365 Days of Praise

Would you have ever believed some of the things going on in our country? It can make your head spin. The changes are happening so fast that people who don’t read or watch the news are going to be shocked one day to learn that their freedoms have been taken away and that they are mandated to do things against their will. Am I advocating that we read or watch the news all day? Not at all. But I can speak to the importance of being informed. I highly recommend having your Bible open and studying (not skimming) what God wants us to know about the days in which we live and about the days that are coming.

In Matthew 16:2-3, Jesus said, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?”

It is clear that God spoke through prophets. They warned of future events. Although your head may be spinning at the ever-changing society in which we live, what a blessing to know that Jesus will not change. As Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Yes, our nation is changing. The world is changing. But Jesus will always be the same holy, loving, grace-filled God that He’s always been. If we ever wonder with whom to align ourselves, it is Christ.

Want to learn more about discerning the times in which we live? Purchase a copy of Debbie’s Bible study, End Times: What You Should Know, What You Can Do HERE. You can also access free accompanying videos and podcasts HERE. 

Has anyone ever sacrificed something for you? Have they sacrificed sleep so you could rest? Have they sacrificed advancing so you could succeed? Have they sacrificed their plans so you could pursue yours? Sometimes we sacrifice but do so begrudgingly.

Ephesians 5:2 tells us Jesus willingly sacrificed His life for us. “…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.” 

Not only did Jesus willingly sacrifice His life for us, but He was also the only perfect and completely acceptable sacrifice to God for our sins. Under the law of Moses, high priests were appointed to offer sacrifices in the temple day after day for their own sins and the sins of the people. However, Jesus provided a better way. He became both the perfect priest and the perfect sacrifice. 

Jesus is holy, blameless, pure, and set apart. Unlike the earthly priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day for His own sins and our sins. He sacrificed for our sins once for all when He offered Himself willingly on the cross (Hebrews 7:24-28). When He did, He thought of us, not Himself. He did what we could never do for ourselves. 

Hill Country Ministries is dedicated to telling others of Jesus’ great love and sacrifice. One way we have done this is by taking our P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference to every state. Christians are inspired and equipped to pray more purposefully and live more passionately for Christ. Seekers are given the opportunity to respond in faith to Christ.

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.

Have you ever heard someone say “that stinks” when something awful happens? If bad things repeatedly happen, they might even say life stinks. Instead of focusing on the foul, though, we have a choice to breathe in what Song of Solomon 2:1 refers to as the rose of Sharon, a reference to Christ and His splendor, heavenly fragrance, and beauty.

When life stinks, stay extra close to Christ. Breathe in His fragrance. “I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys” (Song of Solomon 2:1).

Do you know who your ancestors are? How far back can you trace your family tree? Being able to trace one’s lineage is important to many and is definitely important in Jewish culture. Jesus’ human lineage can be traced to Israel’s King David. But Jesus has an even more illustrious lineage as He states in Revelation 22:16. He says, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” In other words, His roots go further back than David. They go all the way to creation.

Jesus is the bright morning star, heaven’s light. In our often dark and lonely culture, it’s important for us to daily bask in the SonLight. It’s important for us to invite others to join us.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16).

ROOT AND DESCENDANT OF DAVID, bright morning star, we praise, worship, and love You.

Are you concerned about people’s shifting views about the Bible and Jesus? If so, remember that Jesus is who He says He is and you are doing the right thing by building your life on Him and His Word. As a matter of fact, Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27 that you are wise.

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-2).

Notice that both men experienced the same conditions – the rain, floods, and wind slamming against their house. Only one house stood. Our nation is experiencing floods of people and the winds of change. Are you a Christian? If you are, you will stand because your life is built on Christ. If you are not a Christian, you have the opportunity to be what Christ describes as “wise.” On what are you building? 

Lord Jesus, we worship You, the ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. Thank You for the assurance You give us that we will stand because our lives are built on You.

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Do you ever feel like not another thing can be squeezed out of you? Do you feel you’ve given all you can give? We all know that you can’t get water out of a dry rock, and perhaps that describes us at times – dry. If so, we can look to Christ, whom Isaiah 30:29 describes as the Rock of Israel, referring to when Jesus provided water for the Israelites in the wilderness. Jesus provides Himself as living water for believers (John 7:37-38). Drink deeply from Him. He loves you so!

“You will have songs as in the night when you keep the festival,
And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute,
To go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel” (Isaiah 30:29).

ROCK OF ISRAEL, You were there for the Jews as they traveled to the Promised Land. You are here for us. We love and praise You – the One from whom we can drink deeply and be saved, the One from whom we can drink and be replenished. 

Several years ago the world was sickened by the confirmation that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi had been confirmed dead after being tortured in a Saudi consulate. Can you, would you, expect to see him walking around and eating with family and friends after his death was confirmed? No, of course not. Does that help us better grasp why people didn’t believe that Jesus was alive after they witnessed His torturous scourging and crucifixion?

Matthew 28:6  gives the shocking angelic announcement to Mary as she stood outside Jesus’ empty tomb. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” In addition to Mary and the disciples seeing the resurrected Christ, more than 500 eyewitnesses saw Jesus after His resurrection.

The grave couldn’t hold Jesus because He is life. He gives eternal life to everyone who acknowledges they are a sinner and asks forgiveness in His name. People are dying every day because of natural causes, disease, and senseless evil random shootings. None of us know when the life of our family, friends, and neighbors will end. It is time for us to be bold and lovingly ask those who are unsaved, “Do you know where you will be when you die?” “Gentle Boldness” is the title of one of my chapters in Discovering His Passion. Prepare yourself to share Christ with others.

Jesus, RISEN LORD, we celebrate You – the giver of eternal life. Help us gently, but boldly share You with others. 

Debbie taught about Jesus’ resurrection and how He appeared to Mary Magdalene and His disciples in her teaching on John 20. To watch the full teaching, click HERE. To listen to it, click HERE. 

I’m the richest woman in the world. I know. You’re wondering why I would say that since I’m not. I can say that because of Jesus, and you can say that, too. He’s given us riches beyond our comprehension. Sit back and take a load off. Marinate your soul in the riches that have your name on them.

1. I am rich in mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ.” Compared to the glory of God, I was poor and pitiful before Jesus saved me. Now, I am filled with His rich grace and mercy.
2. I am an heir of the kingdom of God. James 2:5 says, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” Earthly home a concern? Take heart. You’ve got a place in the kingdom of God.
3. I am the rich bride of the King and His glorious brilliance. Revelation 21:2, 11 says, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband…having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. Yes, we believers are headed to the glistening glory of Jesus.

Friends, walk with a humble heart but your head uplifted. Rejoice at the reality of who you are, whose you are, and the glorious brilliance awaiting you.

Do you ever think about pleasing God? Did you know that it’s possible to please God? Hebrews 11:5-6 states that Enoch was pleasing to God and that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5-6).

Hallelujah! Does that make you want to shout in praise of God? It does me! God “took him up” before his body died. Zap! In the air. Gone from the earth. Friend, the same is going to happen to believers at the time of the rapture. Unbelievers will look around and say, “Where’s mom?” The ones left behind who have some Bible knowledge may realize that “God took us up.” Yes. Up. Let that sink in for a minute.

How can we be assured God will take us up and not leave us in our morally declining, evil world that calls evil good and good evil? We can be sure because we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. Yes, faith. Without it, we can’t be saved. Without it, we can’t please God. Without it, we won’t go to heaven. With it, we will be saved. We will be rewarded.

Are you saved? Then shout hallelujah and ready yourself for Christ’s return. He’ll be handing out rewards on the basis of what you did for His kingdom. (Remember the 10 minas story in Luke 19:11-27?)

If you’re not a follower of Jesus, think about the role of faith and how we exercise it all the time. We exercise faith when we get on a plane. (Is the pilot mentally stable? Will the oxygen flow correctly? Is there a terrorist on board on a suicide mission?) So, yes. Exercise your faith for the salvation of your soul. Exercise your faith that Christ is coming again just like He promised. Live in a way that pleases Him. Set your mind on the things above, not earth. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit so you walk out His kingdom’s purposes. God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Will you seek Him?

Learn to seek God in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE. 

I know, I know, I know. We sing about Jesus’ resurrection. But is it ever hard for you to get your mind around the fact that Jesus was literally dead and came back to life? Do you ever stop and ponder if you believe what you do because you’ve always been told that or if it is your own conviction?

In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” In this verse, Jesus was talking to a woman named Martha who was saying with her mouth she believed, but wasn’t expecting Jesus to raise her deceased brother.

Jesus is patient with us just like He was with Martha. If you’re struggling to believe or you have questions, Jesus is always present so you can always talk to Him. Ask Him your questions. Listen quietly in His presence. Open your Bible and ask Him to guide you through it. Keep seeking. He’s a prayer away and able to lead us to deeper faith.

Lord, You are the RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. We profess our faith with thanksgiving that You are ever-present and able to lead us to a deeper faith in You.

Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!