Tag: splendor

12.l. “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord”

Habakkuk 3:3  God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed— but he marches on forever.

Deuteronomy 5:24     And you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live.

Psalms 114:3-7    The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.  What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?  O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?  Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

Revelation 5:13   And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Isaiah 6:3  And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”  And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.  And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

As Habakkuk prayed for a revival he began to praise the God who brings revival. Habakkuk glorified the power and majesty of God. It is good to praise God like this, and God’s people need to do more of it. It is good to praise God because it gives appropriate honor and glory to God, it declares God’s specific works, it teaches and reminds us of who God is and what He has done, it places man in proper perspective under God, and it builds confidence in the power and works of God.

Do you ever wonder what is proper praise and worship of God?  How do you get to the place in your hearts and minds where praise and worship flow out.  God revealed and Habakkuk saw the judgment, anger, and wrath of God coming because of the defiance and rebellion of His people.  Habakkuk prayed for revival and in this prayer he called out to God with praise and worship, remembering who God is.  Nothing else is worthy of the praise and worship of God.  He alone is worthy.  When our hearts, minds, and souls are intentionally committed to honor, serve, follow, obey, rely, and trust God our hearts will overflow with praise and worship of Him.  When our eyes to our hearts and ears to our minds are clouded with things of this world, and the Word of God is neglected and void in our desires, what should be praise and worship are turned into worry and fear and defeat.  Habakkuk remembered the power of God and how He has control over all things.  It confirmed in his heart and mind that nothing is impossible for God.  We certainly have a lot that could cloud our eyes and deafen our ears to things of God. A global pandemic, riots, confusion, fear, foolish thoughts on what is right and wrong, division, hatred, defiance of God, wars, plagues ……  You have to wonder how much more chaos needs to happen before mankind and nations will recognize the hand of God in all of this and only in and through His power and glory will it stop. In all of this God is in control and His plans and purposes are perfect.  Mankind attempts to deny God’s hand in these happenings and you don’t have to see and hear much news to know their hearts are full of pride and defiance and void of fear/reverence of God.  Do you want to see and end to all that is happening? Turn to God.  Do you want peace in chaos?  Turn to God.  Do you want wisdom to see God’s hand in what is happening?  Dive deep into His Word.  Do you want to hope for the future? Believe in Him alone who can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  Keeping our hearts, minds, and souls pure through His Word and a deep desire to praise and worship Him will flow through us.

11.t. “Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt.”

Nahum 2:10  Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts melt and knees tremble; anguish is in all loins; all faces grow pale!

Isaiah 13:19-22   And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.  It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.

Zephaniah 2:13-15     And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.  Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts; even the owl and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.  This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.

Isaiah 14:23     “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 34:10-15   Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.

Joshua 2:11     And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

Isaiah 13:7-8   Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt.  They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame.

Splendor, pomp, prosperity, pride, greed, self-worth, self-centeredness, and self-reliance are all things we can recognize in others and seldom in ourselves.  The hardest heart to look into is the one in the mirror.  Why is that?  When things are going smoothly we take a step back from God and His active Word in our lives becomes complacent.   When things are going rough, confusing, hurtful, painful, and without hope, we run to God and seek His Word to be active in our lives.  What kind of follower of Jesus Christ would honor and glorify His grace and mercy by acting like this?  We weren’t saved only to come running to God and seeking His intervention when things go south on us.  We were saved to honor and glorify Him in both good and troubling times. When we actively and intentionally choose to be in His Word, seeking to humbly live, glorify, honor, follow, trust and obey, we will soon find that deep-rooted sinful nature, we point at so often in others, is also within our hearts.  We don’t hear much of sin and the need for repentance as much as we used too.  I think some in their effort to lead people to Christ, offer Him up as a cure-all for all there problems and tack on “and also for your sin”.  It should be the other way around.  No one can come to Christ and be born again unless their hearts are pierced by the word of God and leading of the Holy Spirit about their sin and the need for forgiveness.  Any other reason to come to Christ without dealing with sin is meaningless.  Without having a heart, mind, and soul desire of God to expose our sin to us, we will meander around life apart from Him and only seeking Him in times of trials.  We were saved to become disciples of Him to proclaim forgiveness of sin, to set the captive free from sin, and to live apart from sin.  How can we do this if we are not actively seeking God to show it to us through His Word?  We have fallen deep into the hole of worldliness and the mirror to our soul is not root in the Word of God but rather in the culture we live in and what they see as right in their own eyes.  Now is the time to repent and turn away from sin.  Now is the time to seek God with humble hearts.  Now is the time for our lives to reflect thankfulness for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for our sin so that we might have life and life more abundantly for His honor and glory.

8.e. The nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.

Revelation  18:1  After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Isaiah 13:19    And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.

Jeremiah 51:7    Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.

Just as ancient Babylon was heathenish and unbelieving so is this new Babylon which has seduced the kings, people, and nations of the world.  It is a place where demons, unclean spirits, and detestable sexual immorality not only exist, it is the way of life.  It is cherished, sought after, and thought to be acceptable and morally correct.  People intentionally choose to follow and take part in all of this unholy activity.  It is so sad isn’t it, that people intentionally choose to reject Jesus Christ and eternal life.  You have to wonder why it is chosen when it is so obviously wrong.  Yet, today we see the effects of this already starting to evolve more and more.  Where people water down what it means to live for Jesus Christ.  They may have bowed down at some point to seek the grace, mercy, and love proclaimed through the gospel of Jesus Christ but their life reflects no fruit, no humble service, no rejection of the enticements of this world, no seeking of His Word, no want to be led by the Holy Spirit, no desire to be led by and through the word of God, and no understanding of what it means to follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ.  They have found satisfaction in this world and what it has to offer.  They see no need for God in their life other than a promise of eternal life.  It is as if they say I deserved  Jesus for being beaten, whipped, and nailed to the cross for my sin rather than humbly bowing down in an overflowing heart of thanks and worship.  They have made His sacrifice of little significance and it shows in their life of self-centered satisfaction.  Oh, that our heart, mind, and soul would see more and more of the glory of this great mercy, grace, and love, freely given for our redemption and salvation.  I fear many of these people will hear “depart from Me, for I never knew you”.  We have not been saved for our glory, prosperity, and ease in life but, rather for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.  We do well to remember this each moment of every day.

All that is within me

“ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Psalms 103:1-5   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalms 104:1    Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

Psalms 146:1-2     Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Psalms 57:7-11    My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody  Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalms 86:12-13     I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Note these comments on this Psalm from Charles Spurgeon:

“We should attribute it to his later years when he had a higher sense of the preciousness of pardon, because a keener sense of sin, than in his younger days. His clear sense of the frailty of life indicates his weaker years, as also does the very fulness of his praiseful gratitude.” David understood that true worship was something deeply inward, of the soul. It is not just about outward forms or expressions, but also about something real from the soul. “Only a holy man can delight in holy things. Holiness is the terror of unholy men; they love sin and count it liberty, but holiness is to them a slavery.” “David selects a few of the choicest pearls from the casket of divine love, threads them on the string of memory, and hangs them about the neck of gratitude.”

 

Psalm 96

Psalms 96:1  Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!  Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!  Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!  Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;  let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy  before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Steven Cole commented on this Psalm: John Piper, who begins Let the Nations be Glad! ([Baker Academic], 2nd ed., p. 17) by saying, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.” He adds (ibid.), “The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God.”

He is right that worship is the goal of missions. But it’s also true that worship is the basis for missions. If we are not fervent worshipers of God, we have nothing to tell the nations. If we do not exude joy in God and His wonderful salvation, why should lost people be interested in what we have to say? So worship is both the goal of missions and the foundation for missions. If we’re not worshipers, we will be lousy witnesses.

Psalm 96 is a call to tell the nations about God’s glory and His great salvation. It follows on Psalm 95, which describes the stubborn hard-heartedness of Israel in the wilderness, in spite of God’s goodness towards them (C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David [Eerdmans], 4:336). It was the same hardhearted nation that later rejected her Messiah, leading to the gospel going out to the Gentiles (Matt. 21:43; Acts 13:46). So Psalms 95 & 96 form a pair, showing Israel’s rejection of the gospel and the subsequent missionary task of proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles.

I will thank you forever

 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Psalms 92:1   It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,  to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.

Isaiah 58:13     “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Hebrews 4:9     So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

Psalms 33:1     Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

Psalms 50:23     The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalms 52:9     I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalms 73:28     But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Psalms 107:8     Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Hebrews 13:15     Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Psalms 147:1     Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Daniel 4:34-37     At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;  all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Being near to God brings safety, refuge, hope, peace, joy, courage, strength, and love.  Being near (continually in His presence) will bring “praising” God to your mind.  Desiring and seeking to be in His presence will have a direct impact on our understanding and knowledge of Him.  It will grow, giving rise to praises on our lips.  Look at Nebuchadnezzar, everything was taken away from him and after 7 years he came to the this understanding.  Stay in His word, grow in understanding and knowledge of His steadfast love, mercy and grace, and praise Him.

I will glorify You forever and ever

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Psalms 86:12  I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalms 103:1   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Psalms 104:33     I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

Psalms 145:1    I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.  Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.  One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.  On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

1 Chronicles 29:13     And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

Proverbs 3:5     Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Revelation 5:9     And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

1 Corinthians 6:20     for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Revelation 19:5     And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”  Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Sometimes we get side tracked and don’t remember the blessings we have been given and are living with. When we forget there is no doubt that being thankful, grateful, singing praise, shouting for joy, commending His might acts of grace, mercy and love, are also left behind.  Look at David and his comments stating that “I will give thanks”, “I will bless you name”, “I will sing praise”, “Bless the Lord O my soul”, and then again where multitudes of angels, creatures, elders saying “worthy is the Lamb”.  We were bought with a great price for a single purpose, to bring us into fellowship with God where we would humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey Him.  We would praise Him and with thankful hearts glorify Him with all we think, say and do.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.  Blessed the Lord.

Wealth and Riches

“therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,”

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god”

Zechariah 9:2   Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets. But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

Isaiah 23:8    Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

Ezekiel 27:33    When your wares came from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your abundant wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth.

Ezekiel 28:4     by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;  by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth

Ezekiel 28:6  therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.  They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you?

Job 9:4     He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

1 Corinthians 10:22   Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

James 1:11    For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

God asks us to humbly serve, honor, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.  In this we acknowledge His sovereignty, power, might, over all there is.  Our heart knows that all comes from Him and we live in such a way that all glory, honor and praise goes to Him.  It is up to us to continue to walk in this humble service.  Our hope is not set on things we can see, touch, or own.  Our hope is on Him who alone is able to save and redeem us for eternal life with Him.  He is also the one who condemns those of proud and hardened hearts to eternal judgement.  We all have seen the wealthy and proud people, leaders, and nations fall.  Is this not at the hand of God?  Trust not unto your own understanding but lean onto God who is steadfast in taking care of those who choose to humbly serve Him.

Praise the Lord – Make a Joyful Noise

“Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”

“ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!”

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!”

“Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!”

Psalms 66:1   Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!  Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.  All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”

Psalms 95:1-2    Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalms 98:4    Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Psalms 117:1  Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!  For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD

1 Chronicles 16:23  Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

Psalms 72:18    Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

Psalms 96:3  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!  Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!  Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 105:2-3    Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

Isaiah 49:13    Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

Revelation 4:11   “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

There are many reasons to praise God if we would just stop the busyness in our lives to think about Him and what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do –  (His Creation and the wonder of how God spoke it into existence – Mankind and God’s steadfast love and care over us – His comfort, peace, joy, hope, and love guiding us through trials that come our way – Blessings of His word and the precious promises given to encourage us – Forgiveness of sin salvation through His son Jesus Christ – The gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling us – Confidence through His promise of never leaving or forsaking us – Courage through His promise of being able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine – Eternity with Him after our time on earth has come to an end.)   Life seems to distract us from giving Him praise.  Spend today thinking about all those wonders of God you can give praise to.  Spend today giving thought to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him.