change his heart.
The second response makes me cry. It is never too late in God’s holy timeframe. I’ve been talking with my BSGs and other friends about banging on God’s door. Demanding to let us in. Pleading for his intercession. Not just lukewarm praying. An all-out assault. He has promised His love to us. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come and eat with that person, and they with me.” Rev 3:20. We need to stop letting satan whisper falsehoods in our ears — you aren’t worthy, you aren’t good enough, it’s too late. Take back our lives and put them safely in God’s arms by speaking the Truth of God’s promises. Promises that are clearly and consistently written out for us in the Bible. Revelations continues with: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne.” Rev 3:21
Sisters and brothers, God is not a passive “spiritual being.” He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent in our lives. He is powerful and that makes you powerful. We can no longer see and hear His blessings and let them roll off our backs like Judas. We need to take what is rightfully ours and plant it deep inside us. We will struggle like Peter. But our love for the Lord will work for our good. So that when we walk out into that dirty world we stay clean, we stay in His arms.
In a world that seems so divided do you know the one experience we will all have? We will all die. Sounds uplifting doesn’t it? And although God doesn’t want us to dwell on our impending death, He does want us to know the truth of our life – that one day it will end. We won’t know the day, the time or even the how, but it will assuredly happen. It will happen to the ones we love and the ones we hate. The ones we’ve forgiven and the ones we just can’t seem to. It’ll happen to the rich, the poor, the Christian and the non-Christian. And yet, so many of us live our life as though this is not inevitable.
The statement, “Fear the Lord” is frequently misunderstood. The Bible constantly clarifies this with meaning to obey and believe the Word of God. Like a parent setting down the rules of the house and expecting compliance, a child fears the correction or lack of freedoms disobeying their parents may bring. The child also knows that obeying and respecting his parents brings a more peaceful and joy-filled household. Knowing that our hour of death will come we should have this same reverence for what God expects of us during our brief time on His earth. We share a common destiny here on earth but not in eternity.
I had an interesting interaction on social media recently. A Los Angeles ministry, Saturate OC, posted an amazing picture featuring thousands of people attending their new outdoor beach ministry. Hundreds were baptized. And yet, I knew in the comments what was to come. “People are dying from Covid! This is irresponsible!” and “Shame on these people! What about Covid!” But one person kept answering: “Focus on the eternal.” No argument, just that statement. Focus on the eternal.
You may be reading this thinking how irresponsible that is. Let’s put this in perspective. I have lived 54 of my 55 years in California. It’s a pretty tough place to be a full-blooded Christian. Talk about living “not of this world!” Unlike the Missouri environment my youngest daughter lives in which sees it as normal to pray in restaurants, California and many Californian’s don’t see God as a necessary and integral part of life. In fact, there’s a lot of disdain for people who “need God.” So, when I saw this picture, I saw hope. I saw God’s work. I saw love. I saw people being saved – for the preparation of their unknown hour of their death.
Right now, on our California freeways a plea is posted about DUIs. It states that almost 3,500 Californians died in DUI related traffic accidents last year. That’s almost the same number of people who have died from the Covid virus in California. When you look at who is dying from Covid you’ll see that about 75% of those are aged 70 and up. Looking at who dies more frequently from DUI related deaths the population most effected are 21-34 year olds. The picture I saw on that beach was exactly that demographic. So, my question to the grandmother who posted her comment that these people were being so irresponsible was this – you say you have “your ticket to heaven already” but you would deny it to these young people? These young people who have more of a chance of dying on their way home from the beach from a drunk driver than from the virus? We would deny them the opportunity to be baptized. Deny them the Word of God and the community of Christians that will support them through viruses, lost jobs, deaths of loved ones, broken hearts, and more? You could argue these people might go to see their grandmothers and infect them and kill them. Isn’t that where the true choices must come in to play?
Saturate OC founders Parker and Jessi Green heard God call them to bring the collective body of believers together to share the gospel at the beach. They were told, “There’s a 50,000 person harvest in Huntington Beach during Summer 2020. Pray for workers.” Who are we, especially as Christians, to question and distrust the work of God? Think of the amazing work we, as a Christian body, could have been doing these last few months had we had the same faith. The same “faith over fear?” The same desire to share the gospel with hundreds of people – ALL of whom will face death at some point.
Yes, God asks us to be discerning. But He also asks us to trust Him. I will never be disdainful and pass judgement on God’s work of bringing people to their knees in prayer and worship. I will always say “hallelujah” when He works in places that have refused Him. I will trust that this work is good and He will take care of the outcomes. One other person commented, “But many Christians who trusted God have died.” We all will die. Thank God they died loving God and having accepted Christ as their savior. One day I hope to meet them all in Heaven.
What battles are you facing right now? For me it’s my fears about the direction the country is going. I am a patriot through and through. I’m not a fan of people who twist history to meet their needs for victimization. That may not sit well with people but I will not judge others for living imperfect lives while I, myself, live imperfectly every single day. That being said I can only live in God’s Truth which is the fact that the only battle I have some control over is the one that tries to pull me away from God. . When I don’t first get on my knees and pray; when I don’t continually look to the Lord for guidance; when I don’t trust that God is the ultimate warrior in the battles for Truth and Justice — this is when I need to remind myself to tighten my own warrior belt and take up my shield. . Our real battles are being fought in realms unseen. Our job is to surrender to the knowledge that God will fight for us when we ask. He will beat back the armies that wish to destroy us. And as King Jehoshaphat commanded the people of Judah to act before battle, we need to give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!” . It’s time to completely turn your battles over to God. Let’s face it, you haven’t had too many victories without Him. Wave your white flag. Get on your knees and pray. . Join me starting July 27 as I begin 30 Days of Praise for all the great things God has done. Follow me to enjoy this journey! http://www.emboldened.net. .
Where do you place the idea of “persistence” in your life? In God’s realm it is one of the most highly touted human characteristics. . Persistence gets us to grab hold of the life God wants for us. It molds us into better people. Persistence takes us over the finish line when we continually pray in worship, thanksgiving and petition. . Persistence is not about never changing course. It’s about never taking your eyes off the ultimate goal — even if that means our course zig zags a bit. When I was learning to sail the first thing we needed to understand was reading the wind. Sensing it’s direction and using it for the most power and energy. Frequently that meant having to “tack” or sail in a zig zag. As a sailor you need to be fully in tune with the unseen in order to persist toward that spot on the horizon you’ve picked out as your ultimate goal. . I have pleasing God as my ultimate goal. And through prayer, meditation, worship, and paying close attention to His unseen and seen ways I set my sail toward Him. It may mean I zig zag my way but through persistence I know I will reach my goal. . Please join me in this adventure as I begin 30 Days of Praise starting July 27. Go to my blog (link in bio) and follow me to receive a daily praise and to add your own daily praise ❤️. . I look forward to setting sail with you! .
What’s your reaction when encountering people who doubt — doubt your understanding of facts, science, faith, morals, values? . We’ve become this society where what we know to be true and good and right is what everyone else MUST agree with. At a time when you’d think we’d grown to be more interested in varied ideas it’s seems our desires to expand our minds and sphere of real friends keeps shrinking. An “echo chamber” is one in which we can only hear our voice. And unless we are God, our voice can frequently be wrong. . As a Christian, I see other Christians falling into a sea of doubt about the lessons and way of life we are called to. We don’t want to be the lone voice outside society’s echo chamber. On the flip side we are called to be our Christian brothers’ keepers — being merciful to followers who struggle against societal lies and snatching each other out of the fires. And even more merciful to non-followers who have yet to accept the Truth of God. . A Christian’s “doubt” should only lie in the struggle with God’s Word as lived out in the world— not the Truth of God’s Word. When we see our Christian loved ones sinking further into that struggle with the world is when we need to act with God’s authority and be His lifeline. . When you doubt the right way to live out your life what action do you hope those around you take? Mercy or with condemnation?
A few years ago the pastor at the church I was attending held a mini class on how to pray. He used the visual of our hand to make sure we hit all the different topics to include in our prayers. I found I had no problem with confession, thanksgiving, intercession, petition or applying the prayer. While doing a Bible study I realized I didn’t know the difference between praise and thanksgiving — yes, there is a difference.
Want to know more? Go to the 30 Days of Praise page and sign up to be a part of the 30 Days of Praise Team! I look forward to joining you in sending up so much praise it’ll blow the roof off!
As I’ve gotten older my allergies have gotten worse. I’ve had sinus surgery and I’m currently going through the allergy shot regimen. And yet I still need to take allergy pills both in the morning and at night. In the early years of this battle I experimented with different allergy medications. Some made me incredibly sleepy and foggy. I saw a commercial for the brand Claritin. What caught my attention was the line “Claritin Clear.” The commercial shows a foggy view of the world. And after taking their product that foggy film is stripped away. That’s what I needed. What I didn’t realize at the time was not only were my allergies making my view of the world foggy but so was my lack of trust in God.
My friend and I were out for a walk and I was struck with the fact that she has taken God’s allergy medication. For one, three different devotionals she read that day pleaded the same action: Trust in the Lord with all you heart and all your mind and all your soul and lean not on your own understanding (Prov 3:5). I told her sometimes God whispers and sometimes He shouts and shakes us! Both are to get us to open our eyes and ears to the truth of our lives — to be God Clear. For another, she’s leaning into God’s grace of that medicine and surrendering.
But the work is not done. In fact the clearing of our eyes can be painful. Just like my twice weekly allergy shots (I hate shots), growth often starts with pain. If we stop because of the pain we can never fully achieve our greatest gifts from God. He wants so much for us — a life free of self doubt, self loathing, and turmoil. But we must first peel away the lies that Satan so readily whispers to us.
Where are you at in this process? Have you tried trusting God but it seems too scary, too painful? My friend a glorious, clear life awaits you. Trust in God’s holy medicine to bring you through the pain.
What blessing are you hoping and waiting for today? It’s time to get serious about the strength of your faith and our willingness to make a full confession of our transgressions. . In a recent Bible study I was asked: “What are you trying to hide from God?” Well, we all chuckled because of course you can’t hide anything from God. But do we truly believe that? Is that how we live out our daily lives? Charles Spurgeon says, “Do not play with sin. Do not confess it as though it were some venial fault that would not have been noticed unless God had been too severe.” . As the apostle Paul says, God cannot be mocked. The Almighty knows our tepid faith. He knows our bold faith. He hears when we rush through a prayer and he hears when we grasp Him tightly and plead honestly with Him. We don’t reward or accept in our own children or friends a tepid or insincere apology so why should God when what we ask of Him is ten-fold? . When we plead to God we lay bare our innermost sins and cleanse them. I like the analogy of a wrestler stripping down to the bare minimum before entering the playing arena. Because when we show we have nothing left to give up, nothing left to weigh us down, that is when God performs His greatest work in us. . So grasp His hand tightly today. Lay out your sins. And plead for His love to envelop you. .
emboldened.net 