365 Days of Praise

Jesus is interested in you and if your days and life are meaningful. Why? He designed us to be productive. 

In John 15:1-2, Jesus explains that our lives can be fruitful if we live in union 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 and take away dead, fruitless branches? 

Why does He watch to see if we bear fruit? 

A fruitful life brings God glory and us joy. 

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 His glorious fruit. 

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 His pruning, 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. I praise You that You care about me. Thank You for the fruit of Your Spirit. Thank You that I can bear 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! 

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, a day when sin doesn’t exist, awaits believers. Because of Christ’s victory over sin and death, we will be sin-free one day. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:57 are words we should echo every day: “…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Meditate on the words Paul uses. Gives. Us. Victory.

We will one day experience the victory of what our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ accomplished through the virgin birth, cross, and resurrection. They literally gave us victory we could not obtain on our own. 

In the meantime, let’s remember to give thanks to God for the daily victory we have over sin through the Spirit’s empowerment. 

Let’s remember and give thanks to God for the eternal victory over death through Christ. 

Let’s raise our voices in praise of Christ. If you know the song, “Victory in Jesus,” sing it with all your heart.

Lord, I praise and worship You for being VICTORIOUS over sin and death. I can never thank You enough for my eternal salvation that You obtained through Your sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross. Help me serve You well and faithfully.

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.

Have you ever considered how old Moses was when he commissioned Joshua to take his place? He was 120 years old. His words, ever so eloquent and wise, are recorded in Deuteronomy 32:2-4.

Let my teaching drop as the rain,

My speech distill as the dew,

As the droplets on the fresh grass

And as the showers on the herb.

For I proclaim the name of the LORD;

Ascribe greatness to our God!

The Rock! His work is perfect,

For all His ways are just;

A God of faithfulness and without injustice,

Righteous and upright is He.

Moses praised God using words that we may use:  Great. Perfect. Just. Faithful. However, how often do you praise God for being upright? Why would Moses include “upright” in his praise of God?

The Hebrew word for “upright” is yāšār and is used in reference to God in Psalm 25:8; to His word in Psalm 33:4; and to His judgments in Psalm 119:137.  

As you go about your day and hear people speak words and judgments that are not always upright, remember to praise the Lord that He, His Word and His judgments are upright.

UPRIGHT Lord, I praise You that You, Your Word, and judgments are upright. All praise and glory belong to You! 

The updated edition of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional is now available on Amazon as a paperback and e-book. With 365 A–Z names and traits of God, daily prayers, and practical life applications, this devotional offers encouragement all year long. It makes a thoughtful, faith-building Christmas gift for family and friends or anyone who could use daily hope and encouragement. Get your copy HERE.

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? 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.” 

In other words, no matter how much we study about God and His nature, we’ll never know or understand everything about our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. 

Our trust in and praise of God in this lifetime is only the beginning of an eternity of learning about Him and giving Him praise and glory.

Lord, You are UNSEARCHABLE. Your greatness is beyond comprehension. I praise and worship You.

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. 

Access to information has increased exponentially the last few years. We can speak into our smartphones, ask a question, and get the answer to almost any question. However, not even the most sophisticated piece of equipment or brilliant person can comprehend God and His ways, as Romans 11:33 states. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

The word “unfathomable” that describes God’s ways is the Greek word anexichniastos and means “cannot be searched out, cannot be comprehended.” It is used in reference to not only His ways but also in Ephesians 3:8 to the unfathomable riches of Christ.

Although Christians know that God’s ways are unfathomable and cannot be comprehended, we can sometimes forget and question why He doesn’t answer our prayers in a certain way. 

When that happens, we can rest in the knowledge that God is good, loving, compassionate, and faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 145:9). We can remember that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We can place our trust in Him.

LORD, I praise You. You and Your ways are UNFATHOMABLE. I cannot begin to comprehend You or Your ways. May I never forget Your love and compassion. Increase my trust in You and help me rest in the knowledge that Your ways are higher than my ways. 

Are you facing disappointment or struggling with unmet expectations? Get a copy of The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World to discover how to take charge of your thoughts and let God reignite your hopes and dreams.

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” 

“‘To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One.”

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 as evidence of His power and glory. 

What does this mean for us? 

It means the God we worship is unequalled. He is before all things and above all things. Nothing is too difficult for God. We can and should look to Him in holy reverence, bow before Him, and offer Him our lives to use in whatever way He chooses for His glory. 

Lord, I worship and praise You who are UNEQUALED. There is no one like You. You are wise and powerful beyond my imagination. To think that You care for me is beyond comprehension. Thank You for loving me, saving me, and preparing a place for me to be with You for eternity. I love You!

Go deeper into God’s Word with one of Debbie’s Bible studies. You can purchase printed Bible studies in our shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE.

Do you have a problem? Are you in a quandary regarding what to do about something? Have you talked to Jesus about it? Why talk to Him? The answer is because Jesus is a God of intelligence, skill, and insight. Look no further than the creation which proves His wisdom and understanding. 

Proverbs 3:19 tells us, “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding, He established the heavens.” 

The Hebrew word for understanding in Proverbs 3:19 means “intelligence, skill, and insight.”

In other words, when we look at the earth and heavens, we see evidence of God’s intelligence, skill, and insight; His understanding of how all things work to His glory. 

You can trust the same God who created the heavens and earth to give you wisdom, intelligence, skill, and insight for your daily needs, decisions, and relationships. Pray and listen to His still quiet voice. Walk by God’s Words and Spirit. 

Lord, thank You for Your UNDERSTANDING, Your intelligence, skill, and insight. I praise You that You are an approachable God to whom I can come regarding problems and decisions. Thank You for the wisdom and insight You 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 podcast teaching: Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.