Christian Encouragement

Debbie will be teaching an 8-week series on the book of James beginning September 17. Learn more and register HERE.

Can’t make it in person? We’ve got you covered. Debbie’s teachings will also be available on her YouTube channel. Click HERE to subscribe and get notified of new teachings.

Have you ever thought, “I can’t believe I said that,” or “Why did I do that?” after saying or doing something you regretted and knew was wrong? Do you ever feel frustrated with your own sinful nature? I’m sure we’ve all been there. But here’s the good news—there is One who can purify us of our sins, and that One is Jesus. 

Hebrews 1:3 says, “When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves. He became the ultimate and perfect sacrifice for our sins, so that we could be purified and reconciled to God. Jesus was the only acceptable sacrifice because He Himself is pure and without sin. One who is not pure cannot make another pure, but One who is pure can purify us. 

How do we receive Christ’s purification for our sins? First John 1:7 says, “…if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” If we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and walk in His ways, we are cleansed from our sins and made right with God. Oh, what a great and glorious work our Savior has done. He has purified us from our sins!

Lord Jesus, PURIFIER, thank You for Your sacrifice for my sins. I love, adore, and praise You!

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

Trying to please people who are difficult to please can cause us to feel defeated and drained. However, it helps if we place our primary focus on pleasing the One who is most important – our Heavenly Father. Jesus models doing that even when others were disappointed in Him. For instance, no doubt the disciples were disappointed when Jesus didn’t resist being crucified. Martha and Mary were disappointed when Jesus delayed coming to their sick brother’s side. Jesus explains His actions in John 8:29. “He (the Father) who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” No, we can’t always please others. But we can follow Christ’s example of pleasing our Heavenly Father. Following are ways Jesus pleased the Father. Which are you doing? Which might you begin to do?

• Jesus used Scripture to stand against Satan’s temptations. We can do that.
• Jesus shared His Father’s kingdom principles, how to be forgiven, and how to be saved. We can do that.
• Jesus reached out to people; to help them. We can do that.
• Jesus looked up in prayer and thanked His Father for hearing Him. We can do that.
• Jesus prayed before He made decisions. We can do that.
• Jesus followed His Father’s leading rather than doing things on His own initiative. We can do that.

Heavenly Father, as Jesus was PLEASING to You, help me be pleasing to You.

Looking for some more resources to deepen your relationship with God? Click HERE to check out the books and Bible studies written by Debbie. You can also access free online Bible studies by clicking HERE. 

Life is filled with joy, but also pain. Sometimes the most painful questions we ask are, “Why didn’t God heal a loved one or friend?” If you’ve had those questions, you’re not alone. We don’t have the answers to many questions. In times of pain, when we don’t understand and we don’t have answers, we look in faith to Jesus. He allowed Himself to die so we’d have visible evidence of not only His love but also eternal healing.  

Jesus knew there would be challenging questions on this side of heaven. He said to those listening to His teachings in Luke 4:23, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself!'” But instead of preventing His death, He died a painful death with no pain killers and with no one holding His hand. He died to pay for our sins and, by His resurrection, gives proof of ultimate eternal healing. For that, we are grateful beyond words and continue to look in trust to our loving Savior and Great Physician. 

Jesus, eternal PHYSICIAN, thank You for rising from the dead so I can see the ultimate healing You give to all who place their faith in You; to me. 

If you’re struggling with disappointment or unmet expectations, find encouragement in Debbie’s book, The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World. 

Are you concerned for a family member or friend who refuses to trust Jesus for salvation? Are you worried they’ll die apart from Christ? 

If we’re concerned for the unsaved, it’s for good reason. This world isn’t all there is. There is life beyond the clouds that we can’t see just as there is life below the oceans we can’t see. Yes, all people are alive after they pass through this life—either in Christ’s presence or apart from Him for eternity.  

Jesus implores us to take the way to heaven, through Him. So, what do we do if an unsaved friend or family member refuses to turn to Christ? We align ourselves with the Lord, who we’re told in 2 Peter 3:9 is “not slow about His promise, but is patient…not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 

God is patient. Keep praying. Keep looking for opportunities to speak the truth in love.

Heavenly Father, thank you for being PATIENT. Help me be like you—patient and prayerful.

Do you know someone who could use some encouragement today? Scroll down and click on “Forward to a Friend” to share this blog post.

Do you agree that personal problems can seem overwhelming at times? 

What about national and international problems? Do they cause you to shake your head and wonder what the world’s coming to? 

What about health issues? Is your health or someone else’s health a concern? 

Then there are financial issues, parenting, marital, and work challenges that can be ongoing struggles. 

Jesus interrupts our conflicted worries and gets straight to an important point that each of us must remember. “In the world, you have tribulation, (pressure, affliction, oppression, and distress), but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

Is that a good word for you to hear today? Jesus is bigger than the world and its problems. We can look to Him, to His Word, and empowerment for whatever we face. 

Jesus has overcome the world. He is present to help you. Look up to the Overcomer. 

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the OVERCOMER. I praise You for the peace, direction and empowerment You give me as I trust in You.

Want to dive a little deeper into John 16:33? Watch this video clip of Debbie teaching on the passage. 

Do you ever feel alone? It’s easy to feel that way at times. Maybe you live by yourself, are in the hospital, or you’re confined to home due to an illness or a fall. Maybe you work from home and even though you connect with others by phone or email, you still feel alone. Perhaps you feel alone even though you have a bustling household. Your feelings may stem from feeling like no one understands what you’re going through.

Feelings, as you no doubt know, can be deceptive. They can be unreliable standards of truth. The truth is, Jesus has promised to never leave us and our Heavenly Father is a prayer away. They:

• See us.
• Know what we need before we ask.
• Love us.

If you’re feeling alone, pray to your Father in Heaven who loves you so very much. As Matthew 6:9 instructs us, “Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven…”

OUR FATHER who is in heaven, thank You for loving me, being with me, and providing Your Holy Spirit to be ever present with me. I love You.

Would you like to develop a deeper prayer life? Get a copy of Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, to learn how.

How old were you when you first heard John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life?” It’s an incredible invitation to every person in the world. Think about it!

• God so loves the world that He took action to save us.
• God sacrificed His Only Begotten Son on our behalf.
• God invites everyone to believe and be saved.
• God promises the gift of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus.

Pray fervently for any unsaved person you know to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and be saved. Pray for eyes to see the opportunities God is giving you to share Him with others.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, Jesus Christ. Stir me to draw closer to You and to share You with others. I love You and thank You for the incredible gift of the forgiveness of my sins and salvation in Christ. 

Our key verse today is John 3:16. If you’d like to watch all of Debbie’s teaching on John 3 on YouTube, click HERE. To listen to her teaching on Spotify, click HERE.

Do you need a miracle; something extraordinary in your life? What do we mean when we use the word miracle? Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency; just as rising from the grave.” Another definition is “a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences;” such as, “it was a miracle that more people hadn’t been killed or injured.” Perhaps it’s that last definition we use most often. “It’ll be a miracle if I can manage everything going on in my life.” Or, “It’ll be a miracle if our marriage makes it.” Let me ask again, “Are you in need of a miracle?” If so, your best hope for experiencing one is to go to Jesus. Why? 

Galatians 3:5 describes Jesus as the Miracle Worker. “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or hearing with faith?”

As we consider Jesus, the Miracle Worker, it’s important to consider the combination of “miracle” and “worker,” as well as faith. Our miracle isn’t going to happen with the twitch of our nose. Jesus’s miracles involved power (Luke 8:46), often a person taking part in faith (John 5:8-9), and often occurred as the person acted in obedience (John 9:6-7). 

Rather than demand, “God, do this now,” we’re to thank Him for what He’s already done and obediently take the next step He shows us.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being involved in my life. You’re the MIRACLE WORKER who can help others and me. Open my ears and eyes to Your instructions so I faithfully follow Your leading.

Jesus, the Miracle Worker, demonstrated His healing power in John 5 when he told a man who had been ill for 38 years to pick up his pallet, walk, and sin no more. Watch Debbie’s teaching on John 5 HERE or listen to it HERE.

Did you watch the cartoon “Mighty Mouse” when you were a child?  Do you remember the chorus, “Here I come to save the day! That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way!”  

When I was young, I was confident Mighty Mouse would save the day no matter the dire situation. 

Growing older doesn’t mean we no longer need someone to save us and our day. We do. We need someone to save us from sin. We need someone to save us from fear. We need someone to save us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Unlike a cartoon character, the One on whom we call is real. 

Joshua 22:22 proclaims, “The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord!” God is the Mighty One. He can save you and He alone. Call on Him. 

Commit Psalm 119:147 to heart, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words.”

Heavenly Father, help me be mindful that You are the MIGHTY ONE who saves no matter the dire situation. Help me confidently wait for Your words to guide me through each situation. 

Do you have a friend or family member you would like to introduce to Jesus? Share this link with them: “Meet Jesus…Experience His Grace.”

Are you ever concerned that Christ is sitting in heaven eyeing your sin and his holy face is twisted in disgruntlement? In other words, you’re an inch from being zapped as a result of your sin? If so, today is a good day to rethink your view of Jesus.

Paul, a candidate for being “zapped” before he became a Christ-follower, tells us what Jesus is like. “I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:1). When Paul refers to Christ as meek, he uses a word that means “mildness of disposition and gentleness of spirit.” In other words, Christ isn’t a cloud-sitting Savior watching for someone He can zap if they take a wrong turn in life. Paul realizes Jesus could have zapped him dead on the Damascus Road, but rather, Christ in mercy called and commissioned Paul to a new purposeful life.

Our Savior is all-powerful, but He has a meek disposition toward us, not a “zap you if you mess up” disposition. He understands what it’s like to be human, to struggle, to deal with daily life, problems, and stress. Relish your Savior’s meekness. Talk to Him. Read His wisdom truths in the Sermon on the Mount and keep reading through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Meditate on the precious words He brought us from heaven. They’re food for a sound mind and a steady course until we reach our ultimate destiny—heaven.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being on my side and for looking at me with gentle and MEEK eyes. I love You and am ever grateful for You. 

Help spread the light and truth of Christ by encouraging someone you know to subscribe to 365 Days of Praise.