365 Days of Praise

We are quickly approaching the start of the James Bible study. If you haven’t signed up yet, there’s still time! Click HERE or scan the QR code to learn more and register. We hope to see you there! 

Are you familiar with the legal term “double jeopardy”? It means that a person can’t be tried for the same crime twice. 

In God’s system, it means the same, which is an incredible blessing. Jesus was tried for all the sins we’ve committed and that we will commit. God has promised to not try us for sins that Jesus has been convicted of and paid for on our behalf. Our sins past and future are paid for with the blood of Christ once for all of eternity. 

As if that weren’t enough of a blessing, there’s more. 

Hebrews 2:17 explains that after Jesus died for our sins, He entered into God’s presence and became our High Priest.

“Therefore, He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

The resurrected Christ who paid for our sins with His very life is now seated at God’s right hand. What is He doing? Praying for us. 

Jesus is praying for you. Personalize this unbelievable blessing and gift by saying out loud, “Jesus is praying for me.” Go to Him in gratitude. Live for Him faithfully.

Lord Jesus, I praise You, my Lord and high PRIEST! Thank You for taking my place at the judgment seat and dying for my sins past and future. Show me how I can gratefully serve You.

Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when He died on the cross for our sins. To learn more about His ultimate sacrifice, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE or listen to it HERE.

Have you ever thought of God as being a life preserver? 

Psalm 116:6 describes Him that way. “The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.” 

The word “preserve” in this verse means to save a life. No doubt Jesus fits the description. He rescues those who are drowning in sin when they call on Him for salvation.

We understand the need for someone to save us from raging waters. Do we understand the need for Jesus to save us from raging sin? 

We understand the need to be saved from physical death. Do we understand the need to be saved from spiritual death?

Jesus, You are the only One who can rescue me from sin and PRESERVE my soul for eternity. I love You and thank You.

Stay in the know about upcoming events! Visit the “Upcoming Events” section on our website to see upcoming women’s Bible studies, conferences, and retreats.

Are you a builder? If so, you know how important the cornerstone is when constructing the foundation of a building. Just as a cornerstone is necessary for a strong foundation, Jesus is the necessary foundation for our Christian faith as 1 Peter 2:6 points out. “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in Him (Jesus) will not be disappointed.”

Did you catch that? We will not be disappointed if we build our lives on Jesus. 

In addition, Peter uses the word “precious” in his description of Jesus as the cornerstone; meaning “honorable, noble.” Our faith is built on not only a firm, excellent foundation, but on the Father’s noble, honorable Son. 

Your faith is of great value. It is built on the precious cornerstone of Jesus, and as Peter writes, you will not be disappointed. Yes, we will experience disappointments on this side of heaven, but get ready. Get ready for what? The revelation of Jesus, the precious cornerstone of your faith, when you see Him one day in heaven. 

Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE of my faith. I love You. I adore You. I am not disappointed, but rather enthralled with You. Thank You for the incredible, eternal blessing of being able to build my life on You. May others see my relationship with You and be drawn to also build their lives on You. 

Happy Labor Day! Find 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.

Ladies, are you ready to be encouraged and challenged by God’s Word? Beginning September 17, we’ll study the book of James together in the 8-week Joy of Living series. Each week, women will meet in small groups to share insights from Scripture and then hear practical and faith-building teaching from Debbie Taylor Williams. Childcare is available Wednesday mornings (by reservation) and Thursday evenings (by voucher). Learn more and register today by clicking HERE.

“I’m so busy.” “There never seem to be enough hours in the day.” 

Can you relate? Do you know who else can? Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Jesus traveled to different regions sharing the good news, ministering to crowds, shepherding His disciples, and healing the sick. However, regardless of how full His day, He was intentional about His prayer time with God. “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there” (Mark 1:35). 

Not only did Jesus spend time with God in prayer, but did you notice it said He went to a secluded place? In other words, in addition to praying with people, Jesus also prioritized time alone with God. Jesus teaches His followers to spend time alone in prayer. “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6a). 

Prioritizing prayer like Jesus did—in the early morning, alone with God, to tell Him your needs and to listen to Him are important.

Jesus knew that prayer was necessary. It is the way we stay connected to our Heavenly Father, abide in Him, and do His will. It is the key to bearing His fruit through our lives (John 15:1-8). 

How faithfully do you prioritize praying first thing in the morning? How faithfully do you meet alone with your Heavenly Father?

Jesus, thank you for showing me what it means to be PRAYERFUL. Help me prioritize spending time alone with You and the Father in prayer. 

Learn to seek God in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE.

Does the news ever shock or alarm you? It increasingly shocks me. “I can’t believe this is happening in our nation,” I often say to my husband. The disregard for human life, blatant deception, and what sometimes seem irrational decisions are concerning. 

What can we do in the midst of increasing evil? We can cover our relationships in prayer. We can take the high road as Christ models. We can pray for our leaders and enemies. We can seek God’s wisdom and trust His sovereign plan. We can follow Daniel’s example in Daniel 2. King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream and demanded it be interpreted or he would kill all the wise men. Daniel learned of the situation, gathered his friends, and prayed. Daniel 2:18 says they asked for “compassion from the God of heavens” concerning the interpretation of the King’s dream. That night, God revealed the interpretation to Daniel.

Daniel 2:20 records his praise to the LORD. “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.” Verse 23 continues, “To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; even now You have made known to me what we requested of You.”

Do you believe God is powerful and can give you wisdom and power to know what to do in our troubling days? He can.

Heavenly Father, thank You that in the midst of evil days, You are present and POWERFUL to help me as You did Daniel. I look to You for compassion, wisdom, and power. 

Is there someone in your life who needs to hear about God’s indescribable gift of Jesus? Send them this link: “Meet Jesus…Experience His Grace.”

Ladies! You are invited to dig deeper to into God’s Word as we study the book of James together through the Joy of Living 8-week series. Beginning September 17, small groups of women will meet each week to discuss a chapter of the Bible and then learn from Debbie Taylor Williams’ vibrant teaching.  Join us!  There is a place for you, and you are invited. Childcare is provided on Wednesday mornings by reservation and Thursday evenings by voucher. Click HERE to learn more and register.

It’s messy. It’s hands-on. It’s a commitment. It’s time-consuming. It’s up close and personal. 

What is messy, hands-on, time-consuming, and up close and personal?

Being a potter, which is how God is described in Isaiah 64:8. “O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You are our Potter, And all of us are the work of Your hand.”

If you feel like your life is spinning out of control, remember that you’re in the divine Potter’s hands. He’s not going to let you fly off His Potter’s wheel. Rather, just the opposite. Your potter is molding and shaping you into a vessel of honor and glory. Rest in the assurance of His divine hands. 

Heavenly Father, I praise You that You are my POTTER. Thank You for shaping me into a divine vessel who glorifies You.

Would you like an organized way to record what God is speaking to you? Grab a copy of the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal to write down what God places on your heart.

Does a holy fear ever rise in you? What kind of holy fear? The good kind. A reverential fear. An overwhelming acknowledgment of God’s greatness and our smallness. Utter awe at the thought of standing in God’s majestic presence. Tear-filled sorrow for those who don’t know Jesus. Trembling for those who defy God and set themselves against Him.

One day every person will give an account of their lives to God, who Genesis 14:19 describes as “…God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.” Christ tells us that those who deny God will spend eternity apart from Him.

If we’re in a relationship of saving faith with Jesus, what are we doing to make sure others know Him? 

May holy fear cause us to think more of others than ourselves, to speak to the unsaved about Jesus and pray for them.

Heavenly Father, POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, how comforting to know that because of Jesus, I will live eternally in Your presence. Stir my heart to share the good news with those who don’t know You, who are walking in darkness.

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Trying to please people who are difficult to please can cause us to feel defeated and drained. However, it helps if we place our primary focus on pleasing the One who is most important – our Heavenly Father. Jesus models doing that even when others were disappointed in Him. For instance, no doubt the disciples were disappointed when Jesus didn’t resist being crucified. Martha and Mary were disappointed when Jesus delayed coming to their sick brother’s side. Jesus explains His actions in John 8:29. “He (the Father) who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” No, we can’t always please others. But we can follow Christ’s example of pleasing our Heavenly Father. Following are ways Jesus pleased the Father. Which are you doing? Which might you begin to do?

• Jesus used Scripture to stand against Satan’s temptations. We can do that.
• Jesus shared His Father’s kingdom principles, how to be forgiven, and how to be saved. We can do that.
• Jesus reached out to people; to help them. We can do that.
• Jesus looked up in prayer and thanked His Father for hearing Him. We can do that.
• Jesus prayed before He made decisions. We can do that.
• Jesus followed His Father’s leading rather than doing things on His own initiative. We can do that.

Heavenly Father, as Jesus was PLEASING to You, help me be pleasing to You.

Looking for some more resources to deepen your relationship with God? Click HERE to check out the books and Bible studies written by Debbie. You can also access free online Bible studies by clicking HERE. 

Life is filled with joy, but also pain. Sometimes the most painful questions we ask are, “Why didn’t God heal a loved one or friend?” If you’ve had those questions, you’re not alone. We don’t have the answers to many questions. In times of pain, when we don’t understand and we don’t have answers, we look in faith to Jesus. He allowed Himself to die so we’d have visible evidence of not only His love but also eternal healing.  

Jesus knew there would be challenging questions on this side of heaven. He said to those listening to His teachings in Luke 4:23, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself!'” But instead of preventing His death, He died a painful death with no pain killers and with no one holding His hand. He died to pay for our sins and, by His resurrection, gives proof of ultimate eternal healing. For that, we are grateful beyond words and continue to look in trust to our loving Savior and Great Physician. 

Jesus, eternal PHYSICIAN, thank You for rising from the dead so I can see the ultimate healing You give to all who place their faith in You; to me. 

If you’re struggling with disappointment or unmet expectations, find encouragement in Debbie’s book, The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World. 

Do you ever hang your head in shame because of sin? Do you ever feel bad about something you’ve done or said? If so, I’m with you. I get discouraged when I know the right thing to do and don’t do it (Romans 7:15). However, remembering who our great Lord is brings encouragement. I love knowing that Jesus is perfect and He has taken it upon Himself to perfect me, as 1 Peter 5:10 states. 

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”  

What does it mean that Christ will perfect us? The Greek word for “perfect” means “to make one what he ought to be.”  Isn’t that reassuring? We will, in eternal glory, be who we ought to be, who Christ created us to be, perfect.  

In the meantime…

• Are we responsible for cooperating with the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives today? Yes!
• Are we to be intentional about renewing our minds according to God’s Word? Absolutely!
• Are we to daily look at who Christ is, repent of sin, and pray for the Spirit to transform us into Christ’s image? Yes!  That is what we are doing with 365 Days of Praise. We look at who Christ is, repent of our sin, and seek His holy filling. (2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:18) 

Christ is perfect and He is our perfecter. All praise to Him!

Lord, thank You for not only calling me to Your eternal glory, but for also being the PERFECTER who is transforming me into Your image. I love You and give You praise!

Would you like to do a more in-depth study of 1 Peter? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 1 Peter Bible study, Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos, HERE. The study includes free accompanying videos and podcasts, which can be accessed HERE.