365 Days of Praise
Bite, Chew, Graze
Are you hungry? Is there a gnawing in you? Do you feel that something is missing? Do you feel that no matter what you do, purchase, or where you go, you still want more? Do you fill the emptiness but it quickly returns?
If so, maybe it’s your spirit that is hungry. If that is the case, the solution isn’t more food, clothes, or earthly success. The solution is Jesus who describes Himself in John 6:51 as the bread of life who came from heaven. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
Jesus is to our spirit what food is to our body. Our body can’t live without food. Our spirit can’t live without Jesus.
Receive Christ as Savior if you haven’t already. Then, begin each day with bite-size Bible verses. Chew on them throughout the day. At night, graze on the promises of God. Go to sleep with your soul filled and satisfied in Christ. Wake hungry for more of Jesus. Grow as a Christian and feed others.
Lord Jesus, I praise You, BREAD OF LIFE. Thank You for coming from heaven and being to my spirit what food is to my body. Help me recognize my hunger is only filled by You. Increase my appetite for Scripture so by it I may grow in respect to my salvation.
To learn more about Jesus being the Bread of Life, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 6 HERE or listen to it HERE.
Feeling a Little Wilted?
Have you ever walked through an unwatered garden of wilted plants? If so, you noticed there was little fruit, if any.
What a difference when you walk through a well-watered garden; one loved and tended to by the owner. Flowers and fruit abound. The garden has a fragrant aroma. The gardener has withheld nothing and has committed everything to care for the plants.
In Jeremiah 31:12 God is described as a Gardner and His people like a well-watered garden. “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, and they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—and their life will be like a watered garden, and they will never languish again.”
If you are languishing and are spiritually wilted, I understand. Life can drain us at times. But rather than stay that way, go to your Heavenly Father. Open your Bible. Soak in His words. Be refreshed by His Spirit.
BOUNTIFUL Lord, thank You that although life can be draining, I don’t have to be dry and languish. Rather, in You, I can find an ever-present supply and flow of love, joy, peace, and strength that provides bountifully for all I need. I praise You and give You thanks.
Do you make it a habit to spend time with God each day? If this is something you struggles with, 365 Days of Praise is the perfect devotional to help you deepen your time in His presence and reflect on His incredible attributes. Get your copy HERE.
Remember, “So That”
Does sin weigh you down? It does me when I sin. As long as we’re in earthly bodies, we’re going to sin. But, and this is big—because Jesus died for our sins, we’re declared righteous and we’re also called to be righteous.
In other words, we are to die to sin as 1 Peter 2:24 explains. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Jesus bore our sin in His body “so that…”. Jesus suffered so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
One thing God convicted me about years ago was that if it is important enough for Jesus to die on the cross so sin might be removed from my life, then I should want sin removed from my life. I should despise it and turn from it.
If you’ve read my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, or have been to my P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference, you recall how we can mindfully P.R.A.Y. (praise, repent, ask, yield) in response to knowing Jesus bore our sins. Will you pray with me the following?
Lord Jesus, I praise you. Savior, who BORE MY SIN in Your body on the cross so that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. Forgive me when I fail to acknowledge how offensive my sin is to You. Quicken me to yield to You rather than sin when I’m tempted. Help me mindfully yield to Your Spirit and power.
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.
Hitch Your Wagon to the Right Star
Are you familiar with the saying, “Hitch your wagon to a star”? It’s an idiom that means “to commit to an aspirational goal or course of action that will lead to fulfillment.” [1]
One would think that people would choose to “hitch their wagon” to Creator God, who Romans 1:25 says is blessed forever. However, many people hitch themselves to other things and people. The Bible warns that there are serious consequences for rejecting Him who is Blessed Forever.
What are the consequences?
The Blessed Lord eventually gives people over to that which they have hitched themselves: over to impurity, dishonor, degrading passions, and depraved minds (Romans 1:26-31).
Creator God is Blessed. We are to hitch our lives to Him. Are we? Are we encouraging others to hitch their lives to Him? Are we explaining why it is important that they do?
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus, who are BLESSED FOREVER, help me to examine my life and release anything to which I am hitched that is not of You and therefore not blessed by You. Use me as Your instrument to point people to You, who are Blessed Forever.
Are you looking to deepen your relationship with Christ? Check out our Bible studies! You can purchase printed Bible studies in the shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE.
Disheartened or Confident?
Have you ever come to the conclusion that there are few people you can really trust? When we’re told one thing and then find out the person never intended to follow through on their promises, it’s disheartening. That’s why we appreciate descriptions of God like we find in Psalm 18:30, “As for God, His way is blameless.”
Once again the Bible reiterates what we need and long to hear—that we can look to and fully trust our Lord. He is blameless, which in Hebrew means “whole, entire, sound, complete, wholesome, unimpaired, having integrity, entirely in accord with truth and fact.”
Reread the definition of blameless and celebrate and praise the Lord for who He is. Confidently voice your faith in Jesus Christ. Let the integrity of the blameless Lord shine through you.
Lord, thank You that I can look to and trust You, Your Word and ways, BLAMELESS One!
Want to learn more about building your confidence and trust in God? Watch this video by Debbie.
If You’re Alone, Broken, Sick
Are you alone? Are you emotionally all over the place? Are you broken? Are you sick? Ezekiel 34:16 tells us that God is in the business of tending to the lost, the scattered, the broken, and the sick. Listen to God’s promise. “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick.”
Yes, there are times in our lives when we feel like we can’t take one more step or perhaps we can’t get through the day or night. How do we manage in those times? We remember that our Heavenly Father sees us, cares for us, and is with us. We turn to Him. We pray. We read the Bible, and are reminded of His love and guided by His truths.
God didn’t create a scattered, lost, and sick world. He created a world that was beautiful, peaceful, and perfect. All that for which our heart longs we will one day experience in His presence.
If you are struggling, begin keeping a gratitude journal of God’s faithfulness. It will encourage you, gladden your heart, and strengthen you.
Heavenly Father, Thank You that You are a God who BINDS UP the many ways I am broken and brings restoration to my soul. I love You.
Are you facing disappointment or struggling with unmet expectations? Get a copy of The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World to discover how to take charge of your thoughts and let God reignite your hopes and dreams. Purchase your copy HERE.
Jaw Dropping Love
Have you noticed that hate between people seems to be in the news more than love is in the news? That’s what makes God the Father and Jesus’ love for us so jaw dropping.
Think about it for a minute. Jesus, at age 12, described the temple as the house of His Heavenly Father and in so doing claimed familial intimacy with God. At Jesus’ baptism, His Heavenly Father claimed intimacy with Him, saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). “Beloved Son” is a term that means esteemed, dear, favorite Son.
Yes, believers are sons and daughters of God. Yet when we ponder the magnitude of our Heavenly Father’s sacrifice in sending His favorite only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16), and when we think of the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice when He left His Heavenly Father to come to earth to die for us, we can’t help but have profound gratitude and wonder at their love.
Heavenly Father and BELOVED SON, I praise You for Your magnanimous love, grace, and sacrifice. Thank You! I love You.
One of our key verses today is John 3:16. If you’d like to watch all of Debbie’s teaching on John 3 on YouTube, click HERE. To listen to her teaching on Spotify, click HERE.
The First and Ultimate Sustainer
No doubt, we are living in what feels like very uncertain and unstable times. Our world seems to be tearing at the seams with increased lawlessness, economic and political instability, fractured families, and the list goes on. As Christians, we know we’re not supposed to give into worry and fear, but it can be a struggle not to.
What can we do when we find our minds wandering down the dark paths of worry and fear? We can redirect our focus to God’s Word and promises. Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” This verse reminds us that God is preexistent and the ultimate sustainer who holds all things together.
Yes, our world may seem like it’s falling apart, but we can trust that God is still sovereign and in control, even in times of uncertainty and chaos. If Christ is before all things, sustaining all things, then we should be encouraged to place our trust in Him. We should make Him the number one priority in our lives, knowing that He alone has the power to sustain us and grant us peace in times of instability.
Lord, I thank You that You are BEFORE ALL THINGS and in You all things hold together. I am comforted by this truth, knowing that You are the ultimate sustainer. Help me to turn to You in times of worry, fear, and uncertainty. I thank You for the peace that only You can provide.
Would you like to develop a deeper prayer life? Get a copy of Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, to learn how.
In Need of Something Beautiful?
Do you have enemies? Are you fearful? Do you have any problems? If so, David the psalmist is one from whom we can learn what to do in those times. What specifically did David do?
David kept his eye on the ball. That is, he kept his eye on God. He knew God to be the beauty in the “ashes” and chose to dwell on Him as expressed in Psalm 27:4. “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.”
What preceded David’s “ask” to dwell in the house of the Lord and behold the Lord’s beauty? His references to dread, evil doers, adversaries, enemies, and war.
Like David, we can choose to gaze and meditate on God’s beauty and His eternal temple in the midst of whatever agony, defeat, discouragement, and doubt we are experiencing.
What are you facing today? What do you perhaps dread? Why not take a moment like David did and shift your focus to the Lord and His beauty?
BEAUTIFUL LORD, I praise You. Thank You for being the beauty in my day and eternally; the One on whom we can gaze.
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Empowered
Are you a Christian? Have you repented of your sins and asked the Heavenly Father to forgive you? Have you confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If so, you’ve been cleansed of your sin. God has baptized you with the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit. But are you living an empowered life?
John the Baptist baptized people in water for the forgiveness of their sins, but explained that Jesus baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, who empowers us for daily living. “He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33).
In Acts 1:8, Jesus explained that when the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, they receive power that impacts their actions and calling. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
God’s provision for believers includes Holy Spirit anointed empowerment to do His will and work, to be His witness. If we’re trudging through our days, living by our own strength, and not being Christ’s witness, it’s time to check the pulse of the Holy Spirit in our lives and question whether we are truly living an empowered life.
Jesus, holy and wonderful BAPTIZER, I thank you that when I come to You in repentance, confessing You as Lord and Savior, You cleanse me. Realizing You have gifted me with Your amazing Spirit, awakens me to the importance of living by Your power and doing Your will.
We don’t have to live the Christian life in our own strength—Jesus sent us a Helper, the Holy Spirit. To learn more about Christ’s incredible gift, listen to this podcast teaching: Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.