365 Days of Praise

They pop up. Into our mind. We don’t sit around and try to drum them up. What? Negative thoughts. They sprout like the uninvited weeds in my garden. Among all the beautiful lettuce, spinach, and kale, those pesky weeds poke through the rich soil. I can ignore them, which I’m prone to do. But the fact is, they don’t belong in my garden. I didn’t plant them. I don’t want them. And if I want them out, I’m going to have do something to remove them. It requires time, focus, and energy. The same is true with the negative thoughts that sprout in our minds. We can be going our merry way, rejoicing in the day God has given us, and then up sprouts a negative thought. It doesn’t matter where it came from…the devil, another person, or the deep recesses of our mind.  The fact is, the negative thought is there. Whose responsibility is it to tend to the garden of our mind? Ours. God charged Adam and Eve with the instruction to “Keep the garden” He had given them. He instructs us to set our mind on the things above (Colossians 3:2) and to keep our minds on Him. (Isaiah 26:3) “Keep” means to guard and watch over. So, tip one for ditching negative thoughts is to pay attention to our thoughts. Examine them as I examine my garden. Second, when we have a negative thought, uproot it. Take it to God. Is it true? Is it an honorable thought? Is it even right or have we embellished or imagined it? Is it a pure thought? Is it a lovely thought? Is it a thought of good repute? If not, ditch it. Till thoughts that are excellent. Cultivate thoughts that are worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8) So, after examining our thoughts, ditch or dwell. Ditch the negative. They make us ugly. (“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he,” Proverbs 23:7) Dwell on the lovely. They make us reflective of Christ.

Lord Jesus, You are beautiful and we want to reflect Your beauty. Help us examine our thoughts and ditch the negative and dwell on the lovely.  

WATCH Thanksgiving Blessing 2020 Video from Debbie

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

This has been a hard year, hasn’t it?  2020 is a year many of us will not be sorry to see go.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I’m mindful that there are some of you who are celebrating it in a very different way this year. Perhaps you are alone this Thanksgiving and you’re unhappy about it. I am so very sorry. 

We think of these different celebrations and times of year as being times when we’re with family and friends. When we come together.  But as we think about this Thanksgiving, there is a hope that we have and an encouragement to be found that goes beyond where we’re able to physically be or who we’re physically able to be with, or even if it’s the best of times or worst of times in our lives.

I want you to know that our Heavenly Father cares and He sees you wherever you are. Our Heavenly Father loves you. 

One of the things I love about the change in seasons is it’s such a reminder that whatever we’re experiencing or whatever we’re going through, it is just that – a season. It doesn’t mean that things are always going to stay that way. We must never feel stuck. 

I’d like to invite you to join me in a Thanksgiving blessing. Regardless of where we are – alone or with family and friends, whatever our circumstance, Psalm 136:1-9 points to us the things for which we can be thankful. 

In this Psalm, after each statement of thanksgiving, we’re invited to join in a chorus and say, “For His lovingkindness is ever lasting.” After each statement, voice and mindfully join me in saying, “For His lovingkindness is ever lasting.”

Nobody else’s lovingkindness may be good for you right now. The circumstances may not be good for you right now, but we can in all truth say, “for His, our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, His loving kindness is everlasting.” Will you join me? 

Psalm 136:1-9

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who alone does great wonders,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the heavens with skill,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the great lights,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

The sun to rule by day,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

The moon and stars to rule by night,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

What a great truth from the Lord for us to remember during this Thanksgiving season when we may not have much else for which we can say, “I’m so thankful for this.” There are many things for which we may not be thankful. But for the things we just read as well as many other things, we can say, “Give thanks to the Lord for….”

During this Thanksgiving season, I invite you to join me in focusing our minds, hearts, spirits, and souls on that for which we can be thankful. 

We have a wonderful God who made the heavens and earth, who brings us the seasons that are reminder that just as the seasons change, things in our life change. We can always know that God is constant, and He is faithful, and He is above all rulers and all authorities, and we will one day see Him. And it will make this time on earth a blink in light of eternity. 

So, sweet friends, give yourself a hug from me and tell your Heavenly Father thank you for His loving kindness that is everlasting. 

God bless you and Happy Thanksgiving. 

Some time ago I noticed a vine growing in my flower bed and didn’t know if it was a weed I should discard or if it was a vine I should keep. I had to make a decision. Uproot it or let it grow?  Many today hear spiritual teachings and find themselves like me yet in relation to a matter of much more significance – wondering if they’re hearing a good teaching to which they should adhere or a false teaching they should discard. Jesus doesn’t want us to make the wrong decision. He tells us in John 15:1, “I am the true vine.”  Do you know someone who is allowing vines of secular humanism to grow in their heart rather than growing Jesus’s words and teachings in their heart? If so, what can you do? Bear Christ, the TRUE VINE, and His fruit in your life so they can taste and recognize the real thing.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the TRUE VINE. Uproot anything in our lives that choke out the fruit of Your presence.

Our world is filled with gods. We focus our time, energy, and money on sports gods, education gods, work gods, money gods, pleasure gods, political gods, and social gods. In effect, we worship them when they become the driving force in our lives and occupy our thoughts, when they affect our mood and emotions.  However, if we want eternal life, Jesus makes it clear in John 17:3 that it is found in knowing the only TRUE GOD. He is to be the object of our love and passion. He is to occupy and control our thoughts, emotions, energy, and resources. We are to love the LORD with ALL our heart, and ALL our soul, and ALL our mind. (Mark 12:30) What or whom are we worshiping and therefore giving power to in our lives?

The last several years, discovering one’s ancestors and genealogy have become increasingly hot pursuits. But it’s not just a recent topic of interest. Genealogy is an important topic in the Bible, as seen in the first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the New Testament.  Matthew 1:1 states, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Just in case someone might doubt Jesus’s 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 are that He 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’s genealogy is well proved and we will one day see Him sitting on His throne.

Son of David, we praise You for willingly leaving Your heavenly home to put on flesh and live among us. We love and adore You.

“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:” Matthew 1:1

Can you imagine what it would be like to go to Jesus after you failed miserably and fell into sin and He NOT sympathize with your weaknesses?  What if He was unrelenting and unforgiving? But that is not who our sweet Lord Jesus Christ is. Although He is God the Son and our HIGH PRIEST, He is sympathetic to our weaknesses. Here’s how Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus. “We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” That’s incredibly good news, but we’re not to stop there.  “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  In other words, when we sin we’re not supposed to keep sinning. Neither are we to avoid Jesus because we’re ashamed. Rather, we’re to humbly go to Him and confess, “I messed. I sinned! I gave in to my flesh or this temptation…again. Please forgive me and strengthen me to stand against this weakness in my life. Conform me to Your image, Jesus.” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us live in a habit of sin but rather a habit of holiness. If we’ve sinned and been avoiding an intimate conversation with Jesus and confession of our sin, now is the time to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.

We praise you Lord and High Priest, that although you are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive us when we repent. Help us stand against rather than give into sin. 

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 were 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.

Listen UP! Here.

Have you ever known a hardhearted person? It seemed no matter how hard you tried, they shut you out? If you do anything wrong, they’re relentless and unforgiving.  Not so with our Lord. Although He could have every reason to be hardhearted toward us when we sin, instead, He pursues and forgives us. What a TENDERHEARTED Lord we have!  And, this is important – in Ephesians 4:32, He commands us to be like Him – kind, tenderhearted, forgiving each other. If there’s someone you’re hard-hearted toward, this Thanksgiving season would be a good time to “forgive, as God in Christ has forgiven us.”

Lord, we praise You for being TENDERHEARTED toward us. Thank You for Your mercy! Thank You for Your grace!  Help us faithfully follow You and forgive others as You have forgiven us. 

Have you ever been tongue-tied; you couldn’t say what you wanted to say? The godly priest Zacharias had such an experience. Except he was literally unable to speak. It hadn’t always been that way. He had led a remarkably righteous life.  Then, one day, when he was performing his priestly service, he was chosen to burn incense in the temple. As the people prayed, he alone entered the temple. That’s when things changed. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and fear gripped him. The angel spoke wonderful news. His wife, who had not been able to get pregnant, was going to get pregnant. Most importantly, their child would be the forerunner to the long awaited Messiah.  Shocked at both the news that they were going to have a baby and that their child would hold such an esteemed position, Zacharias asked, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”* Gabriel told Zacharias that since he didn’t believe him, he wouldn’t be able to speak until John was born. How’s that for a sign? Imagine what it would be like to have a marvelous encounter with an angel, to watch your beloved wife grow with child, and not to be able to speak. Finally, when baby John was born, Zacharias’ tongue was loosed. What  words poured from his heart and soul?  “…Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78

Let’s sit for a moment and meditate on Zacharias’s words, on the reality of Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and comes to earth to deliver messages, of tongues tied and loosed, of Jesus visiting us….to shine upon we who are in darkness, to guide us into the way of peace. “Holy, holy, holy” is all I can say right now. What are you thinking?

LORD JESUS, SUNRISE from ON HIGH, we smile in joy and praise of You, who came from heaven’s glory to visit us on earth. We praise You for the light You shine on us and for guiding us to the way of peace. We can’t wait to worship You in heaven! 

Do you ever feel fragile or like you might “pop” because of the daily pressure you are under? David knew what it was like to feel that way and found God to be the SUSTAINER of his soul. Listen to his words in Psalm 54:4. “God is my helper; The Lord is the SUSTAINER of my soul.” What does it mean for God to be the sustainer of our soul? It means that God revives our minds and emotions when we sit in His presence, meditate on His truths, and absorb encouragement from His Word. God, the Holy Spirit, refreshes and sustains us so we can carry on.

Lord God, we praise You, SUSTAINER of our souls. Thank You for the many times and ways You sustain us. We love and praise You!