365 Days of Praise

Friends, I was going to send this to you via my E-Devotional, but decided since this is the way you are used to hearing from me, I’d post here.

Why use today to PRAISE GOD for what He did in 2013? Well, it is fitting, isn’t it? 🙂

But, also, just as God tells us to praise Him, He tells us to THANK HIM. Both commands, to praise and to thank Him, are not vain requests. He isn’t sitting on His holy throne saying, “Oh, I just love to hear how wonderful I am.” Far from it! God, who wired us, knows it’s spiritually, emotionally, and even physically unhealthy and unproductive when our minds are stuck in a loop of what we don’t have and don’t like. So, He tells us to look heavenward and be reminded that He’s present and can help us. Then, when He’s answered our prayer, it’s important to think on it and celebrate! So today, we celebrate what God had in mind long before we knew we were to be a part of 365 DAYS of PRAISE in 2013!

It began when I asked God how I could effectively manage my prayers. I would get requests and sometimes forget to pray for the person. I also knew I was supposed to thank God for His answers, but would often have trouble finding where I had recorded the request. God’s answer was the spreadsheet format of Prayers of My Heart. Once, after speaking in the Houston area, I visited Beth Moore’s class. She saw my journal, complimented it, and so I gave her one. Later, I prayed that if God could use it to help her organize her prayers, that He would prompt her to read it. A few weeks later, she called my ministry and ordered them for her staff and volunteers. Sometime later I went to my first writer’s conference and showed the journal and Beth’s endorsement to Howard Publishing. A few weeks later, they offered me 2 book contracts: one for the prayer journal and another for a book on prayer. Thus, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, which focuses on 26 of God’s A-Z attributes, was born.

BUT I COULDN’T STOP with 26. In my personal study, I soon collected 100, then 200, then 365 ways God revealed Himself. In 2012, the Lord prompted me – “Debbie, don’t hang on to it. Share it.” YOU, DEAR FRIEND have been a part of God’s unfolding plan.

So today we PRAISE GOD for all the OBSTACLES that HE OVERCAME such as:

* Me clicking on something and losing the formatting 2 days before kickoff. Praise the Lord, Jason Barnes, the graphic designer, and Feedblitz were able to re-install it.

* Scheduling attributes to go out several days ahead when I was out of the country and then they didn’t go out. But, praise the Lord, my daughter, Lauren, jumped in. God used her to forward them to you.

* As recently as last month, the whole thing shut down. We had no idea why. My hands were tied. All we could do was pray. It was finally figured out, although the days were messed up. But, at least you were able to receive them.  Thank You, Lord!

* And then, there were those days that I would come home from work or a retreat and think, “Oh! I haven’t done my 365 yet!” You see, I had not intended to write a devotional with each one. I had planned to schedule an attribute with the Scripture reference to go out for  the year . However, a few days before kickoff several people suggested that I write a short devotional. It sounds simple, but it wasn’t. Especially, when what should have taken 30 minutes often took an hour because my internet was down. Thank YOU, Lord!

So, we celebrate God’s goodness and thank Him for His faithfulness!  

Won’t it be thrilling when we stand before His throne and 365 and MORE attributes flow from our hearts in praise? 

WHAT NOW? Well, don’t be surprised if you find a little something in your inbox Monday. And, if you haven’t replied “YES” to let me know you want to be notified when 365 DAYS of PRAISE is available in a keepsake /reference book, you can reply “YES” now. You’ll be among the first to know!  

Love, Debbie

Hill Country Ministries, Spreading the Word and Love of God

260 Thompson Dr, Kerrville, TX 78028 

PO Box 290264, Kerrville, TX 78029-0264 (NEW MAILING ADDRESS)

Phone: 888.815.9412 or 830.257.5995

Friends, few of you know the story of how 365 DAYS of PRAISE came into being. I’ll be posting about it on my bi-monthly E-Devotional and think you will rejoice with me when you hear the story. If you’re not signed up for my E-Devotional, you can sign up HERE. For those who already receive it, be sure to read it. It won’t be my typical newspaper column. 🙂

And NOW – for our 365th DAY of PRAISE! Believe it or not, I’m having trouble deciding which to post. I still have SEVERAL that I haven’t shared! However, I believe we’ll do the oh so important Yahweh. 

“This is the account of heaven and earth when they were created, at the time when Yahweh made earth and heaven.”

Genesis 2:4

According to scholar Charles Ryrie, YAHWEH is the most significant name for God in the OT. Here is what He says about it. Yahweh,” literally “YHWH,” has a twofold meaning: the active, self-existent One (since the word is connected with the verb meaning ‘to be,’ (Ex 3:14); and Israel’s Redeemer (Ex 6:6). The name occurs 6,823 times in the OT and is especially associated with God’s holiness, His hatred of sin, and His gracious provision of redemption.” Isn’t it exciting that YAHWEH, our redeemer, who is holy beyond what we can envision and who hates sin, is our gracious redeemer!  

All PRAISE to YOU, YAHWEH, active, self-existent ONE! I sing Your praises and give You honor and praise now and forever!  Amen! 

Lord God, thank You for the opportunity to better know You in 2013. Now lead us in the ways You want us to go so that we better reflect Your name and bring You honor. Amen. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” 

Romans 11:33

Can you hear the passion in Paul’s heart as he spoke of God to believers in Rome? To the Greeks who boasted of their wisdom, knowledge, and ways, Paul said, “You think you have wisdom and knowledge? You can’t begin to comprehend the riches of God’s wisdom, knowledge, and ways. UNFATHOMABLE! That’s our God.    

Lord God, You who are UNFATHOMABLE, thank You for the  UNFATHOMABLE riches that You’ve given me in Christ!

© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.’”

Isaiah 28:16

Jesus wasn’t just a “man of God.” He did what no other person has done – withstood every temptation. We are tried and tested and we fail or perhaps sometimes successfully stand faithful. Jesus was tested in the fire of temptation, suffering, and human agony and He shone as pure gold. Why? How? Because He is pure God. And, because He is, we’re to build our lives on Him. Say “no” to humanistic and passing social religious views. Say “yes” to Jesus – God’s tested stone.

Lord Jesus Christ, once again I’m reminded of the joy and privilege it is to call You my God. Pure, tested, strong, You are foundational to all I believe. I praise You and worship You!

© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you.

We’re nearing the completion of our year of 365 DAYS of Praise!

Many have asked if 365 DAYS of Praise will be available in a book. The answer is YES!  You can have your own keepsake of 365 descriptions of God on which to reflect and use for future study or share with others.

REPLY “YES“

to today’s attribute to be notified when it is available. 

“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”

John 2:19-21

The question the Jews had asked Jesus was, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” The “things” Jesus had done included making a scourge of cords and driving the sheep and oxen out of the temple, pouring out the coins of the money changers and overturning their tables; and saying to those selling doves, “Stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” In other words, Jesus acted like He owned the temple and the Jews asked for a sign of His authority. “I’ll give you a sign,” Jesus said in so many words. Destroy the temple and I’ll rebuild it in three days. But, ahh, He wasn’t talking about the building. He was talking about His body; which they did destroy, and He raised in three days. Miraculous, yes. But the point God is driving home to me is the action Jesus took in the temple. He drove out all that wasn’t supposed to be there. Certainly, He feels the same about my body – His temple – in whom His Spirit dwells. 

Lord Jesus Christ, TEMPLE of the Most High, thank You for coming from heaven and tabernacling among man. Please drive out of my body all that is displeasing to You so that I honor You.

Merry Christmas!

 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the SURPASSING GREATNESS of His power toward us who believed.”

Ephesians 1:18-19

Surpassing greatness. Our God isn’t just “great.” He is “surpassing greatness!” His greatness is beyond anything we’ve known. It’s “out of this world.” All we have to do to glimpse God’s surpassing greatness is look at the stars. Or, look at the greatest star – Christ. Born in a stable. Where else would the Lamb of God be born, but a stable? Surpassing greatness bundled in one tiny baby. Surpassing greatness taking our sins away. Surpassing greatness waiting in heaven to receive us into His arms!.  What a surpassingly great God He is!

Heavenly Father, You are SURPASSING GREATNESS OF POWER. I praise You for extending your surpassing greatness of power to me through Jesus Christ! 

© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you. 

 “But 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 (by grace you have been saved),”

Ephesians 2:4 ff

What powerful words these are! If someone has ever made you mad or hurt you or a loved one, perhaps you know what it’s like to be resentful or to harber negative feelings toward the person.  Yet, God doesn’t harbor resentment toward us. He doesn’t hold a grudge in His heart. Rather, on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, He forgives us. He is RICH IN MERCY. 

Lord, I praise You and thank You for being RICH IN MERCY! What a wonderful God you are!

 © Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you. 

 “Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God; who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.”

2 Corinthians 5:5

God’s eternal purpose is for us to live with Him in glory. We won’t see the fulness of His glory until we die and are “at home” with Him in heaven. In the meantime, God hasn’t left us alone. He has given us His Spirit as a pledge of what we will inherit. The Holy Spirit is awesome. He is good. He is joy. He is peace. He is lovely. It is in our best interest to understand everything we can and explore everything there is to know about the Holy Spirit; then live by His nature rather than by ours. 

Lord God, thank You for giving us the Spirit as a PLEDGE. Help me increasingly know Him. 

 © Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you.

 “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.”

Genesis 14:19

Melchizedek, priest and the king of Salem, had no problem knowing who God was. When he met Abram, he immediately blessed him saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.” How different our lives might be if we lived mindful that God possesses the heaven and earth and nothing slips by Him. 

Lord God, POSSESSOR of HEAVEN & EARTH, how comforting it is to know that You possess my life and everything in it and in heaven. I can rest in You. 

© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank youehovah