365 Days of Praise
Pray to be Open Lipped
Which are you? Tight-lipped or open-lipped? In other words, are you reluctant to speak and don’t reveal much about what’s going on inside of you? Or, are you more open-lipped and let what you’re thinking and feeling readily come forth? No doubt James 1:19 tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak when we’re angry. But what about in relation to praising God? In this case, we are to be like the psalmist, who prayed in Psalm 51:15:
“O LORD, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.”
Are we grateful? Are our hearts flooded with God’s goodness? I hope so. Even when there seems to be nothing for which we can praise Him, we can open our lips and praise Him for His presence with us, His provision for us, and His purposes He will bring forth.
Develop a mindset of gratefulness. Fill your heart with praise. Open your mouth and let your praise flow to God. Pray, “LORD, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.”
Lord, thank You for who You are and for all the incredible ways You have worked in our lives, are working, and will work. You are worthy of our praise day and night. OPEN OUR LIPS so we declare Your praise.
Download this free printable of the attributes of Jesus from the book of John. As you read through them, praise God for each one!
Do You Remember When
How old were you when you first heard John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life”? It’s an incredible invitation to every person in the world. Think about it!
- God so loves the world that He took action to save us.
- God sacrificed His Only Begotten Son on our behalf.
- God invites everyone to believe and be saved.
- God promises the gift of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus.
Pray fervently for any unsaved person you know to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and be saved. Pray for eyes to see the opportunities God is giving you to share Him with others.
Heavenly Father, thank You for your ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, Jesus Christ. Stir us to draw closer to You and to share You with others. We love You and thank You for the incredible gift of the forgiveness of our sins and salvation in Christ.
Would you like to deepen your relationship with God? Discover the many resources on our website that can help you grow in your walk with the Lord. We offer several free resources, including podcasts, video teachings, listening guides, and more!
Does God Know Everything I Do, Say, and Even Think?
Have you ever wondered if God really knows everything you’re doing, saying, and even thinking? The answer is yep, He does. Crazy, isn’t it? Scary, isn’t it – if your thoughts, words, and actions aren’t lining up with Christ’s teachings? How do we know God knows? The Bible is full of examples. Take, for instance, the account in John 1:44-51. Jesus and a man by the name of Nathanael had never met. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
Nathanael was stunned because they had never met and said to Jesus, “How do You know me?
Jesus answered and said to him, “‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’” John 1:48
In awe, Nathaniel responded, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
Jesus knows everything. He knew Nathanael before Nathanael came to Him. He saw his outward appearance- sitting under a fig tree. Jesus knew his innermost being – that he was not deceitful.
Yes. Jesus knows you, my friend. He knows what we’re wearing, where we’re standing, what we’re saying, and what we’re thinking. Does that make you comfortable or uncomfortable? If it makes you uncomfortable, then there’s probably some sin lurking in your heart. What can you do? Get rid of the sin. Open up to Christ. Admit it. If it’s a one time sin you did or said, apologize to God, and if it involves another person, apologize to them, also. If your sin is an ongoing habit or thought, talk to the Lord about it. Ask Him for help. Confess the sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart and mind. Be honest. Tell God you don’t want to be enslaved to your physical, mental, or emotional sin and to please help you walk in freedom. Then, consume the Word of God like you would your favorite meal. Focus your mind on how wonderful Jesus is. Replace the sinful thoughts with thoughts of truth and the Lord. Rather than attempt to hide, embrace the all-knowing Christ who loves you more than you can imagine and is ready to forgive you and pour His joy into you.
Lord, You are the all-knowing, OMNISCIENT Son of God! Thank You for loving us and extending grace to us. We worship You, Lord.
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Make the Switch from Me, Me, Me
Me. Me. Me. We probably wouldn’t want to admit it, but in our innermost being, we may be more self-centered than Christ-centered. Our day may not begin with, “Heavenly Father, how can I serve You?” Rather, our first thought may be on what we want to get out of the day. Have you ever considered doing a 180: a turnaround based on Ephesians 5:2?
“Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
In other words, followers of Christ are told to follow His example. We’re to walk in love and offer our lives to God to serve His purposes. What happens when we do? We have the opportunity to be a fragrance of Christ to God and others.
Christ Jesus, You are the ultimate example of being an OFFERING and sacrifice to God. Help us follow Your example so our lives are a fragrance of You.
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When You Face Something Beyond DIFFICULT
Do you ever find something to be beyond difficult? If so, I can relate. I’ve often found myself in “over my head.” I wanted to quit. Many of the things we find difficult are not those we can or should give up on. Our marriage, parenting, families, job, health, church, and friendships all require commitment. When we find them to be difficult, we can remember what Jeremiah 32:17 says that, with God, nothing is too difficult.
“Ah LORD GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”
Isn’t that a great verse? I hope it makes you smile. It does me. God wants us to know “He’s got this.” It’s an incredible reminder that instead of cratering when we’re under pressure, we can call on God who “made the heavens and earth by His great power and outstretched arm.” He can help us with whatever we’re facing. He wants to help us. Call on Him now. Then, prayerfully record in Prayers of My Heart prayer journal the things weighing you down. Ask God for wisdom on how to handle them. Then, be sure and record how He guides you in the “Meditations, Notes, and Prayer” section of your journal. Date and record your thanks to Him as He walks you through each day.
LORD, NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU! Thank You for Your presence, Your power, and Your provision. We love you!
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.
While He’s Away
Jesus told a parable in Luke 19:11-22 portraying Himself as a nobleman who went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for Himself and then returns. Before He departed, he gave talents to His servants so they could carry on His business while He was away. Two of the servants took seriously what He entrusted them to do. When the nobleman returned, he honored them and entrusted more to them. But he called the servant who didn’t do anything with the talent He had given him, “worthless.” (Luke 19:22)
Let’s break this down. Jesus is the nobleman. At salvation, He entrusts a spiritual gift to every believer so we can do His work on earth while He is in heaven. We are either faithfully doing the good works He’s prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) or we’re being unfaithful to His calling. What has He called you to do? How faithfully are you carrying on His work while He is away?
Jesus Christ, heaven’s NOBLEMAN, stir our hearts to serve You well.
Discover the joy of praying more purposefully and living passionately for Christ as He equips you to do His work on earth. Get a copy of Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion HERE. The book can be used as a personal study or a 10-week group study.
Near or Far? Here’s the Answer
Jesus told His disciples He was going to die and ascend to His Father in heaven but that He would not leave them as orphans. (John 14:16-18) Jesus explained that He would send a Helper to them and that the Helper would not only be with them, but also in them. You can’t get more near to someone than to be in them. That is God’s gift to believers. Christ’s Holy Spirit is in you. Near. Not far away. Near. Not inaccessible. Still not convinced? Listen to what Psalm 145:18 says,
“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”
Call on God in sincerity and truth. He’s near.
LORD, You are NEAR, not far removed. Thank You that we can call on You in sincerity and truth.
In Debbie’s teaching on John 14, she discussed Jesus’ promise of sending a Helper (the Holy Spirit) to not only be with His disciples, but also in them. To watch a clip from Debbie’s teaching on this subject, click HERE.
Why Jesus?
“Why?” That was the question millennials asked me at a conference where I was speaking. Why this… Why that… “I guess that’s why we’re called the Y Generation,” a 29-year-old explained. “We want to know why.”
Millennials, the “Y Generation,” are those born during the 1980s and early 1990s. They’re the children of baby boomers. Those in Generation Y aren’t prone to accept pat answers. In other words, just because a preacher, teacher, or parent says something, that doesn’t necessarily make it true.
So how do we answer their question, “Why believe in and follow Jesus?” For this reason: Jesus demonstrated that He was more than just a man. People witnessed His resurrection from the dead three days after He had been crucified by skilled executioners. Jesus was who He proclaimed to be – the way, truth, and life. Peter, a witness of His life, death, burial, and ascension into heaven spells it out, “there is no other name under heaven that has been given by which we must be saved,” Acts 4:12. That’s why. There is no other name by which we are saved. Confidently, boldly, and gladly speak the truth out loud to the Y Generation and everyone else.
Jesus, NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, we praise You, Lord and Savior. You are the answer, and we love You.
Our key verse today is Acts 4:12. To watch all of Debbie’s teaching on Acts 4, click HERE. To listen to her teaching, click HERE.
Do You Need a Miracle?
Do you need a miracle? Something extraordinary in your life? What do we mean when we use the word miracle? Webster defines a miracle as “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency; just as rising from the grave.” Another definition is “a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences;” such as “it was a miracle that more people hadn’t been killed or injured.” Perhaps it’s that last definition we use most often. “It’ll be a miracle if I can manage everything going on in my life.” Or, “It’ll be a miracle if our marriage makes it.” Let me ask again, “Are you in need of a miracle?” If so, our best hope for experiencing one is to bring Jesus into the equation. Galatians 3:5 describes Jesus as the Miracle Worker.
“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
As we consider Jesus, the Miracle Worker, it’s important to consider the combination of the two words: miracle and work; along with the word “faith.” Our miracle isn’t going to happen with the twitch of our nose as in the 1970’s show “I Dream of Jeannie.” When we study Jesus’ miracles we see they involved energy and power (Luke 8:46), most often required a person taking part in faith (John 5:8-9), and often took place as the person acted in obedience (John 9:6-7). Maybe Jesus is showing us that rather than having a demanding, “God, do it now,” attitude, we should thank Him for how He has already worked in our lives, thank Him that He hears us, and then take the next steps He shows us.
Lord Jesus, thank You for being involved in our lives. You are the MIRACLE WORKER who can help us. Open our ears to Your instructions so we can faithfully follow Your promptings.
Jesus, the Miracle Worker, demonstrated His healing power in John 5 when he told a man who had been ill for 38 years to pick up his pallet, walk, and sin no more. Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 5 HERE or listen to it HERE.
Better Than Mighty Mouse
“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord!”
God is the Mighty One. He can save you and He alone. Call on Him. Commit Psalm 119:147 to heart,
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words.”
Heavenly Father, help us be mindful that You are the MIGHTY ONE who saves us no matter the dire situation. Help us confidently wait for Your words to guide us through each situation.
Do you have a friend or family member you would like to introduce to Jesus? Share this link with them: “Meet Jesus…Experience His Grace.”