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Storing up Treasures in Heaven
“How much money do you make?” In our materialistic society, people often place value on the almighty dollar instead of the Almighty Lord. However, Isaiah 33:6 addresses what we should value: “And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the Lord is his treasure.” Isaiah reminds us that the Lord is the greatest treasure.
Jesus echoes Isaiah’s understanding of what true wealth is. In Matthew 6:19-21 He says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Christ’s command should cause us to stop and ponder. Are we storing up treasures on earth or are we storing up treasures in heaven? To the point – on what is our heart most focused – things of the earth or things of heaven?
Lord, You are a WEALTH OF SALVATION, WISDOM, AND KNOWLEDGE. Stir our hearts to seek the treasures that count for eternity rather than the fleeting things of earth.
We can’t take material possessions with us when we pass into eternity. The only thing that will go with us is other people. Store up treasures in heaven by helping us spread the Word and love of Jesus. Here are some ways you can help.
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Born a Warrior King
As the celebration of the birth of Christ nears each year, we focus on the babe in the manger. But, that babe was born a Prince with a kingdom to defend. That babe was born with an angelic army at His beck and call. That babe was born a “Warrior” King as Isaiah 42:13 foretold, “The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.”
The babe stormed hell and overcame death. The babe is the victor over the devil and his demonic army. Christ will one day return to earth but not as a babe. He’ll return as the Warrior King that He is. With whom will we share the good news?
Lord, we praise You, WARRIOR King from on high.
Do you ever wonder if we’re in the end times? Would you like to learn more about the signs of the end times? Grab a copy of Debbie’s Bible study, End Times: What You Should Know, What You Can Do HERE. Access the free accompanying videos and podcasts HERE.
Do You Hear Him?
Have you ever done a study on the voice of God? It’s fascinating! In Isaiah 30:30, we’re told the following about God’s voice: “And the Lord will cause His voice of authority to be heard.” The literal translation is “voice of majesty.”
How does God speak to us? He speaks through His majestic creation that He is glorious and that He is a God of order with an unlimited imagination. God’s voice speaks to us through the Bible, the wisest, most beautifully written work of all time. God speaks to us through Christ letting us know that He is sacrificial, loving, and forgiving. God’s voice speaks to us in our innermost being warning us of the dangers of sin and calling us to walk in His ways. Yes, God’s voice goes forth. He calls to us but sometimes the busyness of the day drowns out His voice.
How can we make sure we don’t miss hearing God calling to us? We can purposefully choose to slip out of our beds in the mornings and quietly meet with Him – just the two of us – so we can hear Him without interruptions. We return throughout the day to think about Him and listen for His promptings. His voice encourages us in our weariness. His voice comforts us when we repent of sin. His voice instructs us, “Take this course of action…” If we take God seriously, write down His instructions, and follow through on what He tells us, we discover He calls to us and instructs us even more. Are we listening? Are we obeying? Are we experiencing the blessed life of intimacy with the Almighty?
VOICE OF AUTHORITY, VOICE OF MAJESTY, thank You for speaking to us. Tune our hearts and minds to recognize Your voice and obey You.
Would you like to 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. As you learn to recognize and listen to God’s voice, record what He speaks to you in the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal.
If You Want Joy
Jesus is interested in you and if your life and days are meaningful. Why? He designed us to bear fruit. In John 15:1-2, Jesus explains how our lives can be fruitful if we live in a close relationship with Him. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
Why does God prune the dead, fruitless branches and eagerly watch to see if we begin bearing fruit? A fruitful life brings us joy and Him glory. I didn’t understand that until I planted a garden several years ago. Then I understood the joy of seeing a branch bear a flower and then fruit.
God is our vinedresser. He watches us every day and prunes from us that which is unproductive so we bear glorious fruit. Without a doubt, the apple, peach, or tomato that reaches peak ripeness is the most flavorful and delicious.
If we sometimes feel the pressure of the Father’s pruning shears on us, it’s proof that He loves us and is present in our life. Rather than resist the ways He is pruning you, be glad that He cares about you. Yield to His touch. You’ll bear more fruit and experience more joy.
Lord, You are the VINEDRESSER. We praise You that You care about us and want us to be productive, joyful Christians. Prune us so we bear much fruit that glorifies You.
Learn more about abiding in Jesus and bearing good fruit by watching Debbie’s teaching on John 15 HERE. Don’t forget to like the video and subscribe for more teachings by Debbie!
Who Will Vindicate the Orphan and Oppressed
Evil abounds as you well know. Human trafficking, child abuse, pornography, persecution of Christians, rape, abandonment, violence, murder, the list goes on. God is not blind. He sees what is going on in our nation and world. God is not deaf. He hears the prayers of those being wronged.
Psalm 10:17-18 tells us that God will vindicate the orphan and oppressed. “O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”
God is not only Savior, He is also a vindicator of the orphan and oppressed. He will execute judgment on evil. In the meantime, Christ has positioned us to be His light to those who are hurting and have been wronged. Shine brightly, friend.
Lord God, thank You for assuring us that You hear the humble, the orphan, and the oppressed. Thank You for strengthening hearts and being the VINDICATOR for those who have been terrorized. Thank You for the blessing of eternity with You through Jesus our Lord.
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Oh, Victory in Jesus
Sin. It’s here. Our sin or another person’s sin is a part of this earthly life. Perhaps one of the most glaring sins is selfishness. We want what we want. We want it when we want it. Things or people who stand in our way frustrate us. But what if sin didn’t exist? What if we were free of sin? The good news is that day awaits us. Because of Christ, our Savior and victor over death, we will one day be sin-free. As 1 Corinthians 15:57 reminds us, “…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Gives. Us. Victory. We will one day experience the victory and magnitude of what our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ did through the virgin birth and cross. In the meantime, let’s remember to give thanks to God for the daily victory over sin we have through the Spirit’s empowerment. Let’s remember and give thanks to God for the eternal victory over sin through Christ. Today, let’s raise our voices in praise of Christ. If you know the song, “Victory in Jesus,” sing it with all your heart.
Lord, we praise You for being VICTORIOUS over sin and death. We worship You.
Want to learn more about how to live by Christ’s divine nature instead of our sinful, fallen nature? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 2 Peter Bible study, Living by the Divine Nature Instead of Our Fallen Nature, HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by going HERE.
God is Upright, Not Fallen Like the World
Have you ever considered how old Moses was when he commissioned Joshua to take his place? He was 120 years old. Moses’ words, ever so eloquent, are recorded in Deuteronomy 32:2-4. I’d love for you to read them. Moses poured forth, “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, … For I proclaim the name of the Lord.” Moses continues, “upright is He.”
Why did Moses say that God is upright? He wanted us to know that God is believable. He is just, and true, and His word is just and true.*
As you go about your life in a fallen world where people act unjustly and speak untrue words, let Moses’ refreshing words of praise to God wash over you – God and His Word are upright, just, and true! Blessings on you, friend.
UPRIGHT LORD GOD, we praise You that You and Your Word are upright, just, and true. All praise and glory belong to You!
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*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3477&t=NASB
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 strong hands. As He upholds us, we become increasingly aware of His deep love for us. In case you feel like you are faltering or falling, be assured – your upholder has you.
Nothing in your life is too heavy for Him to uphold and see you through it.
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.