Debbie Taylor Williams
Keep Reaching for the Sky
Last year, I planted flowers in a pot outside of our garage. The flowers bloomed all summer but died when it got cold. I pulled them up, thinking they were annuals that needed to be replanted every year. The following year I was shocked to see tiny green shoots pushing their way through the soil in the pot. I was glad I hadn’t uprooted all of them. What amazed me, though, were two tiny green leaves pushing their way through the gravel several feet away. Even though they had no rich soil, they made a way, defied all odds, and eventually bloomed. They’ve given me more pleasure than the ones blooming in the pot. I notice them more because their flowery display shows more grandly against the gravel. Are you like the flowers in the gravel? Going it alone and not under the best conditions? If so, hang in there. Your heavenly Father has His eye on you, as we’re reminded in Psalm 33:13. Keep reaching for the sky and blooming right where you are.
Birds of the Air
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.
Are You in Need of Wonder Working Power
Do you wish you could twitch your nose or snap your fingers and presto, what you long for would appear? The fact is, those techniques may work in movies, but not real life. However, God does work wonders. Sometimes those wonders take time. Other times, moments. Regardless of the timing, our Heavenly Father is the One on whom we are to set our hearts if we’re in need of wonder working power. Moses is but one of many who needed a miracle and God stepped in. Listen to his words of praise in Exodus 15:11. “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?” If we’re in need of wonder working power, we can ask God for help, be still in His presence, and listen to His guidance. We can do as He tells us and experience His wonder working help.
Lord God, You are the WORKER of WONDERS! We look to You, pray to You, and praise You!
Prayers of My Heart is where you can record what God places on your heart. Then, when He answers, you can date the answer and write your words of praise to Him as Moses did.
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 judgement being poured out on the earth in a future day. We may wonder, “Is our behavior and sincerity of worship a big deal to God?” The answer is, clearly they are.
Lord, You alone are worthy of our praise. You extend mercy to those who call on Your name, but also discipline in WONDROUSLY MARVELOUS ways those who give You lip service and rote worship. Forgive us and prompt us daily to live by Your Spirit.
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What Do I Do with My Anger
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.
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 sin. He gave us His righteousness. Colossians 1:10 reminds us of the implication – “so that YOU will walk in a manner WORTHYof 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 worthily (suitably) of the Lord. Let’s get this right!
Lord, thank You for making us worthy of Your presence and of heaven. Help us walk worthily of You!
Excerpt from If God is In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
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Are you at your wit’s end? Do you need someone to talk to; someone who can help you sort out your problems and worries? God understands. Our Heavenly Father is the original COUNSELOR. And, Isaiah 9:6 says this about Jesus. “For a child will be born to us, … And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” In other words, our Heavenly Father and Jesus are Wonderful Counselors who are available to counsel and guide us. They will listen. They will answer. Talk to God, then do as they counsel. A great place to record what God counsels you to do is in Prayers of My Heart Journal. It is proven by research that the very act of writing helps record it on our brains so we’re more likely to follow up on it. You can order Prayers of My Heart at www.debbietaylorwilliams.com or your favorite book store. Make 2019 your best year by following God’s Wonderful Counsel. ORDER HERE.
LORD, You are the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. Increase our sensitivity to Your Voice. Help us take seriously Your counsel and do it.
Who Can You Believe?
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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’s 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, about 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 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.
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The Smell Test
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. It’s taste matched it’s 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.
Jesus is Coming!
Have you been in awe of the magnificent beauty of the moon? The moon – IS – something that exists. The moon – WAS – created by God in eternity past. The moon WILL BE in our tomorrows. We see the moon appear in different phases, but it is still one moon. It existed in times past. It exists today. And, it will exist in our tomorrows. So why would we doubt that Christ is the LORD WHO WAS the CREATOR and WHO IS self-existent in heaven and in our presence, and WHO IS TO COME? On December 25, we celebrate the LORD who came in the appearance of a BABY. But, as Revelation 1:4 says CHRIST is not only “HE is WHO IS and WHO WAS,” He is the LORD “WHO IS TO COME…” again from heaven one day. Jesus is coming again! Will we be ready to meet HIS MAJESTY? Have a blessed Christmas!
Lord, WHO IS, WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, help us worship You not only with our lips, but with our daily lives.
“Grace to you and peace, from Him WHO IS and WHO WAS and WHO IS TO COME…”