365 Days of Praise

Do you know who your ancestors are? How far back can you trace your family tree? Being able to trace one’s lineage is important to many and is definitely important in Jewish culture. 

Jesus’ human lineage can be traced to Israel’s King David. But Jesus has an even more illustrious lineage as He states in Revelation 22:16: “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” In other words, His roots go further back than David. They go all the way to creation.

Jesus is the bright morning star, heaven’s light. In our often dark and lonely culture, it’s important for us to daily bask in the SonLight. It’s important for us to invite others to the Son.

ROOT AND DESCENDANT OF DAVID, bright morning star, I praise, worship, and love You.

Have you ever struggled to find the right words to pray? In those times, it can help to pray God’s Word. Click HERE to discover prayers for discernment, discouragement, knowing God’s way, and forgiveness. You can also find free printable Scripture-based prayer cards HERE.

Are you concerned about people’s shifting views about the Bible and Jesus? If so, remember that Jesus is who He says He is and you are doing the right thing by building your life on Him and His Word. As a matter of fact, Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27 that you are wise.

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).

Notice that both men experienced the same conditions—rain, floods, and wind slamming against their house. But only one house stood. 

Our nation and world are experiencing literal and figurative floods and winds. If you are a Christian, you will stand, not fall, because your life is built on Christ. If you are not a Christian, now is the opportunity to respond to Christ’s invitation to be saved and build your life on Him. Are we wise? Are we building our life on the Rock of our Salvation? 

Lord Jesus, I worship You, ROCK OF SALVATION. Thank You for the assurance You give me that I will stand, not fall, because my life is built on You.

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Do you ever skim through the names and titles of God and think, “Yes, that’s a good one.” Or, “I don’t need that one.”  If so, I encourage you not to skim over “Rock of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:3). Why? The Rock of Israel is Jesus, as Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 10:1, 3-4, “For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; … and all drank from the same spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.” 

Isn’t that exciting? The pre-incarnate Christ is the Rock of Israel who followed the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings and provided water for them. He is the same LORD who lived among men and cried out offering, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink,” John 7:37, offering eternal life. 

The Rock of Israel, Jesus, who sustained the Israelites in the wilderness day by day is the One who sustains us day by day. 

Are you spiritually thirsty? Are you dry? Rather than discount the Rock of Israel, go to Him. Worship Him. Drink deeply of Him for eternal life. Drink deeply of Him for daily life.

ROCK OF ISRAEL, Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You—the well-spring of eternal life. You quench the thirst of my soul. You invigorate me for daily life. Thank You for not only being present with the Jews in their wilderness wanderings, but for also being present with me. I love You. 

Want to learn more about the living water offered by Jesus in John 4? Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 4 HERE or listen to it HERE.

Several years ago, the world was sickened by the confirmation that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi had been confirmed dead after being tortured in a Saudi consulate. Can you, would you, expect to see him walking around and eating with family and friends after his death was confirmed? No, of course not. Does that help us better grasp why people didn’t believe that Jesus was alive after they witnessed His torturous scourging and crucifixion?

Matthew 28:6 gives the shocking angelic announcement to Mary as she stood outside Jesus’ empty tomb. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” In addition to Mary and the disciples seeing the resurrected Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 says that more than 500 eyewitnesses saw Jesus after His resurrection.

The grave couldn’t hold Jesus because He is life. He gives eternal life to everyone who acknowledges they are a sinner and asks forgiveness in His name. People are dying every day because of natural causes, disease, and senseless evil random shootings. None of us know when the life of our family, friends, and neighbors will end. It is time for us to be bold and lovingly ask those who are unsaved, “Do you know where you will be when you die?” “Gentle Boldness” is the title of one of my chapters in Discovering His Passion. Prepare yourself to share Christ with others.

Jesus, RISEN LORD, I celebrate You—the giver of eternal life. Help me gently, but boldly share You with others. 

Debbie taught about Jesus’ resurrection and how He appeared to Mary Magdalene and His disciples in her teaching on John 20. To watch the full teaching, click HERE. To listen to it, click HERE. 

Tragic. Frightening. Unreal. Evil. Infuriating. Senseless. What words well up in you when you think about the blatant lawlessness occurring today? We can evacuate cities when hurricanes are predicted, but we can’t predict when evil will raise its ugly head. People are asking, “What can we do?” and “To what can we cling?”

As Christians, we don’t need to be overcome by emotions of worry and fear when we see what’s happening in the world around us. Instead, we can seek refuge in our Heavenly Father and find encouragement and comfort in the words of Isaiah 41:10. 

“Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for 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 midst of evil, terror, and natural disasters, God promises to strengthen us and help us. He will hold us up with His powerful, righteous right hand. Knowing that God is righteous should provide us with even greater comfort. God is the only One who is completely perfect, upright, holy, just, and faithful. He is the only One in whom we can place our absolute trust, knowing that He loves us. Rather than dwelling in fear, let’s turn to Him and pray for our nation and world. 

Heavenly Father, thank You that in these evil times You are RIGHTEOUS. Help me to seek You, knowing that You will strengthen me and uphold me in every circumstance. 

Our key verse today, Isaiah 41:10, is a beautiful reminder that God upholds us in difficult times. Upholder is just one of 26 character traits of God that Debbie covers in her book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. Click HERE to order a copy for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a friend.

I’m the richest woman in the world. Why would I say that and why can you if you are a believer? We can say that because of Jesus, who has given us riches beyond our comprehension. Consider the following blessings that you have because of Christ. 

1. I am rich in mercy. Ephesians 2:4 says, “God, being rich in mercy, … made us alive together with Christ.” We were poor and pitiful before Jesus saved us. Now, we are blessed with His rich mercy.
2. I am rich in faith; an heir of God’s kingdom. James 2:5 says, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom…” Meditate on the richness of God’s kingdom awaiting you.
3. I am the rich bride of the King and His brilliant eternal city. Revelation 21:2, 11 says, “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband …having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.” Because of Christ’s rich mercy, you are headed to the brilliance of the new Jerusalem.

Believer, walk with a humble heart but your head lifted. God has extended His rich mercy to you. Christ and the brilliance of the New Jerusalem await you.

Lord Jesus, RICH IN MERCY, thank You for all I have in You. Open my eyes to people with whom I can share Your rich mercy. 

Go deeper into God’s Word with one of Debbie’s Bible studies. You can purchase printed Bible studies in our shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE. 

Do you ever think about pleasing God? Did you know that it’s possible to please God? It is, as Hebrews 11:5-6 points out.

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5-6).

Do those verses make you want to shout in praise of God? It does me. 

God will either “take us up” when we die or we will be as Enoch and be taken up before we die at the Rapture of the church. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

How can we be assured God will take us up to heaven? We can be assured because we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be rewarded with the glory of Christ’s presence in heaven. 

Are you saved? Then shout hallelujah and ready yourself to meet Christ. He’ll be handing out rewards on the basis of what you did for His kingdom. (Luke 19:11-27)

If you’re not a follower of Jesus, seek Him. Why? God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

Lord God, thank You for being a REWARDER of those who seek You. We give You praise. 

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

I know, I know, I know. We sing about Jesus’ resurrection. But is it ever hard for you to get your mind around the fact that Jesus was literally dead and came back to life? Do you ever stop and ponder whether you believe what you do because it is what you’ve always been told? Or, do you believe as you do because it is your own conviction?

In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” In this passage, Jesus was talking to a woman named Martha who was saying with her mouth she believed, but wasn’t expecting Jesus to raise her deceased brother.

Jesus is patient with us just like He was with Martha. If you’re struggling to believe or you have questions, talk to Jesus. Ask Him your questions. Listen quietly in His presence. Open your Bible and ask Him to guide you through it. Keep seeking. He’s a prayer away and able to lead us to deeper faith.

Lord, You are the RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. I profess my faith with thanksgiving that You are ever-present and able to lead me to a deeper faith in You.

Are you looking for some more encouragement and Biblical teachings? Listen to Debbie’s podcasts on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!

Do you think God expects you to be a superman or superwoman? Here’s some good news. God doesn’t expect us to keep going and going without rest. God doesn’t expect us to be like the Energizer Bunny. He knows that we will become depleted and that we need restoration.

Physically, we may need to adjust the amount of time we sleep each night, remembering that it was God who created night and who rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 2:2) We may need to follow Jesus’s example of taking a nap. (Matthew 8:24)

In addition, it’s important to remember that God created us as more than physical beings. We have a soul that can also become spiritually weary and in need of renewal. David speaks to this in Psalm 19:7: “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” David reminds us that spending time in God’s presence through reading His Word brings restoration to our souls. He repeats the importance of looking to God for soul restoration in Psalm 23:3: “He restores my soul.”

Sure, Red Bull and other caffeinated drinks may give a temporary kick or burst of energy. But, it’s the daily refreshment in God’s presence that provides ongoing restoration to our souls. When your battery is running low, go into God’s presence, quiet your heart before Him, think about His glory and magnificence demonstrated through creation and His faithfulness to you in the past. Pray, talk to Jesus about what’s on your overloaded heart and mind. Be still and quiet. Listen for His voice, perhaps guiding you regarding your commitments. Listen to His voice of encouragement, “I am with you. I will help and strengthen you.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Lord, I praise You, the RESTORER of my soul.

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

“I’m tired! I’m tired of work. I’m tired of struggling with… I’m tired of taking care of…” How would you finish those sentences?

God understands. Our body, mind, and soul need rest. The Bible says God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). One of His Ten Commandments is, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

Today, some ignore God’s command to have a holy day of rest each week. Their reasoning? Believers aren’t bound by Old Testament laws. I agree that we are not legalistically bound to keep the Jewish Sabbath. I agree that Jesus’ work to obtain our salvation on the cross means we don’t work for our salvation. I agree that God has provided a future eternal sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-10). However, is there value in setting aside a day of holy rest and gathering with others to worship (Hebrews 10:25)? Apparently, God places value on both (Exodus 16:22-30, John 20:19, Isaiah 58:13-14). What that looks like will be different for us. But no doubt, holy rest and worship are important.

What does your day of soul rest and worship look like? If you don’t practice having a day of rest, consider any points from Isaiah 58:13-14 and Matthew 11:29 that encourage resting in the Lord. 

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matthew 11:29).

Lord, thank You for the eternal Sabbath Rest that I have in You. Thank You for the REST FOR OUR SOULS You alone give. 

Have you ordered a copy of Debbie’s book, From My Heart, Poems of Faith? Within the pages, Debbie beautifully records her thoughts and prayers through the following sections: “Prayers to the Father,” “Poems of Faith,” and “Poems to Encourage.” As you read through each poem, you’ll find words of hope, comfort, and encouragement that resonate with your heart. Get a copy HERE.