Have you ever promised something and then didn’t fulfill your promise? 

If you have, you know what a horrible feeling it is. Maybe we promised, “I’ll never say that again.” Then we did. Or, maybe we said to God, “I promise if you get me out of this mess, I’ll do better next time.” Then we failed to do as we said. Or maybe we don’t trust people because they’ve made promises to us they didn’t keep.

When it comes to God, Romans 4:21 assures us, “that what God promised, He was also able to perform.” 

In other words, we may be well-intentioned, but fail. Not God, though. What He promises, He will do. What a blessing to know that God keeps His promises.

In the midst of failed promises and lies, it’s a great time for us to read God’s promises in the Bible. Our hearts can be at peace as we read them because we know they are true.

Heavenly Father, in a world that is filled with lies and failed promises, I praise You for being a faithful PROMISE KEEPER.  

Happy Labor Day! Find rest and renewal in God’s presence today by spending time in His Word. Our printed and free online Bible studies can help you become more familiar with God’s promises and apply His truth to your life. Explore our printed studies HERE or begin a free online study HERE.

The other morning, I looked out my window and saw a brush fire not far from our house. Orange flames and grey smoke rose to the sky. Then, with relief, I noticed my neighbor’s truck. Several men were tending to a fire, watching over it as it burned cedar.

You know, anger is a lot like fire. It’s not necessarily wrong if it’s righteous anger. For instance, the Bible tells us that God is at times righteously angry. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry, but to not sin. Why? Because if we don’t deal with anger in the right way, the Bible says it gives the devil an opportunity in our lives.

Okay, so you may not believe in the devil, but Genesis to Revelation speaks of him, exposing him as an evil and powerful reality. Our anger, like fire, can be used purposefully or, if left unchecked, can damage our lives and others. Learn more about what to do with anger at debbietaylorwilliams.com.

Do you ever get perturbed when someone tells you, “Chin up! Everything will get better”?

I get it. People may be well-intentioned, but the fact is, things may not get better. We may not be able to keep our marriage together. Our child may have special needs for the rest of their life. Our job may be tough. A person may refuse to forgive us. That’s why 2 Thessalonians 3:16 tells us to find our peace in Jesus, the Lord of peace—”Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.”

Is it easy? No. But, it’s real. I experienced it when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I was 29 years old and again in 2024 when I was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. I also experienced it when my parents were dying. 

In John 14:27, Jesus describes His peace as “out of this world.” In other words, it comes from heaven into our hearts so we can go through our day with inner peace. 

Changing the position of our chin doesn’t change anything… unless we are raising our faces toward heaven and opening our hearts to the Prince of Peace. He changes everything. 

Thank You, PRINCE OF PEACE, that You supersede circumstances. Fill me with Your peace that is not of this world.

Would you like more grace and peace in your life? Peace with God? Peace with others? Watch Debbie’s teaching on 1 Peter 1 HERE, listen to it HERE, or purchase a hard copy of the study HERE. 

Can you imagine the conversations that took place after God raised Jesus from the dead? 

Some didn’t believe it at first. 

Others couldn’t help but acknowledge His resurrection because they saw Jesus, touched Him, and observed Him eating fish. He wasn’t a ghost. He wasn’t a figment of their imagination. 

Five hundred people witnessed seeing the resurrected Prince of Life. In other words, Jesus is life, and He walked right back into their lives.

Acts 3:15 says, “…[you] put to death the Prince of Life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.”

Is the Prince of Life walking in our life? Are we aware of His presence? Are we experiencing His peace within ourselves? Are we mindful that just as He is alive and not in the grave, our loved ones who have died are not dead but alive, and that we won’t be dead even though our body is in the grave? 

The Prince of Life is with us when we walk the corridor of death. We and our loved ones will never be alone. We need not fear.

Lord Jesus, I praise You, the ever-present, eternal PRINCE OF LIFE. 

Our key verse today is Acts 3:15. To watch all of Debbie’s teaching on Acts 3, click HERE or listen to it HERE.

Are you familiar with the legal term “double jeopardy”? It means that a person can’t be tried for the same crime twice. 

In God’s system, it means the same, which is an incredible blessing. Jesus was tried for all the sins we’ve committed and that we will commit. God has promised to not try us for sins that Jesus has been convicted of and paid for on our behalf. Our sins past and future are paid for with the blood of Christ once for all of eternity. 

As if that weren’t enough of a blessing, there’s more. 

Hebrews 2:17 explains that after Jesus died for our sins, He entered into God’s presence and became our High Priest.

“Therefore, He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

The resurrected Christ who paid for our sins with His very life is now seated at God’s right hand. What is He doing? Praying for us. 

Jesus is praying for you. Personalize this unbelievable blessing and gift by saying out loud, “Jesus is praying for me.” Go to Him in gratitude. Live for Him faithfully.

Lord Jesus, I praise You, my Lord and high PRIEST! Thank You for taking my place at the judgment seat and dying for my sins past and future. Show me how I can gratefully serve You.

Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when He died on the cross for our sins. To learn more about His ultimate sacrifice, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE or listen to it HERE.

Have you ever thought of God as being a life preserver? 

Psalm 116:6 describes Him that way. “The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.” 

The word “preserve” in this verse means to save a life. No doubt Jesus fits the description. He rescues those who are drowning in sin when they call on Him for salvation.

We understand the need for someone to save us from raging waters. Do we understand the need for Jesus to save us from raging sin? 

We understand the need to be saved from physical death. Do we understand the need to be saved from spiritual death?

Jesus, You are the only One who can rescue me from sin and PRESERVE my soul for eternity. I love You and thank You.

Stay connected with Debbie beyond the blog! Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

¹ “Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update (Chicago: Moody Press, 2008).

Are you a builder? If so, you know how important the cornerstone is when constructing the foundation of a building. Just as a cornerstone is necessary for a strong foundation, Jesus is the necessary foundation for our Christian faith as 1 Peter 2:6 points out. “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in Him (Jesus) will not be disappointed.”

Did you catch that? We will not be disappointed if we build our lives on Jesus. 

In addition, Peter uses the word “precious” in his description of Jesus as the cornerstone; meaning “honorable, noble.” Our faith is built on not only a firm, excellent foundation, but on the Father’s noble, honorable Son. 

Your faith is of great value. It is built on the precious cornerstone of Jesus, and as Peter writes, you will not be disappointed. Yes, we will experience disappointments on this side of heaven, but get ready. Get ready for what? The revelation of Jesus, the precious cornerstone of your faith, when you see Him one day in heaven. 

Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE of my faith. I love You. I adore You. I am not disappointed, but rather enthralled with You. Thank You for the incredible, eternal blessing of being able to build my life on You. May others see my relationship with You and be drawn to also build their lives on You. 

Today’s key verse is 1 Peter 2:6. Would you like to do a more in-depth study of 1 Peter? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 1 Peter Bible study, Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos, HERE. The study includes free accompanying videos and podcasts, which can be accessed HERE.

“I’m so busy.” “There never seem to be enough hours in the day.” 

Can you relate? Do you know who else can? Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Jesus traveled to different regions sharing the good news, ministering to crowds, shepherding His disciples, and healing the sick. However, regardless of how full His day, He was intentional about His prayer time with God. “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there” (Mark 1:35). 

Not only did Jesus spend time with God in prayer, but did you notice it said He went to a secluded place? In other words, in addition to praying with people, Jesus also prioritized time alone with God. Jesus teaches His followers to spend time alone in prayer. “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6a). 

Prioritizing prayer like Jesus did—in the early morning, alone with God, to tell Him your needs and to listen to Him are important.

Jesus knew that prayer was necessary. It is the way we stay connected to our Heavenly Father, abide in Him, and do His will. It is the key to bearing His fruit through our lives (John 15:1-8). 

How faithfully do you prioritize praying first thing in the morning? How faithfully do you meet alone with your Heavenly Father?

Jesus, thank you for showing me what it means to be PRAYERFUL. Help me prioritize spending time alone with You and the Father in prayer. 

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

When you’re grocery shopping, do you smell fruit, such as cantaloupe or peaches, to determine if they’re ripe? I remember the first time I saw someone hold a cantaloupe close to her nose. After she placed it in her basket, I decided to try the smell test.

The first cantaloupe I held close to my nose had zero fragrance. I returned it and reached for another one, wondering if the smell test was bogus. But as I held the second one close to my nose, I was pleasantly surprised. It had a sweet aroma. That evening, when I took a bite, I wasn’t disappointed. Its taste matched its smell.

Second Corinthians 2:15 says that Christians are a fragrance of Christ to God and to others. In other words, as we move about and connect with people, they get a whiff of us.

I wonder: Do they smell the sweet presence of Jesus, or do they get a whiff of our anxiousness, impatience, or sin? To find out how you can become a sweet aroma of Christ, please click HERE.