I’m the richest woman in the world. Why would I say that and why can you if you are a believer? We can say that because of Jesus, who has given us riches beyond our comprehension. Consider the following blessings that you have because of Christ. 

1. I am rich in mercy. Ephesians 2:4 says, “God, being rich in mercy, … made us alive together with Christ.” We were poor and pitiful before Jesus saved us. Now, we are blessed with His rich mercy.
2. I am rich in faith; an heir of God’s kingdom. James 2:5 says, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom…” Meditate on the richness of God’s kingdom awaiting you.
3. I am the rich bride of the King and His brilliant eternal city. Revelation 21:2, 11 says, “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband …having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.” Because of Christ’s rich mercy, you are headed to the brilliance of the new Jerusalem.

Believer, walk with a humble heart but your head lifted. God has extended His rich mercy to you. Christ and the brilliance of the New Jerusalem await you.

Lord Jesus, RICH IN MERCY, thank You for all I have in You. Open my eyes to people with whom I can share Your rich mercy. 

Go deeper into God’s Word with one of Debbie’s Bible studies. You can purchase printed Bible studies in our shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE. 

Do you ever think about pleasing God? Did you know that it’s possible to please God? It is, as Hebrews 11:5-6 points out.

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5-6).

Do those verses make you want to shout in praise of God? It does me. 

God will either “take us up” when we die or we will be as Enoch and be taken up before we die at the Rapture of the church. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

How can we be assured God will take us up to heaven? We can be assured because we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be rewarded with the glory of Christ’s presence in heaven. 

Are you saved? Then shout hallelujah and ready yourself to meet Christ. He’ll be handing out rewards on the basis of what you did for His kingdom. (Luke 19:11-27)

If you’re not a follower of Jesus, seek Him. Why? God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

Lord God, thank You for being a REWARDER of those who seek You. We give You praise. 

Learn to seek God in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE. 

I know, I know, I know. We sing about Jesus’ resurrection. But is it ever hard for you to get your mind around the fact that Jesus was literally dead and came back to life? Do you ever stop and ponder whether you believe what you do because it is what you’ve always been told? Or, do you believe as you do because it is your own conviction?

In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” In this passage, Jesus was talking to a woman named Martha who was saying with her mouth she believed, but wasn’t expecting Jesus to raise her deceased brother.

Jesus is patient with us just like He was with Martha. If you’re struggling to believe or you have questions, talk to Jesus. Ask Him your questions. Listen quietly in His presence. Open your Bible and ask Him to guide you through it. Keep seeking. He’s a prayer away and able to lead us to deeper faith.

Lord, You are the RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. I profess my faith with thanksgiving that You are ever-present and able to lead me to a deeper faith in You.

Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!

Do you think God expects you to be a superman or superwoman? Here’s some good news. God doesn’t expect us to keep going and going without rest. God doesn’t expect us to be like the Energizer Bunny. He knows that we will become depleted and that we need restoration.

Physically, we may need to adjust the amount of time we sleep each night, remembering that it was God who created night and who rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 2:2) We may need to follow Jesus’s example of taking a nap. (Matthew 8:24)

In addition, it’s important to remember that God created us as more than physical beings. We have a soul that can also become spiritually weary and in need of renewal. David speaks to this in Psalm 19:7: “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” David reminds us that spending time in God’s presence through reading His Word brings restoration to our souls. He repeats the importance of looking to God for soul restoration in Psalm 23:3: “He restores my soul.”

Sure, Red Bull and other caffeinated drinks may give a temporary kick or burst of energy. But, it’s the daily refreshment in God’s presence that provides ongoing restoration to our souls. When your battery is running low, go into God’s presence, quiet your heart before Him, think about His glory and magnificence demonstrated through creation and His faithfulness to you in the past. Pray, talk to Jesus about what’s on your overloaded heart and mind. Be still and quiet. Listen for His voice, perhaps guiding you regarding your commitments. Listen to His voice of encouragement, “I am with you. I will help and strengthen you.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Lord, I praise You, the RESTORER of my soul.

Would you like an organized way to record what God is speaking to you as you spend time in His presence? Grab a copy of the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal to write down what God places on your heart.

“I’m tired! I’m tired of work. I’m tired of struggling with… I’m tired of taking care of…” How would you finish those sentences?

God understands. Our body, mind, and soul need rest. The Bible says God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). One of His Ten Commandments is, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

Today, some ignore God’s command to have a holy day of rest each week. Their reasoning? Believers aren’t bound by Old Testament laws. I agree that we are not legalistically bound to keep the Jewish Sabbath. I agree that Jesus’ work to obtain our salvation on the cross means we don’t work for our salvation. I agree that God has provided a future eternal sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-10). However, is there value in setting aside a day of holy rest and gathering with others to worship (Hebrews 10:25)? Apparently, God places value on both (Exodus 16:22-30, John 20:19, Isaiah 58:13-14). What that looks like will be different for us. But no doubt, holy rest and worship are important.

What does your day of soul rest and worship look like? If you don’t practice having a day of rest, consider any points from Isaiah 58:13-14 and Matthew 11:29 that encourage resting in the Lord. 

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matthew 11:29).

Lord, thank You for the eternal Sabbath Rest that I have in You. Thank You for the REST FOR OUR SOULS You alone give. 

Have you ordered a copy of Debbie’s book, From My Heart, Poems of Faith? Within the pages, Debbie beautifully records her thoughts and prayers through the following sections: “Prayers to the Father,” “Poems of Faith,” and “Poems to Encourage.” As you read through each poem, you’ll find words of hope, comfort, and encouragement that resonate with your heart. Get a copy HERE.

Last year, I planted flowers in a pot outside of our garage. The flowers bloomed all summer but died when it got cold. I pulled them up, thinking they were annuals that needed to be replanted every year.

The following year, I was shocked to see tiny green shoots pushing their way through the soil in the pot. I was glad I hadn’t uprooted all of them. What amazed me, though, were two tiny green leaves pushing their way through the gravel several feet away.

Even though they had no rich soil, they made a way, defied all odds, and eventually bloomed. They’ve given me more pleasure than the ones blooming in the pot. I notice them more because their flowery display shows more grandly against the gravel.

Are you like the flowers in the gravel? Going it alone and not under the best conditions? If so, hang in there. Your heavenly Father has His eye on you, as we’re reminded in Psalm 33:13. Keep reaching for the sky and blooming right where you are.

Would you agree that the news can sometimes leave you feeling unsettled and discouraged regarding the state of our world?

While it is true that darkness often surrounds us, it is also true that we can be encouraged and find hope in God, whom Psalm 76:4 describes as luminous. Or, as the psalmist states, “God is resplendent.” 

Think about the word “resplendent.” It doesn’t just refer to a physical quality. It encompasses much more. It refers to God’s magnificence and glory that are beyond comparison. 

Where can we bask in His resplendence? The Bible. We can read the Psalms. 

We can look up at the glory of the heavens.

We can meditate on God’s attributes. 

Rather than despair in the hopelessness and discouragement of the world, spend time “sunbathing” in God’s Light. 

Lord, You are RESPLENDENT! Illumine my life with Your glory. 

Download this free printable featuring the attributes of Jesus from the book of John. As you reflect on each one, bask in God’s resplendence by praising Him!

Have you ever been in a “dark place”? Perhaps you are now. Everywhere you look, it’s dark, and what’s worse, you don’t see a way out. If you have been there or you are now, can you imagine what it would be like to be in darkness forever and to know that you could never, ever escape?

God and Satan are powerful. They each have domains/kingdoms. 

Satan’s domain is a place of evil and darkness (Colossians 1:13). First John 5:19 tells us the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. That is, you lie in the power of the evil one unless you have responded to God’s invitation to be saved, rescued, from the domain of darkness and transferred to His kingdom. (Colossians 1:13)

If you’re a Christian and in a dark place today because of circumstances beyond your control or even because of sin, turn to your Savior. 

Stand against the darkness by singing songs of praise to Jesus. 

Lift your hands and voice in praise to God. Claim your place as a child of the Kingdom of Light.

Lord Jesus, You are my RESCUER! I love You! Thank You for rescuing me and transferring me to Your kingdom. 

 If you have not yet responded to God’s invitation to rescue you, why not? Please consider His invitation. If you have friends or family who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, you can prayerfully share this with them.

Are the storms in your life overwhelming you, perhaps literally? Whether the storms are literal or metaphorical, fear can flood our emotions. Lightning bolts of regret can strike us to the core. Worry can flood our minds. But God doesn’t want us to stay overwhelmed, drowning in fear, worry, and regret. That’s why He has given us His Spirit, His very presence to be with us.

Psalm 46:1 reminds us that “God is our refuge, a very present help in trouble.” Just as shelters offer a place for flood victims, God calls us to come to Him for refuge. The Hebrew word “refuge” means shelter from danger or falsehood. 

The more closely we stay under God’s arms of truth, the more protected we are from the enemy’s lies. So go to Him. Shelter under the truth of His love for you.

Lord, You are a REFUGE who shelters us from Satan’s lies, worldly deceptions, and life’s storms. Remind us to not stand in the rain of discouragement, but rather shelter under You.

The Lord is always present and wants us to talk to Him through prayer. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.

Do you feel drained or spiritually empty? 

You know you’re saved, but you’re tired and discouraged.

What do we do when we want to serve the Lord and energetically live for Him, but we’re weary and feel like we have nothing left to give? 

God answers our questions in Jeremiah 31:25: “I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”

The Lord is our refresher! 

Jesus echoes Jeremiah in Matthew 5:3-6. Are we poor in spirit? Are we mourning? Are we hungry and thirsty for righteousness? If so, we can go to the Lord. We can drink deeply of His Word. We can be filled with His Spirit. We can be refreshed and our energy renewed to do what He calls us to do. What a joy. What a God!

Heavenly Father, my daily life often leaves me feeling drained. Thank You for being my REFRESHER. Fill me with Your presence so I am energized to serve You and others. 

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