Live with Passion

Our nation and the world are going through what some would call a physically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually difficult time.  What should we do in times like this? Shed God’s light, whom James 1:17 describes as the FATHER OF LIGHTS. The prince of darkness, Satan, would love nothing more than for us to stumble in darkness. But James points to our hope.  “Every good thing is given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the FATHER OF LIGHTS, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Charles Ryrie comments on this verse, saying, “God is the source of all light – physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual – and He does not change.”* Rather than stumble physically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, we can pray with all our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits and walk day by day shedding the illumination of the FATHER OF LIGHTS.

Father of Lights, illumine our hearts, minds, souls, and spirit with Your Light so we walk as children of Light and spread Your Light to others. 

Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion Bible study coming soon. 

You’re the best! Yes, you. I’m thinking of YOU. I see you and what you are doing. You’re the one who is devoted to your family and doing above and beyond.  You encourage your children to follow Christ and His teachings. I see you. You’re the man or woman who lives alone. Your spouse has died and it’s been rough. But you are continuing on – one day at a time, trusting God.  I see you. You are a quiet, humble person. You wrote out a check to Hill Country Ministries. You said you are glad that we have two of my studies being taught to a group of 50 inmates in prison and to another 50 after that and another 50. I see you. You have  dealt with alcoholism. You confided in me and it has been an honor to pray for you. I celebrate your sobriety and all God is doing in your life. I see you. You are leading my Bible study, “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion” in your church. You prepare beforehand to lead your group. You pray for the ladies. I see you. You were concerned God wasn’t using you, but God used your phone call to prompt me to offer my Kids Time devotional for parents and grandparents to use with their little ones. I see you. You are Christ’s beloved daughter and son and God is using you. In ways we praise God for who He is, I see Him in you because you are being transformed into His image. “But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit,” 2 Corinthians 3:18  Yes, I see you, and more importantly, God sees you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our Heavenly Father. Thank You, sweet Jesus, for offering Yourself as our mediator, and that we can come before You, kneel in Your presence, pour out our hearts and be filled with Your Spirit. Thank You for the sweet saints who are living out their faith and being used by You. Comfort them. Give them Your joy. Help them celebrate Your presence.

If you’d like information about my online Bible study, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, reply to this email or email me at [email protected].  You will be able to do it at a time that is convenient to you. 

One blanket. Two blankets. Three blankets. Four. Keith and I sat in front of the fire trying to get warm. The winter storm had brought a temperature of 3 degrees that the weatherman said, “feels like minus 11.” If only we had power and water. We had neither. The winter storm continued and we couldn’t get down our icy driveway to get to our children’s homes.  If you’ve lived in an area affected by a winter storm you know how devastating the cold can be. Especially if you run out of wood, which happened to us. We couldn’t complain, though. We had a comforter. A comforter that we may take for granted is more than appreciated during a winter storm. So, too, is a spiritual Comforter when we’re experiencing life’s storms. Second Corinthians 1:3 describes the as Lord as the God of All Comfort. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, or we are experiencing a literal storm, the God of all Comfort comforts us like none other. Why?  The Greek word for comfort means “to call to one’s side, speak to, in the way of exhortation, console, teach.” How incredible that God gives every believer the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. Our Comforter is an abiding presence who will never wear out, never become threadbare, and never leave us. The more we blanket our lives with His teachings, the more we’ll know the warmth of His abiding presence.

 Adapted from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67.

Sweet friends, you are in my prayers as you suffer through life’s storms.

Heavenly Father, You are the God of all COMFORT! Please comfort all who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Bring resources to help them. Strengthen them as only You can. In Jesus’s name, amen.

I’ve had the blessing of holding our newborn children and grandchildren. Holding them was no problem. They weren’t heavy. As a matter of fact, it was a delight to hold them. I could intently gaze on their faces. I could pray for them. The more I held them, the deeper my love grew. Wouldn’t it have been silly if our little ones had argued, “Don’t hold me. I’m too heavy.” Or, what if they had said, “I don’t want to bother you. You don’t need to hold me.” In light of that, consider our Heavenly Father’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will UPHOLD you with My righteous right hand.” In the Bible, God’s right hand symbolizes His strength. His right hand is a strong righteousness hand. We can relax in His grip, in Him. As He upholds us, we become increasingly aware of His deep, abiding love for us. If you feel like you are faltering and unsure of your steps, rest assured – God has you.

LORD, Thank You for UPHOLDING us with Your righteous right hand. Thank You for the depth of Your love for us. Thank You that we don’t have to be afraid.  

“For I am the Lord your God, who UPHOLDS your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’”  Isaiah 41:13

*Copyright Debbie Taylor Williams, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. This is the book that began my collection of God’s 365 names, titles, and attributes. It features chapters that give an in-depth description of 26 of His A-Z names and includes lined space for you to record your prayers, repentance, and praise. Also included are discussion questions for group or personal study. I pray it blesses and deepens your prayer life.  It also makes a great Christmas gift for friends and family as they begin 2021. BUY NOWat hillcountryministries or AMAZON. 

Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE LIGHT who enlightens every man. May we be lighthouses through whom You shine.

“There was the TRUE LIGHT which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” John 1:9

Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion: How Praising God Can Transform Your Life – on Amazon

Have you ever thought, really thought, about Jesus washing His disciples’ stinky feet? Or, about His words in John 13:14?  “If I then, the Lord and the TEACHER, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Lord and TEACHER on His knees washing feet? Messy. Time-consuming. Dirty. Unpleasant. The act had to do with more than simply washing feet, though. It was about humility, servanthood, forgiveness. Our Lord and TEACHER physically illustrated what He would do spiritually through His substitutionary death on the cross for us. It would be messy (a bloody mess).  He would wash our filth and sins from us – no longer counting them against us.  Now He tells us, in turn, to go and do as He did. Take the time. Humbly forgive. One person at a time.

Jesus, Lord, and Teacher, thank You for washing us and cleansing us of our sins. Make us increasingly mindful of following Your example.