365 Days of Praise
Who Will Vindicate the Orphan and Oppressed
Evil abounds as you well know. Human trafficking, child abuse, pornography, persecution of Christians, rape, abandonment, violence, murder, the list goes on. God is not blind. He sees what is going on in our nation and world. God is not deaf. He hears the prayers of those being wronged.
Psalm 10:17-18 tells us that God will vindicate the orphan and oppressed. “O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”
God is not only Savior, He is also a vindicator of the orphan and oppressed. He will execute judgment on evil. In the meantime, Christ has positioned us to be His light to those who are hurting and have been wronged. Shine brightly, friend.
Lord God, thank You for assuring us that You hear the humble, the orphan, and the oppressed. Thank You for strengthening hearts and being the VINDICATOR for those who have been terrorized. Thank You for the blessing of eternity with You through Jesus our Lord.
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Oh, Victory in Jesus
Sin. It’s here. Our sin or another person’s sin is a part of this earthly 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.”
Gives. Us. Victory. We will one day experience the victory and magnitude of what our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ did through the virgin birth and cross. In the meantime, let’s remember to give thanks to God for the daily victory over sin we have through the Spirit’s empowerment. Let’s remember and give thanks to God for the eternal victory over sin through Christ. Today, let’s raise our voices in praise of Christ. If you know the song, “Victory in Jesus,” sing it with all your heart.
Lord, we praise You for being VICTORIOUS over sin and death. We worship You.
Want to learn more about how to live by Christ’s divine nature instead of our sinful, fallen nature? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 2 Peter Bible study, Living by the Divine Nature Instead of Our Fallen Nature, HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by going HERE.
God is Upright, Not Fallen Like the World
Have you ever considered how old Moses was when he commissioned Joshua to take his place? He was 120 years old. Moses’ words, ever so eloquent, are recorded in Deuteronomy 32:2-4. I’d love for you to read them. Moses poured forth, “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, … For I proclaim the name of the Lord.” Moses continues, “upright is He.”
Why did Moses say that God is upright? He wanted us to know that God is believable. He is just, and true, and His word is just and true.*
As you go about your life in a fallen world where people act unjustly and speak untrue words, let Moses’ refreshing words of praise to God wash over you – God and His Word are upright, just, and true! Blessings on you, friend.
UPRIGHT LORD GOD, we praise You that You and Your Word are upright, just, and true. All praise and glory belong to You!
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*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3477&t=NASB
If You’re Faltering
I’ve had the blessing of holding our newborn children and grandchildren. Holding them was no problem. They weren’t heavy. As a matter of fact, it was a delight to hold them. I could intently gaze at their faces. I could pray for them. The more I held them, the deeper my love grew. Wouldn’t it have been silly if our little ones had argued, “Don’t hold me. I’m too heavy.” Or, what if they had said, “I don’t want to bother you. You don’t need to hold me.”
In light of that, consider our Heavenly Father’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” In the Bible, God’s right hand symbolizes His strength. His right hand is a strong hand of righteousness. We can relax in His strong hands. As He upholds us, we become increasingly aware of His deep love for us. In case you feel like you are faltering or falling, be assured – your upholder has you.
Nothing in your life is too heavy for Him to uphold and see you through it.
Lord, our UPHOLDER, thank You for upholding us with Your righteous right hand. Thank You for the depth of Your love for us. Thank You that we don’t have to be afraid.
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Just the Beginning of What Is to Come
One of the exciting aspects of the day in which we live is that the Bible is being recognized as a reliable historical and scientific source. Things earlier civilizations scoffed at, we nod in agreement, “The Bible was right about that and that.” An example? Well, for one, the earth is round, not flat, as Isaiah 40:22 states, “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in.”
The psalmist in Psalm 145:3 nails it on the head in reference to God, “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” As much as we study about God, the fact is, we’ll never know or understand everything about our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Our trust in and praise of Him today is only the beginning of an eternity of learning about Him and giving Him praise.
Lord, You are UNSEARCHABLE. Your greatness is beyond comprehension. We praise and worship You, as You alone are worthy of all our praise.
Our Lord, Jesus, has so many wonderful attributes that we can praise Him for. Download this free printable to see some of the many qualities for which we can thank and praise Him.
Why Bother Worshiping Our Heavenly Father?
Do you ever wonder, “Why bother praising God?” If so, Isaiah 40:21-22 & 25 explain why.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” (vs 21-22)
“‘To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One” (vs 25).
God makes it clear that no one is equal to Him. He calls us to lift up our eyes and see the heavens He created. What does this mean for us? It means we are not alone. It means that nothing is too difficult for God. It means our Heavenly Father deserves our worship.
Lord God, we worship and praise You, eternal, UNEQUALED Creator. You are wise and powerful beyond our imagination. Thank You for caring for us, loving us, saving us, and preparing a place for us to be with you for eternity. We love You!
God demonstrated His unequaled nature in several ways in the Book of Acts, including the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the performance of miracles, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the rapid expansion of the church. Check out all of Debbie’s teachings on the Book of Acts as well as all the free Bible studies offered online through our website, HERE.
Do You Have a Problem?
Do you have a problem? Are you in a quandary regarding what to do about something in your life? Have you talked to Jesus about it? He is a God of intelligence, skill, and insight, proven by the creation of the earth and heavens.
Proverbs 3:19 tells us, “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding, He established the heavens.” The Hebrew word for understanding in this verse means “intelligence, skill, and insight.” In other words, when we look at the earth and heavens, we’re seeing evidence of God’s intelligence, skill, and insight.
Trust God to provide you with the wisdom, intelligence, skill, and insight you need for daily life, decisions, and relationships. Pray and listen to His still quiet voice. Walk by God’s Words and Spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your UNDERSTANDING, Your intelligence, skill, and insight. We praise You that You are an approachable God whom we can go to regarding the problems and decisions we face in this life. We thank You for the wisdom and guidance only You can provide.
Would you like to learn more about being led by God’s Spirit and become better equipped to discern God’s voice? Listen to this free podcast teaching: Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.
Here’s Something for Which to be Thankful
It will be here before you know it. Thanksgiving will be upon us. Is your heart filled with thanksgiving? Or do you feel like a deflated balloon, that many things for which you’d hoped have fallen flat? No one will argue that life is hard. It is. Some time ago someone said to me, “The only good I have is because I’m a Christian.” What did they mean? They were saying that Christ is the “goodness” in their life. He is, in fact, what makes us good.
Hebrews 7:26 uses the word “undefiled” to describe Christ because He is more than good. Jesus is “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” In other words, Christ is more than a good prophet. He is the high priest of heaven who saves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is.
No matter the circumstances you are facing today, your good Savior is facing them with you. This day will pass. Christ’s goodness and presence with you will never pass. For that, you can be thankful.
Lord Jesus, holy, UNDEFILED Savior, we love and praise You, the goodness in our life, our purity and salvation. We are grateful for and love You.
First Thessalonians 5:17-18 instructs us to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all things. Would you like some resources to help you with these commands? Check out Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion HERE. Another great resource is the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal, which can be used to cultivate a deeper prayer life and record praise and thanksgiving to God. Purchase your copy HERE.
If You’re in Need of Love and Grace
Are you the kind of person who feels guilty easily? Do you want to live for Christ, but often feel like a failure or like you’ve let God down? Do others remind you of your sin or hold your wrongs over your head? If so, Micah 7:18 is a comforting verse on which to meditate. “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity… He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love.”
Think about that verse and personalize it. God forgives me. God pardons my sin. God doesn’t stay angry with me. God delights in unchanging love for me. Yes, we should go to God and others when we sin and ask for their forgiveness. Yes, we should practice walking in God’s ways. But not until heaven will we be perfect.
God doesn’t forgive us and then want us to walk in guilt. Rather, God forgives us so we walk in grace. What a wonderful verse on which to meditate. Is there someone with whom you could share it to encourage them in their faith walk?
Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness and UNCHANGING LOVE! What a blessing You are.
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!
Listen to the Right Person
Today, trust is at an all-time low. Why? People don’t always speak truthfully. Lying appears to have become socially acceptable. But, it’s not acceptable to God. He is the truth and speaks the truth.
Revelation 21:5 NIV records, “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'” Then he said, “‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'”
Jesus wants us to know that if He says something, we can count on it. He and His words are trustworthy and true and He is making everything new. Those are words of hope and encouragement that we need to hear. If there was ever a time that we should listen to Jesus and take hold of the hope of a new day, it’s now. If you’ve been hurt by an untrustworthy person, don’t let that keep you from trusting God. He has an eternal track record of being trustworthy.
Lord, thank You for being TRUSTWORTHY! In a time when trust is at an all-time low due to increased lies and deception, we are grateful for and find hope and encouragement in Your steadfastness and words of truth.
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