365 Days of Praise

“Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; and the ships of Tarshish will come first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them,

For the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.” 

Isaiah 60:9

Have you been to Israel? My family went several years ago. It was the trip of a lifetime. But a future trip of a lifetime awaits us. Isaiah prophesies a day when people from all over the world will bring their wealth to Jerusalem to worship the Holy One of Israel. The glory of Israel will not be shared with others. It will not be tainted. It will rest on Christ – the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. 

Christ, I praise You, the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. 

© 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.

“in these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

Hebrews 1:2

Why is it important for us to know that Jesus is the heir of all things? In an age when it appeared the government had control over all things, God wanted the Hebrews to know that Jesus was the ultimate possessor of everything. He created the world and everything in it was ultimately His. It was important for the first century Christians to know. It’s important for us to know; for we are joint heirs with Christ. Perhaps God wants us to focus on what we’ve already inherited in Christ, the heir of all things. Perhaps He wants us to be assured of that which we have yet to inherit. 

LORD, I praise You for appointing Jesus as the HEIR OF ALL THINGS. I celebrate all that I have in Him and look forward in wonder and awe to that which I have yet to inherit. 

Why not record that which you’ve already inherited in Christ: your salvation, God’s love, forgiveness, a new family in the body of Christ, a new mind, the Holy Spirit, etc in Prayers of My Heart?

© 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.

“’In my distress I called upon the Lord, Yes, I cried to my God; And from His temple He heard my voice, And my cry for help came into His ears.’” 

2 Samuel 22:7

Are you at your wits end? Do you feel like you’re about to lose it? Yes, at times, even strong Christians can feel overwhelmed. Life can come at us hard and we don’t know what to do. Although those times feel awful to us and sometimes are awful, they don’t surprise or overwhelm God. Cry to Him for help. In your distress, call on God like you would call a friend on your phone. Talk to God about your problems. KNOW that He hears your voice. Isn’t that incredible? Realizing that can bring a sense of peace to your spirit and maybe even a smile to your face.

LORD, I’m amazed that You HEAR MY VOICE. Thank You for the blessing and peace it brings to know that You do.  

God HEARS YOUR VOICE. After crying out to Him, record your prayers in Prayers of My Heart. Then, as He answers your prayers, write “PTL” for “Praise the Lord” beside the answer. Or highlight and date it. At the end of the year, you’ll be able to look back and reflect on God’s faithfulness to 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.

“and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;”

Colossians 2:10

Do you ever worry about where our nation and world are headed? Although evil may temporarily prevail, the Bible tells us the end of the story. And it’s a good ending! God will prevail. Christ is the HEAD OVER ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY. One day every knee will bow before Him. In the meantime, believers have the opportunity to live under Christ’s rule and authority.  

LORD, I praise You, HEAD OVER ALL RULE & AUTHORITY! 

WRITE words of praise to Christ, the HEAD OVER ALL RULE & AUTHORITY, in Prayers of My Heart today.

© 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.

“…you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and

Guardian of your souls.”

1 Peter 2:25

I love this description of God! Guardian. Of my soul. What more could any of us want than to have God as the guardian of our souls? When writing about this attribute in my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, I discovered that the word “guardian” is translated from the Greek word episkopos and means an “overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing that things done by another are done rightly.” (page 98) I’m glad God is the Guardian of my soul. Aren’t you glad He’s the Guardian of your soul? 

LORD, thank You for being the GUARDIAN OF MY SOUL!  

WRITE words of thankfulness to God for being the GUARDIAN OF your SOUL in Prayers of My Heart today.

© 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.

“The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.”

Psalm 145:8

Many people to not know what it means to love or be loved. But we do. Perhaps not from another person. But if we are a Christian, then we have acknowledged God’s great lovingkindness in sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. No greater love has a man than to lay down His life for a friend. And that is how Jesus demonstrated His love for us. GREAT IN LOVINGKINDNESS. That’s our God!

LORD, I rejoice in Your GREAT LOVINGKINDNESS! 

WRITE words of thankfulness to God for His GREAT LOVINGKINDNESS TO YOU in Prayers of My Heart today.

© 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.

“For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.” 

Psalm 86:10

Are you afflicted? Are you needy? Are you crying out to God? If so, join David in Psalm 86. His accolade to God in which he praises him for being great is not a mindless platitude. Rather, his words are framed in the midst of his afflictions, his needs, and him crying out to God. When he states, “You are great and do wondrous deeds;” David is claiming his trust in a great God. He is looking at the heavens and saying, “You alone are God.” In other words, “I know nothing is too difficult for You. I know You can help me, so do it!” Do you need to affirm your faith in God’s greatness today? Do you need to say those words?

LORD, You are GREAT and do wondrous deeds! I’m so thankful to have You in my life and look forward to seeing how You work things out.

Record the GREAT things God has done in the past and the great things you are praying He will do in Prayers of My Heart, a keepsake journal of your prayers to God and His answers.

© 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.

“Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;” 

Exodus 34:6

God led the enslaved Israelites OUT of Egyptian bondage. Moses ascended the mountain where God wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. Moses came down the mountain to find the people playing like harlots. They danced around a golden calf and worshipped it. God’s anger burned. Moses’s anger burned. Moses threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them. Fast forward. The people repented. God called Moses to return to Him on the top of the mountain with two more tablets of stone. Then the Lord passed in front of Moses and proclaimed His GRACIOUSNESS. Are you grateful for God’s graciousness toward you? If so, praise Him now.

LORD, You are a GRACIOUS God! I am so thankful for You and Your graciousness. Thank You for ….

Record ways in which God has been GRACIOUS TO YOU in Prayers of My Heart JOURNAL.

© 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.

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” 

John 10:11

David describes God as good, as we saw in yesterday’s blog post of Psalm 34:8. Jesus describes Himself as the good shepherd. He wasn’t bragging. Rather, He wanted us to know that He isn’t a tyrant or trickster. We don’t have to be afraid of Him. We can trust ourselves to His care. Are you worried about your future? God is good. Jesus is the good shepherd. Try God out for size. Feast your eyes on what He says in the Bible. Follow Jesus, the good shepherd. “Good” awaits you. 

Christ Jesus, You are the GOOD SHEPHERD who has laid down Your life for me. Thank You! I love You.

Record the ways the GOOD SHEPHERD is leading you in the Meditations section of your Prayers of My Heart JOURNAL. It will remind you that God is GOOD and give you further reason to praise His holy name.  

 © 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.

“‘Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name.’” 

Jeremiah 31: 35

Have you ever thought about whether or not “order” is important to God? Order is important. 

LORD, You are a GOD OF ORDER! I praise You and magnify Your holy name! 

The Meditations, Notes, and Prayers section of the Prayers of My Heart JOURNAL provides lined pages where you can record praise of God’s glorious name.

© 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.