365 Days of Praise

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’ face is like the sun shining in its strength.

Following these magnificent 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” (Revelation 2:19-20a).

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. 

Jesus sees our deeds. He sees sin that we tolerate, but that is an affront to Him. Is there anything we need to repent of before we ask for His continued blessings?

Lord Jesus, SON OF GOD, forgive me for tolerating what You hate. Purify me so I am a clean vessel for Your glory.

Go deeper into God’s Word with one of Debbie’s Bible studies. You can purchase printed Bible studies in our shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE. 

In the last several years, there has been an increase in the number of people wanting to know about their ancestors. However, genealogy has always been important in the Bible. 

For instance, consider the first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the New Testament, Matthew 1:1. “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

What is important about the genealogy of Jesus? 

Just in case someone might doubt Jesus’ rightful place as heir to King David’s throne, His lineage is recorded for the next twenty-five verses. 

Yes, Jesus is the Son of God, but He is also the Son of David. 

Among the many important implications, it is important to recognize that Jesus knows what it is to live in human skin—to need a nap, to feel tears roll down His cheek, and to thirst as He hung on the cross. 

Jesus’ genealogy is well proved. He is the prophesied Messiah, Son of God, who came through the lineage of King David.  We will one day see Him sitting on His eternal heavenly throne. What a glorious day. 

SON OF DAVID, I praise You for willingly leaving Your heavenly home to put on flesh and live among us. I love and adore You.

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Are you dragging through your day singing the blues? If so, that can change. You see, we have a choice about the music and songs we allow to play in our mind and heart as well as the ones we sing. 

In Exodus 15:2, Moses tells us the music that empowered his walk. “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him.”

The word “song” in Exodus 15:2 means music or melody. In effect, Moses says, “The Lord is my melody. He’s the music by whom I walk through my day.” 

What music or words play in your mind as you go about your day? 

If you’ve been singing the blues, you can make the choice to change to a different playlist. You can tune your heart to God’s voice and walk through your day singing His praises. Isn’t it time to tune your heart to His praise playlist? 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being the melody by which I can walk through my day. I sing Your praises. You are my strength and SONG.

Want to fill your day with songs that encourage and strengthen your spirit? Visit our Encouraging Music for the Cancer+ Journey page. You’ll find uplifting songs to help you keep your heart tuned to His praise.

Our Heavenly Father has a goal: to cleanse us of sin and not only for heaven, but in our daily life.. 

Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.”

Malachi 3:3 explains that God sits as a smelter, or a refiner, watching over us as the heat of daily life, trials, and sufferings cause impurities to rise in our lives. 

He wants for us to be increasingly purified so we better reflect Christ.

What happens when sin glaringly rises in our life? We have the opportunity to see our impurity and confess it. 

Are things heating up in your life? If so, be assured that your Heavenly Father is watching over you as a smelter watches over silver that is being refined. He hears your prayers and confessions. And, has anyone told you? You are reflecting Him more every day.

Lord, thank You, SMELTER of my mind, spirit, and soul. Purify me so I reflect Your image. 

When life’s heat turns up, it’s easy to wonder, “Why am I going through this?” The good news is, your struggle isn’t pointless. Watch Debbie’s teaching from James 1 HERE to learn the meaning of “upside-down faith”and how God uses our trials, so that they are never wasted. 

Are you hot-tempered or does it take a lot to get you angry? 

What kind of person would you rather be around—a hot-tempered person or a patient, loving person? 

What kind of Heavenly Father do you prefer? One quickly angered by your shortcomings or one who is slow to anger?

If you said you’d rather be in a relationship with a Heavenly Father who is slow to anger and great in love, there is wonderful news for you. Psalm 145:8 says, “The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” 

Think about the blessing of God being slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. 

Praise Him for all the ways you are thankful for who He is. 

Lord, thank You for being SLOW TO ANGER. Forgive me when I think, do, or say things that are not in keeping with You and Your will. Help me be ever mindful of Your glory and holiness and increasingly align my thoughts and actions to Yours.

The Prayers of My Heart prayer journal is a great place to record your thanks to God for all the ways He is revealed in the Bible. It is also a thoughtful and meaningful gift for someone who is going through a hard time. Share with them the benefit of focusing on who God is and because of who He is, the many ways He can help them.

Do you feel under fire by a barrage of personal, financial, physical, spiritual, or other attacks? Have you attempted to shield yourself or your loved ones with your own efforts or things other than the Lord? Although your efforts may be well intentioned, the Lord is the ultimate, impenetrable shield. Any shield other than the Lord will fail to protect the mind, emotions, and hearts of you or your loved ones.^[1]

Jesus hasn’t left you alone to suffer through life’s trials by yourself. You can cover yourself with His love and truth.^[2]  You can call to your Heavenly Father, who David describes in Psalm 3:3 as a shield about him. You can put on the spiritual armor that He’s given you so that you can resist evil and stand firm (Ephesians 6:13). 

If your shield of faith is down, take it and hold it up. You can do this by taking “up” your Bible and taking God “up” on His Word. Soak your mind and heart in His Word and let it speak to and strengthen your soul (Psalm 119:97-98, 110-111, 114). ^[3] 

Lord, thank You for being a SHIELD about me. Help me stay under the protection of Your divine armor and Word.

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¹ Debbie Taylor Williams, Monroe, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion (Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing, 2006).          

² Williams, Pray with Purpose, 2006.                                                                                                                                                                                          

³Williams, Pray with Purpose, 2006.

What are you facing today? Are the storms of life relentlessly beating against your soul leaving you feeling unsettled, discouraged, or perhaps overwhelmed? 

Is someone “attacking” you, finding fault or accusing you wrongly? 

No doubt, there are times when we feel battered by our stormy circumstances. When that happens we can go to God, who Psalm 91:1 describes as a shelter. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Yes, God is a shelter. The Hebrew word sēṯer means “hiding place.”  God is a hiding place for the believer.

What does that mean for us on a daily basis? 

It emphasizes how important it is for us to sit with God and to return to Him when difficult circumstances strike like lightning, when someone’s words pelt us or Satan sends tornadoes of temptation. 

When we dwell, sit, in the shelter (hiding place) of God, He covers us with His righteousness and peace. Go to Him. Sit with Him.

Lord, You are a SHELTER in the storms and temptations of life. I love and praise You!

Are you going through a trial? Being tested? Do you have relationship issues? A problem with your tongue? Do finances get you down or are you caught up in money? Do you have questions about how prayers get answered or why they don’t? The book of James speaks volumes into our lives and offers words of encouragement to hold on to and apply through life’s storms. Follow along in our James study by clicking HERE, or watch the teachings on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Have you ever been built up or torn down by someone’s words? No doubt, people’s words have an impact on our lives. So do Christ’s words. 

In Isaiah 49:2, the words of the “Servant of the Lord,” who is understood to be Jesus, are compared to a sharp sword. “He has made My mouth like a sharp sword,…;”

The imagery of Jesus’ words being like a sharp sword is also found in other places in the Bible. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 

Jesus’ Words are like a sharp sword in that they cut straight to the heart, to our thoughts and intentions.

Jesus’ Word is also a sharp sword in the believer’s defense against sin and the enemy (Psalm 119:11, Ephesians 6:10-17). 

As believers, do we use the power and authority of God’s Word to transform us? Do we delight in His Word? (Psalm 1:1-3)? Are we doers of His Word (James 1:23-25)?  Christ, His Word, a sharp sword, is vital to our lives. 

Lord, I praise You, a SHARP SWORD. Transform me according to Your living and active Word. 

Would you like to grow in your faith? Discover the many resources on our website that can help you. In addition to our books and Bible studies, we offer several free Christian resources, including podcasts, video teachings, listening guides, and more!

Have you ever been separated from someone and you desperately wanted to be with them? Whether the separation was due to death, divorce, disease, or distance, the pain of not being able to be with a loved one can be devastating. 

Jesus understands such depth of emotion. He loves us and created us to live in union with Him. Because of His Indescribable love for us, He left heaven’s glory and came to earth to save us. 

Yes, Jesus, separated from sinners as Hebrews 7:26 describes, crossed the chasm between heaven’s glory and earth. He stretched out His hands on a cross to die so that we might be saved and be reunited to Him and the Father.  “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.”

Jesus, separated from sinners, took on human flesh and lived among sinners; taking our sin upon Himself. Only when we ponder the heights of holiness that Jesus left to secure our salvation are we able to begin to grasp the depth of His love. 

How well are we loving Jesus in return? How intentionally are we abstaining from sin? How faithfully are we sharing with others who Jesus is and how they can also be reunited to Him? 

Lord Jesus, SEPARATED FROM SINNERS, thank You for coming to earth to save me and reunite me to Yourself and the Father. May I cling tightly to You with a heart overflowing in gratitude. 

Find spiritual rest and renewal in God’s presence today by spending time in His Word. Use one of our free online Bible studies to guide you in your study.

Sides. Children learn the concept of “sides” at a young age. They’re on one side or the other of a field depending on whose team they are on.  

As children grow older they learn about historical battles and those who fought on each side. 

Hopefully, as children become teens and then adults they become more aware of another set of sides: God’s and the devil’s.  Yes, the Bible explains that there are spiritual sides that battle over our souls. 

The war between God and the devil was decided long ago with God decidedly the victor. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave sealed the outcome of the war over man’s soul.

Isaiah 49:2 describes Jesus’ role in the battle over man’s soul calling Him a Select Arrow. “He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.” 

Yes, Jesus was sent from God’s heavenly quiver to destroy the works of the devil and save our soul. Aren’t you thankful for Christ, the Select Arrow of God and for being on God the Father’s side? 

Lord Jesus, God’s SELECT ARROW, thank You for coming to earth to destroy the works of the devil. Thank You for winning the battle over my soul.  I love and praise You!

Want to learn more about living a victorious Christian life? Watch Debbie’s teaching on Acts 28 : The 7 Characteristics of People Who Are More than Conquerors.