365 Days of Praise
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
When You Don’t Know What to Do
“I don’t know what to do.” How many times have you said or thought that? Perhaps you’re trying to figure out your finances. Maybe you’re at a crossroads in life and trying to figure out God’s will. Or maybe there’s a personal or business relationship troubling you that needs to be handled in the wisest of ways.
Whether you’re wondering whether to take your child to the doctor or your question is of another nature, look to Jesus. Why? We’ve seen in other Scriptures how Jesus is a treasure that we have within us. But Colossians 2:2b-3 gives us more insight. It says that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus. Ponder what that means for you.
Talk to Jesus. Look to Him. Listen to Jesus. Record what He tells you to do. Follow up on His instructions. Walk in the wisdom and knowledge you have in Jesus. It’s an incredible blessing that would be a shame to miss and can help prevent future heartbreaks.
Lord Jesus, we thank You that You are a TREASURE OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. When we don’t know what to do, we can look to You for guidance and wisdom. We praise You for that incredible blessing.
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.
If You Think You Have Nothing, Think Again
When you were little, did you go on a treasure hunt? Today, do you put your treasured valuables in a safety deposit box? The Bible tells us that believers have a treasure within them. What is the treasure? Second Corinthians 4:6-7 explains that the treasure is God’s Holy Spirit. The treasure is the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in our hearts.
“God… is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. For we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).
The treasure we carry about in our earthly bodies is God’s surpassing greatness of power. With humble reverence and boundless gratefulness, we bow and worship God for the great gift of His presence in us.
Lord, You are the TREASURE men seek and whom we have in our hearts. Help us present You well to others and share with others the surpassing greatness of Your power. We adore and worship You.
God is a treasure. We hope you are recording each daily attribute from 365 Days of Praise in Prayers of My Heart. As you do, your journal becomes a treasure of the names, titles, and character traits of God. Your journal also becomes a treasured keepsake of how God has and is working in your life and the lives of those for whom you pray.
A Tower of Strength and Refuge
In this world we will have trouble (John 16:33), but we don’t need to be left battered by the storms of life. We can find reassurance that God is a refuge in times of trouble through David’s words in Psalm 61:3, “For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy.”
A tower is a high place from which we can look at life and see it from God’s perspective. The spiritual tower of prayer is the place from where we can pray, pour out our hearts to God, intercede for others, and quietly listen for His counsel. If we want to experience God’s best, we can. Our Father is a tower of strength and refuge to whom we can go.
With your face set like flint toward heaven, with your pen in your hand, write words of praise to your Father and intercessions for your family, church, nation, friends, and yes, yourself. The Bible is a journal of God’s interactions with man, of people’s struggles, and of God’s faithful interventions and merciful hands. Let His Word speak to you and impart peace to your soul.
Jesus, TOWER OF STRENGTH AND REFUGE, we praise You. When we don’t know how we can get through the next minute, You are our strength and help. Thank You for all the ways You guard and guide us.
In her teaching on John 16, Debbie touches on Jesus’ words from John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Watch her teaching on the subject HERE.