365 Days of Praise

Have you spent much time considering what it would have been like to have been Joseph when he was engaged to Mary? Of course, most shocking would be that your fiancé is going to have a son before the two of you came together physically. Even more shocking would be the news that your fiancé is going to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 

Before Joseph could ask a question, he was told, “you will name Him Jesus.” Did he dare protest that he had planned to name his firstborn son after himself? The explanation that the name “Jesus” was selected was because he would “save His people” would no doubt have caused his heart to race. “Save our people?” That thought is a good one, but before he could process all he was being told he was given more information. The angelic messenger continued, “…from their sins.” 

No doubt, Joseph wanted to blurt out, “Save people from their sins? Only God can do that.” And that is exactly what Jesus did. Mary bore God’s Son, as Matthew 1:23 records, “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’” You can’t get more “with us” than to be born through Mary’s body to live among us and die for us. 

Yes, it’s good to contemplate how the angel’s announcement impacted Joseph, but it is also good to contemplate the impact of the angel’s announcement for us. 

Lord Jesus, Immanuel, I praise You. You’re not a God who is far removed nor have you left me to die in my sins. Rather, You came from heaven to earth, IMMANUEL, to be with me. Thank You, Lord Jesus. 

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“I wish I could see God.” 

Have you ever said those words or wished you could ask God for His opinion on a particular subject? 

If so, look at Jesus. Study His time on earth. Pay attention to His teachings. Why? Because Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is the image of the invisible God. The word “image” in this verse comes from a Greek word that means an exact replica, representation, or “picture” of an original.” In other words, Jesus is the picture of His Father, of God. No doubt, you’ve seen a child and said, “They look and act just like their mother or father.” That is the case with Jesus and His Father, God. 

Jesus is the “spitting image” of God. What is the difference between them? Nothing. When we read about Jesus in the Bible and listen to His words, we are looking at God and listening to His words. 

If it has been a while since you’ve read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, read it slowly and carefully. Listen as if you were sitting with Jesus and He was talking directly to you. Consider if you think and live like He says we are to live. Why? Jesus is telling us how to live like children of our Heavenly Father. 

Read, take to heart, the words of Jesus, the image of the invisible God. 

Lord Jesus, IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, quicken me to do more than read Your words. Imprint them on my heart and mind so I live like a child of Your Father.

Would you like to learn more about Jesus being the image of the invisible God? Watch this video clip where Debbie teaches about how Jesus said He and the Father are one. 

Are you in a dark spot? Maybe you’re down and don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps it’s the sin that surrounds you that oppresses your spirit. Maybe you’ve lost your vision for future projects or the family for which you long. Perhaps the thought of growing older and entering the sunset years seems bleak. Whatever you’re going through, remember this: God is a lamp who illumines darkness. Yes. God is light. Today, resolve to carry the Light of Christ with you into every thought and situation. How? Well, my friend, you’ve already begun. You’ve opened your heart to the psalmist’s words in 2 Samuel 22:29, “You illumine my darkness.” So say the words loud and strong to Jesus with me, “Jesus, You illumine my darkness.” Now think of ways He does illumine your darkness. Grab a pen and write whatever comes to your mind. I’ll start, then you add to it. 

Jesus, You illumine my darkness with the truth. When I read the Bible, You encourage my heart. 

Dark spots and times in our lives aren’t the end of the tunnel. Rather, dark spots and times are signals to turn on the light just like when we walk into a dark room. We don’t bemoan the dark room or stand in one place and say, “I can’t see how to move forward.” Instead, we put our hand on the light switch. So we put our hand on the Bible. We turn on the light switch. We turn the pages of the Bible. Dark spots are invitations to invite Jesus into your situation. 

Jesus, You who ILLUMINES MY DARKNESS, I praise You that darkness cannot exist when You are present. So fill me. Prompt me to quickly turn to You and Your Word when the darkness begins to move into my heart or mind. I love You, sweet Savior.

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. 

God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM;’ and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ …This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations'” (Exodus 3:14-15b).

A person’s name represents the person. If you say “Billy Graham,” not only is a visual of the man formed in your mind, but also what Billy Graham represents. If you say the name, “Hitler,” another visual pops into the mind, along with his character.  

When Moses asked God what His name is, God states that His name is, “I AM;” meaning “I am the One who is.” His name, “I AM,” emphasizes “God’s dynamic and active self-existence.” ¹ He is not only the God who was. He is not only the God who will be in our future. He is the God who is presently active, dynamic, and self-existent today.  How aware are we of His active, dynamic presence in our life?

Lord, I praise you, the great I AM!

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¹ Charles Ryrie, Expanded Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition, New American Standard Bible, pg 94.

“For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth” (Isaiah 54:5).

“What does your husband do?” Many women are asked that question when first getting to know someone. For a single woman who longs to be married, such a question can be exasperating. For a woman whose husband works in a position she doesn’t respect, the question can make her uncomfortable. But what if someone asked about your husband and you replied, “He’s God of all the earth, the Lord of Hosts.” God chose to describe Himself as our husband who is committed to us for eternity. That’s something to smile about.

Lord, HUSBAND, Maker, Lord of hosts, Redeemer, Holy One of Israel, God of all the earth, I love You and thank You for Your tender care and commitment to me. 

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“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Do you ever find yourself being prideful or critical of others?

Humility is a godly trait and one we see evidenced in our Lord. 

Jesus was humble. He explained that His humility flowed from His heart. In other words, from the essence of who He is. 

That’s what we need. Not an attempt at humility, but rather to truly regard others as more important than ourselves. 

Jesus said we are to learn from Him. If we’re not humble, we can begin by turning to Him and asking Him to fill us with His humble Spirit.

Lord, even though You who have every right to be prideful, You chose to serve others and even HUMBLE yourself to the point of death. I praise You, Lord Jesus, and pray to be more like You.

Would you like to learn more about how Christ exemplified servant-hearted humility during His ministry on earth? Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 13 HERE, where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. You can also listen to her teaching on Spotify, Apple, or Podbean by clicking  HERE. 

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

Why is our Lord described as the horn of salvation? Scholar Herbert Lockyer explains: “The figure of the horn is taken from those animals whose strength is in their horns. Because the horn was once the instrument of the oxen’s strength, it became the symbol of power. And our God and Savior came as a horn, or mighty instrument of salvation. In addition, when horns were fixed to an altar they became projections to which sacrifices were bound and to which those who needed protection could cling.” ¹

If Jesus is your horn of salvation, then He has all the strength to keep you saved and safe. He is not like the Grecian king described as “the great horn that was broken” (Daniel 8:8, 21, 22). Nothing or no one can break our indestructible Horn.

HORN OF SALVATION, I praise You, my strength and salvation…today and for eternity. 

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¹ Herbert Lockyer, All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1975), 40.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Do you feel hopeless? Perhaps the last ray of hope to which you’ve clung just went out the window. Things may look black. Your future may appear bleak. Dark clouds may seem to hover over you no matter where you go or what you do. But the good news is, if you’re a Christian, you have every reason to have hope. Why? Because the God of hope resides within you through the Holy Spirit. It’s not a question of if you have hope. You do. The question is, are you allowing the God of hope to fill you with His joy and peace?

You can experience hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s a matter of switching gears. Rather than attempting to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, try believing that God is on the throne. He’s sovereign. He sees you. He loves you. He has your best interest at heart. In faith, pray, “God of hope, fill me with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God of HOPE, I praise You for giving me the Holy Spirit so I can abound in hope by His power. 

Would you like to learn more about how the God of Hope can fill you with joy and peace through the divine power of His Holy Spirit? Check out Debbie’s Bible study on 2 Peter, Living by the Divine Nature Instead of Our Fallen Nature. This study will help you understand how to live by God’s divine nature even when life feels heavy. Click HERE to learn more and purchase your copy. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by clicking HERE. 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).

Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, He prepared His disciples for His departure; comforting them that the Holy Spirit would come to them. Can you imagine their confusion? Their frame of reference for the Holy Spirit was the Holy Spirit anointing individuals for divine work. The names Elijah and Elisha certainly came to mind. But them? “Dazed and confused” might have described the disciples as they listened to Jesus tell them about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would be their Helper. God the Father would send Him in Christ’s name. The Holy Spirit would teach them “all things” and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus said to them. Holy. Spirit. Isn’t that what God knows each of us needs? So, He sent Him, a who, not a what, to live in us. Are we treating the heavenly presence who abides in us as a welcomed, Holy guest?

I praise You, God the HOLY SPIRIT, sent in Christ’s name, to be with me forever. 

Want to deepen your understanding of the Holy Spirit? Check out Debbie’s Bible study, Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit. This study will help you understand the Holy Spirit’s role in the Christian life and respond to His leading and presence. Click HERE to listen. 

“In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him….And one called out to another and said ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled…” (Isaiah 6:1-4a).

I don’t think there’s any way we can get our minds around what the holiness of the Lord is like. I don’t think we have the slightest idea of what the glory of heaven is like. Those who glimpsed the Lord and heaven were dramatically changed. Their response? They gave their lives wholeheartedly to God and served Him unreservedly. Isaiah’s reaction? “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips—And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). All Isaiah could think in response to seeing the Lord was that he was unclean.

Were it not for Jesus bearing our sins on the cross, we couldn’t live eternally in the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord’s presence; which is why we praise Him today and every day!

I praise You, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Lord!

In a world where truth is often blurred, we’re called to live holy lives and stand firm in our faith. Debbie’s study, Contend Earnestly for the Faith: Jude Bible Study, will help you recognize deception, pursue holiness, and stand for the truth. Click HERE to learn more and order your copy. 

Happy Mother’s Day! Whether you’re a mom, celebrating a mom, or remembering one, we pray your day is filled with love, blessings, and the peace and presence of God.