Debbie Taylor Williams
Broken Promises? Not This Time
Has anyone ever broken a promise to you? If so, you know the devastation. The heartbreak. The despair. Can you imagine the horribleness of dying and it not be what you expected – soul rest, nothingness; as some unbelievers anticipate. There is nothing more important than making the choice today for the care of our soul for eternity. We know that at any moment we could die from a heart attack or accident. Is your soul secure if that were to happen? It is only secure if you have entrusted it to Jesus, the Covenant Maker. A familiar passage often read during Communion is Matthew 26:27-28. It is the most important promise Jesus made for the security of our soul for eternity. “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.'” Only God can forgive the sins that stain our soul and made us unfit for heaven. We can do nothing to secure our eternity in heaven. Only Jesus. Say those words with me. Only Jesus…can forgive my soul, wash me clean, and open the door to heaven and eternal life with Him. Jesus is the Covenant, the Promise Maker. Others may have broken promises to you. Jesus keeps His promise. Be joyful. Your soul is secure in Christ.
Lord Jesus, COVENANT MAKER, thank You for the Covenant of peace and eternal life through Your blood. We rest in You. We wait for You and the day we will see You and fall at Your feet and worship.
The King Who Reigns Forever
Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who died on September 8, 2022, reigned 70 years. The length of her reign is second only to Louis XIV of France who reigned 72 years. Their reigns can be counted to the day. There is One, however, whose reign cannot be counted by days, months, or years. Jesus, Zion’s King, is eternal. John 12:15 describes Jesus, Zion’s Kings’ first coming as lowly. “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.” However, Zion’s King will have a glorious second coming described in Revelation 19:16. “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Are you ready for the eternal King of glory, Zion’s King, the King of Kings, and Lord of LORDS’ arrival?
Zion’s King, Your reign is eternal and glorious. Thank You for saving and sealing us for eternity with You in Your heavenly Kingdom.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Let’s Get This Right
Have you ever considered that because Christ paid for your sins you are worthy of heaven? Say that a few times to yourself and let it sink in. “I am worthy of heaven.” Believers are found worthy of heaven ONLY because Christ is worthy and exchanged His righteousness for our sins. He gave us His righteousness. Colossians 1:10 reminds us of the implication – “so that YOU will walk in a manner WORTHY of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” In other words, we’re to walk in a manner worthy of or “suitably” for our Lord. We may have a hazy understanding of what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, but we know what it means to be suitable. A child who puts on dirty clothes for school is told to put on something suitable, something clean for school. In the same manner, we are to walk worthy (suitably) of the Lord. Let’s get this right.
JOURNALING TIP: I wrote in the Meditations section of my journal, “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” Colossians 1:10. It’s a verse I want to put to memory. Writing and reviewing it helps keep me focused on this important calling.
Lord, thank You for making us worthy of Your presence and of heaven. Help us walk worthy of You!
Is Lip Service a Big Deal to God
A person who is not a Christian once challenged me and asked why believers talk about God’s love but never His wrath. I thought about his question and realized that I’m guilty of that very thing. Think about all the wonderful ways we look at God’s love, gentleness, and favor. Today, however, the context in which God’s actions are described as WONDROUSLY MARVELOUS is a reference to His judgment on people who claim His name, but simply give lip service to Him. God uses the prophet Isaiah to call them out in Isaiah 29:13-14. “Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote, therefore, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, WONDROUSLY MARVELOUS.'” He goes on to warn them of the consequences of their lip service and rote worship. We might want to relegate our Creator’s wrath to the Old Testament, but Revelation 16 speaks of God’s judgment being poured out in a future day. We may wonder, “Is mankind’s behavior and sincerity of worship a big deal to God?” The answer is, yes.
Lord, You alone are worthy of our praise. You extend mercy to those who call on Your name but are WONDROUSLY MARVELOUS in Your discipline toward those who give You lip service and rote worship. Forgive us and prompt us daily to live by Your Spirit.
Get Prayers of My Heart and journal your prayers, repentance, and thanks to God for the best 2024!
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
If You’re Wondering What to Do About Something
Are you at your wit’s end? Do you need someone to talk to who can help you sort out your concerns, problems, and worries? God understands. Our Heavenly Father is the original COUNSELOR. And, Isaiah 9:6 says this about Jesus. Not only is He our Counselor, but He is also a “Wonderful Counselor.” Our Heavenly Father and Jesus are wonderful counselors because they are excellent listeners and know us inside and out. We can talk to them and know they hear us, and when we quiet ourselves in their presence, we can hear them. Talk to your Wonderful Counselor, then follow His counsel. I record what God prompts me to do in my journal, Prayers of My Heart. It helps me follow through because I can reread what I’ve recorded that He put on my heart. What do God’s prompts sound like? His prompt might be, “Open your Bible and read a Psalm.” It might be, “Stop procrastinating and tackle what is before you.” His prompt might be, “Instead of wondering about someone, call them.” Or, “Do _____ today.” A wise Christian will both talk things out with their Wonderful Counselor and follow how the Wonderful Counselor prompts them. Are we wise?
LORD, You are the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. Increase our sensitivity to Your Voice. Help us take seriously Your counsel and follow through on what You lead us to do.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Who Can You Believe?
Do you ever wonder who you can believe? One person says one thing and another claims the opposite. Yes, it can sometimes be difficult to know who to believe, but not in the case of Jesus’ words. Revelation 1:5 describes Jesus Christ as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood-” Jesus is a faithful witness. A witness of what? He witnessed to us about heaven, His Father, angels, crowns of righteousness awaiting believers, resurrection bodies, thrones, powers, kingdoms, the judgment seat, forgiveness, redemption, His Father’s house, and about Satan. Jesus testified about the fact that Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jonah were real people and that the Old Testament is true. Our confidence in the Bible and its teachings solidly rests on Christ because He is a faithful witness to us that they are true.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, the faithful WITNESS! Thank You for the confidence we have in the Bible and You because of Your word.
Our GIFT to YOU or your Christmas gift to someone: Prayers of My Heart Journal with any donation of $20 or more.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING about PRAYERS OF MY HEART JOURNAL.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Follow the Lord’s Wise Ways
Are you in the midst of making a decision? Do you wonder what the best course of action is regarding work, parenting, a relationship, or finances? If ever there was a time to follow God’s wise ways in these dark days, it’s now. We need wisdom for daily decisions. Wisdom for how to proceed when the unexpected pops up. Proverbs 2:6 reminds us that the Lord is the source and provider of wisdom. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” It is a blessing that we can go to our Heavenly Father, study His ways, pray, and walk in the light of His wisdom. Are we?
Wise Heavenly Father, we praise You for allowing us to come to You. Thank You for providing us with wisdom for daily life. Continually stir our hearts and minds to walk in the light of Your teachings. We love You.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Do You Hear Him
Have you ever done a study on the voice of God? It’s fascinating! In Isaiah 30:30, we’re told the following about God’s voice.
And the Lord will cause His VOICE OF AUTHORITY to be heard.
The literal translation is “VOICE OF MAJESTY.” How does God speak to us? He speaks through His majestic creation that He is glorious and that He is a God of order with an unlimited imagination. God’s voice speaks to us through the Bible, the wisest, most beautifully written work of all time. God speaks to us through Christ letting us know that He is sacrificial, loving, and forgiving. God’s voice speaks to us in our innermost being warning us of the dangers of sin and calling us to walk in His ways. Yes, God’s voice goes forth. He calls to us but sometimes the busyness of the day drowns out His voice. How can we make sure we don’t miss hearing God calling to us? We purposefully choose to slip out of our beds in the mornings and quietly meet with Him – just the two of us – so we can hear Him without interruptions. We return throughout the day to think about Him and listen for His promptings. His voice encourages us in our weariness. His voice comforts us when we repent of sin. His voice instructs us, “Take this course of action…” If we take God seriously, write down His instructions, and follow through on what He tells us, we discover He calls to us and instructs us even more. Are we listening? Are we obeying? Are we experiencing the blessed life of intimacy with the Almighty?
Voice of Authority, Voice of Majesty, thank You for speaking to us. Tune our hearts and minds to recognize Your voice and obey You.
Start 2024 journaling your prayers, praises, and God’s instructions in Prayers of My Heart.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Jesus is Coming!
I love to gaze at the glory of the moon. The moon – IS – something that exists. The moon – WAS – created by God in eternity past. The moon WILL BE in our tomorrow. It appears in different phases but it is still the same moon. So why would we doubt that Jesus is the LORD WHO WAS the creator, WHO IS self-existent in heaven and in our hearts, and WHO IS TO COME? On December 25, we celebrate the LORD who came in the past in the appearance of a baby. But Revelation 1:4 says CHRIST is “HE WHO IS and WHO WAS,“ He is the LORD “WHO IS TO COME…” Think about it. Jesus is coming again!
Lord Jesus, WHO IS, WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, help us mindfully serve Your purposes until You return again!
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Remember This On Dreary Days
Dreary days. Gray skies. They can make us feel gloomy. The death of loved ones, separation, or estrangement from family or friends weighs heavily on our hearts. What can we focus on in those times? Malachi 4:2 tells us. “…for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” What does that mean? Theologian Charles Spurgeon explains: “Jesus, like the sun, is the center and soul of all things, the fullness of all good, the lamp that lights us, the fire that warms us, the magnet that guides and controls us; he is the source and fountain of all life, beauty, fruitfulness, and strength.” Jesus is called the Sun of Righteousness because, on the most dreary of days when we are gloomy and despairing, we can ask Him to fill us with His Spirit and shine in our hearts and minds. Call on Him now to rise in your heart and mind in the full strength of His glory.
We praise You, SUN of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and look to You to enlighten us.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me any week on Wednesdays or Thursdays for our weekly Bible Study of John. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
*http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1020.htm