Praising God for Our Intelligent Design: A Thirty-One-Day Devotional

By Ralford Jones Ed.D. Psy.D.

The central themes of this devotional emanate from Genesis 1:26-27 and Isaiah 43:7, 21. The first theme is that we are created in God’s image and likeness. The second topic emphasizes worship – glorifying praising, thanking, and adoring God. We are made to glorify God and transmit His glory.

The main section of each devotion begins with a scripture referencing a body part, which is the theme for that day’s study, and ends with reflective questions like:

Are you efficiently using your head to fulfill God’s purpose for your life? What are your thoughts about Job making a covenant with his eyes? Is your mouth used daily as a fountain of life? How can you praise God more for your ears’ design and function?

This devotional encourages focused attention on the body as a physical and spiritual entity. It calls attention to its stewardship and encourages that each part should be used to fulfill God’s essential purpose for our lives. Like the rush of water down a mighty river, let your praise to God flow! To experience this current, you must be intentional to confluence with God’s power, so you can be audacious and creative in your praise to Him, for your Intelligent Design.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664227910

Ralford Jones Ed.D. Psy.D.

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well” (Psalm 139:14, BSB). Let your praise to God flow! Like the rush of water down a mighty river. If you are struggling to praise God sufficiently for who you are, let David’s words inspire you to gpraise God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. David’s declaration that he was “fearfully and wonderfully made” closely complements God’s description of “very good,” found in Genesis 1:31. This portrayal implies that Adam and Eve were the crème de la crème (best of the best) of creation. If it were possible, God would use the highest-grade materials to create Adam. God gave His most focused attention, tender loving care, and brilliant thoughts into creating every fiber of Adam’s being. Sometimes my thoughts tried to imagine the creative process and the thoughts are fascinating. I also imagine that when we are taken to heaven by Jesus, that He will stream the recording of Adam and Eve’s creation as a special event. Scientists have assisted our understanding of “very good,” by dividing the human body into 12 distinct systems and showing how they function interrelatedly with each other and the different organs. For example, the circulatory and cardiovascular systems work collaboratively with each other and the heart to transfer disease defenses substances, hormones, nutrients, oxygen, self-healing properties, and waste throughout and from the body through arteries, veins, and capillaries. The network of blood vessels of an adult is believed to be approximately 60, 000 miles long and could circle the earth two and a half times. The designs and functions of these systems and organs are undoubtedly great artistic feats, engineering wonders, and scientific phenomena that show God’s unrivaled genus. God designed our bodies to miraculously heal themselves when they are bruised, cut or broken. The healing process also occurs daily with the production of new cells; the liver is important for this process. Our bodies use healthy foods to heal themselves also; the intestines are important for such functioning as they absorb nutrients and filter out toxins. The lungs can significantly repair themselves even when severely damaged from years of abuse. The brain builds new neural connections which makes new cells to create new neural pathways and making neurogenesis a possible experience for all of us. Also, the body utilizes positive thoughts, love, faith, meditation, and prayers to constantly heal and restore itself. Remember, you are awesomely designed and fearfully made. May your praise to God today be exuberant and transforming.

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Copyright © 2021 Ralford Jones, Ed.D., Psy.D.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-2790-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2792-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2791-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021905603

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/17/2021

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition). Copyright © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked BSB are taken from The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, BSB Copyright ©2016, 2018 by Bible Hub. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the Holy Bible, American Standard Version (The Revised Version, American Standard Edition of the Bible). Public domain.

To my grandchildren Cameron and Ava, and the friends who encouraged me to put my thoughts I shared with them through texting, into a devotional. I praise, honor, and thank God my Creator for the insights, prompting, and sustenance of health through the writing process. Also, I celebrate God’s creative genius and superintelligence for designing and creating every part of my body.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE HEAD

Day 1: Keep Your Head High

Day 2: Blessings Cover the Head

Day 3: The Ultimate Blessings for the Head

THE BRAIN

Day 4: Let God Transform Your Thinking

Day 5: The Herculean Task

Day 6: God Rewards the Wise with Knowledge

Day 7: Vertical Integration of the Mind

THE EYES

Day 8: Your Eyes Can Transmit Christ’s Light

Day 9: Visual Stimulation Elicits Worship

Day 10: Use the Lids Wisely

Day 11: Pull the Shutters Down

THE EARS

Day 12: An Important Reminder

Day 13: The Synchronistic Actions

Day 14: The Reciprocal Experience

Day 15: The Zone of Compassion

THE MOUTH

Day 16: A Strong Resolution

Day 17: Guard Your Mouth

Day 18: Silence can be Golden

Day 19: A Fountain of Life

THE HANDS

Day 20: Worship God with Your Best Effort

Day 21: God Can Use What’s In Your Hands

Day 22: Keep Your Hands Clean

THE HEART

Day 23: Challenge Your Heart to Love Deeply

Day 24: Vigilantly Protect Your Heart

Day 25: Let God Transform Your Heart

Day 26: Living with a Pure Heart

THE FEET

Day 27: Worship God with Your Steady Walk

Day 28: Bringing Good News to Others

THE WHOLE BODY

Day 29: Created Perfectly

Day 30: Made in God’s Image

Day 31: Made For God’s Glory

INTRODUCTION

God created us for His glory – Isaiah 43:7. One aspect of this obligation is for us to glorify God for and with our whole body. Worshiping God is a 24/7 experience - I Corinthians 10:31. Some Christians create a false distinction between their secular and spiritual lives; this text is unsupportive of such separation. Everything God’s faithful followers do is in the Spirit and not worldly according to Romans 8:9.

Worship is essential to our existence. Our utmost worshipful experience comes when we love God with our entire being – Mark 12:30-31. The utilization of the different parts of the body in glorifying God is an essential theme of this devotional. Utilizing the total emotional, mental, and physical capabilities might be a new concept or experience for some individuals. However, if the Spirit guides them, this comprehensive worship involvement