365 Days of Praise
Praise to God, Our Supplier
Do you ever feel empty or drained? What about anxious or uptight? Does mad or angry describe you at times? Or, sad and melancholy?
Whatever the condition of our countenance or state of our mind or emotions, we have a supplier to whom we can turn.
Are you short on perseverance?
Are you ready to give up or cave in?
Do you feel like you’re going to blow a fuse?
Do you wonder if you’ll ever smile again?
Those are feelings we may have at times, but if we’re a Christian, we have hope.
God offers to supply all our needs. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Rather than hold tightly to feelings of anger or discouragement, open your mind and heart to the Lord’s perspective and counsel.
Take hold of what you need through God’s supply of glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the SUPPLIER of all I need through Jesus. I confess my shortcomings, ill temper, hopelessness, and discouragement. Fill me with Christ’s perspective, presence, and power as I look to You.
If you enjoyed this content and want to watch video teachings by Debbie, subscribe to her YouTube channel. Go HERE and click the subscribe button to be notified of new teachings.
The Sunrise From On High Visits Us
Have you ever been tongue-tied and couldn’t say what you wanted to say? The godly priest, Zacharias, had such an experience, except he was made unable to speak. It hadn’t always been that way. He had led a remarkably righteous life. Then, one day, when he was performing his priestly service, he was chosen to burn incense in the temple. That’s when things changed. The angel, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias and told him wonderful news. His wife, who had not been able to get pregnant, was going to bear a son in their old age. They were to name him John. Most importantly, their child would be the forerunner to the long-awaited Messiah. Shocked at both the news that they were going to have a baby and that he would hold such an esteemed position, Zacharias asked, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years” (Luke 1:18). Gabriel told Zacharias that since he didn’t believe him, he wouldn’t be able to speak until John was born.
How’s that for a sign? Imagine what it would be like to have an encounter with an angel, for your wife to become pregnant when she was past child-bearing age, and on top of all that to not be able to speak. Finally, when John was born, Zacharias was able to speak. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he praised God, “Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).
Zacharias praised God for Jesus visiting us, we who are in darkness, to guide us into the way of peace. “Holy, holy, holy” is all I can say right now. How about you?
Lord Jesus, SUNRISE FROM ON HIGH, I smile in joy and praise of You, who came from heaven’s glory to shine on me and guide me to the way of peace.
Happy Veteran’s Day to all our veterans. Thank you for your courage, service, and sacrifice. May God bless, strengthen, and protect you.
Could you or someone you know use a little daily encouragement from God’s Word? The 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional offers exactly that. With 365 A-Z names and traits of God, each paired with Scripture, prayer, and practical life application, you’ll find your heart uplifted and your faith strengthened day by day. Grab your copy today by clicking HERE.
Remember This On Dreary Days
Dreary days. Gray skies. They can make us feel gloomy.
The death of loved ones, separation or estrangement from family or friends weighs heavily on our hearts. What can we focus on in those times?
Malachi 4:2 tells us. “But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.”
What does Malachi mean?
Theologian Charles Spurgeon explains: “Jesus, like the sun, is the center and soul of all things, the fullness of all good, the lamp that lights us, the fire that warms us, the magnet that guides and controls us; he is the source and fountain of all life, beauty, fruitfulness, and strength.” 1
Jesus is called the Sun of Righteousness because on the most dreary of days when we are gloomy and despairing, we can ask Him to fill us with His Spirit and shine in our hearts and minds.
Call on Jesus now to rise in your heart. Ask Him to fill you with the light of His glory.
I praise You, Jesus, SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Please enlighten my mind and lighten my heart as I look to You.
Praise is a powerful weapon we can use to turn around feelings of hopelessness or discouragement. Download this free printable of the attributes of Jesus from the book of John. As you read through them, praise God for each one!
1 The Spurgeon Center, Accessed October 5, 2023, http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1020.htm.
Do You Want More Strength?
An AT&T commercial once asked a group of children, “Who thinks more is better than less?” A little girl quickly responded, “We want more. We want more.”
We can identify with her plea for more when we’re going through a difficult time. We want more of God’s strength. We want more of God’s grace to get us through our day. The truth is, we already have it. Second Corinthians 12:9 reassures us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
What does it mean that God’s grace is sufficient? Does it mean barely enough? No. Rather, the Biblical word means, “to be possessed of unfailing strength, to be strong, to be enough.”
God’s strength is the answer to our cries when we are weak. Call on Him. Yield to Him. Ask Jesus to fill and empower you. He will.
Heavenly Father, thank You that when I’m weak, You respond to my cry for help. Thank You, that Your grace is SUFFICIENT.
Would you like to experience God’s sufficient grace and peace in your life? Check out Debbie’s Bible study, Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos by clicking HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by clicking HERE.
When What You Want Is Different From What God Wants
There are times we’re called to do something we’d prefer not to do. Perhaps for you, it’s a medical procedure. For a parent, it may be changing another diaper. A person might wish they could stay in bed rather than go to work. Then, there are those excruciatingly painful occasions when we may be called to help with an intervention or change the lock on a door to keep an abusive person out of the house.
There is only one person who has known the great sacrifice of dying on the cross so the human race could be saved. Jesus asked His Father for a way other than the cross, but when it was the only way, He submitted His will to His Father’s will.
“He went a little beyond them and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will'” (Matthew 26:39).
Is there something you don’t want to do or perhaps want to do that is different from God’s will? Will you trust your Heavenly Father, submit your will to His, and walk through it in Christ’s strength?
Lord Jesus, thank You for modeling being SUBMISSIVE and for modeling trusting our Heavenly Father’s will. Help me be submissive as You were.
Are you facing disappointment or struggling with unmet expectations? Get a copy of The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World: What to Do When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan.
God’s Perspective
Perspective. It’s everything. We can look around and feel hopeless and vulnerable, wondering why God has abandoned us. Or, we can turn to the Lord, scale the heights of heaven and gaze on who God is, what He’s done, and what He has promised to do.
Proverbs 18:10 reminds us, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.”
Did you catch the promise? Is safe. Say it out loud. “I am safe.”
Think through the implications for your loved ones who believe in the Lord. They are safe.
Yes, far from what some people seem to be, uncaring and distant, God is the opposite. He is caring and He is actively present in our life.
Pay attention to the ways God has proved and is proving to be active in your life.
Be mindful of God’s Spirit, who comforts and strengthens you. Let your mind relax in the reality of the new heaven and world awaiting you and your believing loved ones. Purposefully ponder your life and your loved ones’ lives from the perspective of heaven’s heights. Say a prayer to the Lord thanking Him for being wonderful, loving, and faithful.
Heavenly Father, You are a loving, faithful STRONG TOWER to whom I can run. May I be as David and boldly testify that I run to You and am safe.
We are excited to announce that the updated edition of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional is now available on Amazon, and it’s currently on sale! With 365 A-Z Names and traits of God, daily prayers, and life applications, this devotional is sure to bless you and makes a wonderful gift for others. Purchase your copy HERE.
When You Want to Run Away, Run Here
Do you ever want to run away from your circumstances, the world’s evils, or perhaps your own wayward thoughts? If so, go to God, who David likens to a stronghold.
In Biblical times, a stronghold was a high place, a place of retreat, and for many years it was David’s safe house.
In 2 Samuel 22:3, after the Lord saved him from Saul, David wrote these words of praise, “My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge.”
Is God your stronghold? If so, you are well aware that He wants you to come to Him. You are well aware that you can leave your fears, Satan’s lies, and your waywardness and go to the Lord as your stronghold.
Do you have a story of a time when you sought God as your stronghold; you retreated to Him in prayer? Or perhaps you took refuge in His promises in the Bible and by doing so, He kept you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally safe?
If so, look for ways to share your testimony with others and how God was there for you. It may be the very way God wants to use you today.
Heavenly Father, thank You for being my STRONGHOLD. Thank You that I can scale the heights of heaven and Your Word and find renewed strength in Your presence. Open my eyes and ears to someone with whom I can share the good news about You.
Learn to go to God, your stronghold, in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE.
THE STRENGTH-TRUST-HELP CONNECTION
Do you ever feel weak or like you can’t go on? If so, remember Psalm 28:6-7 that comforts us with the reminder that the LORD is, in addition to many things, our strength. “Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”
“I am helped.” What great words David, the psalmist, said. He was helped. You can be helped, also. You don’t have to do this thing called life – being an employer, spouse, parent, widow, single person, or bread winner alone. You may be weak but God is your strength.
God is your strength, but did you notice a key to David experiencing God as his strength? He said, “My heart trusts in Him and I am helped.”
Does your heart trust in God? If so, you can say with David, “The Lord is my strength. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”
A person with a trusting heart may not know how they will get through their day or night; but they know God is with them and will give them the strength for whatever they face.
Is your heart trusting in the Lord in the midst of your circumstance?
Will you pray today, “Lord, You are my strength. My heart trusts in You.”
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are always present and no matter how weak I feel, You are my STRENGTH. I trust in You, Lord.
Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean!
Stability in Troubling Times
Have you ever felt disturbed or shaken by circumstances in your life or the world around you? Maybe you were blindsided by the death of a loved one, a sudden job loss, or a diagnosis. Perhaps the everyday stressors and pressures of life, combined with troubling conditions in parts of our nation and world, have left you feeling unsettled. Where can we turn in times of uncertainty and instability? We can look, as always, to the Lord.
Isaiah 33:5-6 says, “The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the Lord is his treasure.”
At the time Isaiah spoke these words, God’s people were facing a serious threat from a treacherous nation and enemy who was bringing about unprovoked destruction. This threat and devastation caused God’s people to feel unstable and terrified. However, Isaiah declared that the Lord would be their stability. He would provide salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
Just as the Lord was the much needed stability for theIsraelites, He is also the needed stability of our times. He is the firm foundation on which we can stand in times of uncertainty, trouble, loss, and devastation. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we’re immune to trials and troubles in this life. Christ suffered while on earth. However, we can rest assured that if we look to God in obedience and reverence, He will stabilize us with His salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
Lord, You are the STABILITY OF OUR TIMES. Thank You that I can look to You as my firm foundation when I feel shaken by my circumstances or the world around me. Help me fully trust You and walk in obedience to Your teachings.
Are you enjoying the 365 Days of Praise e-devotional? Use the social media icons, below, to share it on your favorite social media platform to help others discover it too!
Beyond Our Imagination—A Deeper Understanding of the Spirit
Do you know all that God has prepared for you in eternity? The answer is “no, we don’t know.”
First Corinthians 2:9 says, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Does it bless your heart to recognize that although earthly days may be rough, God has prepared a future beyond our imagination?
First Corinthians 2:10-12 goes on to explain that no one knows God’s thoughts except God’s Spirit.
“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to Christians. Know Him. Listen to Him. Love and adore Him, for He is the Spirit of Christ abiding in you.
Heavenly Father, Your gift to me of the SPIRIT WHO SEARCHES ALL THINGS, is the most amazing gift. Thank You! Help me faithfully walk by Your Spirit.
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 podcast teaching by Debbie: Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.