Pray with Purpose
You Are Mistaken If You Think God is the God of the Dead
Jesus is the one talking. He has just told those who were asking Him questions that they were mistaken. Imagine that. Humans can make mistakes. Then Jesus referred to people in the Old Testament. To people who consider the Old Testament irrelevant, please consider that Jesus often quoted from it. As a matter of fact, scholars have recorded examples of Jesus’ Old Testament references, citing that “in the four Gospels, 180 of the 1,800 verses that report His discourses are either Old Testament quotes or Old Testament allusions.” (https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu). Such is the case in this instance when Jesus was asked about marriage relationships after people died and were resurrected.
In Matthew 22:31-32 Jesus answered their question saying, “…regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
God is not the God of the dead. Think about those words. Sometimes in the past when I’ve been asked if my parents are still alive, I’ve responded that they are dead. Based on Jesus’ statement, they are not dead. The next time someone asks me about them, I’m going to say, “They’re living in heaven.” What about you? How will you respond to questions about your loved ones who are no longer with you?
GOD OF THE LIVING, I praise You for receiving my loved ones into Your presence. Thank You that I, too, will live in Your presence one day.
The God of the Living is always present and wants us to communicate and have fellowship with Him through prayer. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.
What Kind of Fragrance Are You?
Do you enjoy pleasant fragrances? Did you know that God does, too? Did you know you can be a pleasant fragrance to God? Ephesians 5:2 explains how we can be a sweet aroma. Paul writes, “…walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Christ’s sacrificial love and life were a fragrant aroma to God. In like manner, we can walk in love, sacrificially, and be a sweet aroma to God.
What if we haven’t been walking in sacrificial love, but rather been selfish or unloving? We can acknowledge our sin, repent, and be filled with the sweet Spirit of Christ.
When writing my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, I used my daughter’s puppy as an example of how we carry the fragrance of whatever we hold close to our hearts. Bailey, her puppy, had a distinct puppy odor. After holding her one day, I noticed her odor remained on me. It wasn’t pleasant so I showered and changed clothes. Just like a dog has an odor, so does sin. If we’re clinging to a “pet” sin or living for ourselves rather than sacrificially for God, He gets a whiff of our selfishness.
What can we do to rid ourselves of the unpleasant odor of sin? Change, as I changed my clothes. Put the sin aside. Bathe in God’s forgiveness and grace. Serve the Lord and you will be a sweet aroma to Him and others.
Christ Jesus, I praise You for walking in love and giving Yourself as an offering and sacrifice to God; a FRAGRANT AROMA. Help me to be a fragrance of You to God and others.
Today, on Good Friday, we remember with the utmost gratitude Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which made a way for everyone to be reconciled to God, forgiven of sin, and to receive the gift of eternal life. If you don’t know Jesus, get to know Him today by clicking HERE. If you’d like to learn more about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE.
When You Want to Run Away, Run Here
Do you ever want to run away from your circumstances, the world’s evils, or perhaps your own wayward thoughts? If so, go to God, who David likens to a stronghold.
In Biblical times, a stronghold was a high place, a place of retreat, and for many years it was David’s safe house.
In 2 Samuel 22:3, after the Lord saved him from Saul, David wrote these words of praise, “My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge.”
Is God your stronghold? If so, you are well aware that He wants you to come to Him. You are well aware that you can leave your fears, Satan’s lies, and your waywardness and go to the Lord as your stronghold.
Do you have a story of a time when you sought God as your stronghold; you retreated to Him in prayer? Or perhaps you took refuge in His promises in the Bible and by doing so, He kept you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally safe?
If so, look for ways to share your testimony with others and how God was there for you. It may be the very way God wants to use you today.
Heavenly Father, thank You for being my STRONGHOLD. Thank You that I can scale the heights of heaven and Your Word and find renewed strength in Your presence. Open my eyes and ears to someone with whom I can share the good news about You.
Learn to go to God, your stronghold, in prayer through Debbie’s book, Pray With Purpose, Live With Passion. Purchase your copy HERE.
Has Anyone Ever Sacrificed Something for You?
Has anyone ever sacrificed something for you? Have they sacrificed sleep so you could rest? Have they sacrificed advancing so you could succeed? Have they sacrificed their plans so you could pursue yours? Sometimes we sacrifice, but do so begrudgingly.
Ephesians 5:2 tells us Jesus willingly sacrificed His life for us. “…walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Not only did Jesus willingly sacrifice His life for us, but He was also the only perfect and completely acceptable sacrifice to God for our sins. Under the law of Moses, high priests were appointed to offer sacrifices in the temple day after day for their own sins and the sins of the people. However, Jesus provided a better way. He became both the perfect Priest and the perfect Sacrifice.
Jesus is holy, blameless, pure, and set apart. Unlike the earthly priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day for His own sins and our sins. He sacrificed for our sins once for all when He offered Himself willingly on the cross (Hebrews 7:24-28). When He did, He thought of us, not Himself. He did what we could never do for ourselves.
Lord Jesus, thank You for willingly giving up Your glory, Your comfort, and Your life for me; for being a SACRIFICE to God on my behalf so that I can be reconciled to You. Help me sacrificially fulfill Your commission and tell others about You.
Discover the joy of praying more purposefully and living passionately for Christ as He equips you to do His work on earth. Get a copy of Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion HERE. The book can be used as a personal study or a 10-week group study.
Thank You for Your Prayers
Do you feel under fire by a barrage of personal, financial, physical, spiritual, or other attacks? If so, call out to your Heavenly Father, who David describes in Psalm 3:3 as a shield about him. Put on the spiritual armor He’s given you (Ephesians 6:13). Take His Word and soak your heart and mind in it (Psalm 119:97-98, 110-111, 114). Jesus hasn’t left us alone to suffer through life’s trials by ourselves. Cover yourself with His love and truth (from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion).
The above words are from an excerpt of my book. Although you likely agree they are true, they are not always easy words to live by. Would you agree?
I am personally walking through a trial and would appreciate your prayers. I am having a lung biopsy this morning. We are praying that our Great Physician has gone before us and that the mass that was seen on a PET scan is not what it appears to be to the surgeon; but rather, is benign. While no one likes the fire of trials, I can testify to the Lord’s goodness, faithfulness, peace, and that He shields us from fear and enables us to walk by faith. We serve a good God who loves us. Our trials are not a surprise to Jesus so I pray you run to Him, call out to Him, and are assured He loves you and is with you every step of the way; as I am assured He is with me this morning. Thank you for joining us in our prayer for a benign result.
Lord Jesus, You are a SHIELD about us. Thank You for Your love and for always being with us. Use us for Your glory.
The Lord is always present and wants us to talk to Him. Learn to pray more purposefully through Debbie’s book, “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.”
The Gift of A Comforter
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 felt like minus 11. If only we had power and water. We had neither.
The winter storm continued, and our driveway was too icy to get down. If you’ve lived in an area affected by winter storms, 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 had once taken for granted, we now deeply appreciated.
So, too, our spiritual Comforter, who 2 Corinthians 1:3 describes as the God of All Comfort, is a blessing when we are experiencing life’s storms. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, 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.” God gives believers 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. 1
Heavenly Father, You are the GOD of ALL COMFORT. Please comfort those who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Strengthen them as only You can.
1 Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67. Copyright Howard Publishing 2006, Debbie Taylor Williams, Monroe, LA
Have You Ever Wished You Had Someone to…
Have you ever wished you had someone to watch your back? Or better, to watch over your soul – your mind, emotions, and will? The fact is, believers have just that person in Jesus. First Peter 2:25 tells us “…you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” When doing research for my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion about God being the guardian of our soul, I discovered that the word “guardian” is translated from the Greek word episkopos and means an “overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing that things done by another are done rightly.” (page 98) What a blessing for us to have God as the Guardian of our souls!
God assumes responsibility for being the Guardian of our soul, but it is our responsibility to tune into Him and follow what He tells us to do both in the Bible and when the Holy Spirit prompts us during the day. Begin each day prayerfully greeting God and lifting up your soul to Him. Invite Him to fill your soul, then pay attention to His prompts throughout the day. You know how I value opening my prayer journal every morning and recording His attribute that I share with you. Being still in God’s presence with pen in hand and journal open is an invitation for God to prompt us how to pray and also what He wants us to do. If you haven’t yet tried journaling, this time in our lives is a perfect time. Prayers of My Heart Journal
LORD, thank You for being the GUARDIAN of our souls. Help us be ever sensitive to Your Word and will.
Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion
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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.
Give Me Jesus
“In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.” The words, “In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus,” are written in bold letters on a plaque my daughter gave me several years ago. I see it every day. Give me Jesus. Yes, I want Jesus in my day, in my decisions, and moments. But certainly, another plaque could hang in heaven. “In the morning when she rises, give me Debbie.” Yes, rather than our relationship with Christ being one way, one in which we benefit from Christ being in our lives, isn’t Christ also to benefit from us being His child? Aren’t we supposed to be serving Him and His purposes? The answer is yes. If you realize your relationship with Christ is one way, get a copy of my book, “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion” at Amazon. Begin a two-way relationship with Jesus.
I’ll Be Back
“I’ll be back,” I assured our lab puppy the first time I left her. I knew Katie didn’t understand my words, but wanted to establish a routine so she’d learn I’d return. As Jesus neared the end of His earthly ministry, He explained to His disciples He was leaving, but He’d be back. He did what He said He was going to do. He died on the cross, was buried three days, rose from the grave, and returned to them just as He said. Before His ascension, He told them He was going to His Heavenly Father, but He’d be back. The disciples believed Him and lived in anticipation of Christ’s return. Do you believe Him – that He’ll be back? Are you preparing for His return? If not, watch my free videos of End Times. Prepare for when Christ comes back.
Drowning Eagles
Recently I was reminded of a National Geographic special about how eagles catch fish. Eagles fly high above the water and with their keen eyesight spot a fish, then dive for it. They grab the fish with their talons and fly to shore to eat it. However, on occasion, an eagle grabs a fish heavier than it can carry. With their talons deep in the fish, they can be taken into the water and drown. That can happen to us, too. Well intentioned Christians can believe they have a handle on sin, but in fact, it takes them down. 1 Peter is filled with examples of drowning sins that we can avoid. Get your copy of “Experiencing Grace and Peace in Cultural Chaos,“ a 5-week study that will help you avoid drowning in sins and help you soar in your Christian walk.