40 Days of Praise & Prayer - Day 4

Today's Praise & Prayer Focus: Psalm 98 (Worship the Lord, the Judge of the Earth)

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.

40 Days of Praise & Prayer - Day 3

Today's Praise & Prayer Focus: Psalm 148 (The whole creation praises God)

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.

And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!

Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!

Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

Young men and maidens together, old men and children!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him.

Praise the Lord!

40 Days of Praise & Prayer - Day 2

Today's Praise & Prayer Focus: Psalm 18:1-3 (Praise the Lord for giving deliverance from trouble)

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

40 Days of Praise & Prayer - Day 1

This year’s 40 days will be an encouragement not only to pray, but also to praise God in song. Praise has been a powerful way to express our faith to God. Our readings will be scriptures about praise or verses that have been put to music.

When Moses crossed the Red Sea with the Israelites, there was a great celebration of song (Exodus 15:1-21).

Who can forget David’s psalm of remorse and repentance after he was confronted with his sin (Psalm 51).

When the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, it was a time of great rejoicing and song (Neh. 12:27-43).

When Mary visited Elizabeth and the baby John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, Mary burst forth in a song of praise to God (Luke 1:46-55).

When Jesus was preparing to go to Gethsemane in his darkest hour, he sang a hymn with his disciples (Matt. 26:30).

When Paul and Silas were cast into the forsaken darkness of their prison cell at Philippi, they sang praises to their faithful God at midnight. (Acts 16:25).

Today's Reading & Praise Focus: Psalm 100 (Shout Joyfully to the Lord)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Revelation Simplified Now Complete

The 7th and final vision of Revelation Simplified, the class I taught recently, is not posted. Click on University Church of Christ to download or listen.