Category Archives: Praise

What is Forgiveness

by

0


Lord Jesus, Holy Father:

That you should be willing to forgive our sins as we forgive others. Such an awesome mountain of failings blown away by a breath from your nostrils. And all we have to do is humbly ask you and receive. Living out a life of thanks in the valley of penetrating knives. Just as you showed us should be done.  


What incredible power to overcome that is; eternally beyond our words to describe. Not only does someone love us, but the very creator of all things!


Spoken at your birth sustained by your righteousness forever: “Peace has come to earth, and goodwill to all men” (paraphrase).


Billions thank you. Recognizing that we can’t thank you enough. And even while we thank you, doesn’t the next failing prepare.    


By your display and patience you are astounding! Ceaseless and endlessly powerful is the love of God for all who call on his Holy name.  

The Promise

by

0


It is not obedience that opens the eyes.  

It is not repetitive chanting 

That brings the luscious surprise.  


It is not among the gaggle 

With whom we choose to mill about.  


It is simply our believing that brings the joyous shout.  



He said:

“I have a throne of Glory.  

My Father makes it mine.  

The joy and peace in which I live,

I desire to make it thine.  


And do you doubt,

Poor wandering soul.  


Take my hand,

I’ll prove to you.  


I’ll take you on a journey.  

To the place where all is new.  


There was a pool of blood.  

There was a rending a flesh. 

There was a place,

An indelible race,

Wipe the tears from your lovely face.  


If a man ever wanted a woman.  

If a woman ever wanted a man. 

How much more the living desire

from the Son of the great I AM.”


Testify?

by

0


I was listening to psalm 24. Afterword I thought, “I should say something about this”. But what do I have to say about anything?

Good or bad, I looked in my mind to see how anything I might say would be received. That didn’t help.  


My mind walked away from testimony with disgust. I saw how people treat the King of Glory. I remember how people treat anyone who will speak about him with a good report. Then I saw what people praise; the strong, the beautiful, the rich, the popular, the amazing, all things Man.  


Standing before the words of God is astounding. Looking back at the filth of Man is heartbreaking.  


No! I’ve said enough.  

The Reason

by

0


The Lord Jesus has not so much saved us from something, but he has saved us to something.  

Yes, he saves us from the anguish of our sins; the guilt of the mind, and the waywardness of the heart.  


But more, he saves us to praise his Holy Father. We find obedience comes easy because we have learned to love him. That love brings us to joy no matter where we find ourselves.  


It is said that the lord Jesus loves humanity enough to die for them. But he died for them and loves them because he loves his Holy Father more than everything else.  


He wants us to do the same. Appreciate creation. Strive to do what is right. Be joyful in the work of Christ on your behalf. Be patient in every affliction. But it is the Lord’s desire, that we do all of these things for love of the Living God. 


Here we see life in a myriad of form. But Jesus lives in an endless symphony of life, that IS his Holy Father. That is what he loves. And he has died to share it with us.  


Religion tells us to see it only from one perspective; “The work of Christ covers my sins”. But love for his Holy Father teaches us the reason why.  


And that same love is the central power that enables us to claim righteousness as if we own it. God’s people love him because God has loved them first.  


Psalm 22

22. I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.


23. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!


24. For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.


25. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.


26. The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him—may your hearts live forever!


27. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,


28. for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.

River of Life

by

0



Find yourself a comfortable place beside a flowing stream. Listen to the myriad of sounds the water makes. Now let your mind marvel that a singular component of water can sing such a song of variety.   


Water is silent until it encounters and obstacle. The sound you hear is the water speaking of its encounter.  
Sit quietly in your chair and listen to the sound of the Holy Spirit. He is a river of truth. Just like the stream, he makes sounds when he encounters creation. Answer for yourself, what causes the greatest noises from the Holy Spirit?

Alpha and Omega

by

0


I wake and consider what heaven is; what eternity is made of.  

I know you, like me , have heard all the stories 100,000 times. Still we can’t understand the Majesty of Jesus.


The nature of his Majesty is faithfulness and righteousness. He has always done the will of his Holy Father, and he always will. 


No one else has ever been that faithful. No one ever will. No one can. No one else has been with God from the beginning. No one else has been tested as he, yet found blameless and pure. He is first and best in absolutely everything. That’s why he is perfectly trustworthy.  


We can’t perceive his glory. It’s simply not possible. And even though we know the nature of the wilderness in which he was tested, we can’t possibly understand his strength of love for God to endure with absolute purity.  


These thoughts are just a beginning to the things of The Faith. But from this place, the glory of God among us explodes into every possible good thought and deed.  


As foreign as it is among men, it is appropriate to speak words of glory for Jesus. Even while we debate what people would think of us if we spoke like that, all of creation in heaven has been doing it since the beginning. And without the slightest embarrassment or hesitation. 


I know I’ve said these things before. I know I’ll say them again. And I know a time is coming when I won’t stop.  


These are not just words. They are a door to joy. They are a window to eternal glory. They are a hand extended from heaven to lift us up from this place of death and trouble.   They are the pure strength we’re looking for.