Who Is The Lord?

I've had a few blah days. Not really at my best. I think the best way to turn it around is to start off my day giving the Lord my praise. 

Praise

Who is the Lord?

He is God!

He is worthy to be praised.

Praise the Lord all my days.

Praise His Holy Name!

Who is the Lord?

It is He who has made me!

I will sing to Him with glee.

Praise His Holy Name!

Praise God, 

The Maker of the Universe.

Praise Him! Praise Him!

Praise the Lord all my days!

“From the rising of the sun to its setting. 

The name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3 ESV

A New Song

Often when I wake it is just not one of those, instant wake up, get up moments. I am sleepy, I am listless, I just have no “get up and go.” I suppose this is one of those mornings in which I need a “new song,” a “new skip to my step”, and a “new get up and go.” 

     Therefore, I look to the One who can do that. Psalm 40:3 says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our (my) God.” 

     What am I to do with this new song? 

     Scripture takes it a step further, Psalm 98:1 says , “Make a joyful noise to the Lord.”

     With that comes my new lift, my new step, and my renewed desire to “get up and go” with a joyful heart. 

 

Thank you, God for the newness of the day!

Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving

 Every morning calls for a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. Here is mine for today.

Lord, 

I see, in nature, Your glory and splendor.

I feel Your love, so tender.

I have a joy within my soul that You bestow

As, onward, I travel and wherever I go.

Your goodness, I know.

For Your mighty grace 

Is given throughout my daily pace. 

Lord, 

I desire to slow my walk 

And, Us, more often to talk. 

Calm my spirit and give me quiet 

To make You my morning, noon, and nighttime diet.

Lord, 

With fulness of heart, I rejoice,

As I make You my companion choice. 

You, O Lord, are the One I turn to when I am sad or mourn 

Or when I am torn.

It’s You I seek when I am troubled and in doubt,

For You’re the One who works all things out.

Lord, 

I thank You

For being my glue,

For helping me through,

And for being true-

As I, on earth, pass through.

                         …Amen!

 

Life Is What You Bake It

In mid-September, I decided to bake up a new recipe. It has taken a while to decide to share it, mainly because I did not know if I had the ingredients right. Then I read Philippians 4:6-7 and knew the final ingredient I had forgotten was truly the missing link. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts, and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Life is What You Bake It 

 

Upon a shelf sat a mix I had made up,

And it was time to get rid of it, cup-by-cup.

So, into a bowl, 

I stirred in a cup of sin, yellowed with age. 

Next, I added a cup each of bitterness, anger, and rage.

This needed to be cooked today-

Gotten rid of without delay.

Next, I added milk, eggs, and flour. 

This was not my finest hour,

For the batter was not as expected;

Something needed to be corrected. 

That this recipe was going to fail,

was among my fears, 

So, I added in a cup of liquid tears. 

I considered for a moment 

What I may have skipped?

A quick taste, I dipped. 

Maybe, if I added a cup of prayerful flavor, 

This cake would be something to savor.

But it needed more

To remove the bitter taste of the sin.

I quickly reached for a nearby tin

To sprinkle in some peace, love, and joy. 

I surmised, 

This would help the cake to rise. 

 I mixed, stirred, and beat- 

Hoping for the perfect treat. 

Finally, I coated a pan with oil of repentance,

And baked the batter at 350 degrees 

And waited in unease. 

Standing in place, 

A smile lite my face.

It was rising before my eyes,

To the perfect height and size.

But something was bothering me

And wouldn’t let me be.

As the cake sat within my gaze,

I remembered, 

I had forgotten to add-in the praise. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/15/2025

 

     “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every 

form of malice.” Philippians 4:31 NIV

Song of Praise

Song of Praise

 

O Lord!

You are my God!

I will give You praise.

In my helplessness, 

You are my defense;

In the heat of the day, my shade;

Through the storm, my refuge.

I praise Your Holy Name.

You wipe away my tears,

Remove my fears,

Establish my years.

You turn my weariness into hope,

My sadness into joy,

My woe into song.

You are my strength in need, 

In heartache,

In trouble.

O Lord!

You are there.

You are my God,

And I will praise Your Holy Name.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 7/29/2025

 

“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4 KJV

 

“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9 KJV 

 

 

The Glory of God

The beauty of a sunset, a flowerbed in bloom, or something in nature excites us. Many snap a photo to share on Facebook, and I marvel at their glory. When I see these posts, I know that the majesty of them all comes from God. He is greater, more glorious, and the Ruler of all. 

 

As glorious as the stars and the rising and setting sun are, God is higher.

   “And the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is judge.” Psalm 50;6

 

Jewels and diamonds have nothing on my Lord. 

     “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty: the Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength. Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.” Psalm 93:1

 

The excitement of catching a glimpse of racing wildlife or their slow grazing is nothing compared to my God.

     “For every beast of the forest is Mine.” The cattle on a thousand hills.”  Psalm 50:10

 

The birds in flight hold no comparison. He created and knows them all.

     “I know every bird of the mountains. And everything that moves in the field is Mine.” Psalm 50:11

 

When I consider the wonders of my God’s Almighty power, I must exclaim, 

“O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.” Psalm 51:15

 

Praise

For me, praise is to glorify, and God is who I need to glorify.

Psalm 150 tells us:

1.     Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary- praise Him in the firmament of His power.

2.    Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3.    Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the psaltery and harp.

4.    Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. 

5.    Praise Him upon the loud cymbals; praise Him upon the hight sounding cymbals. 

6.    Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

 

For someone like me who has no musical ability I will praise Him in my way: 

 

Praise Him in                 Prayer

Praise Him when I         Rise

Praise Him by               Abiding in Him

Praise Him                    In all things

Praise Him by what I    Say

Praise Him                    Every day 

 

Me Time

I have often said that I just want a little “me time” which means, “Everyone just leave me alone and let me get away by myself.” I really do not mean that literally for there is always One who I want with me at ALL times. 

     I realize that I am never alone, and I am so glad and blessed by that knowledge. Psalm 139: 7-10 reinforces this: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.”

     This knowledge that I am never alone gives me comfort and peace. I love my "me time."

 

Me Time

 

“Me time” finds me never alone

But with the Lord upon His throne. 

Alone, I do not wish to be;

But just the Lord and me.

“Me time” is a time to praise

Before the lifting of morning’s haze;

Before the beginnings of my days.

“Me time” is a moment for listening-

A moment for partitioning.

It starts while the dew is glistening.

It starts in early morning

Before the sun begins its adorning.

“Me time” is a time to hear His voice;

A time to rejoice:

A time amid the busy day

In my work or in my play.

“Me time” is a call to pray. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 3/29/2024 

 

 

 

The "D" Words!

I do not like certain “d” words. They often start with darts from satan, because he wants to keep me down and in doubt. He wants to discourage me. He wants to delay my joy. He wants my life to be difficult. He wants me to be depressed. He wants to defeat me. He wants to dazzle me with things of this world. He wants to draw me to his ways. He wants to deceive and dupe me.

     Because I wear the shield of faith, I suppose I will always have satan’s darts thrown at me, but if I stay on guard and trust God, no matter what “d” words I confront, I have the promise of victory. 

     Hallelujah! Praise my Lord!

A Drink of Living Water

 I was reading the story of the women who came to the well where Jesus was sitting. He asked her for a drink of water. During their discussion, the women received a "drink of living water" when Jesus explained how to live a full life. She was so excited, she left her water jar and went to tell others. I just realized that the story never tells us she drew water or that the water jar was still empty. She received her "living water" but did she ever offer Jesus the drink of water for which He asked? 
     I have to ask myself, "How often do I receive blessings and, in my excitement, forget to give Jesus the praise?"

In The Moment

There are many important moments in life. Some are one time, others are daily, such as: 

 

The moment…. Jesus is believed and accepted, life changes. Peace and the protecting Holy Spirit is provided.

 

The moment…a prayer is lifted, plans are stirred.  Do it daily and first thing each morning. God will work powerfully with us during times of cares, concerns, and burdens. 

 

The moment…God is worshiped and praised, He hears and is pleased. He is good! His faithfulness endures forever.

Praise God and His Son! He's not done!

I've written a few praise poems in the past because I need to praise God more often. In fact, I need to praise Him everyday. Because of Him, I exist. Because of Him, Jesus lives! Below is a praise I did this morning. 

Praise!

 

I praise You God!

First, You planned and created me,

Knowing just how You’d set me free.

I praise You God for what You’ve done-

Loving me enough

To sacrifice Your Son.

God, You planned to give me merit

To give me worth,

And You sent me the Holy Spirit.

I praise You God for Your Son

And for what He’s done.

I praise You God because I live.

I praise You God because You forgive.

I praise You God, ‘cause Jesus lives!

I praise You today.

I will praise You through the days ahead.

I praise You God!

Because of me, Jesus’ blood was shed.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 8/18/2023

 

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "Pat on the Back"

“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2) This was my scripture for the day. It reminded me of a recent conversation which went something like this: 

 

Me: At least you are talented.

Her: No, you are the one with talent.

Me: I don’t know what at.

 

Why are we so prone to deny the compliments of others? Following the above verse, my devotional went on to ask how we feel when we receive praise? Did it make us glad or uncomfortable? How do we react to praise? 

 

The devotional gave a few points to consider when we receive praise, as follows: 

1.     Acknowledge the comment by thanking the person. Don’t explain why we feel unworthy of the praise.

2.    Identify and acknowledge the character quality in ourselves that led to the comment. We are called to encourage others and accept the fact they see something in us that we miss seeing.

3.    Share what the encouragement means to us personally. Tell the other person how much we were blessed by his praise. Remember, that praise goes both ways. 

 

There is a lot to be said about encouraging others and giving them that little “pat on the back”, and when we get that encouragement ourselves, accept and recognize the good we do. 

 

 

A Song of Praise

 I love reading the Book of Psalm. David wrote many songs of praise to God. As I was reading one this morning, I felt the desire to write one of my own. It is as follows: 

A Song of Praise 

I will praise you, O Lord;

With my whole heart, I praise.

By Your love, You amaze!

I praise Your marvelous glory

Oh, let it be my daily story!

I praise for how my joy is complete

As I lay my burdens at your feet. 

I praise you in the morning.

I praise you at the noon of day.

I praise you in every way.

I praise your majestic name

For how it sets my heart aflame.

I praise you in the night.

I praise You as the King of Kings;

Heaven’s reigning Knight.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 5/5/2023 

 

“I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Psalm 9:1 KJV

Look Up and Praise

     Psalm 34:19 reminds us that although we all know troubles, "the good man does not escape all troubles-he has them too."  Yet, as the verse continues, God gives us encouragement, "The Lord helps him in each and every one."  Even before this verse, we are told what we should be doing daily regardless of troubles.  It is found in verses 1and 2 , "I will praise the Lord no matter what happens.  I will constantly speak of His glories and grace. I will boast of all His kindness to me.  Let all who are discouraged take heart."
So, I conclude that when troubles come:

Look Up!

          Praise!

What IN IT?

There is a quote by John Piper in my Sunday School lesson which gives insight into the essence of worship.

Just what is true inner worship?  John Piper puts it like this: "The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God,  enjoying God,  and being satisfied with God above all earthly things."

Most would ask, "What's in it for me?"  John Piper tells us that we gain "deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God which overflows in demonstrable acts."

Then the question could be, "What's in it for God?  Piper says that these demonstrable acts overflow into "acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ."

So, what is in it for others?  I would answer a demonstration of our  loving service to them. 

Oh Lord!
I lift my hands in praise.
My hearts flutters within your presence.
I value your inner dwelling,
  treasure your faithful promises,
  prize my very life and salvation.

I value your peaceful tranquility. 
  treasure the blessings you provide.
  prize my waking healthy moments.

I value your Word,
  treasure your Walk with me daily. 
   prize my Heavenly protection.

I lift my hands in praise,
Thanking you for your love,
  for the love of friends and family,
  for opportunities to share You.
                                      AMEN
                               
                             

Glorify God

    I often think, "what can I do for God today," knowing I was born for a purpose.  "How can I be of service, or what good deed can I do?"  My mindset is usually about doing something for others.  I still believe I should do good deeds and serve others, but there are days the opportunity does not present itself.  Then what?  Of course, there is always prayer for others, and there is a whole list of friends and acquaintances who need daily prayers.   God does hear these prayers, and He answers with what is needed and in His time.
     However, I found still another way to please God in my Sunday study of Revelations 4:11, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."   You might say, a light bulb lite up!  The teacher of our lesson stated it plainly and simple.  I was created by God for God's pleasure.  "What pleases God?"  he asked.   "Praise and worship! "
     So what other purpose do I have?  It is to glorify and praise God.
     "Holy, holy, holy, 
     Lord God, the Almighty,      
     who was, who is and who is to come."  Rev. 4:8b

Trivia

     While reading Nehemiah 12 this morning, I paused to re-read verse 46, (NLT) "The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph."  How could I have missed this until today?  What a great trivia question! 
     In order to verify this New Living Translation, I looked up the King James version, "For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God."  Next, I looked up the New International Version,  "For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God."
     Don't ask me why trivia came to mind, but it did.  This led me to pull up a scriptural trivia quiz.  Having never been good with trivia, I was surprised when I got the first 2 quizzes of five questions correct, but the quizzes kept getting harder, so I quit after missing all of the next 2 sets.   
     No wonder I missed a few, for example:

Isaiah tells us to make straight what in the desert to prepare the way of the Lord?
  1. Street
  2. River
  3. Highway
  4. Interstate
     My logical mind ruled out all but river because, back in that day, there were no streets, highways, or interstates.  Wrong answer!  Isaiah 40:3 "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

Here's another:
What does the Lord tell Isaiah he will plant in the wilderness?
  1. The Cedar
  2. Shittah tree
  3. The Myrtle
  4. Oil Tree
  5. All of the above
I did not have a clue, but I guessed they had Olive Oil, so I selected Oil tree.  Wrong answer, again.  Isaiah 41:19 "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:"   Correct answer, "All of the Above."  Who knew? Certainly not me. 

Stay tuned for more trivia to come ...
 

King David's Song

     I am sure most everyone remembers the story of David and Goliath; of how David, a young boy, killed the mighty giant with only a stone and a slingshot.  This is not just a childhood story seeking to amaze children.  It is a story of how God can overcome the greatest obstacle in life if we only have faith in Him.  David not only knew the Lord was with Him, but throughout his lifetime, he often sang songs of praise to God.  No wonder David was a man "after God's own heart."  In 1 Chronicles 16 parts of his song are:

vs. 7-10 "Give thank to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what He has done.
Sing to him; yes sing His praises.
Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds.
Exult in His holy name.
Rejoice, you who worship Him."
vs. 14 "He is the Lord our God."
vs. 23-24 "Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Each day proclaim the good news that He saves.
Publish His glorious deeds among the nations."
vs. 29 "Give to the Lord the glory He deserves!
Bring your offering and come into His presence.
Worship the Lord in all His holy splendor."
vs. 31 "Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Tell all the nations, "The Lord reigns!"
vs. 35 "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting."

Then in David's prayer of thanks, vs.25 he says, "For when you grant a blessing O Lord, it is an eternal blessing."

   For me, I believe it would be good to follow David's example and not forget to praise and thank God for my many blessings in life as well as proclaim God's goodness to the world.   

My Shining Knight

     David was a man "after God's own heart," yet he had flaws.  However, God loved him still, and continued to be with David, giving him victory throughout the battles and wars being fought.  David acknowledged God's mighty hand in his life when he wrote his song of praise to the Lord in 2 Samuel 22.  May we all acknowledge God's hand in our life.  The following is my praise for today.

      My Shining Knight!

The Lord is the rock of all,

My support, my solid wall.
He is my shield, the power who saves me
from troubles as deep as the spacious sea.
At the blast of His breathe and voice,
Let me rejoice, 
For He is my refuge;
My God, in whom I praise.

The heavens open at His command;

Power and force form from God's right hand. 
Dark clouds roll beneath his feet;
Only He can wash my body sweet. 
My Lord soars on the wings of the wind;
Blessings, sorrow -He evens the blend. 
His voice resounds; the Lord thunders!
View His wonders!

The Lord is my rescuer, my strength;

Only He knows my heart, to its depth and length.
He is my light in the night;
The spring of life, my shining Knight. 
He is the lamp unto my feet;
In Him, my heart rejoices with a hammering beat.

Who, but God, is my solid rock;
The Shepherd over all His flock?
Only He is worthy of praise;
Only He issues joy over my days. 

The Lord is like the light in morning's sunrise,

Working miracles within mine own eyes.
He is the glistening diamond of early morning dew;
                Praise Him!  Praise Him!
For He will recue, save, and the soul renew,
Like a kiss in the night; My shining Knight!
                             Mary Crisp Jameson