Tag: psalm 145

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Day 20 Nothing Left To Prove

krisshetter 
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21: 25
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made. Psalm 145: 8-9

If the New Testament verse sounds familiar today it’s because John 20 (yesterday) says something similar about the purpose of the Book of John – so people will believe.  Today’s verse is slightly different.  I love how the apostle John makes a point to say the number of miracles was so numerous the world couldn’t contain all the books written.  Imagine how many books there are in the world!  

Jesus kept proving over and over to the people He encountered and those that heard of Him that there was something different about this man.  As modern day believers we need to grasp that the books in the Bible are just a glimpse of the God of the Universe.  They are a taste to show us a few of the million reasons why we should believe and trust in Him.

The Bible is book about one being – God in three persons.  Over centuries, He had prophets, kings, and disciples write the biography of Him.  There is no other religion that follows a god who wants the people to know them like the God of Abraham, Moses and Isaac.  No other god who refuses to let us go.  Who sent, in effect, himself to be humbled and suffer and die for His people.

His mercy to all people is revealed as bountiful.  He is giving us plenty of time to turn to Him and acknowledge all the miracles He has performed in the past and even today.  So that we can live in love with Him for all eternity.  How many more reasons do you still need to trust in Him?

Click here to listen to today’s song: Nothing Left To Prove

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To God Give The Glory

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.”