365 Days of Praise
Imagine What It Will be Like to be Sin Free
Sin. It’s here. Our sin or another person’s sin is a part of life. Perhaps one of the most glaring sins is selfishness. We want what we want. We want it when we want it. Things or people who stand in our way frustrate us. But what if sin didn’t exist? What if we were free of sin? The good news is – that day awaits us. Because of Christ, our Savior and VICTOR over death, we will one day be sin-free as 1 Corinthians 15:57 reminds us. “…thanks be to God, who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We will one day experience the magnitude of what our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ achieved through the virgin birth and cross. In the meantime, let’s remember to give thanks to God for daily victory over sin through the Spirit’s empowerment and for eternal victory over sin through Christ. Today, let’s raise our voices in praise of Christ, who has won the VICTORY over sin.
LORD, We praise You for being VICTORIOUS over sin and death. We worship You.
Friends, please consider a year end donation of any amount to help us continue to spread the Word and Love of Jesus in 2021. Your gift is tax deductible and deeply appreciated.
We Can’t Wait!
“He’s coming with a sleigh and reindeer.” That’s what some parents tell their children about Santa, and oh, the kids get so excited in anticipation of his arrival. But, hey, believers! The real gift giver from above is flying into our universe and He isn’t accompanied by reindeer. Rather, our Lord Jesus is accompanied by a host from heaven who are coming to earth! Revelation 19:16 says that “on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'” This is no fairy tale. This is a fact. It’s incredible to think about it. It’s beyond exciting and each of us who calls on the name of Christ for salvation should be looking toward the sky with jubilant hope because He is coming. As Old Testament believers looked forward to the day the Messiah would come, believers look forward to the day Jesus will return in glory. How magnificent that will be! Are you ready?
Christ Jesus, LORD OF LORDS, we bow in worship and praise. We. Can’t. Wait!
Do You Hear Him
Have you ever done a study on the voice of God? Isaiah 30:30 says, “And the Lord will cause His VOICE OF AUTHORITY to be heard.” The literal translation is “VOICE OF MAJESTY.” How does God speak to us? He speaks through His majestic creation that He is glorious and that He is a God of order and unlimited imagination. God’s voice speaks to us through the Bible, the wisest, and beautifully written work of all time. God speaks to us through Christ that He is sacrificial, loving, and forgiving. God’s voice speaks to us through our innermost thoughts warning us of the danger of sin and calling us to walk in His ways. God’s voice calls to us but the noise of the world often drowns Him out. However, if we willingly, purposefully choose to slip out of our beds in the mornings and quietly meet with Him – just the two of us – we hear Him. He speaks. His voice encourages our weary souls. His voice comforts us that although we’ve sinned, He forgives us. His voice encourages us that we can start again. His voice whispers, “Take this course of action…” If we take Him seriously, write down His counsel, and follow through on what He tells us, we discover He whispers even more to us. Are we listening?
Voice of Authority, Voice of Majesty, thank You for speaking to us. Tune our hearts and minds to recognize Your voice and rejoice in You.
Start 2021 journaling your prayers and praises and God’s words of direction to you in Prayers of My Heart.
Merry Christmas!
O Come Let Us Adore Him
Copyright “Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas,” by Debbie Taylor Williams
Friends, it’s our opportunity to come and adore Jesus. Prophecy has been fulfilled. The Child was born. God’s Son was given to us. The government of all worlds rests on Him. Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. He is the Mighty God. He is Eternal Father. He is Prince of Peace. Celebrate. Worship. Adore. I love you, sweet friends.
A Heavenly Provision
Do you remember the account when God called Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac? I’ll never forget when the words jumped off the pages of the Bible. Abraham said to Isaac as they walked to the place where he was to sacrifice Isaac, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.” (Genesis 22:8) Think about those words.
God will provide the lamb for the sacrifice.
And, He did. A ram appeared in the bushes and Abraham sacrificed the lamb in Isaac’s place. And, so God does that for us. He provided the Lamb – Jesus – innocent, holy, undefiled – to be the sacrifice for us.
God provided for Himself the sacrifice.
God provided for Himself what no human could provide – a worthy sacrifice; heaven’s Lamb. Years later, the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth was first made to shepherds. The shepherds left their flock to find and worship Jesus, the LAMB of God. ‘Behold, the LAMB OF GOD who takes away the sin of the world!‘” John 1:28-29
Jesus, LAMB OF GOD, thank You for giving Your precious life as a sacrifice for our sins. Father, thank You for sacrificing Your Son to save us from our sins. We adore and worship You!
Narcissus
Copyright, “Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas,” by Debbie Taylor Williams
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor. Romans 12:10
This month we’ve been preparing our hearts for Christmas by considering how the decorations and plants we use can point us to Christ. I’ve shared how many of the traditions I’ve brought into our home are those I got from my mother. However, when Keith and I married, my mother-in-law introduced me to the narcissus, which has a tall slender stalk and small paper-white blossoms in contrast to the thick stalked amaryllis with its giant red blossoms my mother adored.
Incorporating the narcissus into our traditions was a reminder of how Christmas is a time to value what other family members bring into our lives. I am grateful for not only the fragrance of my mother’s life, but also for that of my mother-in-law’s. So if you enjoy decorating with a narcissus, consider how it points us to prepare our hearts for Christmas. First, as the narcissus is white, we are reminded that Christ has cleansed us of our sin and made us pure white as He is. What a glorious thought! Second, as the narcissus has a distinct fragrance, we are to be distinct among the world, carrying the unique fragrance of Christ to others. Third, as we consider the fragile blossoms of the narcissus and its unique differences from the amaryllis, let’s remember that God has made each person unique and that relationships can be fragile. As we prepare our hearts for Christmas may we value the gift of not only our relationship with Christ, but also the gift of our relationships with others. May we remember Christ’s words to us to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love; to give preference to one another in honor,” Romans 12:10.
Amaryllis
Copyright, “Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas,” by Debbie Taylor Williams
The amaryllis is perhaps one of my favorite symbols of new life in Jesus, carrying with it the message to rest in Christ and live expectantly. As with many traditions, my mother brought a red amaryllis bulb into our home at the beginning of the Christmas season. My sister, Vicki, and I enthusiastically watched her bury the ugly brown bulb in a flower pot. Then, we helped her pat the soil around it. As a young child it was hard to believe that a beautiful red flower would emerge from the dead looking bulb. Every day we would check the bulb searching for green life. Mother faithfully watered the plant and assured us, “It’ll grow.” Finally, the day would come. We’d discover a tiny green stem protruding from the bulb. Then the stem would grown before our eyes, becoming taller and stronger each day until finally, pregnant with life, it bloomed. That which had been brown and lifeless emerged with red, beautiful, showy flowers. It was only natural that I continued the tradition with our children and explained the spiritual significance of each stage of the plant. First, in order to be who Christ intends us to be, we must identify with Him in His death. Dying to ourselves includes burying ourselves in the Bible to learn His ways. It means filling our dry souls with the daily flow of the Holy Spirit who is as living water within us. We must also rest in Christ and trust Him for our growth, knowing that as my mother assured us about the amaryllis, “It’ll grow,” so we will one day emerge in heaven in full bloom. So will our Christian children. So be assured, sweet friends, in times when there seems to be no activity of no growth, “God is causing the growth,” (1 Corinthians 3:6).
3 Days til CHRISTMAS! Do you need a last minute gift? How about a donation in honor of that special someone who already has everything? We’ll let them know of your thoughtfulness and our ongoing mission to spread the Word and love of Jesus. In the “notes” or “comments” section, provide the name and address of the person you are honoring. We’ll take care of the rest. Thank you! And remember, your donation is tax deductible. Questions? Email me: debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com.
The Witness of the Poinsettia
Copyright, “Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas,” by Debbie Taylor Williams
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses… Acts 1:8
Do you have traditions that you carry on that were a part of your childhood Christmas memories? I do, and my mother decorating with poinsettias is one of them. The poinsettia derives its name from Joel Robert Poinsett who brought the plant from Mexico to the United States in 1829. Why do Christians like getting or giving poinsettias at Christmas? Their blood-red petals remind us of the blood Christ shed for our sins. The green leaves remind us of the eternal life we have in Him. The gold crowning center of the flower reminds us that Christ is the crowned King of heaven who reigns on high. The Poinsettia calls us to consider if Jesus is the crowning center of our life, if we worship and bow before Him, if we let Him reign over our thoughts, decisions, and behavior? Just as I did not know about poinsettias until my mother introduced them to me, so we have friends and neighbors who do not know Jesus. Why not give a poinsettia to an unsaved friend or family member and share why you like them? Introduce them to the true meaning of Christmas.
4 Days til CHRISTMAS! Do you need a last minute gift? How about a donation in honor of that special someone who already has everything? We’ll let them know of your thoughtfulness and our ongoing mission to spread the Word and love of Jesus. In the “notes” or “comments” section, provide the name and address of the person you are honoring. We’ll take care of the rest. Thank you! And remember, your donation is tax deductible. Questions? Email me: debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com.
Oh! Remember to watch the magnificence of of Jupiter and Saturn tonight. As we do, we’ll be reminded of the STAR that guided the wise men. Oh, what a magnificent, wonderful Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit we have, sweet friends. Celebrate them! Love you.
The Christmas Tree
Copyright, “Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas,” by Debbie Taylor Williams
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14
A Christmas tree is often the centerpiece around which Christmas activity occurs. However, this Christmas, as we gather around the evergreen tree to sing carols or open presents, let’s turn our thoughts heavenward to the tree that stands at the centerpiece of our faith – the tree of life that stood in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life on which Jesus was crucified to secure our eternal salvation, the tree of life we will see in the New Jerusalem.
5 DAYS til CHRISTMAS! Give a gift that will keep giving all year long. Prayers of My Heart JOURNAL – a place to renew thoughts, develop gratitude, record God’s answers to prayers, and record what God places on your heart. Get it on Amazon. Get it HERE. 