Making Praise More Meaningful

"No good thing will God withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).

What are your heart's desires? If you delight yourself in God and His service, He's promised to give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

God apparently feels that nothing is too good for His obedient children. If we please Him, we not only get what we need, but usually even what we want, above our needs, "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).

He's willing to give us anything that's good for us, but He doesn't always let us have those things that He knows aren't good for us. He tried that on the children of Israel. He let them have the desires of their hearts a few times when it wasn't good for them, but then He had to send leanness to their souls to try to teach them a lesson (Psalm 106:15).

(Prayer:) Lord, help us to put You first, to delight ourselves in You and Yours most of all so You can trust us with other things—everything we need and even things we want—because they will not come between You and us. If it's good for us, let us have it, but if it's not good for us, please keep it from us. Amen.

Daily Praise: April 30

Jesus, I just love to praise You. I love to know that You're listening and happy to hear what I have to say. It's so encouraging that You really like my words of love and praise to You. It's so exciting to think that You, the great King of the universe, stop and listen and drink in my praises. It's wonderful! It makes me so happy to know that I'm making You happy. It touches my heart to be able to openly express my love for You and know that You appreciate it. I love to praise You.

Words From Jesus: April 29

There are cycles in life when things go well, then they go bad, then I bring about victories and they go well again. You must hold on to Me, seek Me, and follow Me through each phase of life's cycles.

When you're faced with obstacles, tests and hardships, don't let them discourage you. Don't be downcast or worry that they will not be solved, or that victories will not be won; for I say to you, they will, because they are part of the cycle. But you must go through this portion of the cycle to come out at the other end with victory.

That's the purpose of the cycle: that when the problems and the difficulties arise, you rise up to meet them in faith. You fight and you win, and that brings forth the next portion of the cycle: the victory, the progress, the forward movement. Then you are faced with new challenges, new fights and new tests, and you must once again fight, take up the challenge, seek Me, and cry out to Me, that you may overcome these tests and difficulties, and that you may then move out of that portion of the cycle, and again on to the victory.

Like a wheel, the top goes down to the bottom and comes up to the top again. That is motion, and that moves the vehicle forward. That's what these cycles do--they move you forward.

So you must take up the challenges, you must seek Me, and you must win the victories, so that the cycle can be ever turning, ever revolving, ever moving forward--so that you will constantly be moving forward, growing, going on, ever upward, ever forward and on to victory!

For God's sake, know what you believe and stand up for it!

For life to have real meaning and purpose, we have to believe in something. Then we have to be ready to stand up for what we believe; we have to have conviction.

God likes wholehearted, stouthearted men. If He is what you believe in, have you got the guts to be one of these? If you're going to serve God, know what you believe and serve Him no matter what anyone else says. Be prepared to take a stand of faith, like Martin Luther (1483-1546) did on the issue of salvation by grace before the religious council of his day: "Unless I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, I can and will not retract. Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God!"

You cannot stop the man of faith. You cannot dissuade him. You cannot divert him. He'll go on with or without you or right over you, if necessary. He is determined to go on by faith because he has found the truth. He is of one mind, one heart, one soul, one spirit, one purpose, and will not quit!

Daily Praise: April 29

Jesus, I've loved You ever since I first heard about You--since I saw and felt Your tenderness and Your love reflected in those who told me about You. Then, when I met You, that was it. I felt Your love firsthand. Thank You for touching me. You reached the places in my heart that nobody even knew existed. Thank You for knowing the depths of what was inside--my longing for You, my desire to know Your truth.

God is our Sun

God created the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and the planets in part to illustrate His spiritual truths, so we could better understand our relationship with Him and how necessary He is to our spiritual solar system.

Life itself wouldn't be possible without the Sun. Without the light of the Sun we'd be in total darkness except for starlight, just as without the Lord we would be in almost total spiritual darkness. Without the warmth and heat of the Sun's rays, we'd also freeze to death, just like without the Lord we'd be dead cold spiritually. Without the Sun's rays, the plants that provide our food wouldn't grow; likewise, we would die spiritually of hunger without the Lord and His Word. Without the Sun's gravitational pull on Earth, instead of staying in its well-planned orbit, Earth would go wandering off through space. Just so, without God's guidance—His gravitational pull on us in the spirit—we too would certainly get out of the well-planned orbit of His will and go wandering off into the darkness of spiritual space.

If the Sun has that much power, think how much power our spiritual Sun, God, has and how much we need Him!

Daily Praise: April 28

Thank You, Jesus, for the joy of praising You. I take such pleasure in Your creation, and in You most of all. You are the Creator of every pleasure imaginable, every delight conceivable, and I thank You and give You honor and worship. I feel so privileged, so very honored to be Yours. I take pleasure in knowing that You desire my praise, my worship, my attention.

Thank You that I can partake of the divine nature in these few simple moments, as I stop and savor the wonder of all that You've done for me, all that You are to me. I feel a soft glow within, and an aura surrounds me. At these times I feel as though there is an almost tangible link between me and the heavenly realm, up there where every breath, every thought and every movement expresses praise to Your omnipotence and Your glory.

How marvelous to have a taste and touch of Heaven as I sit in this earth-bound clod that is my body. Oh, how my heart yearns to be united with You, forever leaving behind the pull of gravity, the weakness of the flesh, and the limitations of space and time. Yet I thank You for these earthly bonds, that in this body I may learn to praise You all my days.

Words From Jesus

I understand the trying of men's hearts, the depths of despair, of discouragement, and of desperation. I understand the depth of loss, for I had to leave My Father to go to Earth, and then I had to leave those that I loved so dearly on Earth to return to My Father.

I also understand the depth of pain and affliction, for I screamed out in agony as the nails pierced My hands and My feet. I understand the feeling of being forsaken by those who loved Me, even My Own Father, and thus I cried out, "My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

I understand the depth of fear--fear of facing that which is ahead for the pain and the sorrow that it shall bring. And so I said, "Father, let this cup pass from Me."

I understand the depth of the feeling of loss, for those who loved Me most abandoned Me as I was carried away into captivity. I know the depth of hurt to see one that you love betray you, even as Judas betrayed Me with a kiss.

Have I not been touched with the feeling of your infirmities? Do you think that I do not understand these things, and that I do not have great compassion upon you? My heart breaks to see you in your pain and in your struggle, and in your trying times, your times of testing and purging. My heart breaks for you when you feel so hopeless, lost, and forsaken, when you grasp with all your might and yet you feel as if there is nothing to grasp any more.

Though My Father did not let this cup pass from Me, and though I saw My loved ones flee from My side in time of trouble, and this one that I loved betray Me, and though the nails pierced My hands and feet, and though I was beaten with many stripes, and though I felt as if My Father had forsaken Me, and though I had to pass through death--yet it all brought about such great victory, such great renewal, such great salvation!

Though all looks dark and you cannot see, know that I have My arms around you. I ask you to trust Me in the depths, trust Me in the despair, trust Me in your heartache, trust Me in your loss. If you are willing to drink of this cup, if you are willing to say, "Not my will, but Thine be done," you, too, shall have a glorious victory that will far surpass anything that you have known.

Daily Praise: April 27

You make it so easy for me to be good, Jesus. I just have to love You, obey You, look to You and cling to You, and You've promised that You'll do everything else. Thank You, Lord, for the power of Your Spirit that strengthens and changes me.

A Heart That Forgives

This song is absolutely beautiful, and we should all have a heart that forgives like Jesus Christ. The singer's name is Kevin LeVar and the emotional video will really touch you.

Our Lord wants us to forgive people who have hurt us so that we will be clear with Him and the person who has hurt us on that judgement day. So we have to let those things go so that don't have bitterness in our heart that the devil will help us to continue to let grow so that we will hold a grudge instead of being forgiving as the Lord wants us to be.

Let Christ Soothe Your Anger

Each one of us will encounter times in our lives when it is hard not to be angry or upset. We all have crosses to bear - but that doesn't mean we need to be constantly be angry. Turn to the Lord and the Holy Bible for help turning your anger into tranquility.

Daily Praise: April 26

I love You, Jesus. I love You for Your wonderfulness. I love You for Your greatness. I love You because You're so much bigger than I am. I love You because even though You're so big and important, I can come close to You at any hour of the day or night and know that You're awake and there for me.

I love You because I need You so much. I love You because You need me too, and You need my love.

I love You because when I'm low and discouraged, You send some special little miracle or thought or word my way that cheers me up and sends me along the road to victory again. I love You because You're tremendously powerful. I love You, Jesus, because You're You.

Daily Praise: April 25

It's awesome to me how You can take any one and help him or her to be a better person. Thank You for helping me to be more loving, kind, considerate and thoughtful--all those things that I so desperately want to be.

Daily Praise: April 24

Jesus, I love to be with You. I love to go to my quiet corner and talk to You, to picture You in my mind and commune with You.

I love how You hold me close to You. I love Your words. I love to hear Your voice and to know that You care about me. I love knowing that You love me.

I've never known anyone like You, and no one could ever take Your place in my heart. I love You, Jesus.

Daily Praise: April 23

Thank You for Your wonderful power, Jesus. You're so great and mighty and You can do anything. You can take my life, and if I'm yielded, You can turn it into what You want it to be and make it into something beautiful. Like that song,

"Something beautiful, something good.

All of my confusion You understood;

All I had to offer You was brokenness and strife,

But You made something beautiful of my life."

Yes, Jesus, You are the only One who could make something beautiful out of my life. And You have, Jesus. I'm so thankful.

Daily Praise: April 22

Thank You for the treasure of beautiful music. Thank You for the sounds that thrill my body, lift my spirit and rejoice my heart. Thank You for the instruments, the notes, the melodies, the words--for such expressions of heart and soul. It's such a wonderful way to communicate, such a unique way to convey a message and to understand what someone else is saying or feeling.

You've made music such a wonderful avenue, and You've given us so much music--heavenly melodies, heavenly lyrics, heavenly anointing and divine inspiration.

Songs that come from Your heavenly reservoir of music give us such a charge, such a rush in the spirit. They're electrifying, beautiful. They move us and make us want to dance and sing and love and hug and kiss and give You to others. We're so thankful for Your heavenly music, for Your heavenly vision, and for this tremendous gift and treasure You've given us.

Daily Praise: April 21

Thank You so much for Your words. I need Your words more than anything in life. I'm so happy for Your words; they're so beautiful and pure and give so much light and strength and hope to me. Your words are so encouraging, so powerful, so real and so meaningful.

I praise You for Your wonderful words. Thank You for the wonderful effect that they have on me. They are so satisfying. They make me so happy.

Thank You that Your words are making me strong. They're making me what You want me to be. Thank You for the unseen power of Your words that work in my life. Your words are spirit and life to me.

Daily Praise: April 20

You always comfort me, Jesus. Not only do You comfort my heart and delight my soul, but You rest my weary nerves. You calm my ruffled feathers and put my mind at ease. There is absolutely nothing that compares with the peace You bring me.

When I feel like I have to get away from it all, when I'm having one of those cloudy, stormy days, what keeps me going is knowing I can retreat into our secret place. Anywhere, any time of the day or night, that's all I have to do--just slip away into Your private chambers. When I do, You make everything A-OK.

Daily Praise: April 18

Thank You for our children. Thank You for the little bundles of joy that You've put into our lives. Thank You for the little rascals that take all our time. Thank You for the little children that are always there to brighten our day. Thank You for them when they wake us, not knowing that we would like to have slept more. Thank You for their so quickly worn-out jeans and muddy clothes--the ones that were just new and clean. Thank You for all our children, no matter how big or small. We especially thank You for their example of faith and trust. Just as they trust us, help us to trust You.

Daily Praise: April 16

Thank You, Jesus, for how You know each one of us so well. You're so wonderful and marvelous. You are worthy to be praised. It's such a joy to praise You and thank You. Even when I feel shy and ashamed, feeling too bad or sad to come before You, with Your whispers of love You beckon to me and encourage me that You just want my love. That is all that I can give You, and even that is because You first loved me.

Thank You for taking my love. Thank You for loving me and caring for me. I love You, Jesus, and by Your grace, I give You my all.

Daily Praise: April 14

Sometimes my soul feels snared, like a bird trapped with weights of doubt, sin and care. There are weights of being critical, of feeling incapable--many weights that pull the wings of faith down. But thank You, Jesus, for how You bless and help me, for how You always set me free, for how I only have to utter a faint cry for help and You swiftly come to the rescue, brushing away all the weights and setting my soul free to fly on wings of faith and praise.

Daily Praise: April 13

I want to praise You with my pen, with the workings of my mind and the creativity of my soul. Please help me to do that, Jesus. Most of all, help me to praise You with my self, by yielding my body, my soul and my mind to You. I desire to praise You with every movement, every sound uttered, every thought in my head, every step that I take. I want my very existence to praise You, for only through You and by You do I exist, breathe, move, live, love, learn, grow, think, laugh and enjoy the life that You have given me.

I love You, dear Jesus. Truly there is no one like You!

Daily Praise: April 12

You are the most wonderful God, the God of Heaven, the only true God, and I praise You. I glorify You. I lift my hands in adoration and thankfulness that my name is written in Your heavenly kingdom, in Your Book of Life, and that I'll be with You for eternity.

I have no greater joy than to know that I will be with my God forever, to love and cherish and adore You, to bask in Your warm, loving Spirit, Your gentleness, Your kindness, Your mercy, Your truth, Your love and Your freedom.

Thank You for making me a part of Your glorious plan. Thank You that I can be called Your child. Thank You for putting this need so strong in my heart to love and adore and cherish You. May my love for You be this strong always.

Daily Praise: April 11

Dear Jesus, I come before You in deep gratitude for the wonderful miracle that You've done in my life. I was poor and lost and lonely, yet You searched and found me and brought me into Your wonderful kingdom of love. I am so thankful that You received me into Your house. I don't even feel worthy to be a servant, and yet You didn't call me a servant, but a friend.

You picked me up out of the dust and the dirt and the mire, and cleansed me with Your love and Your words. You are washing away all that is impure and unlovely, and are putting a new garment of humility on me.

I was nothing before You found me, yet You placed Your arms around me and changed my life. You gave me something to live for, something to love, something to treasure, something to desire, something to strive for.

Thank You for taking me, as unworthy as I am, and making me Your own. For this I love You, for this I honor You, for this I worship You, for this I adore You.

Daily Praise: April 10

I praise and glorify You for the perfection of Your universe, in which everything works in rhythm and rhyme. Thank You that You've put it in my heart to do Your will, to obey and follow Your teachings, Your leading, Your guiding, Your love. I love You.

Daily Praise: April 9

You are wonderful, Jesus. Words fail me, but I love to try to tell You how much I love You.

Daily Praise: April 8

I love to praise You with my whole heart, sweet Jesus, because You've filled my heart with love. I have a lot to thank You for, because You've given me so much joy and happiness. I love to tell You how much I appreciate You, how much I need You, and how thankful I am for the great blessings I receive from Your Spirit.

Daily Praise: April 7

Thank You for Your wonderful plan for mankind to be drawn to Your heart of love. Every person needs to know the joy, the satisfaction, the genuine fulfilling love that comes only from You, my Creator, my God, my Lord, my King.

I praise You for the power of Your Spirit that gives me the boldness, the love and the determination to reach out to others by telling them of the love that I have found and by offering them this beautiful paradise that they, too, can be a part of.

Thank You for putting the desire in my heart to love others and to tell them of Your love and Your beautiful kingdom.

Daily Praise: April 6

I feel Your loving arms around me, and they are so comforting. I know that I can run to You at any time, day or night, and You are always there. Forgive me, Lord, for not being near as often as I know You would like. You are so patient with me, and You never make me feel unwelcome, even though I get so busy that I don't come to You as often as I should. You always receive me with open arms and great delight.

Thank You for Your never-ending, undying love for me. Help me to return Your love with as much fervor.

Daily Praise: April 5

Let me tell You of the great things that You have done for me. For You are my strength, my health, my salvation, my all.

Wonderful God of love, great God of the universe, great God of everything, how I adore You! How I cherish You!

I love You because You first loved me. You created such a beautiful world for me to live in. You gave me the means to know true love by knowing You, my Creator.

Without Your love there is nothing--nothing to live for, nothing to cherish, nothing meaningful, because You are love. You are the embodiment of love.

Thank You for this wonderful love that You've put in my heart. I praise You for it. You made me to love You, my Creator.

I adore You. I adore Your kingdom. I adore Your Spirit. I thank You for them. I thank You for the love, the peace, the joy, the kindness, the longsuffering, the gentleness, the tenderness, the caring, which give meaning to my life.

Daily Praise: April 4

You deserve more than I have to give, but what I have, I give to You--my heart, my life, my time. It's all for You, for I am Your creation, created to love and adore You. I find great pleasure in and I thrive on praising and loving You and extolling Your praises.

Daily Praise: April 2

As I rest so comfortably in Your arms, asking You to hold me close, I'm happy and reassured that You see my desire to be closer to You, to love You more and to be a better servant to You.

I see Your gentle, tender eyes and feel Your eternal, unconditional love. I thank You for Your love. I praise You and give You glory and reverence and honor.

Daily Praise: April 1

You could have made me perfect, Jesus, but You didn't. Instead, You made me just the way You wanted me. To doubt that is to doubt Your love, but to realize that is to find perfect peace, security and rest in Your love. Take me now, just as I am, into Your heart of hearts.