Debbie Taylor Williams

Are you a zoomer or a wanderer at the grocery store? Have you ever noticed that there are two types of people at the grocery store?

First, there’s the zoomer. They know what they want, where it is, and are in a fast dash to get in and get out.

Second, there’s the wanderer. They’re not sure what they want, and they slowly push their cart around from one side of the aisle to the other at a snail’s pace.

Which are you? Which is better? The fact is, our world needs both slow- and fast-paced people. God created each of us as unique individuals.

Instead of being critical of people who are different from us, Romans 12:10 tells us to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love; to give preference to one another in honor.” That’s a good reminder whether we’re at the grocery store or anywhere else.

Are you a bird watcher? My friend, Janice, loves bird watching and can tell you about a variety of birds. I know a cardinal from a hummingbird, but you might not want to test me past that.

The amazing thing about birds is they build nests and eat, but as Jesus points out, they don’t sow seeds or gather grain into barns to sustain themselves. Why did Jesus get on the subject of birds in Matthew 6:25-27 when He was giving a sermon?

The people He was speaking to were worried about what they were going to eat and what they were going to wear. Jesus comforted them that just as God takes care of the birds, He’ll take care of us.

The next time you start to worry, look at the birds and remember Jesus’s words. You are far more valuable than the birds. Your Heavenly Father will take care of you.

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!

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Would you like to be more prosperous? When you think of being prosperous, what comes to mind? 

Most of us probably equate prosperity with material wealth. However, there is another kind of prosperity which Jesus demonstrated and Isaiah 52:13 points out. “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted” (Isaiah 52:13).

Isaiah says Jesus would be prosperous? Was He? In what way?

The word “prosper,” which is used in Isaiah 52:13, is translated from a word that means “successful.” Was Jesus successful? Yes. Although at times it appeared He was anything but successful or prospering, He was. He wonderfully fulfilled God’s will as no one else could have and secured our salvation for eternity in heaven. 

Jesus was successful because He was obedient to the will of God. His success story involved humility and suffering rather than wielding His power and authority. Jesus prospered, in fact, by making Himself nothing, by taking on the very nature of a servant, by becoming obedient to death on a cross. The result? God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:7-11). 

Yes, when you think of Jesus, think of Him prospering, succeeding on your behalf. 

Lord Jesus, PROSPEROUS ONE, I praise You. Thank You for successfully securing my salvation and a place with You for all eternity.

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The other morning, I looked out my window and saw a brush fire not far from our house. Orange flames and grey smoke rose to the sky. Then, with relief, I noticed my neighbor’s truck. Several men were tending to a fire, watching over it as it burned cedar.

You know, anger is a lot like fire. It’s not necessarily wrong if it’s righteous anger. For instance, the Bible tells us that God is at times righteously angry. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry, but to not sin. Why? Because if we don’t deal with anger in the right way, the Bible says it gives the devil an opportunity in our lives.

Okay, so you may not believe in the devil, but Genesis to Revelation speaks of him, exposing him as an evil and powerful reality. Our anger, like fire, can be used purposefully or, if left unchecked, can damage our lives and others. Learn more about what to do with anger at debbietaylorwilliams.com.

Have you ever thought of God as being a life preserver? 

Psalm 116:6 describes Him that way. “The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.” 

The word “preserve” in this verse means to save a life. No doubt Jesus fits the description. He rescues those who are drowning in sin when they call on Him for salvation.

We understand the need for someone to save us from raging waters. Do we understand the need for Jesus to save us from raging sin? 

We understand the need to be saved from physical death. Do we understand the need to be saved from spiritual death?

Jesus, You are the only One who can rescue me from sin and PRESERVE my soul for eternity. I love You and thank You.

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

Are you a builder? If so, you know how important the cornerstone is when constructing the foundation of a building. Just as a cornerstone is necessary for a strong foundation, Jesus is the necessary foundation for our Christian faith as 1 Peter 2:6 points out. “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in Him (Jesus) will not be disappointed.”

Did you catch that? We will not be disappointed if we build our lives on Jesus. 

In addition, Peter uses the word “precious” in his description of Jesus as the cornerstone; meaning “honorable, noble.” Our faith is built on not only a firm, excellent foundation, but on the Father’s noble, honorable Son. 

Your faith is of great value. It is built on the precious cornerstone of Jesus, and as Peter writes, you will not be disappointed. Yes, we will experience disappointments on this side of heaven, but get ready. Get ready for what? The revelation of Jesus, the precious cornerstone of your faith, when you see Him one day in heaven. 

Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE of my faith. I love You. I adore You. I am not disappointed, but rather enthralled with You. Thank You for the incredible, eternal blessing of being able to build my life on You. May others see my relationship with You and be drawn to also build their lives on You. 

Today’s key verse is 1 Peter 2:6. Would you like to do a more in-depth study of 1 Peter? Grab a copy of Debbie’s 1 Peter Bible study, Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos, HERE. The study includes free accompanying videos and podcasts, which can be accessed HERE.

“I’m so busy.” “There never seem to be enough hours in the day.” 

Can you relate? Do you know who else can? Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Jesus traveled to different regions sharing the good news, ministering to crowds, shepherding His disciples, and healing the sick. However, regardless of how full His day, He was intentional about His prayer time with God. “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there” (Mark 1:35). 

Not only did Jesus spend time with God in prayer, but did you notice it said He went to a secluded place? In other words, in addition to praying with people, Jesus also prioritized time alone with God. Jesus teaches His followers to spend time alone in prayer. “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6a). 

Prioritizing prayer like Jesus did—in the early morning, alone with God, to tell Him your needs and to listen to Him are important.

Jesus knew that prayer was necessary. It is the way we stay connected to our Heavenly Father, abide in Him, and do His will. It is the key to bearing His fruit through our lives (John 15:1-8). 

How faithfully do you prioritize praying first thing in the morning? How faithfully do you meet alone with your Heavenly Father?

Jesus, thank you for showing me what it means to be PRAYERFUL. Help me prioritize spending time alone with You and the Father in prayer. 

Learn to seek God in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE.

When you’re grocery shopping, do you smell fruit, such as cantaloupe or peaches, to determine if they’re ripe? I remember the first time I saw someone hold a cantaloupe close to her nose. After she placed it in her basket, I decided to try the smell test.

The first cantaloupe I held close to my nose had zero fragrance. I returned it and reached for another one, wondering if the smell test was bogus. But as I held the second one close to my nose, I was pleasantly surprised. It had a sweet aroma. That evening, when I took a bite, I wasn’t disappointed. Its taste matched its smell.

Second Corinthians 2:15 says that Christians are a fragrance of Christ to God and to others. In other words, as we move about and connect with people, they get a whiff of us.

I wonder: Do they smell the sweet presence of Jesus, or do they get a whiff of our anxiousness, impatience, or sin? To find out how you can become a sweet aroma of Christ, please click HERE.