365 Days of Praise

Do you feel hopeless? Has the last bit of hope to which you’ve clung just flown out the window? Does your future seem bleak and although you’ve tried to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” as the saying goes, it hasn’t worked? 

The good news is, if you’re a Christian, you have every reason to ditch thoughts of hopelessness. Why? You know the God of hope. Not only do you know Him, He has also promised to always be with you. What’s more, He’s not only with you, He’s in you. 

Paul helps us understand what we need to do when we feel hopeless in Romans 15:13. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In this verse, Paul points out that what we need is for the Holy Spirit, the God of Hope, to fill us. We need Him who is joy and peace and power to consume our very being. 

What is our part? Believing. In other words, our hope is not based on luck, our ability to make things happen, or what another person does or says. It’s not even a question of if we have hope. If we’re a believer, we have hope in the Holy Spirit as Romans 15:13 points out. “Now may the God of hope…” “Fill you…” is the key.

When we are down, we must ask ourselves, “Am I allowing the God of hope to fill me with His joy and peace?” You can experience hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Believe God is on the throne and that He sees you and loves you. In faith, pray, “God of hope, fill me with the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit.” 

GOD OF HOPE, thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit so I can abound in hope by Your power. I love and adore You. 

Praise is a powerful weapon we can use to turn around feelings of hopelessness or discouragement. Download this free printable of the attributes of Jesus from the book of John. As you read through them, praise God for each one! 

Are you familiar with the concept of “one world government”? What do you think about it? Do you think it would work and who do you think would rule it? Philosopher Dante Alighieri supported it, but Philosopher Thomas Hobbes opposed it on the basis that humans are innately morally corrupt. Attempts by the League of Nations and United Nations to maintain international peace and security have failed. 

Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” in John 14:30 and Satan maintained he was when he offered the world to Jesus in Matthew 4:8-9. One only needs to look around at the violence in our world to see what Satan’s rule looks like. 

So where do believers stand? Has God forgotten us? No. Isaiah 54:5 assures us, “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of All the Earth.” This prophetic assurance to the nation of Israel extends to believers who have been grafted into the vine of Christ. 

Although Satan has temporary rule of the earth, his reign is term-limited. (See Revelation 20.) In addition, all who turn from Satan to Jesus are immediately born into a new kingdom, Christ’s kingdom, of love, peace, and joy. 

When Christ, God of All the Earth, returns, He will establish the utopia for which our soul yearns. Have you entered into His kingdom by rejecting Satan’s rule and confessing Jesus as Lord and King? Are you telling others about Christ?

GOD OF ALL THE EARTH, I can’t wait for You to come and reign over the world. Thank You for giving me a glimpse of Your peace through the Holy Spirit’s reign in my heart.

Want to learn more about the end times, Bible prophecy, and Christ’s return? Watch or listen to Debbie’s teachings on the end times HERE. You can also purchase a copy of the End Times: What You Should Know, What You Can Do Bible Study HERE.

Do you sometimes wish you were stronger in your convictions and more consistent in your walk with Christ? Do you ever wonder how God could love and forgive you? The answer to our questions is summed up in one word: grace.

First Peter 5:10 explains: “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.”

The God of All Grace, who gave His Son to die for our sins, the God of All Grace who ransomed us, the God of All Grace who transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son, that same God of all Grace will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. Praise Him! He hasn’t saved and forgotten us. Rather, “God Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” Personalize that grace-filled promise and say it out loud:

God Himself will perfect me, confirm me, strengthen me, and establish me. The God of all grace has forgiven my sin through Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Glory in the grace God has extended to you. Celebrate Christ’s resurrection – proof that God, who called us to His eternal glory in Christ, will by grace, complete what He began in us. Praise the God of all grace.

GOD of all GRACE, I love and praise you. Thank You for calling me to eternal glory in Christ. Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Your life so I can live eternally in Your glorious presence. Thank You, GOD OF ALL GRACE, for perfecting, confirming, strengthening, and establishing me in Christ Jesus. I love You!

Would you like to experience more grace and peace? Check out Debbie’s 1 Peter Bible study, “Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos” by clicking HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by clicking HERE. 

One blanket. Two blankets. Three blankets. Four. Keith and I sat in front of the fire trying to get warm. The winter storm had brought a temperature of 3 degrees that felt like minus 11. If only we had power and water. We had neither. 

The winter storm continued, and our driveway was too icy to get down. If you’ve lived in an area affected by winter storms, you know how devastating the cold can be, especially if you run out of wood, which happened to us. We couldn’t complain, though. We had a comforter. A comforter that we had once taken for granted, we now deeply appreciated. 

So, too, our spiritual Comforter, who 2 Corinthians 1:3 describes as the God of All Comfort, is a blessing when we are experiencing life’s storms. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, the God of all Comfort comforts us like none other. Why? 

The Greek word for comfort means “to call to one’s side, speak to in the way of exhortation, console, teach.” God gives believers the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. Our Comforter is an abiding presence who will never wear out, never become threadbare, and never leave us. The more we blanket our lives with His teachings, the more we’ll know the warmth of His abiding presence.¹ 

Heavenly Father, You are the GOD OF ALL COMFORT. Please comfort those who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Strengthen them as only You can. 

Would you like to abide more in the warmth of God’s presence? Grab a copy of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional to help you spend more time in God’s presence and learn more about His incredible attributes. Purchase your copy HERE. 

¹ Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67. Copyright Howard Publishing 2006, Debbie Taylor Williams, Monroe, LA

Some time ago, a person sent me a video titled, “How Big is the Milky Way?” Watching it prompted me to realize that I need to think bigger about God.

The word, “God,” first used in Genesis 1:1, is the Hebrew word ‘ĕlōhîm, a generic word for deity. It means “strong one, mighty leader, supreme Deity.” It is a plural noun but singular in meaning; consistent with the teaching of the Trinity throughout the Bible. 

Isaiah 54:5 personalizes the God of Israel saying, “For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the LORD of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth.” 

Yes, God is the God of Israel, but think bigger. God is the God of all the earth, as John 3:16 affirms. “For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” 

We still need to think bigger. Jeremiah 31:35 helps us do that, writing, “Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name.” 

Yes, the video, “How Big is the Milky Way?” prompted me to once again be amazed and worship the God of the universe and beyond. What prompts you to be amazed and worship Him? 

Lord GOD, forgive me when I think too small of You and take You for granted. Open my eyes to Your grandeur and my heart to worship You more reverently. 

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Does life ever seem dull or your days dreary? If so, give yourself a vacation by setting your thoughts on the glorious splendor of the Lord (Psalm 145:5).

“Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:13).

“For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen,…to rebel against His glorious presence” (Isaiah 3:8).

“…I shall glorify My glorious house” (Isaiah 60:7).

“Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses …” (Isaiah 63:12).

“Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation” (Isaiah 63:15).

“‘But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne’” (Matthew 25:31).

“…His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him” (Luke 13:17).

“‘The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the LORD shall come'” (Acts 2:20).

“…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might” (Colossians 1:11).

Lord Jesus, You, Your name, presence, house, arm, throne, might, and coming Day are GLORIOUS. I rejoice and praise You.

Want to learn more about the glorious day of the Lord? Click HERE to watch a clip from Debbie’s teaching on Acts 2.

Have you been with someone when they died? I was with my mother, father, and mother-in-law when they went to be with Jesus. 

Webster defines death as “the irreversible cessation of all vital functions, especially as indicated by the permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity.” 

That is what happened to Jesus as a result of the horrific scourging and crucifixion He suffered. The Roman soldiers who oversaw His death were skilled in their profession. They pronounced Jesus dead. But, as we know and Romans 4:17 explains, God “gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” 

What seemed final when Christ died on the cross was not final. God, who gives life to the dead, gave life to Jesus. Similarly, God has given life to our loved ones who have gone to Him, and He will give life to us after our bodies cease to function. 

How does it make you feel to know that God will give life to you after you die, just like He gave life to Jesus? 

Heavenly Father who GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD, I praise and exalt Your name! Thank You for Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection. Thank You for raising my loved ones to eternal life. Thank You for the resurrection life I will one day experience. I love and praise You! 

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

Do you ever feel like you “can’t breathe” because you have so much weighing on you? Or maybe you’re running so fast through each day you feel like you “can’t catch your breath.” Perhaps you’ve felt like you had “the breath knocked out of you” because of financial, physical, emotional, or relational blows. What can we do if we experience any of these difficulties? We can turn to our Heavenly Father. 

Isaiah 42:5-6 says, “Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.”  

What comforting words. God gives us His breath and His spirit so we can walk through our day. He holds us by the hand and watches over us. He has appointed us as a light to the nations. 

Our identity, comfort, and purpose are God-breathed. On difficult days when you are trying to “catch your breath,” hold your Bible close to you. Breathe deeply of the Spirit.

Lord, who GIVES BREATH and Your Spirit to me, use me as a light to the nations.

Do you feel like you’ve had the breath knocked out of you due to life’s disappointments and 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.

When you think of Jesus, do you think of Him as being gentle? In Matthew 11:29, it’s one of the ways He describes Himself. “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.” 

What does Christ mean when He says He is gentle? The Greek word for gentle is defined as mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness. I once heard it defined as “power under control.” 

Although I don’t fully understand this great combination of attributes, I see them in my husband, Keith. He has great strength of character, yet he stoops down to pick a tiny flower amidst a field of grass in order to gently hand it to me on our walks. 

Christ, while holding infinite power, has a gentle heart toward us. Jesus tells us to walk closely with Him and learn from Him.

Who in your circle of friends or family needs to see Christ’s gentleness in you? To the degree we walk closely to Christ we’ll be able to walk in gentleness with others. 

Lord Jesus, You are strong yet GENTLE. Help me walk by Your Spirit and show gentleness to others as You do with me. 

God has so many wonderful attributes that we can praise Him for! The Prayers of My Heart prayer journal is a great way to record your praises and prayers. Grab a copy HERE.

Who are you counting on to guarantee you go to heaven when you die? Are you depending on yourself? Are you depending on another person? Or, are you relying on Jesus as your Savior? 

I hope you said Jesus. Why? Because we’re all going to die one day and Jesus warns us that He alone is the way to eternal life in heaven (John 14:6).

In spite of the fact some people claim that there are many ways to heaven, Jesus says, “Not so,” describing Himself as the gate into heaven. 

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). 

We are responsible for who we believe—a person, or the eternal resurrected Lord Jesus. I choose to believe and follow the One who demonstrated His heavenly love and power rather than believe and follow a person who teaches things contrary to the Word of God. What about you? 

Lord Jesus, I praise You, the GATE by whom I can enter into heaven and be saved. 

To learn more about Jesus as the gate to eternal life in heaven, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 14 HERE or listen to it HERE.