Tag Archives: praise

Give Him Praise 

Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. (‭Psalms‬ ‭86‬:‭11-13‬ NLT)

These three verses of Psalm 86 are the cry of my heart, and my prayer for today and everyday. 

When we recognize how needy we were and are, it becomes easy to give the God of Heaven, who created the foundations of this world the glory He is due. 

He loves me, and everyone reading this in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. It is a strong, intense, and enduring love that is unchanging. 

Strengthen me today to honor You with my lips, my heart, my actions, and my intentions. Help me to give you the glory and praise You are due. 

This Woman

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭30-31‬ NLT)

If you have ever read the Proverbs 31 woman before you know it is a pretty lengthy list.  It is a pretty specific list.  It is pretty hard to attain.  There have been sermons, journals, and thoughts about the Proverbs 31 woman in the past.  I am sure my thoughts and opinions have been stated by others, but I have two thoughts today-

1. This is not something easily attained, nor is it something you just become.  This is someone who is intentional to be what God has called her to be.  You don’t have to be everything on this list the same way it is on the list.  Take the principles and not the specifics when evaluating.

2. The last two verses in my opinion are the most important-

She is a woman who fears the Lord.

She should be rewarded for that.

As a husband/father we should be publicly declare her praise because:

A. We are commanded to.

B. It is an encouragement for them.

Today I want to publicly declare that the women in my life are women who fear the Lord.  They love Jesus, and they point their families toward Him.  They will not let them waver or stray from their faith.  In fact as I am typing this my wife is asking my boys if God is first in their life or video games.  She is challenging them, and directing them to make God first and to be in their Word.

I want to thank my Mother-Adrienne who worked with us, and taught us the principles of scripture over the years we were in her home.  She loved us, and challenged us to be like Him still to this day.

I want to thank my Mother-in-law-Becki who did the same thing with my wife.

I want to say how proud I am of my sisters-Abby and Emma who are serving the Lord.  They are becoming mighty women of the Lord.

I want to say how proud I am of my daughter-Whitney who is learning to become all that God has called her to be.  She is learning what it means to fear the Lord.

There are many more women I could list here, but I will conclude with my wife and mother of my children.  We have been married for 18 1/2 years as I write this today-Crystal

She has grown in her worship of the Lord.  She has challenged me to be who God has called me to be.  She is teaching and training our children to fear the Lord.  She is an amazing woman, whom I am thankful for.  The lady Proverbs describes as a blessing through the entirety of the book is my wife, and I am blessed.  And oh by the way-Her beauty is lasting as well!

It Changes Everything!

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! (‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭5-6, 11‬ NLT)

Real questions today:

Why are you discouraged?

Why is your heart sad?

Why are you discouraged?

There are lots of reasons why we would answer these questions with feeling, emotions, unfortunate events, and many other things.

The answer is:

Put your hope in God!

It may really seem hopeless in this life.  Put your hope in God.  All things are possible with Him.

It may really seem like the world is collapsing around you. Put your hope in God. He is the Author and Finisher of your faith.

It may really seem like everyone hates you, and is out to get you.  Put your hope in God.  The only person who was willing to die for you!  He gave up everything for you. He said He would never leave you or forsake you.  He said no weapon formed against you will prosper.  He wants to be in a real relationship with you.  What other king has any desire to be in a real relationship with you?  Jesus Christ the King of king and the Lord of lord is desperate for you!

I know I have know idea what is going on in your life.  You may think the stuff in my life is worse, and I may think the stuff in your life is worse.  Guess what?  Comparing our “horrible” circumstances gets us nowhere.  Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight!

Put your hope in God!

Praise Him!

It changes everything!

Faith in the Morning, Thankfulness in the Evening.

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim Your unfailing love in the morning, Your faithfulness in the evening, (‭Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭1-2‬ NLT)

This is a wonderful pattern we should all have in our lives.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord.

It is good to sing praises to the Most High.

It is good to proclaim His unfailing love in the morning.  Why?  It is a sign of faith.  It is a sign of trust.

It is good to recount the day, and see that He was once again faithful.

The Lord is worthy of all praise.  This morning I know He will help me in all of meetings.  His Holy Spirit will give me the words to speak.  He will help me be the best husband and father I can be.  He knows the number of hairs on my head.  He knows my concerns.  He said if I will seek Him first, and His righteousness, He will take care of the rest.  He said not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough cares, rather He wants me to focus on today.  So, that is exactly what I will do.  I know if He is for me, it doesn’t really matter who is against me.

Even In These Circumstances!

But as for me, afflicted and in pain— may Your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

The Lord hears the needy and does not despise His captive people. (‭Psalm‬ ‭69‬:‭29-31, 33‬ NIV)

Circumstances does not allow us to stop praising the Lord.

Continue reading Even In These Circumstances!

We Have All Been There!

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. (‭Psalm‬ ‭13‬:‭1-6‬ NIV)

We have all been there!

Continue reading We Have All Been There!

First Response Is?

When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. (‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭24-26‬ NIV)

First response is?

Continue reading First Response Is?

I Wonder

As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭12-18‬ NIV)

I wonder
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Our Kids & Our Kid’s Kids

21My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever. (Psalm 145:21 NKJV)
David is praising the Lord, and he is calling out some of the reasons why we should praise the Lord!

Continue reading Our Kids & Our Kid’s Kids

One Less Rock!

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭11-13‬ NKJV)

What a day that will be.

Continue reading One Less Rock!