Debbie Taylor Williams

We talk about it. We sing about it. But, how much of it do we have? What am I talking about? Faith. 

We place our faith in the person of Jesus Christ and that He substituted His body on the cross in place of ours. We stand at a distance and say, “Whew! That’s great. I didn’t have to go through the scourging and crucifixion. Thank You, Jesus. I believe.” 

But when God says to exercise our faith in regard to cutting off our sin we say, “No way. Can’t do.” He says to exercise our faith and forgive as He forgives us and we say, “Not gonna do it.” He says to lay aside our old self and put on the new self which was made in the image of Christ Jesus, and we march through our day as if we didn’t hear Him. He says to take up our cross and follow Him by laying down our life and we go on with our day as if He wasn’t talking to us. 

If we really had faith that God “calls into being that which doesn’t exist,” as Romans 4:17 states, then wouldn’t we obey Jesus’ commands and trust Him to lead us? 

The question is, where is our faith…is it in ourselves or in Jesus? Here’s another question – how might you exercise your faith today by doing something He has told you to do that doesn’t come naturally to you? 

Jesus, You CALL INTO BEING WHAT DOESN’T EXIST. Please call into being my total obedience to what You tell me to do.

Would you like an organized and convenient way to record your praises and prayer requests? Grab a copy of the Prayers of My Heart prayer journal HERE.

Have you ever looked at yourself and thought, “I need a makeover”? Have you wondered how you could build a better life? If so, the answer is found in Hebrews 3:4 which tells us God is “the builder of all things.” 

Yes, Jesus was more than a small-town carpenter. He built the heavens and earth. Jesus built a global church from a small number of men and women. If He can build the heavens and all creation and if He can recreate us at our spiritual birth, He can remodel us and in fact, wants to. 

If we have attempted to improve ourself but failed, perhaps it’s because we have been attempting a DIY (Do It Yourself) makeover and we need a professional. 

Ask the Lord, the builder of all things, to reconstruct your thoughts, to remodel your desires, and to enlarge the sunroom of your heart so it is a place where He and you meet. Ask Jesus to remodel you to think and look like Him. 

Jesus, BUILDER OF ALL THINGS, You are my Savior Carpenter. You took nails that were meant for me on Your holy body. Reconstruct my mind and heart so I am a holy place in whom You dwell; where others can draw near and see You. 

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The 365 Days of Praise Daily Devotional is also now available in print. Purchase your copy HERE. 

Have you ever walked through an unwatered garden of wilted plants? If so, you noticed there was little fruit, if any. 

What a difference when you walk through a well-watered garden; one loved and tended to by the owner. Flowers and fruit abound. The garden has a fragrant aroma. The gardener has withheld nothing and has committed everything to care for the plants. 

In Jeremiah 31:12 God is described as a Gardner and His people like a well-watered garden. “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, and they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—and their life will be like a watered garden, and they will never languish again.” 

If you are languishing and are spiritually wilted, I understand. Life can drain us at times. But rather than stay that way, go to your Heavenly Father. Open your Bible. Soak in His words. Be refreshed by His Spirit. 

BOUNTIFUL Lord, thank You that although life can be draining, I don’t have to be dry and languish. Rather, in You, I can find an ever-present supply and flow of love, joy, peace, and strength that provides bountifully for all I need. I praise You and give You thanks. 

Do you make it a habit to spend time with God each day? If this is something you struggles with, 365 Days of Praise is the perfect devotional to help you deepen your time in His presence and reflect on His incredible attributes. Get your copy HERE.

Does sin weigh you down? It does me when I sin. As long as we’re in earthly bodies, we’re going to sin. But, and this is big—because Jesus died for our sins, we’re declared righteous and we’re also called to be righteous. 

In other words, we are to die to sin as 1 Peter 2:24 explains. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Jesus bore our sin in His body “so that…”. Jesus suffered so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. 

One thing God convicted me about years ago was that if it is important enough for Jesus to die on the cross so sin might be removed from my life, then I should want sin removed from my life. I should despise it and turn from it. 

If you’ve read my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, or have been to my P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference, you recall how we can mindfully P.R.A.Y. (praise, repent, ask, yield) in response to knowing Jesus bore our sins. Will you pray with me the following? 

Lord Jesus, I praise you. Savior, who BORE MY SIN in Your body on the cross so that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. Forgive me when I fail to acknowledge how offensive my sin is to You. Quicken me to yield to You rather than sin when I’m tempted. Help me mindfully yield to Your Spirit and power. 

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.

Have you ever come to the conclusion that there are few people you can really trust? When we’re told one thing and then find out the person never intended to follow through on their promises, it’s disheartening. That’s why we appreciate descriptions of God like we find in Psalm 18:30, “As for God, His way is blameless.” 

Once again the Bible reiterates what we need and long to hear—that we can look to and fully trust our Lord. He is blameless, which in Hebrew means “whole, entire, sound, complete, wholesome, unimpaired, having integrity, entirely in accord with truth and fact.” 

Reread the definition of blameless and celebrate and praise the Lord for who He is. Confidently voice your faith in Jesus Christ. Let the integrity of the blameless Lord shine through you. 

Lord, thank You that I can look to and trust You, Your Word and ways, BLAMELESS One! 

Want to learn more about building your confidence and trust in God? Watch this video by Debbie.

Are you alone? Are you emotionally all over the place? Are you broken? Are you sick? Ezekiel 34:16 tells us that God is in the business of tending to the lost, the scattered, the broken, and the sick. Listen to God’s promise. “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick.” 

Yes, there are times in our lives when we feel like we can’t take one more step or perhaps we can’t get through the day or night. How do we manage in those times? We remember that our Heavenly Father sees us, cares for us, and is with us. We turn to Him. We pray. We read the Bible, and are reminded of His love and guided by His truths. 

God didn’t create a scattered, lost, and sick world. He created a world that was beautiful, peaceful, and perfect. All that for which our heart longs we will one day experience in His presence. 

If you are struggling, begin keeping a gratitude journal of God’s faithfulness. It will encourage you, gladden your heart, and strengthen you. 

Heavenly Father, Thank You that You are a God who BINDS UP the many ways I am broken and brings restoration to my soul. I love You. 

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. Purchase your copy HERE. 

Have you noticed that hate between people seems to be in the news more than love is in the news? That’s what makes God the Father and Jesus’ love for us so jaw dropping. 

Think about it for a minute. Jesus, at age 12, described the temple as the house of His Heavenly Father and in so doing claimed familial intimacy with God. At Jesus’ baptism, His Heavenly Father claimed intimacy with Him, saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). “Beloved Son” is a term that means esteemed, dear, favorite Son. 

Yes, believers are sons and daughters of God. Yet when we ponder the magnitude of our Heavenly Father’s sacrifice in sending His favorite only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16), and when we think of the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice when He left His Heavenly Father to come to earth to die for us, we can’t help but have profound gratitude and wonder at their love. 

Heavenly Father and BELOVED SON, I praise You for Your magnanimous love, grace, and sacrifice. Thank You! I love You. 

One of our key verses 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.