365 Days of Praise

Heavenly Father, thank You for the MERCY You show us every day. Fill us with Your Spirit of mercy toward others.

Would you like an organized way to record you prayers and praises? Grab a copy of the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal.

Following the Israelites exodus from Egypt, Moses recounted their conquests and urged the people to obey God’s Law. In his discourse, he spoke the poignant words in Deuteronomy 4:7. “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him?”

Have you ever thought about his words in relation to our nation? The LORD our God is our God and whenever we call on Him, He’s near?

You may think that God has not heard our prayers for our nation. But, we have no idea the amount of evil that might have occurred had God not been answering our prayers.

Therefore, keep praying. Keep calling on God to raise godly leaders and to protect all who are standing for truth. What we see on earth is a reflection of the unseen spiritual warfare being played out in the heavenliness; so pray like never before, assured there is power in your prayers. And, remember to have a grateful heart for daily victories. Is there any good in your life? Is a family member standing strong for their beliefs rather than compromising them? Are you mindfully thanking God? If not, begin. It is important that our thanks reach God’s ears.

LORD OUR GOD, we shudder to think what our nation and world would be like if You removed Your restraining hand. Thank You for being near and hearing our prayers. We give You praise and glory. 

The Lord is always present and wants us to talk to Him through prayer. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.

I see it in his eyes. They are kind. His eyes say it all. His eyes tell me what is in his heart. My husband, Keith, looks at me with kind eyes. My response? I feel the most tender of love for him.

The eyes tell us what fills the heart. And, so we wonder. What fills Jesus’ eyes? What if you were in His presence and He looked deeply into your eyes. What if you couldn’t take your eyes away from His? What would you see in His eyes for you?

You would see kindness beyond anything you’d experienced. The kindness that causes you to love Him with every fiber of your being.

Yes, Jesus is kind, and causes the apostle Paul to write in Romans 2:4, “…do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

What a question!

Do we think lightly of the riches of God’s kindness and tolerance and patience toward us?

In other words, are we going about our day hardly looking Christ’s way? When He convicts us of sin, do we look in Jesus’ eyes and sincerely apologize to Him? Do we pause during the day and look into His eyes and say thank you for the gifts He gives us?

Look in Jesus’ eyes today. Think deeply of the riches of His kindness.

Dear Savior, You are so KIND, tolerant, and patient towards me. Forgive me when I think lightly of the riches of Your kindness. Help reflect Your kindness to others. 

The book of John is filled with examples of Jesus’ kindness and compassion. To learn more, watch or listen to Debbie’s teachings on the book of John by going HERE and clicking on John Part 1 and Part 2.

Have you seen the look in a child’s eyes when they were afraid because they couldn’t find their parent? Have you watched that child locate their parent and run to him? Have you heard a child cry for their parent? If so, consider Romans 8:15, which says believers have “received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba Father.’”

Abba Father can be translated from the Greek as “daddy.” So what does Romans 8:15 tell us? It tells us that our relationship with God is like that of a loving father with his child, tender and close. Our Heavenly Father chose to adopt us. Jesus chose to get into human skin so we can see and smell Him. We can watch and learn from Him. We can run to Him. We can feel His embrace.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus deeply care for us. In a world that sometimes seems indifferent and uncaring, it’s reassuring to know that we have a Heavenly Father. Although we may be afraid at times due to the events in our life, nation, or world, we can look to our Father and be assured that He’s watching out for us and watching over us.

Heavenly Father, ABBA FATHER, thank You for adopting us as Your child. Help us walk confidently through our day assured that You are an ever-present help.

Friends, I’d love to have you join me beginning Wednesday, January 10th at 10 am for our weekly Bible Study of John Part 2 or on Thursday, January 11th at 6:30 pm. Click here for more info.

Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study. 

FRIENDS, IF YOU RECEIVE DUPLICATES OF THIS DEVOTIONAL, PLEASE ACCEPT MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES. WE ARE WORKING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. HANG IN HERE WITH US & PRAY IT CAN BE QUICKLY RESOLVED. THANK YOU!

As you look at the past year, are your thoughts, “It’s been great!” Or are your thoughts more along the lines of, “It’s been a rough year”? Perhaps the “rough” is related to health issues, finances, work, marriage, children, parents, and friendships. It may be related to your frustration with yourself, that you continue to struggle with the same issues. Whatever the case, God wants us to be mindful of the fact that just as He was there for us in the past, He’ll be there for us in the new year.  That’s something for which to be grateful!

Why not be intentional about developing a more grateful attitude in the new year? Why develop a more grateful attitude? Consider – who would you rather be around? A negative person or a grateful person; someone who takes advantage of your kindness or someone who expresses their appreciation?  Psalm 63:4 says,

I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 

Are you daily blessing the Lord by recalling what He does for you each day? I’m not referring to generalities such as, “Thank you, God, for this food and our home and family,” although we should express our appreciation to God for those things. Rather, I’m referring to blessing the Lord by gratefully celebrating how He has worked in your day and in the lives of those for whom you have prayed. I hope you have a copy of  Prayers of My Heart journal so you can begin the new year daily lifting your hands in praise, lifting your pen to paper, and journaling God’s character traits and what He has done each day. It is not too late to order.  Make this next year distinct by making it the year you daily bless God with your thanks.

Here’s a good place to start: Our Heavenly Father is

just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26

We bless you, Lord, for being both just and for being our justifier. We are so grateful!

LISTEN

Jesus is the Son of Man who knows what it is to live in human skin. However, what is inside of Him is different from us. His innermost being is holy glowing purity.  Revelation 2:18-20a describes the ascended Christ as having “eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze.” Revelation 1:16 describes His face as “the sun shining in its strength.”

Imagine that visual for a minute. Jesus’s face was like the sun shining in its strength. Following these magnificent otherworldly descriptions of Jesus, we’re told that Jesus, the Son of God, says this,

I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first,, but I have this against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

Yes, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He is slow to anger, but we must never forget that He is also the Son of God reigning in glory. He sees our deeds and what we tolerate that is against Him. Is there anything we need to repent of before we ask Him for His continued blessings?

1 It came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.