365 Days of Praise

Friends,

There is no greater joy than knowing God and serving Him. If you’ve heard me speak or teach you know a significant time in my life was when God directed my heart to understand that there is nothing in and of my old self that He can use. All that is good and glorious pours from HIS Holy nature. Since that time, my prayer and life mission has been to increasingly know God and the power of His resurrection. (Phil 3:7-8)

Whether you recently received your journal or have been journaling for years, I’d like to encourage you to use the first column in the Week at a Glance section for the Lord. Yes, title the first column “Lord.” Then, each day when you pray, select a different attribute for which to praise Him. For those of you who also ordered the 200 A-Z Names, Attributes, and Titles of God, you may be checking the boxes beside each attribute on which you focus. Others of you may simply be prayerfully focusing on different attributes of God for which you praise Him. I have already added 20 more attributes to the 200! The list keeps growing and it is such a delight to increasingly know and love my Lord!

Here’s how to do it. This morning, when I rose, I went to my study and knelt as I always do. Truly, as Isaiah 39:15b says, “In quietness and trust is your strength.” I find that beginning each day in quietness before God is the key to walking by His Spirit the rest of the day. In addition to beginning each day on my knees, God’s Word is the powerful sword that clears the clutter from my mind and sharpens me to His Words and ways. Lately I’ve been reading through Isaiah. Today, I read Isaiah 30. And, guess what? I added to my list of 200 Names, 3 more names. It’s so much fun! I pray you have your Bible open beside your journal every day. I pray as God reveals Himself to you through the Word, that becomes a springboard from which you broaden your prayers for others and yourself.

The 3 names I added and you can add?
Isaiah 30:20 Teacher. Yes…can you believe I left “Teacher” off the 200 Names list? What was I thinking???
Isaiah 30:29 Rock of Israel. We already have “Rock,” but I like the addition of “of Israel.”
Isaiah 30:30 Voice of Authority. Oh, friends, if we ever need to be reminded of this attritubute of God, it is now. HE is the Voice of Authority. When other voices in our heads tell us to turn to the right or left, we need to remember God is our Teacher. We need to heed HIS VOICE of AUTHORITY in all areas of our lives.

Consider Isaiah 30:20-21 in conjunction with verse 30 as the springboard for your prayers today. “Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

Although these verses are a reference to the glories of the Millennium, they hold true for believers today. God speaks to us the way, the right and left, through the Bible and through the voice of His Holy Spirit. The question is, are we listening?

Today, dear one, focus your prayers by beginning your prayer time praising God as your Teacher, Rock, and Voice of Authority. Then repent. Yes, too often we forget this part. However, it’s an important part of P.R.A.Y. (praise, repent, ask, yield) We need to repent where we’ve fallen away from the image of the One who created us and called us into conformity with Him.

“Father, forgive me. You are my Teacher, yet I’ve ignored your teaching in this area: ______. You are the Rock of Israel and my Rock, yet I’ve chosen to totter in this sin, _____________.
You are the Voice of Authority, yet I’ve listened to other voices that have lured me from pure devotion to You. Forgive me.”

Yes, friends. Let us praise God each morning for who He is. But let us not forget to repent where we have sinned. Praising God should not only direct our hearts to the glory of who God is, but should also serve as a reminder of ways in which He wants to conform us to His beloved Son.

Rejoice with me today, loved one. We have a Teacher. We have a Rock. We have a Voice of Authority. And, as you rejoice, remember to pray for others that they will learn from the Teacher, stand on the Rock, and heed the Voice of Authority.

Love,
Debbie

Sisters,

I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re interested in journaling your prayers. When people ask me, “Why journal?” my heart immediately goes to the Bible. Do you realize all the prayers that are journaled in the Bible? Any conversations you read between God and Adam, God and Moses, God and anyone….are prayers He ordained be journaled. We learn from reading those prayers what is on God’s heart and mind. In addition, it gives us reason to praise Him when we read God’s Words to man, then we see His will accomplished.

Not only is the Bible a journal of God’s words to man, but also men and women’s words to God. Read Hannah’s words and learn about faith. Read Mary’s and Elizabeth’s songs of praise and better learn how to praise God.

Journaling is a way to quiet our hearts before God. Instead of dashing through our prayers, we slow down as we write key requests in the Week at A Glance section. At other times we pour out our hearts in the Meditations, Notes, and Prayer section. And, if you’ve not used it yet, the Month at A Glance is the place to record prayer requests that come to you for friend’s or family member’s doctor’s appointments, surgery dates, court summons, counseling sessions, job interviews, school tests, anything on the calendar. As a matter of fact, I have my prayer journal beside me now and am getting ready to update it with a friend’s ministry calendar so I can pray for her when she’s speaking at events.

THE HARD PART ABOUT JOURNALING : GETTING STARTED

If you’re like me, often the hardest part of a task is getting started. That’s why I want to encourage you today….right now….to get your journal and sit down with me. Let’s go through this together. If you do, you may wind up like our sister who wrote me a few days ago. Read what she emailed me.

Hey, Debbie! I got it!! I was jumping up and down at the mailbox–I know my neighbors thought I was crazy!! But, it’s here! I have never used a prayer journal for an entire year until this one! It is a wonderful tool that helps us to remember who and what to pray for and to follow up on those prayers–to see that God does listen and heal and speak to us–even today! Hugs! Susan

Yes, that could be YOU saying those words in a year. So, why not give it a try? One of the biggest blessings and opportunities, is having your prayers recorded so you don’t forget to thank God for all the ways He’s answering your prayers. We often can pray so many prayers that we forget the many ones He’s answered. I recall with startling vividness, when God convicted me of the need to go back and thank Him for prayers He had answered. It was when I was studying Luke 17:11-18. Go back and read that passage. Consider the difference it would make in your relationship with Jesus if you began recording your requests and thanking Him for each time He answers.

Blessings to you…..love,
Debbie

 Every day when I select a description to share with you, I have a renewed sense of awe. Often the ways our Lord is described provide a contrast to that which is in the world. Such is the case today. There are many “lights.” Many claim to be “enlightened” by powers apart from Jesus Christ. Many seek self-enlightenment. But once again, God speaks loudly through His scribes. There is one TRUE LIGHT and it is JESUS CHRIST. HE enlightens us when we turn to Him and open our hearts to His saving grace.

Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE LIGHT who enlightens every man. We worship and adore You.