Christian Devotional
If You Want God’s Glorious Protection
Throughout the years that I have watched for how God reveals Himself in Scripture, one that I only recently noticed was Wall of Fire. “‘For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire around her (Jerusalem), and I will be the glory in her midst,’” Zechariah 2:5.
What does the LORD mean that He will be a “wall of fire”?
Scholar and author Herbert Lockyer writes, “Many were the trials and tribulations overtaking a covenant people in their city without walls. But although hemmed in on every side by foes, abundant proof was given that God had not forgotten His promise to shield Jerusalem and His remnants within it.” 1
We have already considered how God is a shield. In this description, we are told one of the ways He has shielded His people is by being a wall of fire.
Evidence of God protecting the Israelites by being a wall of fire can be found in Exodus 13:21-22. “The LORD was… a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”
Numbers 14:14 records, “They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.”
Yes, the LORD is a glorious wall of fire protecting His own.
Lord God, WALL OF FIRE, thank You for the visible evidence of Your glorious protection of the Israelites. Thank You for the glorious protection You provide me in my time of need.
“Wall of Fire” is just one of the many incredible attributes of our Lord. To explore more, you can find them in the updated edition of 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional. It is now available and on sale on Amazon in both paperback and e-book formats. Get your copy HERE.
1 Herbert Lockyer, All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1975), 81.
If You Want Joy
Jesus is interested in you and if your days and life are meaningful. Why? He designed us to be productive.
In John 15:1-2, Jesus explains that our lives can be fruitful if we live in union with Him. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
Why does God prune and take away dead, fruitless branches?
Why does He watch to see if we bear fruit?
A fruitful life brings God glory and us joy.
I didn’t understand that until I planted a garden several years ago. Then I understood the joy of seeing a branch bear a flower and then fruit.
God is our vinedresser. He watches us every day and prunes from us that which is unproductive so we bear His glorious fruit.
If we sometimes feel the pressure of the Father’s pruning shears on us, it’s proof that He loves us and is present in our life. Rather than resist His pruning, be glad that He cares about you. Yield to His touch. You’ll bear more fruit and experience more joy.
Lord, You are the VINEDRESSER. I praise You that You care about me. Thank You for the fruit of Your Spirit. Thank You that I can bear fruit that glorifies You.
Learn more about abiding in Jesus and bearing good fruit by watching Debbie’s teaching on John 15 HERE. Don’t forget to like the video and subscribe for more teachings by Debbie!
Who Will Vindicate the Orphan and Oppressed
Evil, as you are aware, abounds on earth. Human trafficking, child abuse, pornography, persecution of Christians, rape, violence, abandonment, murder, the list goes on.
God is not blind. He sees what is going on in our nation and world.
God is not deaf. He hears the prayers of those being wronged and the prayers of those interceding on their behalf.
Psalm 10:17-18 assures us that there will be a day of reckoning.
God will vindicate the orphan and oppressed. “O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.”
The Bible assures us that God is the vindicator of the orphan and oppressed. He will execute judgment on evil.
In the meantime, Christ has commissioned believers to be His light to those who are hurting and have been wronged. Rather than wring our hands while we await Christ’s return, we are to act as His ambassadors on earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). In what way are you being, or might you be, the Lord’s presence to someone who has been wronged or to someone whose heart needs strengthening?
Lord, thank You for the assurance that You hear the humble, the orphan, and the oppressed. Thank You for being the VINDICATOR of the wronged. Use me as Your presence to encourage those who are hurting and need strengthening.
Help us spread the Word and love of Jesus by sharing this blog post using the social media icons below or by using the “Forward to a Friend” button.
Oh, Victory in Jesus
Sin. It’s here. Our sin or another person’s sin is a part of this earthly life. Perhaps one of the most glaring sins is selfishness. We want what we want. We want it when we want it. Things or people who stand in our way frustrate us. But what if sin didn’t exist? What if we were free of sin?
The good news is that day, a day when sin doesn’t exist, awaits believers. Because of Christ’s victory over sin and death, we will be sin-free one day. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:57 are words we should echo every day: “…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Meditate on the words Paul uses. Gives. Us. Victory.
We will one day experience the victory of what our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ accomplished through the virgin birth, cross, and resurrection. They literally gave us victory we could not obtain on our own.
In the meantime, let’s remember to give thanks to God for the daily victory we have over sin through the Spirit’s empowerment.
Let’s remember and give thanks to God for the eternal victory over death through Christ.
Let’s raise our voices in praise of Christ. If you know the song, “Victory in Jesus,” sing it with all your heart.
Lord, I praise and worship You for being VICTORIOUS over sin and death. I can never thank You enough for my eternal salvation that You obtained through Your sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross. Help me serve You well and faithfully.
Want to learn more about how to live by Christ’s divine nature instead of our sinful, fallen nature? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 2 Peter Bible study, Living by the Divine Nature Instead of Our Fallen Nature, HERE. You can also access the free accompanying videos and podcasts by going HERE.
If You’re Faltering
I’ve had the blessing of holding our newborn children and grandchildren. Holding them was no problem. As a matter of fact, it was a delight to hold them. I was able to intently gaze at their faces as I prayed for them. The more I held them, the deeper my love grew. Wouldn’t it have been silly if they had been able to talk and argued, “Don’t hold me. I’m too heavy.” Or, what if they had said, “I don’t want to bother you. You don’t need to hold me.”
In light of that, consider our Heavenly Father’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Think about our Father’s words in relation to you. “I will uphold you;” literally, “hold you up.”
In the Bible, God’s right hand symbolizes His strength. His right hand is a strong hand of righteousness.
Are you facing something that is overwhelming or oppressive? Do you feel like you might crumble or falter?
If so, I can relate. Being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024, although not a smoker, led me to look to God in new ways to uphold me through chemotherapy, a lobectomy, and radiation. God upheld me moment by moment, day by day and He will uphold you no matter what you are going through. Look to Him in faith and love.
Lord, You are my UPHOLDER. Thank You for holding me up with Your strong, righteous right hand. I love You and give You praise!
Stay connected with Debbie beyond the blog! Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
If You Think You Have Nothing, Think Again
When you were little, did you go on a treasure hunt? Today, do you put your treasured valuables in a safety deposit box?
The Bible tells us that believers have a treasure within them. What is the treasure? Second Corinthians 4:6-7 explains that the treasure is God’s Holy Spirit. The treasure is the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in our hearts.
“God… is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. For we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).
The treasure we carry about in our earthly bodies is God’s surpassing greatness of power. With humble reverence and boundless gratefulness, we bow and worship God for the great gift of His presence in us.
Lord, You are the TREASURE men seek and whom I have in my heart. Help me present You well to others and share with others the surpassing greatness of Your power. I adore and worship You.
The newly updated edition of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional is now available on Amazon, and it’s on sale! Filled with 365 A–Z names and traits of God, daily prayers, and practical life applications, this devotional will encourage your heart and makes a meaningful gift for others. Get your copy HERE.
A Tower of Strength and Refuge
In this world we will have trouble (John 16:33), but we don’t need to be left battered by the storms of life. Instead, we can find reassurance that God is a refuge in times of trouble as David states in Psalm 61:3, “For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy.”
A tower is a high place from which we can look at life and see it from God’s perspective. A spiritual tower of prayer is the place from where we can pray, pour out our hearts to God, intercede for others, and quietly listen for His counsel. If we want to experience God’s best, we can. Our Father is a tower of strength and refuge to whom we can go.
With your face set like flint toward heaven, with your pen in your hand, write words of praise to your Father and your prayers for your family, church, nation, friends, and yourself.
The Bible is a journal of God’s interactions with man, of people’s struggles, and of God’s faithful interventions. Let His Word speak to you as you scale the tower of God in prayer.
Jesus, TOWER OF STRENGTH AND REFUGE, I praise You. When I don’t know how I can get through the next minute, You are my strength and help. Thank You for all the ways You guard and guide me.
In her teaching on John 16, Debbie touches on Jesus’ words from John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Watch her teaching on the subject HERE.
If You’re Disturbed
Have you been disturbed by some of the changes and trends in our nation and world? Does it seem like it’s not even the same place where you grew up? It’s interesting, but it’s almost like our Heavenly Father and Jesus are readying us. Readying us for what? To go to our eternal home where we can live out our kingdom citizenship in heaven.
Our nation is beginning to become foreign to us because heaven is our home. Heaven is where truth abounds, love is premiere, and relationships are characterized by godliness. Sound good? If so, keep that in mind as you go through your day. Make it a priority to build your life and family on Jesus. Hold tightly to Christ and loosely to things of the earth. Be assured when things of this earth crumble and fail, Christ will stand the test of eternity as Isaiah 28:16 states: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.”
Rest assured that if you’ve been disturbed by what’s happening in our world, it is because heaven is your home and you’re one step closer to being there. That warrants a hallelujah from me. How about you?
Lord Jesus Christ, once again I’m reminded of the joy and privilege of calling You my God. You are foundational to all I believe, a pure and holy TESTED STONE. I praise and worship You!
In the midst of cultural chaos, we can find rest and comfort in God’s grace and peace. To learn more, grab a copy of Debbie’s Bible study, Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos, HERE. You can access the free accompanying videos and podcasts HERE.
How’s Your Heart Toward “That” Person?
Have you ever known a hard-hearted person? In other words, no matter how hard you tried or how many attempts you made, they shut you out. If you did anything wrong, they were relentless and unforgiving.
Not so with our Lord. Although He has every reason to be hard-hearted toward us, instead He pursues and forgives us. What a tender-hearted Lord we have! This is important—in Ephesians 4:32 He commands us to be like Him – kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving each other.
Is it easy? Not necessarily. But it’s a command we are to obey. Jesus models being tender hearted, kind, and forgiving. We’re to follow His example by the power of Christ’s Spirit in us.
Does this mean that what a person has done is right? No. Does it mean we’re to necessarily engage in a relationship with them if what they are doing is not aligned with Christ’s teachings? No. Rather, it means that we leave the person to Christ, knowing He will deal with them. In the meantime, we live in a right relationship with Jesus which translates into living in a right relationship with others…as far as it depends on us.
Lord, I praise You for being kind, TENDER-HEARTED, and forgiving me. Thank You for Your mercy! Thank You for Your grace!
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.
What Does It Mean to Be A Temple of God?
John 2:19-21 records a question the Jews asked Jesus: “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” The “things” Jesus had done included driving sheep and oxen out of the temple, overturning the money changers tables, ordering them, “Stop making My Father’s house a place of business,” and in Matthew 21:13 chiding them, “My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a robbers’ den.” Jesus’ comment in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” wasn’t understood. The people didn’t know Jesus was talking about His body, the temple of God living among men.
There are two points Jesus is driving home. First, the stone temple wasn’t divine because of the rocks but rather because of God’s presence and it being a place of prayer. The stone temple no longer exists. Rather, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 explains that God lives among believers through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Every Christian houses the glory of God and is a temple of God, of prayer. What does that mean for us? First, it’s a reminder that Jesus drove from the temple things that weren’t supposed to be there. Likewise, He wants to purify us of anything that hinders God’s glory from shining in us.
Second, since we are temples of the Holy Spirit and a place of prayer, we’re to not only be pure, but we’re also to be prayerful. We’re to seek Christ’s will, intercede for others, and listen and obey God’s voice, as Jesus did when He tabernacled among men.
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the TEMPLE of God, of glory, and prayer who lived among men. Cleanse me of anything that hinders Your glory from shining in me and me being a place of prayer.
Debbie talked about Jesus driving out the money changers from the temple in her teaching on John 2. Listen to her teaching on the subject HERE.