Blog
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.
If you enjoyed this content and want to watch video teachings by Debbie, consider subscribing to her YouTube channel. Go HERE and click the subscribe button to be notified of new teachings.
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.
Do you know someone who could use some encouragement today? Scroll down and click on “Forward to a Friend” to share this blog post.
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.
The Key to Not Living in Darkness
Are you excited about all the ways Jesus is described? Every day when I select a description of our Lord to share with you, I have a renewed sense of awe. Often the way our Lord is described is in contrast to that which is in the world. Such is the case today. Many in our world are living in spiritual darkness. They are seeking to be enlightened by powers apart from Jesus Christ. But in John 1:9 we find the word “true” in reference to Jesus. “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9).
Although there are many sources of “enlightenment,” there is only one true Light: Jesus Christ. He enlightens our soul, mind, and heart when we turn to Him. The world apart from Christ is dark. Take seriously His charge to let His light shine through you. His Light in you is a beacon to those living in darkness.
Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE LIGHT who enlightens every man. May we be lighthouses through whom You shine.
Jesus is referred to as the Light several times in the book of John. Want to learn more? Watch this video clip of Debbie’s teaching on the subject.
Love the True God
Do you agree that our world is filled with a variety of gods to which we give our time, energy, and money? What kind of gods? Sports gods, education gods, work gods, money gods, pleasure gods, political gods, and social gods to name a few. In effect, we worship them when they become the driving force in our life, occupy our thoughts, and even affect our moods.
Jesus makes it clear in John 17:3 that there is only one true God. He is to be the object of our love and passion. He is to occupy and control our thoughts, emotions, energy, and resources. We are to love the Lord with all our hearts, all our soul, and all our mind (Mark 12:30). And, importantly, as He states in John 17:3, He is the way to eternal life. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” What or whom do we worship and therefore give power to in our lives?
Lord, You are the only TRUE GOD. May we give You our full worship and praise.
Learn how to contend for the faith in the times in which we live through Debbie’s Bible study of Jude, Contend Earnestly for the Faith. Purchase a copy HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos, podcasts, and listening guides HERE.
Help in Irrational Times
Do you ever feel like we are living in irrational times, that things are upside down? It’s not the first time. Think about Christ. He was pronounced not guilty, then crucified. How irrational was that? But Colossians 2:15 tells us Jesus triumphed over the irrational. He disarmed the rulers and authorities. He made a public display of them. And Christ is still triumphant even though we may not see it at certain times.
“When He (Jesus) had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:15).
Jesus will right what is wrong. He will turn what is upside down right side up. That’s good news on a national and world level. It’s also good news for us personally. Christ, who triumphed over the grave, is able to triumph over the irrational in our lives. Christ is the triumphant Lord. What do you need His help with today? He’s listening.
Lord, You are TRIUMPHANT over death, rulers, and authorities. You are triumphant over the irrational in our lives. Help us live holy lives that reflect our confidence in You.
Would you like some resources to help you triumph? Check out these books that can be read individually or used as group Bible studies: The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World and Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.