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If You’re Faltering
I’ve had the blessing of holding our newborn children and grandchildren. Holding them was no problem. They weren’t heavy. As a matter of fact, it was a delight to hold them. I could intently gaze at their faces. I could pray for them. The more I held them, the deeper my love grew. Wouldn’t it have been silly if our little ones had argued, “Don’t hold me. I’m too heavy.” Or, what if they had said, “I don’t want to bother you. You don’t need to hold me.”
In light of that, consider our Heavenly Father’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” In the Bible, God’s right hand symbolizes His strength. His right hand is a strong hand of righteousness. We can relax in His hands. As He upholds us, we become increasingly aware of His deep love for us. In case you feel like you are faltering, be assured – your upholder has you.
Lord, our UPHOLDER, thank You for upholding us with Your righteous right hand. Thank You for the depth of Your love for us. Thank You that we don’t have to be afraid.
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Just the Beginning of What Is to Come
One of the exciting aspects of the day in which we live is that the Bible is being recognized as a reliable historical and scientific source. Things earlier civilizations scoffed at, we nod in agreement, “The Bible was right about that and that.” An example? Well, for one, the earth is round, not flat, as Isaiah 40:22 states, “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in.”
The psalmist in Psalm 145:3 nails it on the head in reference to God, “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” As much as we study about God, the fact is, we’ll never know or understand everything about our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Our trust in and praise of Him today is only the beginning of an eternity of learning about Him and giving Him praise.
Lord, You are UNSEARCHABLE. Your greatness is beyond comprehension. We praise and worship You, as You alone are worthy of all our praise.
Our Lord, Jesus, has so many wonderful attributes that we can praise Him for. Download this free printable to see some of the many qualities for which we can thank and praise Him.
Why Bother Worshiping Our Heavenly Father?
Do you ever wonder, “Why bother praising God?” If so, Isaiah 40:21-22 & 25 explain why.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” (vs 21-22)
“‘To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One” (vs 25).
God makes it clear that no one is equal to Him. He calls us to lift up our eyes and see the heavens He created. What does this mean for us? It means we are not alone. It means that nothing is too difficult for God. It means our Heavenly Father deserves our worship.
Lord God, we worship and praise You, eternal, UNEQUALED Creator. You are wise and powerful beyond our imagination. Thank You for caring for us, loving us, saving us, and preparing a place for us to be with you for eternity. We love You!
God demonstrated His unequaled nature in several ways in the Book of Acts, including the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the performance of miracles, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the rapid expansion of the church. Check out all of Debbie’s teachings on the Book of Acts as well as all the free Bible studies offered online through our website, HERE.
Do You Have a Problem?
Do you have a problem? Are you in a quandary regarding what to do about something in your life? Have you talked to Jesus about it? He is a God of intelligence, skill, and insight, proven by the creation of the earth and heavens.
Proverbs 3:19 tells us, “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding, He established the heavens.” The Hebrew word for understanding in this verse means “intelligence, skill, and insight.” In other words, when we look at the earth and heavens, we’re seeing evidence of God’s intelligence, skill, and insight.
Trust God to provide you with the wisdom, intelligence, skill, and insight you need for daily life, decisions, and relationships. Pray and listen to His still quiet voice. Walk by God’s Words and Spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your UNDERSTANDING, Your intelligence, skill, and insight. We praise You that You are an approachable God whom we can go to regarding the problems and decisions we face in this life. We thank You for the wisdom and guidance only You can provide.
Would you like to learn more about being led by God’s Spirit and become better equipped to discern God’s voice? Listen to this free podcast teaching: Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.
Here’s Something for Which to be Thankful
It will be here before you know it. Thanksgiving will be upon us. Is your heart filled with thanksgiving? Or do you feel like a deflated balloon, that many things for which you’d hoped have fallen flat? No one will argue that life is hard. It is. Some time ago someone said to me, “The only good I have is because I’m a Christian.” What did they mean? They were saying that Christ is the “goodness” in their life. He is, in fact, what makes us good.
Hebrews 7:26 uses the word “undefiled” to describe Christ because He is more than good. Jesus is “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” In other words, Christ is more than a good prophet. He is the high priest of heaven who saves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is.
No matter the circumstances you are facing today, your good Savior is facing them with you. This day will pass. Christ’s goodness and presence with you will never pass. For that, you can be thankful.
Lord Jesus, holy, UNDEFILED Savior, we love and praise You, the goodness in our life, our purity and salvation. We are grateful for and love You.
First Thessalonians 5:17-18 instructs us to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all things. Would you like some resources to help you with these commands? Check out Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion HERE. Another great resource is the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal, which can be used to cultivate a deeper prayer life and record praise and thanksgiving to God. Purchase your copy HERE.
If You’re in Need of Love and Grace
Are you the kind of person who feels guilty easily? Do you want to live for Christ, but often feel like a failure or like you’ve let God down? Do others remind you of your sin or hold your wrongs over your head? If so, Micah 7:18 is a comforting verse on which to meditate. “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity… He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love.”
Think about that verse and personalize it. God forgives me. God pardons my sin. God doesn’t stay angry with me. God delights in unchanging love for me. Yes, we should go to God and others when we sin and ask for their forgiveness. Yes, we should practice walking in God’s ways. But not until heaven will we be perfect.
God doesn’t forgive us and then want us to walk in guilt. Rather, God forgives us so we walk in grace. What a wonderful verse on which to meditate. Is there someone with whom you could share it to encourage them in their faith walk?
Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness and UNCHANGING LOVE! What a blessing You are.
Would you like to grow in your faith? Discover the many resources on our website that can help you. In addition to our books and Bible studies, we offer several free Christian resources, including podcasts, video teachings, listening guides, and more!
Listen to the Right Person
Today, trust is at an all-time low. Why? People don’t always speak truthfully. Lying appears to have become socially acceptable. But, it’s not acceptable to God. He is the truth and speaks the truth.
Revelation 21:5 NIV records, “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'” Then he said, “‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'”
Jesus wants us to know that if He says something, we can count on it. He and His words are trustworthy and true and He is making everything new. Those are words of hope and encouragement that we need to hear. If there was ever a time that we should listen to Jesus and take hold of the hope of a new day, it’s now. If you’ve been hurt by an untrustworthy person, don’t let that keep you from trusting God. He has an eternal track record of being trustworthy.
Lord, thank You for being TRUSTWORTHY! In a time when trust is at an all-time low due to increased lies and deception, we are grateful for and find hope and encouragement in Your steadfastness and words of truth.
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Think God, Think Bigger
When you think of God, how big or how small is He in your mind? Is He your personal Savior? Is He the Savior of the person in a remote village on the other side of the earth? Is He the God who inhabits perhaps your nicely decorated sanctuary? Or is your God hovering over dirt floors in a village where Christians are secretly gathering to worship? Is He your God because you are righteous and well-behaved and kind? Or is He the God of the inmate with the foul mouth who just repented of his sins but doesn’t have a clue what it means to be devout? Is He the God who sustains the desperate person who lives day to day and whose only hope is in God as her salvation?
Too often I think of God in my frame of reference. However, David was mindful of how big God is. Listen to his words of praise in Psalm 65:5. “By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea.”
David grasped that the God he worshiped wasn’t only the God of the Jews. He is the God who created and owns all the earth. He is the God to whom all people can come. He hears the prayers of people throughout the earth. Do you live in a remote part of the world? Are you in rehab and looking for someone who can help you? Are you in a country where these words are being translated? Are you a missionary living with people who speak a different language? Are you worshiping in secret because of the hostile environment in which you live? How incredible that the God of our salvation, who answers in righteousness, is the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea.
Lord, TRUST OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND OF THE FARTHEST SEA, we worship You.
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Praise to the True Witness
Can you imagine witnessing the creation? Jesus reminds us that He, the Creator, was there. He has also witnessed everything since creation. He’s seen every single deed we’ve done. He can testify to times when we’ve been passionate for Him and also times we’ve been spiritually cold. He can testify to times we’re lukewarm. Jesus is in the courtroom. He’s a true Witness. What might He say about our deeds today?
“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot'” (Revelation 3:14-15).
Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE WITNESS. Reveal to us how You see our heart and deeds. Create in us clean and passionate hearts for You.
Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!
What Are You Uprooting and What Are You Growing?
Some time ago, I noticed a vine growing in my flower bed and didn’t know if it was a weed I should discard or if it was a vine I should keep. I had to make a decision. Uproot it or let it grow. Many today hear spiritual teachings and find themselves like me, yet in relation to a matter of much greater significance. They wonder if they’re hearing a good teaching to which they should hold or a false teaching they should discard.
Jesus doesn’t want us to make the wrong decision. He tells us in John 15:1, “I am the true vine.” Do you know someone who is allowing vines of secular humanism to grow in their heart rather than growing Jesus’ words and teachings? If so, what can you do? Bear Christ, the true vine, and His fruit in your life so they can taste and recognize the real thing.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, the TRUE VINE. Uproot anything in our lives that choke out the fruit of Your presence.
Want to learn more about abiding in Jesus and bearing good fruit? Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 15 by clicking HERE.