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Beyond Our Comprehension
Did you know that God distinguishes between when we unintentionally sin and when we intentionally sin? Yes, He notices. In Leviticus 4:1-2 the Lord spoke to Moses and said, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.”
In these verses we see several important points. First, the Lord has spoken regarding sin. Sin, intentional or not intentional, is doing what the Lord has commanded us not to do. Second, the person who sins is guilty before the Lord. Third, the penalty for a guilty sentence is death. Fourth, in God’s mercy, rather than the death sentence being carried out on the sinner, a bull took the guilty person’s sentence of death.
The Old Testament sacrificial system pointed toward the day in which Christ would die on the cross as a once for all guilt offering for our sin.
Isaiah 53:10 explains God’s love which is beyond our comprehension. “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him (Jesus), putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a GUILT OFFERING…” The “if He would” was answered when Christ laid down His life so that we might be sin free, guilt free. What a wonderful Lord.
Heavenly Father and Jesus, we praise You for paying our sin debt by Jesus becoming a GUILT OFFERING in our place. Your love is beyond our comprehension.
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When You Don’t Know What to Do
Have you ever felt uncertain about what to do? I have. Probably one of the most challenging times was when I was 29 years old and received a letter from M.D. Anderson saying I had stage 1a ovarian cancer. The oncologist I was seeing agreed that it would be good for me to get a second opinion. When I did, I was told I did not have cancer. In spite of the second opinion, my oncologist’s advice was to follow M.D. Anderson’s diagnosis and have a hysterectomy.
We had one child but wanted more children. If we followed M.D. Anderson’s advice, I’d immediately have a hysterectomy. My husband and I didn’t know what to do. We turned to the Lord.
Isaiah 42:16 says, “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them.” God is our guide to eternal life, but He’s also our guide for daily life.
When we pray, which is what Keith and I did along with many family and friends who prayed for us, God guided us and we felt peace about what to do. Instead of immediately having a hysterectomy, we were blessed by being able to quickly conceive and have our daughter, Lauren; then followed up with the hysterectomy.
Difficult, stressful, tearful times occur, but in each and every one of those times we can be assured we are not alone. Our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit are present to guide us. Look to them. Follow their will.
Thank You, Lord, for being our ever-present GUIDE. We love You and thank You for caring for us and for guiding us.
God cares about you and what’s going on in your life. Would you like to learn more about giving your worries over to Him? Watch Debbie’s teaching on 1 Peter 5 HERE or listen to it HERE.
Have You Ever Wished You Had Someone to Watch Your Back
Have you ever wished you had someone to watch your back? Or, better, to watch over your soul – your mind, emotions, and will? The fact is, believers have that person in Jesus. First Peter 2:25 tells us “…you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”
Think about Peter’s description of our Lord: Guardian of Your Soul.
When doing research for my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, I discovered that the word “guardian” is translated from the Greek word episkopos and means an “overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing that things done by another are done rightly.” What a blessing for us to have God as the overseer of our souls.
God assumes responsibility for being the Guardian of our Soul, but it is our responsibility to follow what He tells us to in the Bible and at the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
Begin each day lifting up your soul to the Lord, praying as the psalmist, “Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul,” Psalm 145:8.
Then, ask the Holy Spirit to fill your soul. Read His Word, the Bible, that will guard your soul. Journal His Word. Pay attention to and follow how the Guardian of your Soul leads you.
LORD, I praise You, GUARDIAN of My Soul. Help me be increasingly sensitive to Your Word and voice.
One of our key verses today is 1 Peter 2:25. To watch Debbie’s teaching on all of 1 Peter 2, click HERE. You can also check out her 1 Peter Bible study, “Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos” HERE. The study includes free accompanying videos and podcasts. You can access them by going to “Bible Studies” in the main menu or by clicking HERE.
Do You Know What It Is to Be Greatly Loved?
Many people do not know what it means to be loved. But we do. We are the recipients of God and Jesus’ great lovingkindness towards us. Psalm 145:8 clearly states their great love, “The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” Say those words out loud. Personalize them.
“God is slow to anger with me. God is GREAT IN LOVINGKINDNESS toward me. God the Father has proved it by sending Jesus to earth to atone for my sins. Jesus has proved His great love for me by dying on the cross.”
God is slow to anger. God is great in lovingkindness. Praise Him! Serve Him. Tell others.
LORD, we rejoice in and are humbled by Your GREAT LOVINGKINDNESS!
If you enjoyed this content and want to watch video teachings by Debbie, subscribe to her YouTube channel. Go HERE and click the subscribe button to be notified of new teachings.
Will You Trust Your Prayers to God?
Are you hurting, struggling, or stressed? If so, are you crying out to God?
David models that rather continuing in our hurt, struggle, or stress, we cry to Him. Why should we? God is a great God. He can do wondrous thing that He alone can do as he points out in his prayer. “You are GREAT and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God,” Psalm 86:10.
David’s words are not mindlessly spoken. Rather, they are heartfelt and spoken in the midst of his afflictions and needs.
When David says, “You are great and do wondrous deeds,” he is professing his trust in God’s greatness. He is looking at the heavens and saying, “You alone are God. I know nothing is too difficult for You. I know You can help, so do!”
Today, we can re-affirm our faith in God’s greatness. We can pray the words David prayed.
We can be assured our great God hears us. We can walk out our faith in God’s greatness and ability to do wondrous deeds with a hopeful heart.
Heavenly Father, we profess with David, “You alone are GREAT and do wondrous deeds. You alone are God.” Thank You for hearing our prayers and for doing wondrous deeds beyond our imagination.
Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!
Saved from the Devil’s Blow
Picture this. A mom is walking across the street with her child. Suddenly, a truck approaches at a high speed and swerves out of control toward them. Instinctively, the mom jumps in front of her child in order to take the brunt of the impact. Did anyone tell her to do that? No. She did it to save her child’s life because she loves her child. If there had been time for her to think about it, she would have done the same thing. Why? A mom lays down her life for her child.
Jesus, who identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10:11, laid down His life for us. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
Why would Jesus take the blow of death for us? Something worse than an out-of-control truck barrels toward people.
The devil, with out-of-control malice and evil intentions aims to kill us – body, soul, and spirit. Jesus stepped between the devil and us, saving our lives from his evil intentions that would have robbed us of heaven’s glory.
What should be our response? Worship. Thanksgiving. Returning His love by serving His purposes.
Jesus, You are the GOOD SHEPHERD who laid down Your life for me. I love You, give You eternal praise, and offer myself to serve You and Your purposes.
Would you like to learn more about Jesus being the Good Shepherd? Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 10 by clicking HERE or listen to it HERE.
Good News for People with a Bad Taste In Their Mouth
Have you ever had a “bad taste in your mouth” after experiencing something unpleasant? Have you heard people say they are “fed up” with the news or that they can’t “stomach” another …..whatever.
That’s where Christ followers can come in and be what 2 Timothy 2:21 describes as vessels of Christ. “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
Yes, as Christ’s vessel, we can be intentional about making sure we are a clean vessel God can use by confessing and repenting of any sin in our life. As a cleansed vessel, we can be useful to the Lord, to pour out His goodness on others.
How can we be a vessel of God’s goodness? What can we do?
We can dish out Christ’s love in big hooping scoops.
We can pour out His kindness to those who are going through a hard time.
We can serve His Word to people who are deceived and offer them the way to salvation in Christ.
Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is GOOD; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
God is good. Will you be intentional about being a cleansed vessel who the Lord can use to serve His goodness to those who desperately need Him?
LORD, You are GOOD. Use us as Your vessels to pour forth Your goodness, love, kindness, and truth to others.
You can be a vessel of God’s goodness today by sharing this blog post with someone who may need encouragement or someone who doesn’t know the Lord. Share by clicking on the social media icons, below, or by using the “Forward to a Friend” email button.
When You’re In A Battle, Remember This
Are you familiar with the story of David and Goliath? It’s an account of a lad using a slingshot to overpower a giant. Unlike a Disney movie, it isn’t fiction.
I encourage you to open your Bible and read 1 Samuel 17 as if it were your first time. A number of things jumped out to me when I reread the passage.
David was confident that he would prevail over the giant. (Not could, but would.) He wasn’t hoping that luck would be on his side. Rather, his confidence was rooted in his past experiences when God had been there for him. Yes, Goliath was different from prior “giants” he’d faced, but God was the same present help.
First Samuel 17:45 records his confidence in God. “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.’”
Are you facing a giant in your life? Are you afraid you won’t prevail? Although people may offer you what’s worked for them in the past, their “armor,” the fact is, your reliance on the God of the Armies of Israel is what is necessary for God to empower you and ensure victory.
Is He your confidence today?
Heavenly Father, GOD of the ARMIES of ISRAEL, I place my confidence in You.
Want to learn more about building your confidence and trust in God? Watch this video by Debbie.
If You Need Some Order in Your Life
Have you ever thought about how God is a God of order? If not, consider how Jeremiah 31:35 points out that He is.
“‘Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name.’”
The Lord of hosts is a God of order. He created order in the universe. He created order for our days, nights, and seasons. He created order in protons, neutrons, and electrons making up atoms. And of protons and neutrons being made of three quarks each.
If order doesn’t come naturally to you. If in fact, it is a struggle for you to have order in your days, weeks, and months; in your family, business, or ministry, turn to Jesus for help.
Ask Him how you can better order your days and weeks, your family and commitments.
Begin each day with a prayer to the God of order then walk by His counsel.
Heavenly Father, You are a GOD OF ORDER. Please order my days so I faithfully fulfill Your purposes.
The Prayers of My Heart prayer journal is a great way to order your prayers and praises. Grab a copy HERE while it’s still on sale!
You Are Mistaken If You Think God is the God of the Dead
Jesus is the one talking. He has just told those who were asking Him questions that they were mistaken. Imagine that. Humans mistaken. Then Jesus referred to people in the Old Testament. To those who consider the Old Testament irrelevant, please consider that Jesus often quoted from it. As a matter of fact, scholars have recorded examples of Jesus’ Old Testament references, citing that “in the four Gospels, 180 of the 1,800 verses that report His discourses are either Old Testament quotes or Old Testament allusions.” (https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu). Such is the case in this instance when Jesus was asked about marriage relationships after people died and were resurrected.
In Matthew 22:31-32 Jesus answered their question saying, “…regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
God is not the God of the dead. Think about those words.
Sometimes in the past when I’ve been asked if my parents are still alive, I’ve responded that they are dead. Based on Jesus’ statement, they are not dead. The next time someone asks me about them, I’m going to say, “They’re living in heaven.” What about you? How will you respond to questions about your loved ones who are no longer with you?
GOD of the LIVING, we praise You for receiving our loved ones into Your presence. Thank You that we, too, will live in Your presence one day.
The God of the Living is always present and wants us to communicate and have fellowship with Him through prayer. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.”