365 Days of Praise

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 one of the chapters in the book I wrote, 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. 

“Upholder” is one of God’s 26 character traits that Debbie delves into in her book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. Get it for yourself or to give to 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. Right now, we are in the middle of our James Bible study. Join us by listening to or watching Debbie’s teachings 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. 

Trials! They come in all sizes and shapes, but we can rest assured that none of them are wasted. Discover 4 good things God can bring out of the trials we face in a fallen world by watching Debbie’s teaching on James 1:1–12 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 you’ve always been told that or if 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 verse, 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, Jesus is always present so you can always talk to Him. 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 and going without rest. God doesn’t expect us to be like an energizer bunny. He knows that we will become depleted and that we need restoration.

Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” 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, find your Bible. You’ll experience the restoration for which you long in God’s presence.

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.

Would you agree that the news can sometimes leave you feeling unsettled and discouraged regarding the state of our world?

While it is true that darkness often surrounds us, it is also true that we can be encouraged and find hope in God, whom Psalm 76:4 describes as luminous. Or, as the psalmist states, “God is resplendent.” 

Think about the word “resplendent.” It doesn’t just refer to a physical quality. It encompasses much more. It refers to God’s magnificence and glory that are beyond comparison. 

Where can we bask in His resplendence? The Bible. We can read the Psalms. 

We can look up at the glory of the heavens.

We can meditate on God’s attributes. 

Rather than despair in the hopelessness and discouragement of the world, spend time “sunbathing” in God’s Light. 

Lord, You are RESPLENDENT! Illumine my life with Your glory. 

Download this free printable featuring the attributes of Jesus from the book of John. As you reflect on each one, bask in God’s resplendence by praising Him!

Have you ever been in a “dark place”? Perhaps you are now. Everywhere you look, it’s dark, and what’s worse, you don’t see a way out. If you have been there or you are now, can you imagine what it would be like to be in darkness forever and to know that you could never, ever escape?

God and Satan are powerful. They each have domains/kingdoms. 

Satan’s domain is a place of evil and darkness (Colossians 1:13). First John 5:19 tells us the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. That is, you lie in the power of the evil one unless you have responded to God’s invitation to be saved, rescued, from the domain of darkness and transferred to His kingdom. (Colossians 1:13)

If you’re a Christian and in a dark place today because of circumstances beyond your control or even because of sin, turn to your Savior. 

Stand against the darkness by singing songs of praise to Jesus. 

Lift your hands and voice in praise to God. Claim your place as a child of the Kingdom of Light.

Lord Jesus, You are my RESCUER! I love You! Thank You for rescuing me and transferring me to Your kingdom. 

 If you have not yet responded to God’s invitation to rescue you, why not? Please consider His invitation. If you have friends or family who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, you can prayerfully share this with them.