Christian Encouragement

If and when you had toddlers at home or perhaps worked with them in a preschool, did you ever give them a sippy cup of water? No doubt, it was the right size for them. But what about when you are thirsty? Do you reach for a sippy cup? While we might think the question ridiculous and the answer obvious, perhaps we should consider it in light of the reference to God as the fountain of life (not a sippy cup). 

“For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light, Psalm 36:9. Or in light of Jesus’ words, “’Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive’” (John 7:37-39).

When we come to God for new life in Christ, He gives us more than a sippy cup of His Spirit. He gives us a Fountain who flows in our innermost being. Yet, could it be said of us as it was the Israelites, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). 

The Lord is a fountain of life. Are we drinking richly of Him when we rise, throughout the day, and until we fall asleep? Rather than be drained because we’re drinking from a sippy cup of His Spirit or because we’re doing things in our own flesh as the Israelites who “hewed for themselves broken cisterns,” we can live by the refreshing fountain of life. From what, from whom will you drink today? 

Lord, You are the FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. Thank You for Your Spirit from Whom I can drink richly.

In John 7, Jesus spoke of living water again. To learn more, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 7 HERE or listen to it HERE. 

During the peak of the 2021 COVID pandemic, someone shared with me the following regarding the dire conditions many faced. 

“Make no mistake. When loved ones are removed from your home by ambulance because the virus has hit them hard, you are not going to be able to sit by their hospital bed and hold their hand. You are not going to be able to pop in at 7:00 pm during visiting hours. They are going to have no one other than exhausted and brave hospital staff to see them through days or weeks. During that time, they will be completely alone. Imagine that person is someone you love dearly. Because it is a reality for many.” 

Disconcerting? Absolutely. Dire? Yes! What is our hope in such times? Is there any hope? Yes, we who have placed our faith in Jesus have the assurance that in even the darkest of times, our Eternal Father is with us (Isaiah 9:6).

Bible scholar and commentator Charles Ryrie explains that Eternal Father means “Messiah is eternally a Father to His people, guarding, supplying, and caring for their needs.” ¹ There could be no greater comfort in dire situations.

Do you have a relationship with the Eternal Father through Jesus Christ? If so, with whom might you share Him? 

ETERNAL FATHER, in the best of times and in the direst of times, thank You for being with me. Embolden me to share the assurance I have in You with others.

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¹ Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update (Chicago: Moody Press, 2008).

Can you imagine if God ruled by whim, by ever-changing emotions and laws? What if on a whim, God decided to not forgive you? What if on a whim, God changed His mind about who was allowed in heaven? 

I think you might agree with me that we’re thankful that is not who God is. Rather, throughout the Bible, we are assured that God rules with equity, with evenness, and uprightness, as Psalm 9:1-8 points out. 

“I will give thanks to You, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing the praises of Your name, O Most High. My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name for ever and ever. Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, You have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished. The LORD reigns forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.” 

Heavenly Father, thank You that I don’t have to worry that You rule by whim. Rather, I am assured that You are EQUITABLE in Your ruling, and I trust You. 

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Have you ever felt weak when you were attacked by Satan? Have you ever felt that you were teetering and could fall? I have. What’s especially troubling is sometimes I haven’t even immediately recognized when I was under assault by the enemy. 

Those times could be more than disheartening if we didn’t have the full assurance that the Lord is our Defender, as David wrote in Psalm 27:1-3. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I will be confident.” 

What a contrast David draws between teetering in fear and being confident. Was his confidence in himself? No. The word “defense” in this verse means a fortified place, rock, strength, and a place of safety. David’s confidence was in the Lord, his rock, strength, and place of safety. 

The next time you feel under attack by the enemy or you are attacked by a person because you are standing on Biblical principles, go to the Lord, confident that He is your defense, strength, and place of safety. 

Lord, how I thank You that You are my DEFENDER against the enemy. I place my full confidence in You. 

If you enjoyed this content and want to watch video teachings by Debbie, consider subscribing to her YouTube channel. Go HERE and click the subscribe button to be notified of new teachings.

Are you hungry? Is there a gnawing in you? Do you feel that something is missing? Do you feel that no matter what you do, purchase, or where you go, you still want more? Do you fill the emptiness but it quickly returns? 

If so, maybe it’s your spirit that is hungry. If that is the case, the solution isn’t more food, clothes, or earthly success. The solution is Jesus who describes Himself in John 6:51 as the bread of life who came from heaven. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 

Jesus is to our spirit what food is to our body. Our body can’t live without food. Our spirit can’t live without Jesus. 

Receive Christ as Savior if you haven’t already. Then, begin each day with bite-size Bible verses. Chew on them throughout the day. At night, graze on the promises of God. Go to sleep with your soul filled and satisfied in Christ. Wake hungry for more of Jesus. Grow as a Christian and feed others. 

Lord Jesus, I praise You, BREAD OF LIFE. Thank You for coming from heaven and being to my spirit what food is to my body. Help me recognize my hunger is only filled by You. Increase my appetite for the Bible and fill me with Your Words so I grow as a Christian.

To learn more about Jesus being the Bread of Life, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 6 HERE or listen to it HERE. 

Today, trust is at an all-time low. Why? People don’t always speak truthfully. Lying appears to have become socially acceptable. But, it’s not acceptable to God. He is the truth and speaks the truth.

Revelation 21:5 NIV records, “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'” Then he said, “‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'”

Jesus wants us to know that if He says something, we can count on it. He and His words are trustworthy and true and He is making everything new. Those are words of hope and encouragement that we need to hear. If there was ever a time that we should listen to Jesus and take hold of the hope of a new day, it’s now. If you’ve been hurt by an untrustworthy person, don’t let that keep you from trusting God. He has an eternal track record of being trustworthy.

Lord, thank You for being TRUSTWORTHY! In a time when trust is at an all-time low due to increased lies and deception, I am grateful for and find hope and encouragement in Your steadfastness and words of truth. 

If you enjoyed this content and want to watch video teachings by Debbie, consider subscribing to her YouTube channel. Go HERE and click the subscribe button to be notified of new teachings.

When you think of God, how big or how small is He in your mind? Is He your personal Savior? Is He the Savior of the person in a remote village on the other side of the earth? Is He the God who inhabits perhaps your nicely decorated sanctuary? Or is your God hovering over dirt floors in a village where Christians are secretly gathering to worship? Is He your God because you are righteous and well-behaved and kind? Or is He the God of the inmate with the foul mouth who just repented of his sins but doesn’t have a clue what it means to be devout? Is He the God who sustains the desperate person who lives day to day and whose only hope is in God as her salvation?

Too often I think of God in my frame of reference. However, David was mindful of how big God is. Listen to his words of praise in Psalm 65:5. “By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea.”

David grasped that the God he worshiped wasn’t only the God of the Jews. He is the God who created and owns all the earth. He is the God to whom all people can come. He hears the prayers of people throughout the earth. Do you live in a remote part of the world? Are you in rehab and looking for someone who can help you? Are you in a country where these words are being translated? Are you a missionary living with people who speak a different language? Are you worshiping in secret because of the hostile environment in which you live? How incredible that the God of our salvation, who answers in righteousness, is the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea.

Lord, TRUST OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH and the farthest sea, I worship You. 

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Have you ever been a witness in a trial? If so, were you called to recount details that were perhaps difficult to remember because so much time passed since the incident occurred? 

On the other hand, have you ever been in a courtroom and heard testimony that you knew was false? 

Revelation 3:14-15 describes Jesus as a faithful and true witness. 

“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.'”

Jesus, the faithful and true witness, testifies against the Christians at Laodicea. He states that they are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold. They are so unpleasant, Jesus says He will spit them out of His mouth; as we might spit something out of our mouth that caused a bad taste. 

Jesus, the faithful and true witness, has witnessed creation and everything since then. What is He witnessing today about us? What did He witness yesterday? Is there anything we’re not proud of that we did or said? If so, we can repent.  What do we want Him to witness today about us?  We can pray for His strength and empowerment to live in a way that pleases Him. 

Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE WITNESS. Reveal to me how You see my heart and actions. Create in me a clean and passionate heart for You. Empower me to live in a way that pleases You. 

The updated edition of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional is now available on Amazon. With 365 A–Z names and traits of God, daily prayers, and practical life applications, this devotional offers encouragement all year long. It makes a thoughtful, faith-building Christmas gift for family and friends or anyone who could use daily hope and encouragement. Get your copy HERE.