Debbie Taylor Williams

In your lifetime, how many people have you seen take positions of leadership and then be unseated? People and countries are often shaken by these changes. While some people are hopeful, others are fearful. Of the many assurances the Bible gives us, one is that our Heavenly Father has an eternal reign. He is seated on a throne and there is no person or principality who can unseat Him. Psalm 9:7 assures us, “the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment.”

Forever. Established. Those are comforting words. But what about His throne of judgment? The psalmist explains in verses 8-9. “And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity. The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

Good news. In addition to the comfort of knowing that our Heavenly Father will remain long after our world’s rulers have come and gone, we have the comfort of knowing that He will righteously judge the world and be a stronghold for the oppressed. He is our stronghold, too, in our times of trouble. We can go to him. We can talk things over with Him. What do you need to talk to Him about today? 

Heavenly Father, who ABIDES FOREVER, I give you praise. You have established Your throne and no one can unseat You. Thank you for being a God of equity. Thank you that I can come to you when I’m having trouble. 

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Have you seen the look in a child’s eyes when they were afraid because they couldn’t see where their parents were? Have you watched that child locate their parents and run to them? Have you heard a child cry for one of their parents? If so, consider Romans 8:15, which says believers have “received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba Father.’” 

Abba Father can be translated from the Greek as “daddy.” So what does Romans 8:15 tell us? It tells us that our relationship with God is like that of a loving father with his child: tender, close, and so much more. Our Heavenly Father chose to adopt us. Jesus tells us to look to our Heavenly Father and pray in faith, not fear, “Our Father who is in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9).  

To what degree does your Heavenly Father love and protectingly care for you? So much that He sacrificed His Son so that you can be a part of Their divine, eternal family; safe forever in heaven. 

In a world where there are sometimes indifferent, uncaring fathers, isn’t it reassuring to know that we have a perfect and sacrificial Heavenly Father whose love for us is unchanging? Although we may be afraid at times due to the events in our life, nation, or world, we can look to our Father and be assured that He’s watching out for us and over us. 

Each 365 Days of Praise devotional describes our Abba Father. As you read each one you have an opportunity to get to know your Abba Father more intimately. God is your Heavenly Father. Walk daily assured of His love and watchcare over you.   

Heavenly Father, ABBA FATHER, thank You for adopting me as Your child. Help me get to know You more deeply and intimately. Help me walk confidently each day, assured of Your love and Your presence.

Happy New Year! Would you like to spend more time in God’s Word this year? We have several resources to help you. Check out our shop HERE and our free online Bible studies HERE. 

I love to gaze at the glory of the moon. Do you? When we do, we are looking at something God created that is. It exists today.  

However the moon was created by God in eternity past. 

The moon that was created in eternity past and exists today is also set to rise in the night sky tomorrow and in future nights. Although it appears in different phases, it is still the same moon.

If the moon is the same moon in the past, present, and future; why would anyone doubt that Jesus was, is, and is to come? 

Yes, at Christmas we celebrate the Lord who came in the past in the appearance of a baby. Luke 2:7

At Easter we celebrate the Lord who rose from the grave. Matthew 28:6

Now, we watch for Christ who promised to come again. John 14:3  

We can be assured, as Revelation 1:4 states, Jesus is, “He who is and who was, and who is to come…” 

Think about it. Jesus is coming again! Are you ready to meet Him? 

Lord Jesus, WHO IS, WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, I praise You and look with anticipation to Your return. Quicken me to faithfully serve You as I watch and wait.

Are you ready for Christ’s return? Would you like some resources to help you better understand the times in which we live and to shift your focus to His return and eternity? Check out End Times: What You Should Know, What You Can Do as well as Contend Earnestly for the Faith.

Do you ever feel like you can’t please anyone? Or, do you ever feel that you can’t please everyone? 

It’s normal to want to please those we love. However, we’re wise to realize that we can’t please everyone. Not even Jesus pleased everyone. So how do we prioritize who we please? We follow Jesus’ example, who was well-pleasing to the Father as Matthew 11:25-26 points out. “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’”

John 8:29 further points out that Jesus pleased His Father. “He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

If you’re in a quandary about how to live so that you please your Heavenly Father, follow Jesus’s example.

• Jesus used Scripture to stand against temptation. We can do that.
• Jesus reached out to others in love. We can do that.
• Jesus prayed before making decisions. We can do that.
• Jesus followed His Father’s leading rather than His own impulses and initiative. We can do that.

There is no one more important for us to please than our Heavenly Father. We can do that. 

Heavenly Father, as Jesus was WELL-PLEASING to You, help me please You. 

There’s still time to purchase your copy of the updated edition of the 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional while it’s on sale! With 365 A–Z names and traits of God, daily prayers, and practical life applications, this devotional offers encouragement all year long. It also makes a thoughtful, faith-building Christmas gift for family and friends or anyone who could use daily hope and encouragement. Get your copy HERE.

Depending on how old you are, you may be familiar with Frank Sinatra’s hit song, “My Way,” whose lyrics reflect on life and its end. A repeated sentiment in the song, “I did it my way,” resonated with people when it first came out as well as today. People pride themselves in forging their own path, being self-driven, independent, and in charge of their destiny. 

When it comes to God and eternal matters, many people buck at the idea of absolute truth. They believe in pluralism, which embraces the idea that there is more than one way to heaven. However, in spite of what people believe, Jesus was clear that there is only one Way to heaven and that is through faith in Him.

John 14:6 records Jesus’s declaration, “‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” 

Acts 4:12 affirms the absolute necessity of trusting Jesus as the way to eternal life in heaven. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jesus is not only the Way, but He also made the way for us to have eternal life. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid our sin debt. God has given us free will to accept or reject Jesus. The Bible warns that those who do not believe in Christ and don’t obey the gospel of Jesus will face eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Those who accept Christ are made righteous through Him and will inherit eternal life (Matthew 25:46). Have you said “yes” to the Way to eternal life? 

Lord, thank You for being the WAY to eternal life. I’m grateful beyond words and give You all praise. Bring into my life those with whom I can share that You are the way, the truth, and the life.

To learn more about Jesus as the Way to eternal life, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 14 HERE or listen to it HERE. 

As the celebration of Christ’s birth nears each year, we focus on the babe in the manger. However, it is important to note that the babe was born a Prince with an angelic army at His beck and call. (Matthew 26:53)

Jesus, the babe, was born a “Warrior” King as Isaiah 42:13 foretold, “The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.”

Jesus, the babe in a manger, grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)  Refusing the devil’s temptations, He preached and proved His kingdom. (Luke 8:1) 

Jesus, the Warrior King, overcame the last enemy—death. (Luke 24:46, 1 Corinthians 15:26) 

Having accomplished His earthly mission, He ascended into heaven and sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. (Ephesians 4:8-10, Hebrews 7:27)

One day, the trumpet of heaven will sound and Jesus, the crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will descend from heaven with His angels and saints and claim victory over the devil. (Revelation 17:14, 19:16)

Jesus is more than a babe in a manger. He is the eternal, reigning Warrior King. Who will you tell? Who will you invite to live in His kingdom? 

Lord, I praise You, victorious WARRIOR and reigning King of Kings.

The Lord is always present and wants us to talk to Him through prayer. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.

Access to information has increased exponentially the last few years. We can speak into our smartphones, ask a question, and get the answer to almost any question. However, not even the most sophisticated piece of equipment or brilliant person can comprehend God and His ways, as Romans 11:33 states. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

The word “unfathomable” that describes God’s ways is the Greek word anexichniastos and means “cannot be searched out, cannot be comprehended.” It is used in reference to not only His ways but also in Ephesians 3:8 to the unfathomable riches of Christ.

Although Christians know that God’s ways are unfathomable and cannot be comprehended, we can sometimes forget and question why He doesn’t answer our prayers in a certain way. 

When that happens, we can rest in the knowledge that God is good, loving, compassionate, and faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 145:9). We can remember that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We can place our trust in Him.

LORD, I praise You. You and Your ways are UNFATHOMABLE. I cannot begin to comprehend You or Your ways. May I never forget Your love and compassion. Increase my trust in You and help me rest in the knowledge that Your ways are higher than my ways. 

Are you facing disappointment or struggling with unmet expectations? Get a copy of The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World to discover how to take charge of your thoughts and let God reignite your hopes and dreams.

Do you ever wonder, “Why bother praising God?” If so, Isaiah 40:21-22; 25 explain why.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” 

“‘To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One.”

God makes it clear that no one is equal to Him. He calls us to lift up our eyes and see the heavens He created as evidence of His power and glory. 

What does this mean for us? 

It means the God we worship is unequalled. He is before all things and above all things. Nothing is too difficult for God. We can and should look to Him in holy reverence, bow before Him, and offer Him our lives to use in whatever way He chooses for His glory. 

Lord, I worship and praise You who are UNEQUALED. There is no one like You. You are wise and powerful beyond my imagination. To think that You care for me is beyond comprehension. Thank You for loving me, saving me, and preparing a place for me to be with You for eternity. I love You!

Go deeper into God’s Word with one of Debbie’s Bible studies. You can purchase printed Bible studies in our shop by clicking HERE. You can also complete free online Bible studies by clicking HERE.

Thanksgiving may be behind us, but every day can be an opportunity to cultivate a thankful heart. Is your heart filled with thanksgiving? Or do you feel like a deflated balloon because some things for which you’d hoped didn’t happen? 

Most people agree that life can be hard. In addition, as believers we can feel deflated because we fail to live up to our expectations of how we should behave or speak as a believer.  

Some time ago someone said to me, “The only good I have is because I’m a Christian.” 

What did they mean? They were saying that Christ is the “goodness” in their life. He is, in fact, what makes us good. 

Hebrews 7:26 uses the word “undefiled” to describe Christ because He is more than good. Jesus is “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” In other words, Christ is more than a good prophet. He is the high priest of heaven who saves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is. 

No matter the circumstances you are facing today, your Savior is facing them with you. This day will pass. Christ’s goodness and presence with you will never pass. For that, you can be thankful. 

Lord Jesus, UNDEFILED Savior, I love and praise You, the goodness in my life. I am grateful for and love You.

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We are living in a time when deception abounds. The world promotes truth as subjective instead of an objective reality grounded in facts. As Christians, we should not be surprised or caught off guard by this. The Bible warns of deception, especially in the last days (Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:1). 

How can we avoid falling prey to the lies and deception of this world? We can look to Jesus, the embodiment of truth. Jesus declared in John 14:6, …”’I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'”

Jesus is the ultimate reality and truth. To discern the things that don’t align with Him, we must stay anchored in His Word and in prayer. 

In a world that is filled with deceit, isn’t it a blessing that the One to whom we’re entrusting our lives is the truth? With whom do we need to share the good news?

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the TRUTH and the way to the Father!

Want to learn more about understanding the times in which we live and discerning the truth? Check out these resources to get started: End Times: What You Should Know, What You Can Do  and Contend Earnestly for the Faith Jude Bible Study.You can also access the free online accompanying videos HERE.