50 Days of Praise - Day 25: Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-6 (October 31) Our God Wins

On a day that our nation devotes to the celebration of evil, it might be helpful to read the back of the book and remember that in the end, Jesus wins!

Today’s Reading - Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-6 

Revelation 21:1-8

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:1-6

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

Prompting Praise

What character qualities of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can praise him? 

What great works of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can give thanks and praise him? 

As you consider the greatness of God, is there anything for which you need to repent? 

As you consider the greatness and goodness of God, are there changes in your life the Spirit of God would make in you? 

Praise the Lord

Of course, God hears your private prayers and your praise, but there is a blessing that comes when you voice your praise for others to hear. "Extol the Lord." That's what the Bible says. The comments are open if you wish to give God praise and thanksgiving that might bless us all. 

50 Days of Praise - Day 24: Isaiah 55 (October 30) Higher Ways; Higher Thoughts

This passage exalts the grace, goodness, and sovereignty of God. There's SO much here!

Today’s Reading -  Isaiah 55

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
    and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
    an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Prompting Praise

What character qualities of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can praise him? 

What great works of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can give thanks and praise him? 

As you consider the greatness of God, is there anything for which you need to repent? 

As you consider the greatness and goodness of God, are there changes in your life the Spirit of God would make in you? 

Praise the Lord

Of course, God hears your private prayers and your praise, but there is a blessing that comes when you voice your praise for others to hear. "Extol the Lord." That's what the Bible says. The comments are open if you wish to give God praise and thanksgiving that might bless us all. 

50 Days of Praise - Day 23: Psalm 62 (October 29) God Alone

This Psalm expresses David's pain in a time of pressure, attack, suffering. He realized that in such a time it was God ALONE who was the source of hope and salvation. When days are hard, seek him alone. 

Today’s Reading - Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;
    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work.

Prompting Praise

What character qualities of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can praise him? 

What great works of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can give thanks and praise him? 

As you consider the greatness of God, is there anything for which you need to repent? 

As you consider the greatness and goodness of God, are there changes in your life the Spirit of God would make in you? 

Praise the Lord

Of course, God hears your private prayers and your praise, but there is a blessing that comes when you voice your praise for others to hear. "Extol the Lord." That's what the Bible says. The comments are open if you wish to give God praise and thanksgiving that might bless us all. 

50 Days of Praise - Day 22: Ephesians 2:1-10 (October 28) Made Alive in Christ

We were dead in our sins and God made us alive in Christ. If that doesn't make you want to jump up and shout praise, what will?

Today’s Reading - Ephesians 2:1-10

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Prompting Praise

What character qualities of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can praise him? 

What great works of God are mentioned in this passage for which you can give thanks and praise him? 

As you consider the greatness of God, is there anything for which you need to repent? 

As you consider the greatness and goodness of God, are there changes in your life the Spirit of God would make in you? 

Praise the Lord

Of course, God hears your private prayers and your praise, but there is a blessing that comes when you voice your praise for others to hear. "Extol the Lord." That's what the Bible says. The comments are open if you wish to give God praise and thanksgiving that might bless us all.