Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 16 Joy Generator

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
Psalm 28:7

Forest glades shady and chill,
In the silence praise you still.

Exhilaration. Exuberance. Elation. A feeling of great happiness, pleasure, and delight. In other words. Joy. Maybe from a baby’s smile, a morning sunrise, a stirring piece of music, the soft snuggle of a favorite pet, or the hug of a loved one. Whatever the source, when joy fills us, it flows out from us.

As our Heavenly Father formed Israel as his people, he called them to times of joy and festivity, of celebration and jubilation, to remember how he blesses them with bountiful harvests and prosperity (Deuteronomy 16:15). Though times of trouble come, our Father promises days of joy, blessing, and festive praise to those who mourn (Isaiah 61:3), and healing, freedom, and exuberance to those who fear his name (Malachi 4:2). He gives us Jesus, our Joy and we can respond to him with glorious, inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8) that ever flows out from us.

Pause and take time to remember a moment of joy. Consider where you were, what was and who was with you. Notice the other feelings that come with the memory. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?

Praise our Heavenly Father for the many ways he fills your life with joy. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, our true source of Joy.

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Joy Generator.
Thank you for filling my world with joy and thanksgiving.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 15 Rock Molder

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Psalm 95:1

Timeless, solid and enduring,
Evidence of your glory bring.

Rocks. Weathered and worn by wind and water. Yet strong, silent sentinels throughout time, often giving us glimpses into the past. And when pressed, crushed, squeezed, they produce beauty astounding. Diamonds. Rubies. Amethysts. Emeralds, and many other precious gems.

Scripture describes our Heavenly Father as a rock, solid, enduring, and trustworthy (2 Samuel 32:22). In his one of his lessons, Jesus says someone who listens to his teaching and follows it is like a person building a house—their life—on a firm foundation of solid rock (Luke 6:48). Paul tells us that Jesus is the rock that sustained God’s people with water while they traveled in the desert (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). Our Heavenly Father gives us Jesus, our Solid Rock, the living stone on whom we find an enduring foundation for our faith (1 Peter 2:4).

Pause and take time to pick up a rock. Consider its size, weight, and composition. Notice the color (or colors), the luster (or lack thereof), and the texture (smooth, rough, lumpy). What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?

Praise our Heavenly Father for the diversity of rocks, gems, and minerals found throughout our world. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Solid Rock on which we stand.
Pray.

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Rock Molder.
When I praise you, I am reminded of your unshakable love for me.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 14 Breath Giver

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Let everything that breathes
sing praises to the Lord!
Psalm 150:6

From nectar’s honey for the bee,
To sweetest praises of jubilee.

The low oxygen content in the high altitudes of the mountains makes one appreciate a deep, life giving breath while hiking trails or ever walking about. In contrast, the majestic views of snow-covered peaks, gushing waterfalls, and rolling river valleys give life by taking our breath away.

Our Heavenly Father has been the Breath Giver from the beginning. When he formed a human from the dust of the ground, he breathed life into nose and lungs to bring about a living person (Genesis 2:7). He who gives us the breath of life also designs and determines our days (Daniel 5:23). Indeed, he gives life and breath to everything and satisfies every need (Acts 17:25). Our Father gives us Jesus, the Breath of Life, who breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

Pause and take time to take a deep breath. Then another. And another. Consider the rise and fall of your chest as your lungs expand and empty. Notice how your heart slows and your soul quiets as you take each breath. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?

Praise our Heavenly Father for each breath he gives us, from our first cry to our final gasp. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Breath of Life, who gives us his Spirit.

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Breath Giver.
Let your praises always be sweet like honey on my tongue.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 13 Praise Prompter

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Psalm 96:11

Coming from the ocean’s roar,
Your praises now and evermore.

Our words have power. They influence and impact others. They affect those who hear. Our words can encourage or discourage. They can build up or tear down. They can motivate or demotivate. They can wound or they can heal. They can bring life or they can bring death.

By the power of his word, our Heavenly Father spoke creation into existence (Genesis 1). His spoken word continues to go out and always produces fruit—accomplishing everything he wants it to and prospering everywhere he sends it (Isaiah 55:11). Unlike the grass that withers or the flowers that fade, our Father’s word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). From the beginning was his Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) Our Heavenly Father gives us Jesus, whose name is the Word God (Revelation 19:13).

Pause and take time to speak an encouraging or heartening word to someone. Consider who you might inspire, motivate, or comfort with your words. Notice how your words impact her, how she reacts, and what she might do in response. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?

Praise our Heavenly Father for his word that prompts us to praise and worship. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Living Word that renews us every day.

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Praise Prompter.
Thank you for the thunderous reminders of your glory.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 12 River Filler

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy.
Psalm 98:8

The waters swirl clear and cold,
Springing forth with praises bold.

Mighty rivers play a vital role in humanity’s history, providing life for people, animals, and crops. From the four rivers in Genesis 2—the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates—to the Nile of the Egyptian empire, the Amazon of the Incas, the Yangtze River in China, and the Mississippi River in the United States, the twisting, turning waterways sustain life wherever they flow.

Solomon noted the remarkable rivers, how they run into the sea, but the sea is never full, how the water returns and flows out again to the sea (Ecclesiastes 1:7). Our Heavenly Father tells us not to abandon him, the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 17:13). Jesus declares that if we ask him, he will give us living water (John 4:10) and then rivers of living water will flow from our hearts (John 7:37-38). Our Father gives us Jesus, this Living Water, so that we will never thirst again.


Pause and take time to sit by a river, creek, or brook. Consider the plants growing along the shores, the animals swimming in the depths, and the birds on branches and banks. Notice sunlight playing off the ripples, sounds of rushing water, and smells filling the air. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?


Praise our Heavenly Father for the rivers filled and flowing with life. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Living Water that quenches every thirst.


Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the River Filler.
May my praises bubble up and refresh all who hear.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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