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What to Do with Cat Clinging Guilt
Have you ever felt guilty? I have and It’s a horrible feeling. What do you do with guilt? You can’t hide it, shake it, or bury it. It clings to you like a cat with nails dug in, determined to not turn loose.
However, there is One who never experienced guilt…until He took ours upon Himself. Hebrews 7:26 says about Jesus, “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;”
Innocent. The description of Jesus in Hebrews 7:26 hangs in mind. It reminds me of an infant nestled in their mother’s arms or a toddler giggling; one unstained by the world.
The word for innocent, akakos, which describes Jesus in Hebrews 7:26 means without guile or fraud, harmless; free from guilt.
Jesus was the opposite of we who have known the right thing to do, yet not done it. We have opened pandora’s box. We have crossed the line. We have had thoughts and said words we wish we could take back.
Have you ever tried to imagine what it was like for Jesus to be innocent and then experience your guilt; to feel dirty? That’s what Jesus did for us. Never question His love… “while we were yet sinners, He died for us,” Romans 5:8.
Instead of languishing in guilt over sin, Psalm 32:5 shows us the way to get rid of any cat clinging guilt: acknowledge and confess our sin.
Lord Jesus, INNOCENT Savior, thank You that when we acknowledge our sins to You and confess them, You forgive the guilt of our sin. We love and praise You.
Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when He died on the cross for our sins, bearing our guilt and shame. To learn more about His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE.
Are Your Feet Dancing?
Can you imagine being told that a distant relative passed away and left you all his money? “That’s nice of Uncle Fred,” you say, thinking of his modest clothing and car. Then, the executor of the estate continues, “Congratulations. You’re a billionaire.” Stunned, you realize that you never knew how much Uncle Fred possessed.
Believers may be like that in relation to our inheritance in Christ. If so, consider how David recognized the Lord as his inheritance in Psalm 16:5, “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.”
David is mindful of the ways the Lord is his inheritance and praises Him for what he has inherited in the Lord: His goodness(v 2), His support (v 5), His counsel and instruction (v 7), His steadying presence (v 8), eternal security (vs 9-10) and resurrection to heaven’s joy (vs 10-11).
Do we recognize the Lord as our inheritance and praise Him? If not, we can begin today because when Christ died, we were granted an inheritance in Him. First Peter 1:3-4 states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
The Lord Jesus, the resurrection from the dead, heaven, the right to the Tree of Life, and so much more is our inheritance. Are your feet dancing and hands praising the Lord?
Lord, You are our INHERITANCE. We love, worship, and rejoice in you! Thank You! Thank you!
Want to learn more about the imperishable inheritance believers have in Christ? Watch this video clip of Debbie’s teaching on the subject.
When No One Understands You
Do you ever feel like no one understands you – truly understands you?
Or perhaps you have thought, “I can’t understand how you could…” in regard to another person’s actions or words?
No doubt, as much as we may love or know someone, we can never get inside another person’s head. Nor can they totally understand us. But God can.
Psalm 147:5 says, “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.”
The word, infinite, in this passage means innumerable. In other words, the Lord’s understanding of us and everything in the world in time and space is limitless. It is endless and impossible to measure. And the most amazing thing is He loves us.
How can we not run to Him in love and gratitude? Why would we not talk to Him about everything on our heart and mind, knowing He understands us and our situation? Why would we not quietly wait and listen for God’s instructions and guidance? (By the way, when you talk things over with God, it helps to have your Bible so when He stirs your heart you can look up the verses He brings to mind.) It also helps to have pen and journal so you can write down how He instructs you.
When no one understands, remember that God does and He loves you. Run to Him. Pray to Him. Listen to Him. Obey Him.
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, You have INFINITE UNDERSTANDING. Thank You for loving me and guiding me.
Would you like an organized way to record what God is speaking to you? Grab a copy of Prayers of My Heart prayer journal to write down what God places on your heart.
Incorruptible
Have you ever had a cavity, a tooth that decayed? If so, you know it isn’t a good thing. Can you imagine the eternal consequences if Jesus’ body had decayed in the tomb? It’s what the Jewish leaders expected to happen. It’s what the Roman officials expected. It’s what many in our day claim happened to Jesus.
Why do people not believe that Jesus was bodily raised from the dead?
To admit that Jesus’ body did not undergo decay would mean admitting He is God. People who don’t want to bow to Jesus deny He was resurrected; for that would make Him God.
Romans 1:18-25 points out that there are people who want to do their will; with no accountability to God. It also points out the consequences for such people.
“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” 21
“Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image…” 24
“Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” 25
“For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie…” Yes, God gives people over to their own demise who exchange the truth Jesus was raised for the lie that He wasn’t.
Jesus is the incorruptible, risen Lord to whom we are each accountable.
Jesus, we worship You, INCORRUPTIBLE LORD. May we represent You well so people turn from the lie to You.
Want to learn more about Jesus’ resurrection and the eternal implications for us? Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 20 HERE or listen to it HERE.
When You Are at Your Wit’s End
Have you ever felt at your wit’s end…puzzled and perplexed about a situation?
Perhaps you don’t know what to do with a child or your marriage. You may feel at your wit’s end in regard to a work situation or friendship.
When we feel at our wit’s end it is often because we’ve exhausted our resources. We’ve tried everything we know to do and haven’t come up with a solution. Talking things over with a friend or family member hasn’t helped. Recommended books and resources haven’t provided the answer.
When we’re at our wit’s end, we do well to “stop, drop, and pray” as I write in Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.
Stop and drop to our knees. Why? If we’re already “dead in our tracks” about what to do, what better place and before whom could we better stop? We bow because we are humbly aware that we need a higher power and His name is Jesus Christ.
We stop and drop to our knees because we want to hear from the Lord, who says in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go…”
We’re bowed and quiet, looking up for divine help. We’re listening to what some call a still small voice and is, in fact, the Holy Spirit speaking into our spirit.
If you’ve never tried it before, I encourage you to stop, drop, and pray, “Lord, instruct me and teach me the way I should go… with my job, with this project, with my child, in my marriage, with this health concern.”
Lord Jesus, our INSTRUCTOR, we love and adore You and thank You for the promise that You will instruct us and teach us the way in which we should go. Help us listen well.
Would you like to develop a deeper prayer life? Get a copy of Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, to learn how.
Thank You, Moms, for All You’re Doing
Thirty five years ago, I had a toddler on my hip, a wall phone wedged...
between my shoulder and chin while making a peanut butter sandwich and talking to my mother about the latest incident with our infant. She laughed at this multi-tasking mama and told me...Read more...
The Indescribable Gift
Have you ever been called a “gift” because of who you are and what you give to others?
Second Corinthians 9:15 describes Jesus as a gift. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”
Why would Paul refer to Jesus as an indescribable gift? Jesus is a gift because He gives us salvation as Ephesians 2:8 explains. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
Why would Paul use the word indescribable in reference to Christ? Because there are no human words that can portray the awfulness of hell from which He rescued us nor the heights and delights of heaven to which He delivered us. Not until heaven will we fully grasp the gift of salvation.
In the meantime, God’s gift of Christ is already being unwrapped day by day as He extends grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit to us to be our guide, helper, and comforter.
As we read and meditate on each of God the Father’s, Son’s, and Spirit’s attributes, we more fully appreciate the indescribable gift we have in Christ and our salvation.
Who do you know who could use this indescribable gift? Will you tell them all you have, love, and appreciate about the Lord Jesus? It is when they see in you and hear you speak of Him and the gift He is to you that they will yearn to also have the indescribable gift.
Thank You, Heavenly Father and Jesus, God’s INDESCRIBABLE GIFT. Help us be messengers of Your gift to others.
Happy Mother’s Day! We hope all you mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures have a blessed and love-filled day!
Do you know a mom or someone else in your life who needs to hear about God’s indescribable gift of Jesus? Send them this link: “Meet Jesus…Experience His Grace.”
The Importance of Christ’s Imperishable Seed
Have you ever let something spoil in the refrigerator? You meant to eat it, but didn’t. Later, you discovered the leftovers, opened the lid, and whew – it stunk! It had perished. It was ruined.
Not so with God, His seed, and word. He is imperishable as 1 Peter 1:23 points out, “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.”
The Greek word for imperishable in reference to God is aphthartos and means uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay.
What a contrast between God’s seed that is imperishable and Adam’s seed that is corrupted and perishable.
Peter is not the only apostle who wrote about the imperishable nature of God and of believers inheriting His nature.
In 1 Corinthians 15:50, Paul wrote, “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable;” continuing in verse 53, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
The great news is that the imperishable uncorrupted Christ is in believers. We’re indwelt by the imperishable Jesus through the living and enduring word of God. Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, we worship You, the IMPERISHABLE One. Thank You for making it possible for us to be born of Your imperishable, uncorrupted seed. We love and praise You!
Believers will inherit Christ’s imperishable nature, but we can also live by His divine nature while we’re here on this earth. Want to learn how? 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.
Will God Judge Christians?
Have you ever wondered if the word “judgment” is used in reference to believers? Peter answers that question. “If you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;” 1 Peter 1:17.
Although we are not saved by works, God judges the way believers conduct ourselves after we are saved. What does that look like?
- We fervently love one another from the heart, 1:22.
- We put aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, 2:1.
- We proclaim the excellencies of Christ, 2:9.
- We keep our behavior excellent, 2:12.
- We follow in Christ’s steps, 2:21.
- We are harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and
humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult,
but giving a blessing instead, 3:8-9. - We keep our tongue from evil and lies, 3:10.
- We turn away from evil and do good; seeking peace, 3:11.
- We keep a good conscience, 3:16.
- We live for the will of God, 4:2.
- We live in the Spirit according to the will of God, 4:6.
- We’re hospitable to one another without complaint, 4:9.
- We use the gift God’s given us to serve one another, 4:10.
- We cast all our anxiety on God, knowing He cares for us, 5:7.
- We resist the devil, firm in our faith, 5:9.
If you, like me, are convicted about one or more of the above, remember God loves you and we can confess our sins, assured He forgives us. We can walk more intentionally by His Spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank You for being an IMPARTIAL JUDGE who calls us to walk in newness of life through Christ’s empowerment. We love and worship You.
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.
Help People See Jesus
Have you been battling something and you’re tired? If so, we do well to remember that as believers we don’t stand alone. Exodus 17:8-15 records how we can come alongside each other and under the banner of the Lord, defeat the enemy.
“Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.’ So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sunset. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Moses built an altar and named it The Lord Is My Banner; and he said, ‘The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.’”
In this passage, we learn that the Israelites won the battle as long as they could see Moses’s staff which represented God’s presence and power with them. What can we learn from this account?
It is important to station ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, lift one another in prayer, and keep our eyes on Christ. God is our banner. It is His presence and power that will defeat the enemy.
Heavenly Father, JEHOVAH-NISSI, our banner, thank You for Your presence and power; that we do not stand against the enemy in our own strength. Thank You for the community of believers with whom we can lift Your name high.
Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!