Blessings of Good Hope

[HOLY] SPIRIT MAKES ALIVE” (2 Corinthians 3:6).

I have since realized that I really need the help of the Holy Spirit, my Perfect Father’s Gift to me, and I need Him quite often. You see, the Holy Spirit can do something very supernatural—HE CAN MAKE THINGS THAT ARE DEAD, COME ALIVE. He can change darkness into Light…brokenness into Wholeness…guilt into Blamelessness.

What do you have that needs the supernatural touch of your Father’s Gift, the Holy Spirit? Is it hopelessness…brokenness…confusion? What is there in your life that is dead—that needs the touch of the Holy Spirit, in order to come alive? Maybe you need Love for someone you have not been able to love. Maybe you need Forgiveness for someone you have not been able to forgive. Maybe you need Patience for your circumstances or the people in your life.

“NOT THAT WE ARE SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES TO THINK ANY THING AS OF OURSELVES; BUT OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

Know that the Father will not hold back His Gift, the Holy Spirit, whenever you ask for Him, because your sufficiency is of God.

I bless you to ask!

I bless you!

February 4 May You Love God Enough to Obey Him

There came a point in my life when I yearned to experience my Father’s Presence, all the time, and when I longed to hear His voice, every day. I asked Him how that was possible…and He answered, “Love Me and obey Me, even with your THOUGHTS!”

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you today with an anointing to love God
with your entire spirit, soul, and body…and your THOUGHTS.

Believe that God wishes to be loved by moment-by-moment obedience to the Counsel of His Spirit: obedience to His promptings to follow His Light…obedience to His urgings to accept His Truth…obedience to His pressings to avail of His Hope…obedience to His admonitions to appropriate His Wisdom.

“IF ANYONE LOVES ME, HE WILL OBEY MY TEACHING…
AND I WILL SHOW MYSELF TO HIM.”

Grasp that God desires to be loved with an acute moment-by-moment obedience to surrender everything…even your THOUGHTS, to the promptings of His Spirit, BECAUSE GOD YEARNS TO BE REVEALED TO YOU, ALL THE TIME, EVERY DAY, in your THOUGHTS. Your Father longs to unveil His Love to you, demonstrate His Power to you, and expose His Righteousness to you, but He needs your yielding to the Counsel of His Spirit in order for you to be able to see and hear and taste His Love in your THOUGHTS. His Love is always available to you, but it is your surrender to His Counsel that enables you to experience His Love.

Your moment-by-moment obedience to surrender
renders His moment-by-moment revelation.

“SO NOW WE SERVE NOT UNDER [OBEDIENCE TO] THE OLD CODE OF WRITTEN REGULATIONS, BUT [UNDER OBEDIENCE TO THE PROMPTINGS] OF THE SPIRIT IN NEWNESS [OF LIFE]” (Romans 7:6 AMP).

I bless you!
 
February 5 Your Father Loves You

I bless you today with an anointing
to love your Father enough to be willing to obey Him.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I have discovered that when someone is rude and inconsiderate toward me, it is not the person’s rudeness and inconsideration that bother me the most, but my BELIEFS that result from the rude person’s behavior—that I AM NOT LOVABLE or that I AM NOT LOVED. Usually, in times like these, I start defending myself to prove that I AM loved and lovable. That just makes matters worse.

I bless you to understand that your Perfect Father wants to SHOW you that you ARE still loved and lovable even when someone is rude and inconsiderate toward you. The Lord Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you in your sadness of feeling unloved and unlovable. However, God needs your participation—TO BE WILLING TO OBEY HIM. I am not talking about obedience to rules and regulations, but obedience to surrender to God’s Counsel. This obedience means focusing on YOUR OWN HEART when someone is rude and inconsiderate toward you, instead of focusing on the person who displayed this unpleasant behavior. Admit that you feel unloved and unlovable, turn your focus to God, and ask Him to help you with your own heart.

And God will honor your obedience! He will show you the Truth. He will show you how much He loves you.

“HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM
AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM”

I bless you!
 
February 6 God Can Do More Than What You Can Imagine

“NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE, ACCORDING TO HIS POWER THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US, TO HIM BE GLORY” (Ephesians 3:20).

It is hard to let go of anxiety, is it not?

Many times, I want to help God figure things out for me. I would ask for deliverance, but then I would imagine the solution. I actually like to map out the whole plan for Him of how He can solve my problem. At the very least, I like to give Him some suggestions. Sometimes, I cannot visualize a solution and then I think to myself, “My Father must not have a solution either, since I cannot picture it myself.”

I had to let go of this pattern and learn that the Perfect Father—the God of Power—works things out in ways I do not understand. Just because I do not SEE and UNDERSTAND the solution does not mean God does not HAVE one. He can do immeasurably more than I can ask, and immeasurably more than I can imagine.

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD”
(Philippians 4:6).

I bless you to present your request to the God of Power. Tell Him what bothers you. Present Him your problem…your loneliness…your confusion. Then leave Him to His own Power and Imagination to solve your problem. He does not need your help.

I bless you!
 
February 7 May You Be Strengthened

Today I bless you to listen to this beautiful message from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians. It is an encouraging message of Hope and Power. Listen. Absorb. Embrace.

“I PRAY ALSO THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU, THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, AND HIS INCOMPARABLE GREAT POWER FOR US WHO BELIEVE. THAT POWER IS LIKE THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY STRENGTH, WHICH HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS, FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY, POWER AND DOMINION, AND EVERY TITLE THAT CAN BE GIVEN, NOT ONLY IN THE PRESENT AGE BUT ALSO IN THE ONE TO COME”
(Ephesians 1:18-21).

For what or whom in your life do you need your Father’s incomparable great Power? Is it for something in your past…for something in your future…or for something or someone right now?

“THAT POWER IS LIKE THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY STRENGTH, WHICH HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS”

What is missing in your life that needs to be raised from the dead and made alive? Is it your faith? Is it your love? Is it your strength…your desire to live?

May the eyes of your heart be enlightened in order that you may know the Hope to which your Father, the God of Hope, has called you, and the mighty Strength with which He can make anything come alive in your PAST…in your PRESENT…and in your FUTURE.

I bless you!
 
February 8 All Authority Has Been Given to Jesus

“THEN JESUS CAME TO THEM AND SAID, ‘ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME” (Matthew 28:18).

Grasp that all Rule and Power has been given to Jesus by the Perfect Father. The Father did this for you. Know that this Authority is genuine and not counterfeit and no other force can hold up against it. Be encouraged that the authority of Jesus applies to your past, your future, and this present age in which you are living.

“CHRIST…FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY, POWER AND DOMINION, AND EVERY TITLE THAT CAN BE GIVEN, NOT ONLY IN THE PRESENT AGE BUT ALSO IN THE ONE TO COME” (Ephesians 1:21).

Know that you have an enemy who is an impostor and deceiver, and who loves to feign authority to dishearten and frighten you. He will try to convince you that SHAME is the authority that will always reign in your life…that ABANDONMENT is the authority that will always rule your life…that CONDEMNATION is the authority that will always prevail. Do not fall for the father-of-lies’ deception.

Believe that the Lord Jesus can demolish any counterfeit authority of shame, abandonment, or condemnation that the father-of-lies has set up against you…BECAUSE ALL AUTHORITY BELONGS TO JESUS, and God sent the Spirit of His son into our hearts.

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

REALIZE THAT THE PERSON
WHO HOLDS ALL AUTHORITY
LIVES IN YOU.

I bless you to submit all counterfeit authority of abandonment, condemnation, and shame to the Lord Jesus, who is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion…in the past…in the present age…and in the future.

I bless you!
 
February 9 God Provides a Way out

“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN”
(1 Corinthians 10:13).

I bless you to understand that when your enemy tempts you, he does not appear as a little red man with horns, using black magic. He uses DECEPTION: the principle of luring you to believe something that is not true. Although his ways are disguised, they are not mysterious and insolvable. The father-of-lies will use your own thoughts and reasoning—your own understanding—as bait to lure you into his deception. He will intercept your thoughts and imbue them with his own lies of shame, abandonment, and condemnation, attempting to draw you farther and farther away from your Perfect Father. Then, he routinely repeats the customary moves familiar to him on everybody else worldwide.

I love the movie Sherlock Holmes, released in 2009. The bad guy appears to have magical powers with which he threatens panic-stricken people. However, in the end, the detective, Holmes, exposes the villain’s black “magic” as mere DECEPTION.

“AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Keep in mind that although your enemy desires to stay hidden and secretive, his ways are not mysterious and hidden to God. Be convinced that God knows with certainty how your enemy entices, cajoles, seduces, and ensnares. AND GOD KNOWS THE WAY OUT!

When you stand at the battlefront and the pain of abandonment, shame, and condemnation is in your face, God stands ready to be your Sherlock Holmes—to expose the deception and lead you out of the pain. You do not have to use the sinful defense patterns your adversary offers you to still your heartache. Instead, God is offering you HIS SOLUTION, so that you can stand up under the DECEPTION. Will you take His hand?

I bless you!
 
February 10 God Made You for Himself

“WHAT AGREEMENT IS THERE BETWEEN THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND IDOLS? FOR WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD. AS GOD HAS SAID: ‘I WILL LIVE WITH THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY WILL BE MY PEOPLE’” (2 Corinthians 6:16).

One day, on my prayer walk, I asked God why he made me. What was the main purpose He brought me into this world? He answered, “I made you for Myself. I delight in you.” Then I realized that to my Perfect Father it is all about the RELATIONSHIP. He made us so that He could live with us and walk among us…TO BE OUR GOD AND FOR US TO BE HIS PEOPLE.

I have further come to realize that the Perfect Father went to a lot of trouble to make this RELATIONSHIP possible. He sent His son, Jesus, to save us FOR HIMSELF. Jesus did not come on His own accord. HE CAME BECAUSE THE FATHER SENT HIM.

“FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM” (John 3:17).

The Perfect Father is also the One who sent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not come on His own accord. HE CAME BECAUSE THE FATHER SENT HIM.

“BUT THE COUNSELOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS AND WILL REMIND YOU OF EVERYTHING I HAVE SAID TO YOU” (John 14:26).

I bless you to know that the Perfect Father longs to have a relationship with YOU. He sent His Son, Jesus, AND the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to make this relationship with YOU possible.

I bless you!
 
February 11 May You Experience the Love of Jesus

“MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF CHRIST, THOUGH IT IS TOO GREAT TO UNDERSTAND FULLY. THEN YOU WILL BE MADE COMPLETE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF LIFE AND POWER THAT COMES FROM GOD” (Ephesians 3:19).

I live in the mountains and I love to take a walk each day on one particular dirt road that forms a complete circle. During my walk, I always talk to God about everything and everyone in my life. Sometimes I have specific questions for Him. Sometimes I feel hopeless, lonely, or angry. Sometimes I talk to God about a perturbing perception in my mind. Sometimes I walk around the whole circle crying. Sometimes I laugh and rejoice. Whatever happens in my life, I share it all with God on my walk around the circle.

Do you know what? I have noticed that God has been walking with me around this circle of dirt road. There is this one particular spot in the circle where the Lord Jesus assured me that everything I did mattered. Then there is the other spot where He asked me to trust and obey Him when I felt lost and confused. Then there is the spot where He just embraced me with His Presence when I was going through the valley of the shadow of death. At another spot, He filled me with Acceptance. The whole circle is marked with spots where the Lord Jesus met with me.

I have EXPERIENCED the Love of Jesus on my walks, although it is too great to understand fully. With each EXPERIENCE of His Presence He has been making me complete with all the fullness of Life and Power that comes from God.

May you, too EXPERIENCE the Love of Christ, often, so that you can be made complete and become mature with all the fullness of Life and Power from God. MAY YOU KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE.

“WE KNOW ALSO THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE” (1 John 5:20).

I bless you!
 
February 12 Your Worth Is Established by God

“HE HAD NO BEAUTY OR MAJESTY TO ATTRACT US TO HIM,
NOTHING IN HIS APPEARANCE THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM.
HE WAS DESPISED AND REJECTED BY MEN,
A MAN OF SORROWS, AND FAMILIAR WITH SUFFERING.
LIKE ONE FROM WHOM MEN HIDE THEIR FACES
HE WAS DESPISED, AND WE ESTEEMED HIM NOT.
BUT HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS,
HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES;
THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS UPON HIM,
AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED”
(Isaiah 53:2-5).

I bless you to believe that your PERFECT FATHER is the One who established YOUR worth. HE is the One who settled YOUR value. HE put the price tag on YOU. On the price tag, Your Father wrote…JESUS.

Jesus was pierced…for you.
He was crushed…for you.
The Father did this…for you.
That is how much you are worth…to Him.

I bless you!
 
February 13 Put Your Trust in God’s Love

“MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF CHRIST, THOUGH IT IS TOO GREAT TO UNDERSTAND FULLY. THEN YOU WILL BE MADE COMPLETE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF LIFE AND POWER THAT COMES FROM GOD” (Ephesians 3:19).

I bless you to trust in God’s Holy Love. God’s Love never ends. God’s Love never fails. God’s Love is perfect.

Do not put your trust in what might happen in the future. Put your trust in God’s Love. Do not put your trust in what is happening in the present. Put your trust in God’s Love. Do not put your trust in your experience of the past. Put your trust in God’s Love.

“FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD” (Romans 8:38-39).

Put your trust in God’s Love. Do not allow rejection and condemnation to convince you that God does not love you anymore. Do not let abandonment persuade you that God has abandoned you, too. Do not allow shame to tell you that you are not good enough for God. Instead, invite God’s Love, which surpasses the knowledge you have of Him, into your experiences of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. Let Him root and establish you in His Love. When you experience how wide and long and high the Perfect Father’s Love is for you, you will be made complete.

“AND I PRAY THAT YOU, BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, MAY HAVE POWER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS, TO GRASP HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS, AND TO KNOW THIS LOVE THAT SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE—THAT YOU MAY BE FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

I bless you!
 
February 14 Love Rejoices with the Truth

“LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND. IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD. IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES, NEVER FAILS” (1 Corinthians 13:1-7).

How do you love when someone is unkind to you…when someone sets forth his own weakness…when someone fails you?

When someone is unkind to you, do not delight in evil, BUT REJOICE WITH THE TRUTH. You see, when someone fails you, that person’s heart is hurting, because his heart is filled with negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies. All kinds of thoughts are swimming in his mind, “I am not good enough. I am not loved. I have no purpose.” He might even be angry with you because he feels that God favors you above him. Then, he becomes easily angered, rude, and self-seeking, as he tries to fix the negative, destructive beliefs in his heart with evil solutions.

So, what do you do when someone fails you? What do you do about the evil thoughts with which the father-of-lies tempts YOU: beliefs that YOU are not good enough…that YOU are not loved…that YOU have no purpose? Do you try to fix evil beliefs with evil solutions, too, becoming angry, self-seeking, and rude? Or do you rejoice with the Truth that nobody can separate you from the Love of your Perfect Father?

I bless you to rejoice with the Truth…and you will be able to meet evil with good. Help the person who failed you to see that he/she, too is loved by the Perfect Father…and the Truth will come full circle.

“FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”
(Romans 8:38-39).

I bless you!
February 15 Only He Who Does the Will of My Father

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’ WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. MANY WILL SAY TO ME ON THAT DAY, ‘LORD, LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME, AND IN YOUR NAME DRIVE OUT DEMONS AND PERFORM MANY MIRACLES?’ THEN I WILL TELL THEM PLAINLY, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

God has a set of good works that He has chosen just for you. That is called your PURPOSE. And this specific set of good works—YOUR PURPOSE—is the Will of the Perfect Father.

God created you for this specific Purpose by matching everything you are to this Purpose: your personality…your talents…even your voice.

For example, God made me with a specific voice and He wants me to speak blessings over people with this voice; therefore, my husband and I make audio CD’s of this message of Hope, Love, and Truth. He gave me specific desires—to want to help people receive Hope, Love, and Truth for their lives. He made me discerning, perceptive, and very calculating, so I could understand how to listen to people’s hearts when I help them find the Truth, Love, and Hope of God. I am being me—the person God made me to be, so He could fulfill His Purpose through my life.

Therefore, I bless you to focus on WHO YOU ARE. Stop focusing on who you are NOT. Ask God to show you WHO YOU ARE—your God-given personality, talents, and desires. Then, BE that person, so that God can fulfill His Purpose through you. This is the Will of the Father.

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO” (Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you!

 
February 16 Hope for Hopelessness

“WE KNOW HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US, AND WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST IN HIS LOVE. GOD IS LOVE, AND ALL WHO LIVE IN LOVE LIVE IN GOD, AND GOD LIVES IN THEM” (1 John 4:16).

We all struggle with beliefs of HOPELESSNESS from time to time: beliefs that there are no solutions to our problems…that there are no open doors available…that there is no way out of our dilemmas.

Since the father-of-lies does not have authority to snatch us from the Father’s hands, he will try to lure us away from God’s Love with his own counsel—thoughts that are not true. His goal is to lure us to the low, lonely place of HOPELESSNESS, where we believe that there are no answers.

This is a place of hatred, envy, and anger. It is a place of murder and suicide. It is a place of sin.

“AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. IF YOU OBEY MY COMMANDS, YOU WILL REMAIN IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE OBEYED MY FATHER’S COMMANDS AND REMAIN IN HIS LOVE. I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS SO THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE” (John 15:9-11).

But the Lord Jesus has shown us that there IS a way out of hopelessness—TO REMAIN IN GOD’S LOVE.

The Lord Jesus has shown us that the way to remain in His Love is through moment-by-moment obedience. This is not a stoic obedience to rules and regulations, but obedience to the living Counsel of His Holy Spirit: to follow HIS Light…to avail of HIS Hope…to accept HIS Truth.

I bless you to not obey the father-of-lies’ counsel when he tries to lure you into his beliefs of hopelessness. Those thoughts with which he is trying to lure you away from God’s Love are not true. Instead, remain in God’s perfect Love by listening for HIS living Counsel of Truth, Love, and Hope. And your hopelessness will turn to Hope.

“IF YOU OBEY MY COMMANDS, YOU WILL REMAIN IN MY LOVE”

I bless you!
 
February 17 There Is a Way Out.

“AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

If I could define hopelessness, I would describe it as the place where there is no hope—THE PLACE WHERE THERE IS NO WAY OUT. When I am hopeless, I feel that I am at a dead-end. I feel that I am stuck. I feel that I am trapped. There is no way out. The father-of-lies is cunning. He is ready for his next move—to suggest that I have been tempted beyond what I can bear. Then, the evil one suggests HIS WAY OUT: hatred…suicide…murder.

But God has shown me that there is no such thing as hopelessness: THERE IS NO PLACE WITHOUT HOPE. THERE IS NO PLACE WHITHOUT A WAY OUT. When we are tempted, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE WAY OUT, so that we can stand up under the lies of the father-of-lies.

“I PRAY ALSO THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU…HIS INCOMPARABLE GREAT POWER” (Ephesians 1:18-19).

May the eyes of your heart be enlightened, so you may see the HOPE to which God is calling you: HIS WAY OUT BY HIS OWN IMCOMPARABLE GREAT POWER. May you stand up when the father-of-lies tells you that you are at a dead-end and there is no way out except hatred, murder, and suicide. Do not listen when he proposes that you take his way out. God ALWAYS has a way out, and He is ALWAYS ready to show it to you.

I bless you!
 
February 18 A New Lifestyle!

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

For a big part of my life, I lived a lifestyle of obeying the lies of the father-of-lies, moment-by-moment…a hundred times a day. When a thought came to mind, I accepted and believed it, and reacted to it in a sinful way. I believed the thoughts that I was not important, that I was not acceptable, and that I had no purpose. But do you know what happens if you continually believe and obey certain thoughts? YOU BECOME A SLAVE TO THOSE THOUGHTS. They start ruling your life.

But then God asked me to change my lifestyle. He invited me to become a slave to His Truth, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Instead of accepting, believing, and reacting to the negative, destructive thoughts of the father-of-lies, God asked me to submit these thoughts to His Perspective, whenever they would enter my mind…a hundred times a day. By doing this, I would open my heart to receive God’s Revelation of Truth.

Today, when I feel I am not important, I yield this belief to God’s Truth. I found out that God has infinite different ways of telling me that He loves me and that I matter, but it requires OBEDIENCE to receive His Love into my heart: the act of submitting to His Counsel of Truth.

I bless you with a desire to change your lifestyle, too. May you yield your negative, destructive thoughts to God’s Truth, instead of accepting, believing, and reacting to them. Then, your obedience will lead to God’s Righteousness in your life.

“BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SLAVES TO GOD, THE BENEFIT YOU REAP LEADS TO HOLINESS, AND THE RESULT IS ETERNAL LIFE” (Romans 6:22).

I bless you!
 
February 19 It Is for Freedom that Christ Set Us Free

“IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE.
STAND FIRM, THEN,
AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY”
(Galatians 5:1).

Know that it is for freedom that the Lord Jesus has set you free: freedom from helplessness…freedom from hopelessness…freedom from powerlessness… freedom from shame…freedom from guilt…freedom from fear…freedom from abandonment…freedom from unworthiness…freedom from condemnation… freedom from sin…freedom from believing that you are a bad person.

If you would allow God’s Counsel into your heart, His Wisdom will set you free from the negative, destructive belief that you do not belong.

If you would invite the Holy Spirit to renew Your mind, His Power will set you free from the oppressing belief that you do not count.

If you would allow Christ into your thoughts, His Truth will set you free from the accusatory thought that you are a lesser being.

“IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE.”

Today, I bless you to throw your arms wide open and receive the freedom that Christ holds out to you. Stand firm in this freedom, and do not allow the father-of-lies to lure you back into slavery with his counsel of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. May you be free, indeed.

“SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED”
(John 8:36).

I bless you!
 
February 20 Jesus, the Much More of Your Salvation

“FOR IF, WHEN WE WERE GOD’S ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO HIM THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, HOW MUCH MORE, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, SHALL WE BE SAVED THROUGH HIS LIFE!” (Romans 5:10).

I was reconciled to the Perfect Father, through the death of His Son, at an early age. That was when I became a Christian. That was a one-time settlement. But, that was only the beginning. I found out that there was more—MUCH MORE—the MUCH MORE OF OUR SALVATION.

Major Ian Thomas once said, “He sent us His Son, not just to get you and me out of Hell and into Heaven, but to get the God of Heaven into you and me.”

The Lord Jesus would like you to know that He was sent by the Perfect Father to live IN you, so that He can share the full Glory of His royal life WITH you. This is not a one-time settlement…but a RELATIONSHIP. Just as the sun rises each day to bring life to this earth, He was sent to impart His glorious Life in you, each day anew…HIS LIFE ABUNDANTLY.

The Perfect Father wants you to know that He did not send His son, Jesus, to restore you to what you had been BEFORE shame happened in your life…BEFORE that someone abandoned you…BEFORE that someone condemned you. The Father wants to tell you that He sent Jesus to give you MORE: MUCH MORE than you had ever had before…MUCH MORE than someone on this earth can give you…MUCH MORE that you can ask or imagine. The Perfect Father sent the Lord Jesus to be the MUCH MORE OF YOUR SALVATION…IN YOU.

“I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE,
AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY”
(John 10:10).

I bless you!
 
February 21 Be Released from Condemnation

“BECAUSE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE SET ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:2).

Maybe you have grown up with a lot of disapproval, criticism, or accusations. The father-of-lies will use these childhood incidences as an opportunity long after the occurrence, to tell you that you are doomed…guilty…unfit for life, BECAUSE YOU ARE CONDEMNED under the law of sin and death.

“THEREFORE, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS” (Romans 8:1).

But there is GOOD NEWS! The Perfect Father sent His son, Jesus Christ, to redeem you from the law of sin and death, by making a new law—the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. This new law can do what you cannot do through striving; it can set you free from condemnation, because Christ Jesus has come to EXCHANGE CONDEMNATION FOR ACCEPTANCE through this law.

Understand that you have a choice: to live according to the law of sin and death, which states that you are guilty, doomed, and unfit for life…or to live under the new law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, in whom there is no condemnation. Jesus has deprived condemnation of its power over you if you allow your accusatory beliefs to be governed by His law of the Spirit of Life. This is an everyday, moment-by-moment decision.

Today, I bless you to be released from condemnation. Admit that your mind is governed by condemnation under the law of sin and death, and that you do not have the power to save yourself from this law. Then, place these accusatory beliefs that deem you doomed, guilty, and unfit for life under the new law of the Spirit of Life. The Lord Jesus will keep setting you free, every day, until your mind is fully governed by Him.

I bless you! 
February 22 Go through the Right Door

“I AM THE DOOR: BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED, AND SHALL GO IN AND OUT, AND FIND PASTURE” (John 10:9).

I have noticed that Jesus is the Door, and that I need to go through Him continually, to be saved from my Self. I have noticed that although I am a Christian, I need to go through Jesus, daily, to rescue me from a hardened heart. I have noticed that I need to go through Jesus, around the clock, to guard me from sinful defense habits and patterns. I have noticed that I need to go through Jesus, dawn to dusk, to keep saving me from feeling abandoned, shamed, and condemned. I cannot make it on my own, although I am a Christian. What have you noticed about yourself?

“THAT, HOWEVER, IS NOT THE WAY OF LIFE YOU LEARNED WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT CHRIST AND WERE TAUGHT IN HIM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH THAT IS IN JESUS. YOU WERE TAUGHT, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS; AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:20-24).

I have noticed that I need Jesus, the Light of the World, to rescue me from my darkened understanding, day and night. I have noticed that I need Jesus, moment-by-moment, to put off my OLD SELF, formed by the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies. I have noticed that I need Jesus, a hundred times a day, to change my unloving attitude. I have noticed that I need Jesus, the Savior, to create in me a NEW SELF—one that is like God in true righteousness and holiness. I have noticed that I cannot put on this NEW SELF by myself, but that I need Jesus, the Redeemer, to put it on for me.

I bless you to notice that you, too, need the Lord Jesus, every day, moment-by-moment, to keep saving you…even if you are already a Christian.

“JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME” (John 14:6).

I bless you!
 
February 23 Jesus, the Tree of Life

“I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

I have noticed that there are two separate worlds out there: the World of Truth and the World of Deception. I would be living in the World of Truth, until, suddenly, a negative thought enters my mind; I accept it, and fall into a deep pit of pain—the World of Deception. Everything is fine one moment…and utterly awful the next. Once I have fallen into this pit of pain, nothing seems to come together for me. Other negative thoughts start bothering me, and soon despair enters. This pit seems like a different world than the one of Love, Hope, and Truth that I was just living in a minute before.

“IF ANYONE DOES NOT REMAIN IN ME, HE IS LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY AND WITHERS; SUCH BRANCHES ARE PICKED UP, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED” (John 15:6).

Be aware that as soon as you are severed from the Tree of Life, you enter into the World of Deception, where the father-of-lies rules. Here, there are only hopelessness, hatred, and lies. Here, it is easy to wither very quickly.

“I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY” (John 17:22-23).

I bless you to stay connected to the Tree of Life at all times. Consider The Perfect Father to be the root of the tree…and Jesus, the trunk…and you, the branch. When you are sad, invite the Hope of the Lord Jesus into your sadness. When you are mad, invite the Love of the Lord Jesus into your madness. When you are bad, invite the saving Power of the Redeemer into your badness. Know that in this Tree of Life is available all the sap—Power, Hope, and Love—that you will ever need to stay in the World of Truth.

I bless you!
 
February 24 Take Your Cross

“AND ANYONE WHO DOES NOT TAKE HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME IS NOT WORTHY OF ME. WHOEVER FINDS HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT” (Matthew 10:38, 39).

I bless you with a special anointing today to take your cross—your weakness…your affliction…your pain—and follow Jesus. He will show you what to do with it. Be determined to take responsibility for your own burdens. Acknowledge your own anger, not the other person’s arrogance. Admit your own pride, not the other person’s failures. Recognize your own hatred, not the other person’s faults.

Be adamant not to hold others accountable for your burdens. May you never place your cross on your friends’ or your enemies’ shoulders. Instead, take hold of your own cross and follow Jesus. Know that anyone who does not take his cross and follow Him, is not worthy of Him.

“WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT”

Be convinced that Jesus, the Light-of-the-World, will shine His Light on you as you take your darkness and expose it to Him. Jesus, your Prince-of-Peace, will grant you Peace, as you take your anxiety and hold it up to Him. Jesus, your Wonderful Counselor, will give you Wisdom and clarity, as you take your confusion and turn it over to Him.

And you will find Power for your weakness, Joy for your pain, and Answers for your affliction.

I bless you!
 
February 25 Seek God with All Your Heart

“YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART” (Jeremiah 29:13).

There came a time in my life when I realized that I could not live with my Self anymore. How often did I want to save my Self from feeling like an insecure little child, but I could not carry it out. How often did I want to rescue my Self from irrational behavior, but I could not perform it. How often did I want to free my Self from the negative thoughts in my own mind, but I could not succeed.

Finally, I sank down in utter powerlessness. I could not live with my tormented Self anymore. I had come to the end of my Self. There was only one thing left to do…and I did it. I SOUGHT GOD WITH ALL MY HEART.

And I found God! I will never forget the time when I went through the valley of the shadow of death. I remember crying out to God, trying to explain to Him what was wrong with me. I tried to explain something that I myself did not understand. And then His Voice in my heart comforted me. God, through His Spirit in my heart, showed me that He was right there with me. I was not alone. I HAD SOUGHT GOD WITH ALL MY HEART…AND I FOUND HIM

“‘I WILL BE FOUND BY YOU,’ DECLARES THE LORD, ‘AND WILL BRING YOU BACK FROM CAPTIVITY’” (Jeremiah 29:14).

And God brought me back from captivity: from the places where abandonment shackled me, where condemnation chained me, and where shame maimed me. When I sought God with all my heart, He brought me out of those debilitating places into His perfect Love, His incomparable Hope, and His free-setting Truth. I stopped belonging to abandonment, shame, and condemnation, and started belonging to God in my thoughts, emotions, and actions.

I am sharing my experience with you to encourage you to seek God with all your heart, no matter what it is that is keeping you captive. My experience taught me that God is stronger than anything that is holding you down. May you seek Him with all your heart…and find Him. I did!

I bless you! 
February 26 Doing Whatever Is Right in Your Own Eyes

“YOU SHALL NOT DO ACCORDING TO ALL WE DO HERE [IN THE CAMP] THIS DAY, EVERY MAN DOING WHATEVER LOOKS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES”
(Deuteronomy 12:8).

One of the biggest lessons I am learning is NOT to do whatever looks right in my own eyes. Doing what is right in my own eyes means to go straight into defense mode when someone is rude to me. Doing what is right in my own eyes means to believe every thought—positive or negative—that enters my mind.

Doing what is right in my own eyes means to rely on my own perturbing perceptions. Doing what is right in my own eyes means to live according to my own sinful nature, following the negative, destructive beliefs instilled in my mind by the father-of-lies. Doing what is right in my own eyes means TO LEAN ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING.

“THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION—BUT IT IS NOT TO THE SINFUL NATURE, TO LIVE ACCORDING TO IT. FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE, YOU WILL DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE, BECAUSE THOSE WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD” (Romans 8:12-14).

I have found that it does not pay off to do whatever is right in my own eyes, because leaning on my own understanding leads to death. I am not talking about death when you LEAVE THIS EARTH, but death here ON THIS EARTH: hopelessness…guilt…darkness.

Are you looking for Hope, Light, and Life? I bless you to understand that you have AN OBLIGATION, but it is not to live according to your own understanding, following the negative, destructive beliefs that live in your mind, BUT TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD INTO NEW BELIEFS OF ACCEPTANCE, WORTH, AND LOVE. Those who are led by the SPIRIT OF GOD are sons of God. They will find Hope, Light, and Life!

I bless you!
 
February 27 God Is Your Covering

“WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT. THEN THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, AND THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED” (Genesis 3:6-7).

When the woman saw that the fruit was good for food, she did what seemed right in her own eyes—she took some and ate it. And after she took the bait that the father-of-lies had offered her, she realized that she was naked—void of God’s Covering of Love, Hope, and Truth.

“YOU SHALL NOT DO ACCORDING TO ALL WE DO HERE [IN THE CAMP] THIS DAY, EVERY MAN DOING WHATEVER LOOKS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES”
(Deuteronomy 12:8).

By accepting the counsel of the father-of-lies, she moved out from under the Truth, Love, and Hope with which the Perfect Father had her covered. She was now exposed to the attacks of the father-of-lies, who inundated her with lies of hopelessness, shame, and unworthiness.

“RATHER, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Romans 13:14).

I bless you to know that the Father provided a new Covering of Hope, Truth, and Love for you under His son, Jesus Christ. Under His wings of Love, you will be safe from the father-of-lies’ words of condemnation, “You are not good enough!” Behind His shield of Truth, you will be protected from the enemy’s accusation, “You do not belong!” Under His Trust, you will be shielded from the evil one’s charge, “You are a disgrace!” BUT IT IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

“HE WILL COVER THEE WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS SHALT THOU TRUST: HIS TRUTH SHALL BE THY SHIELD AND BUCKLER” (Psalm 91:4).

I bless you!
 
February 28 The Covering of Hiding

“WOE TO THE REBELLIOUS CHILDREN, SAITH THE LORD, THAT TAKE COUNSEL, BUT NOT OF ME; AND THAT COVER WITH A COVERING, BUT NOT OF MY SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY ADD SIN TO SIN” (Isaiah 30:1).

I bless you today to be careful about the coverings you fabricate to cover your nakedness: to cover your perception of being shamed…to cover your perception of being unworthy…to cover your perception of being abandoned.

Be on guard against the COVERING OF HIDING. For a very long time, I have covered my perturbing perceptions of abandonment, shame, and unworthiness with depression. Withdrawing into thoughts of lowliness became a hiding place for me. I felt strangely safe there. The problem was that by hiding in depression, my pain did not go away. I found myself dealing with the same pain again a week later…and then again a week after that.

“YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE; YOU WILL PROTECT ME FROM TROUBLE AND SURROUND ME WITH SONGS OF DELIVERANCE” (Psalm 32:7).

Then, one day, the Perfect Father called me to an alternative. Instead of HIDING from my pain, God asked me to FACE my pain and allow Him to see it too. He asked me to make HIM my hiding place, by exposing my perceptions of abandonment, shame, and condemnation to HIS Spirit of Truth. At first, I did not want to face my pain, because the father-of-lies had me believe that it would overwhelm me. But slowly I started coming out of my hiding place to trust God.

One day, when the feeling of being all alone and abandoned came over me again, I exposed this perturbing perception to God and asked Him to help me. And He did! He covered me with His Truth, showing me how the father-of-lies had deceived me into BELIEVING that I was all alone and abandoned. God surrounded me with songs of deliverance.

Do you know what happened? Because I faced my pain of feeling lonely, and made the Spirit of Truth my hiding place, my perception of being abandoned left. I was set free. May you, too, make GOD your hiding place, so you can be set free.

I bless you!
 
March 1 What Did Jesus Do for You?

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE”
(John 3:16).

What have you done that is breaking your heart? What have you done that causes you to feel so tainted, ashamed, and guilty? What have you done that causes you to feel such a failure and a loser? What have you done to make you feel so condemned and blamed?

I bless you to believe that it is not WHAT YOU DID that matters. The only thing that matters is WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID FOR YOU.

“FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM” (John 3:17).

What have others done to break your spirit? What have others done to pour pain and contempt on your life? What have others done to bring abandonment and rejection into your heart?

I bless you to believe that it is not WHAT OTHERS DID that matters. The only thing that matters is WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID FOR YOU. He came to look for you. He came to save you. He came to forgive you.

“FOR THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE WHAT WAS LOST”
(Luke 19:10).

Realize that you matter so much to the Perfect Father, that He sent His son, Jesus, to save you from the effects of anything you might have done, and to save you from the effects of anything others might have done to you.

Be encouraged that the saving Power of the Lord Jesus is bigger than your own sins and mistakes, and far greater than others’ sins and mistakes rendered to your life.

I bless you!
 
March 2 The Spirit of Truth

“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” (John 16:13).

Celebrate that your heavenly Father knows that you have an enemy—the father-of-lies. The Perfect Father did not abandon you here on this earth as an orphan to deal with the father-of-lies and his deception all by yourself. HE FURNISHED YOU WITH THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.

“HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS, AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS YET TO COME. HE WILL BRING GLORY TO ME BY TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE AND MAKING IT KNOWN TO YOU” (John 16:13-14).

Take note that the Spirit of Truth does not stand on His own, but extracts His Truth from the Lord Jesus, taking from what belongs to Jesus, and making it known to YOU. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH and the Life.

“ALL THAT BELONGS TO THE FATHER IS MINE. THAT IS WHY I SAID THE SPIRIT WILL TAKE FROM WHAT IS MINE AND MAKE IT KNOWN TO YOU” (John 16:15).

Furthermore, recognize that the Lord Jesus obtains His Truth from His FATHER. Know that all that belongs to the FATHER belongs to JESUS.

I bless you to be encouraged that God stands by you—FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT—to make sure you are properly equipped with the Truth.

May you live by this Truth.

I bless you!
 
March 3 You Have an Obligation

“YOU, HOWEVER, ARE CONTROLLED NOT BY THE SINFUL NATURE BUT BY THE SPIRIT, IF THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES IN YOU. AND IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE DOES NOT BELONG TO CHRIST. BUT IF CHRIST IS IN YOU, YOUR BODY IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN, YET YOUR SPIRIT IS ALIVE BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. AND IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD IS LIVING IN YOU, HE WHO RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN YOU”
(Romans 8:9-11).

If you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, the Spirit of God lives in you, and your spirit has been made alive by God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit has imbued your spirit with His Righteousness.

“THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION—BUT IT IS NOT TO THE SINFUL NATURE, TO LIVE ACCORDING TO IT” (Romans 8:12).

However, understand that although your spirit is saved and made alive by God’s Spirit, your mind and the rest of your body is dead because of sin still living in it. God controls your spirit, but it is up to you whether you will let Him control your mind, your emotions, and your actions and reactions, as well.

“THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION”

Therefore, you have a choice: to surrender your mind, emotions, and actions to the Spirit that lives in your spirit, or to surrender your mind, emotions, and actions to the sinful Self that still lives in you as well.

“FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE, YOU WILL DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE, BECAUSE THOSE WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD”
(Romans 8:13-14).

I bless you to choose well: to have your mind, your emotions, and your actions and reactions controlled by God’s Spirit…who lives in your spirit.

I bless you!
 
March 4 The Truth Produces Sincere Love

“NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART. FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, NOT OF PERISHABLE SEED, BUT OF IMPERISHABLE, THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD OF GOD”
(1 Peter 1:22-23).

Acknowledge that you need to purify yourself, first, before you can deeply love yourself and someone else from the heart. You purify yourself by accepting and believing the TRUTH about yourself, about other people, and about God.

Celebrate that you can love yourself and one another sincerely, but you need to accept the Truth about yourself and about others, first. If you still feel that God favors the other person more than you, you will not be able to love yourself, her, or God. If you still believe that your personality is of inferior quality compared to the other person, you will not be able to love yourself or any other. If you still believe that the other person wants to harm you, you will not be able to love her or him. You need the Truth to set you free in order to love yourself and others.

Know that the Truth purifies from feeling unloved…from feeling inferior…from feeling unacceptable. Once your deception about yourself and about others has been purified by the Truth, you will have understanding and sincere Love for yourself, for others, and for God.

Therefore, I bless you to surrender your heart to Jesus Christ, every time your heart does not feel right about someone…every time someone hurts you…every time someone fails you. Ask God for the Truth for the people in your life. You might have some extraordinary peculiar people in your life: some who are rude or unkind…some who are awkward or pushy…some who are intimidating. Believe that God knows your heart and the heart of the other person—the unworthiness…the abandonment…the hopelessness. But when He tells you the Truth about yourself and the other person, too, you will be able to love deeply…from your heart.

I bless you!
 
March 5 Keep Watch!

“THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS DISCIPLES AND FOUND THEM SLEEPING. ‘SIMON,’ HE SAID TO PETER, ‘ARE YOU ASLEEP? COULD YOU NOT KEEP WATCH FOR ONE HOUR? WATCH AND PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE BODY IS WEAK’” (Mark 14:37-38).

Do you know what I have discovered? I have found out that I cannot keep watch for one hour. I am talking about TEMPTATION. I often think I am ready for it. My spirit is so willing. I mean, I even have a plan ahead of time to overcome the temptation. However, when temptation comes, by body is too weak…and I fall.

“GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND PRAYED THAT IF POSSIBLE THE HOUR MIGHT PASS FROM HIM. ‘ABBA, FATHER,’ HE SAID, ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU. TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME. YET NOT WHAT I WILL, BUT WHAT YOU WILL’” (Mark 14:35-36).

What stands in my way when temptation comes? I know everything is possible for God. I know I can just cry out to the Lord Jesus and He will save me from shame or the belief that I am not loved…but in the heat of the moment, when the rubber meets the road, I AM NOT WILLING. I am not willing to let go of the shame. I am not willing to accept the Love the Lord Jesus holds out to me. I am not willing to believe that He can save me at that moment…and I fall.

“YET NOT WHAT I WILL, BUT WHAT YOU WILL”

I have discovered that without Jesus I cannot do anything. I cannot keep watch for one hour against temptation. I need to surrender my unwillingness to Him. I need to submit my natural tendency to fall asleep during temptation, to Him. I need to offer my habitual reactions to other people’s actions, to Him. I need to say, “I want to defend myself right now, yet not what I will, but what You will, Lord Jesus.”

“IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

I bless you!
 
March 6 Life Storms Are Opportunities

“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER”
(Romans 12:12).

I bless you to be patient in your affliction, regarding distress with acceptance and tolerance. If you are a child of God, do not consider the storms of your life as something bad and harmful and try to escape them as soon as possible. Stay in them, be patient…and learn.

“FURTHERMORE WE HAVE HAD FATHERS OF OUR FLESH WHICH CORRECTED US, AND WE GAVE THEM REVERENCE: SHALL WE NOT MUCH RATHER BE IN SUBJECTION UNTO THE FATHER OF SPIRITS, AND LIVE? FOR THEY VERILY FOR A FEW DAYS CHASTENED US AFTER THEIR OWN PLEASURE; BUT HE FOR OUR PROFIT, THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS” (Hebrews 12:9-10).

Consider your life storms as opportunities to become a partaker of your Father’s Holiness: to embrace His Truth…to experience His Love…to obtain His Hope. Consider storms as favorable circumstances to become free from crippling beliefs of unworthiness and non-acceptance…to be set free from harmful defense habits…to receive the fruit of Righteousness.

“NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY” (Hebrews 12:11).

Understand that if you hide from your own heart, run from your own pain, or blame your painful emotions on something or someone else, you will miss the opportunity to receive the peaceable fruit of Righteousness, which is given to those who have been trained by the Father’s discipline, during times of distress.

“WHEREFORE LIFT UP THE HANDS WHICH HANG DOWN, AND THE FEEBLE KNEES; AND MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR YOUR FEET, LEST THAT WHICH IS LAME BE TURNED OUT OF THE WAY; BUT LET IT RATHER BE HEALED” (Hebrews 12:12-13).

Is something broken in you, because of what you had to go through? Do not turn away from the Lord, but yield your brokenness to His Love, Hope, and Truth, so it can be healed.

I bless you!
 
March 7 Overcome Evil with God

“DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD”
(Romans 12:21).

I bless you to overcome evil with good. Good comes from God.

“THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART, AND THE EVIL MAN BRINGS EVIL THINGS OUT OF THE EVIL STORED UP IN HIS HEART. FOR OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF HIS HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS”
(Luke 6:45).

Understand that you can only overcome evil with good if good has been stored up in your heart, for out of the overflow of your heart you will act and react. If you have been filling your heart with hatred, hopelessness, and the lies of the enemy, you will only act and react out of hatred, hopelessness, and lies. However, if you have been filling your heart with God’s Love, Hope, and Truth, you will act and react from God’s Love, Hope, and Truth.

“LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 5:16).

Know that Love, Hope, and Truth come directly from your Perfect Father in Heaven. You do not bring these qualities into existence by yourself. Even after I had become a Christian, I still had hatred stored in my heart. I needed to ask the Lord Jesus, who has been sent by the Father, to exchange my hatred for His Love. Even if you are a Christian, in order to get rid of the hopelessness stored up in your heart, you need to ask the Lord Jesus to exchange your hopelessness for His Hope. In order to get rid of the lies of unworthiness stored up in your heart, you need to ask Jesus to exchange your lies for His Truth.

“THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART”

Allow the Lord Jesus to store up good things in your heart. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with God!

I bless you!
 
March 8 May You Know the Truth

“NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE SUBTLE AND CRAFTY THAN ANY LIVING CREATURE OF THE FIELD WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD MADE” (Genesis 3:1).

I have come to experience that the enemy, the father-of-lies, is indeed very crafty. Many different things happened to me throughout my life, but you know, it was not what PEOPLE said and did to me that influenced me the most, but what the CRAFTY ONE whispered into my ear about me and about others. What shaped my life the most was what I came to believe about myself.

It seemed that the crafty one knew exactly what to tell me to lure me into giving up…to lure me into animosity…to lure me into taking revenge.

“THEREFORE PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT WHEN THE DAY OF EVIL COMES, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND YOUR GROUND, AND AFTER YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND. STAND FIRM THEN, WITH THE BELT OF TRUTH BUCKLED AROUND YOUR WAIST” (Ephesians 6:13-14).

I have learned that the Truth of Jesus is one of the most valuable assets in my life. I have noticed that the truth that people give me is not nearly as powerful as the Truth Jesus discloses. PEOPLE can guess what you need to hear and believe about yourself; however, it is only the LORD JESUS who knows the exact lie that the father-of-lies has whispered into your ear, and who can bring you the exact Truth that you need to hear and believe.

“JESUS ANSWERED, ‘I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE’” (John 14:6).

I bless you today to buckle the Belt of Truth around your waist. Know that as you clasp on the Truth, you are not putting on a thing, but a Person—the Person of Jesus Christ. Understand that when PEOPLE tell you the truth, the lie in your mind might continue to exist, but when JESUS tells you the Truth, you will be released from what you came to believe about yourself: that you are an alien…that you are deformed…that you are not special.

“AND YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE”
(John 8:31).

May you ask the Lord Jesus—THE TRUTH—to set you free from the wrong beliefs about yourself.

I bless you! 
March 9 You Have a Purpose

“AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE. IF YOU OBEY MY COMMANDS, YOU WILL REMAIN IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE OBEYED MY FATHER’S COMMANDS AND REMAIN IN HIS LOVE. I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS SO THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE” (John 15:9-11).

Have you ever wondered about your purpose in life? I have. I think about it a lot. It is a very important part of my life—to HAVE a purpose. You know, the Perfect Father made you that way—to WANT a purpose.

I have noticed that my life falls apart as soon as I do not feel loved by God. It is then when I become very sad. It is then when I think this life is not worth it. It is then when I feel purposeless.

“AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE…JUST AS I…REMAIN IN HIS LOVE”

My Perfect Father showed me that first, my purpose is to REMAIN IN HIS LOVE, through Jesus, His son. His Love is my lifeline! My Father’s Love is indispensable for the maintaining and protection of my life. Without it, life is full of hopelessness and hatred. Without it, being a Christian does not make sense. Without it, I have no joy.

“I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS SO THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE”

I bless you to ask the Lord Jesus to show you how to remain in His Love, as He is remaining in the Perfect Father’s Love. Your Father made you with an intense desire to be loved by Him, and He longs to fulfill that desire through His son, Jesus. Only the Lord Jesus knows how to accomplish this…and He will accomplish this in YOUR life, too. This is your first and most important PURPOSE in this life.

“THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOVED ME AND HAVE BELIEVED THAT I CAME FROM GOD” (John 16:27).

I bless you!
 
March 10 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus

Do you have fear, hatred, despair, or jealousy in your heart? I have had all these things combined living in my heart. You are not alone!

“FOR IF, WHEN WE WERE GOD’S ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO HIM THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, HOW MUCH MORE, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, SHALL WE BE SAVED THROUGH HIS LIFE!” (Romans 5:10).

For a long time after I had become a Christian, I believed that my sins had been forgiven…now I was on my own. Jesus did His job…now it was my turn to do mine—to start the process of getting rid of my hatred, jealousy, and fear.

However, my Perfect Father showed me there was MORE…MUCH MORE than just forgiveness that was available to me. The Lord Jesus was not done with His job in me. In fact, it had only begun! I was reconciled through His death…now I needed to be saved through His Life.

“THROUGH CHRIST JESUS THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE SET ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:2).

The Lord Jesus showed me that fear, hatred, and jealousy did not live in my heart as single separate qualities. Instead, these emotions were symptoms of something much deeper in my heart. They were reactions to the OLD MAN, the set of negative, destructive beliefs instilled in my mind by the father-of-lies.

Fear, hatred, and jealousy would only leave if something or someone redeemed me from these painful OLD MAN beliefs in my mind.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to celebrate that the Lord Jesus came to redeem you from the OLD MAN—to repurchase you from the set of negative, destructive beliefs instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies—so that you do not have to live in hatred, jealousy, and fear anymore. Just as He reconciled you to God, He came to save you from the effects of the OLD MAN beliefs, as well. This is HIS job…not yours. Will you bring your OLD MAN to Him?

I bless you!
 
March 11 So Have I Loved You

One of the lies the father-of-lies likes to throw at me is: “God does not love you.” Sometimes he would make the lie even more real by adding: “God does not love you, because you are not worthy to be loved.” I get these God-does-not-love-you lies quite often in my life. They usually come when I need God the most.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES. YET BECAUSE I TELL THE TRUTH, YOU DO NOT BELIEVE ME!” (John 8:44-45).

Be aware of the murderer’s lies. There is no truth in him. Listen to what the Lord Jesus tells you…and BELIEVE.

“AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE…THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE” (John 15:9-11).

Sometimes the father-of-lies tells me that the Lord Jesus DOES love me, but only under certain conditions: when I am good, acceptable, or worthy. Other times, the murderer tells me that when my pain shows, God will stop loving me.

“FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD” (Romans 8:38-39).

I bless you to believe that your pain will not separate you from the Love of God, neither will your sinful habits and patterns, neither will the accusatory beliefs from the father-of-lies of being unworthy, unloved, and unacceptable.

“HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD! AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE!” (1 John 3:1).

Believe that the Perfect Father wants to lavish His Father Love on you. It was DURING my feelings of abandonment that the Father told me that He loved me. It was WHILE I felt ashamed and deformed that the Father told me that He accepted me. It was WHEN I felt rejected and very alone that the Father told me that I had worth. Bring your pain to God…and let Him tell you Himself how much He loves you. Do not listen to the father-of-lies. There is not truth in him.

I bless you! 
March 12 God Cares about Your Heart

“FOR GOD, WHO SAID, ‘LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS,’ MADE HIS LIGHT SHINE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE US THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Your Perfect Father cares about your heart. He cares about the abandonment that lives there…the betrayal that hurts so much…the rejection that was so unfair. Believe that your Father cares so much about your heart that He did something about it. HE SENT HIS LIGHT, JESUS CHRIST, TO SHINE IN YOUR HEART WHEN THE DARKNESS THREATENS TO TAKE OVER. But, you have an obligation: to invite His Light to shine on your abandonment, betrayal, and rejection.

“I HAVE TOLD YOU THESE THINGS, SO THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THIS WORLD, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD” (John 16:33).

Your Perfect Father cares about your heart. He knows about your struggle against your sinful habits and patterns…and He did something about it: HE OVERCAME THE WORLD WITH ITS SIN. But you have an obligation: to bring your sinful habits and patterns to Him and ask Him to overcome them in you and for you.

“AND HE WHO SEARCHES OUR HEARTS KNOWS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S WILL” (Romans 8:27).

Your Perfect Father cares about your heart. He knows about the scar of shame—that painful emotion caused by guilt and the feeling that you are fatally flawed. He cares about the anxiety that lives in your heart—that fearful concern about the future. Your Father cares so much about you, that He did something about it: HE SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO INTERCEDE FOR YOU ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. But you have an obligation: to listen to the message of Peace the Holy Spirit, the Intercessor, wants to communicate back to you from the Father about the guilt and shame in your heart.

Your Perfect Father cares about your heart. Do you?

I bless you!
 
March 13 Know Your Perfect Father

“I HAVE MADE YOU KNOWN TO THEM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU KNOWN” (John 17:26).

Do you know that there is a difference between knowing ABOUT the Father…and KNOWING HIM. Do you know that the Lord Jesus came to make your Perfect Father known to you?

“MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME”
(John 17:23).

Do you know that your Perfect Father loves you as much as He loves His son, Jesus? But, you will only know this if you invite His Love into your daily experiences of sadness, madness, and badness. Otherwise, you will only know ABOUT His Love.

“YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU”
(Matthew 6:4).

Do you know that your Perfect Father sees all the good things that you do in secret, and that He will reward you? Get to know Him personally, so He can tell you these things Himself. Then, you will believe.

“YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU ASK HIM”
(Matthew 6:8).

Do you know that your Father knows what you need before the need even appears, and that He already has an answer planned for you? How often I have experienced confusion, where I did not understand what I needed…but the Father did! I got to know Him when I invited Him to supply the answer, which He already knew.

“YET A TIME IS COMING AND HAS NOW COME WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH, FOR THEY ARE THE KIND OF WORSHIPERS THE FATHER SEEKS” (John 4:23).

Do you know that the Perfect Father is looking for those who want to know Him: who will serve Him by believing the Truth about Him, instead of the accusatory beliefs the father-of-lies has planted in your mind about Him? Will you let the Lord Jesus make Him known to you?
I bless you! 
March 14 Why Do I Still Sin?

“BUT IF CHRIST IS IN YOU, YOUR BODY IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN, YET YOUR SPIRIT IS ALIVE BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Romans 8:10).

For a very long time, I asked this question: “Since I have received Jesus as my Savior, why am I still struggling with sin? Did Jesus not save me from sin? Why do I still hate? Why am I still jealous? Why do I still covet?”

But then I realized the problem: I invited the Lord Jesus as my Savior to save my spirit, but I did not invite Him as my Savior to save my mind. My mind was still unrenewed, filled with the OLD MAN—the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies. I still lived under the oppressing beliefs “I am not special…I am not good enough…I am a failure.” These beliefs caused me to sin: to hate…to be jealous…to covet.

“THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH, BUT THE MIND CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT, IS LIFE AND PEACE” (Romans 8:6).

Do not despair. The Lord Jesus does not only want to save your spirit, but your unrenewed mind as well, so that you might no longer be a slave to the negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs of the father-of-lies…and sin.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to understand that you have a commitment…a duty…a responsibility: to bring your unrenewed mind, with all its painful accusatory beliefs, to Jesus, so that He can renew it with His Truth. Then, your mind will be made ineffective and inactive to the negative, destructive beliefs “I am not special…I am not good enough…I am a failure.” And you will stop hating others, because they make you feel lesser, stop being jealous of those who are better than you, and stop coveting things to make you feel special.

“AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT, WILL OF GOD” (Romans 12:2).

I bless you!
 
March 15 Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

“TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED, ALL YOU ENDS OF THE EARTH;
FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER” (Isaiah 45:22).

I once had a dream where I was swimming in a tidal pool in the ocean. At first, it was low tide and the water was very calm and smooth…but then, the tide started coming in. More and more water started spilling into the pool, causing the ripples in the pool to become rough and turbulent. I looked around me and started panicking, but suddenly I became aware of someone holding me in the turbulent water. It was the Lord Jesus! He turned my face so I would look at Him and said, “When the water becomes rough and scary, only look at Me. Do not look at the turbulent ripples. Look, I am holding you. You will not drown.”

Therefore, I bless you with this encouragement, today:

When the waters in your life become uneven and bumpy, may you not concern yourself with the ups and downs of life around you. Instead, steadily fix your gaze on Jesus. The instant you look toward Him, instead of at the turbulent circumstances, the hopelessness vanishes from sight.

When the waters become rough and turbulent, may you give no mind to the disturbing conditions. Instead, willfully keep in view the face of Jesus. The moment you look toward Him, the oppressing darkness is swallowed up.

When the waters become tumultuous and violent, may you give no regard to the crisis. Instead, intentionally rivet your eyes on Jesus. The minute you turn to Him, the intimidating fear evaporates.

I bless you today to continually turn your face toward Jesus.

Be saved.
He is God.
There is no other.

I bless you!
 
March 16 What Do You Do with Jesus?

“‘WHAT SHALL I DO, THEN, WITH JESUS WHO IS CALLED CHRIST?’ PILATE ASKED.
THEY ALL ANSWERED, ‘CRUCIFY HIM!’” (Matthew 27:22).

What do you do with Jesus, every day, every moment?

“IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

What do you do with Jesus when you are at wits end and there seems to be no answer and no way out? Do you allow Jesus to be your Wisdom from God…or do you crucify Him?

“JESUS STOOD AND SAID IN A LOUD VOICE, ‘IF ANYONE IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK’” (John 7:37).

What do you do with Jesus when you are thirsty: when you feel like an outcast…when you feel that nobody loves you…when you feel that this life does not make sense? Do you come to Him for a drink of His Hope, His Love, and His Truth…or do you crucify Him?

“WHEN JESUS SPOKE AGAIN TO THE PEOPLE, HE SAID, ‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE’” (John 8:12).

What do you do with Jesus when the darkness of despair closes in around you…when you feel there is nothing left to live for? Do you expose your darkness to His Light…or do you crucify Him?

“FOR IF, BY THE TRESPASS OF THE ONE MAN, DEATH REIGNED THROUGH THAT ONE MAN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL THOSE WHO RECEIVE GOD’S ABUNDANT PROVISION OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS REIGN IN LIFE THROUGH THE ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST” (Romans 5:17).

What do you do with Jesus? Do you receive Him as your abundant provision of Grace when your weaknesses are threatening to take over? Do you receive Him as your Gift of Righteousness to reign over your jealousy, animosity, and rage, every day, moment-by-moment? Do you receive Him as your Savior to reign over your depression, your anger, and your confusion…or do you crucify Him?

I bless you! 
March 17 Jesus was Abandoned on Your Behalf

“FROM THE SIXTH HOUR UNTIL THE NINTH HOUR DARKNESS CAME OVER ALL THE LAND. ABOUT THE NINTH HOUR JESUS CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, ‘ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?’—WHICH MEANS, ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’” (Matthew 27:45-46).

I bless you to seize the truth that Jesus has become to you Immanuel—God with you—and He has always been with you, and will always be with you…to the very end.

Jesus has never left you. God has never abandoned you. When bad things happened during your childhood years…Jesus was looking in. When you felt lost and scared…Jesus was taking notes. When feelings of hopelessness and despair flooded your mind…Jesus paid attention. When you were being betrayed…Jesus was on guard. When you thought no one knew…Jesus was attentive. When you thought no one cared…Jesus kept very close.

“GOD HAS SAID, ‘NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU’”
(Hebrew 13:5).

I found out that Jesus has been observing everything that has ever happened to me, all through my life. When my daddy died during my childhood years, Jesus was right there at the funeral, holding me in His arms. During the time when I felt so bad after making a mistake, Jesus was there, loving me. During the time when I felt like a failure and a disappointment, Jesus was standing ready with His Truth. And you know, because Jesus was there during my childhood when things went wrong, I can go back to these times and places…and find Him waiting there for me. This time, all I have to do is ask Him to make things right.

Jesus wants you to know that He loves you and that He knows what abandonment feels like. He vowed to never leave you.

I challenge you to look back at the places in your life where you thought you had been forsaken. Look for Jesus. You will find that He was at your side. And if you happen to ask, “Why did He not do anything about my circumstances?”

HE DID! HE WAS ABANDONED, SO YOU WOULD NEVER BE.

I bless you! 
March 18 A Relationship of Obedience and Revelation

“JESUS GAVE THEM THIS ANSWER: ‘I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THE SON CAN DO NOTHING BY HIMSELF; HE CAN DO ONLY WHAT HE SEES HIS FATHER DOING, BECAUSE WHATEVER THE FATHER DOES THE SON ALSO DOES. FOR THE FATHER LOVES THE SON AND SHOWS HIM ALL HE DOES’” (John 5:19-20).

Take notice of the RELATIONSHIP OF OBEDIENCE AND REVELATION between Jesus and the Perfect Father. Jesus does not do anything by Himself. He only does what He sees His Father doing. As a result, the Father reveals Himself to Jesus. He shows Jesus all He does, and then the circle of events starts over—Jesus only does what the Father shows Him to do.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

Take notice of the relationship that the Father and Jesus long to have with you. Just as with Jesus, the Perfect Father does not want you to do your own thing. He wants you to love Him by obeying Him in your thoughts, your actions, and your purpose. He wants to show you what He is doing, so you can also do what He is doing.

“HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you with the same RELATIONSHIP OF OBEDIENCE AND REVELATION that the Lord Jesus had with His Father. This relationship becomes a circle of events: your obedience of loving God in your thoughts, actions, and purpose turns into God’s revelation to you, which, in turn, results in your obedience to what God has shown you to do, which results in God showing you some more of Himself and His Purpose.

I bless you!
 
March 19 He Makes His Secrets Known to You

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you today to know that God longs to reveal His secrets to you…to disclose His mysteries to you…to show His ways to you.

“HOW PRICELESS IS YOUR UNFAILING LOVE! BOTH HIGH AND LOW AMONG MEN FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS” (Psalm 36:7).

The Perfect Father understands the secret of how to feel loved. He wants to show you the sheltered places under His wings where you can take refuge when you do not feel loved. He wants to gather your roots to grow deep down into His inerasable Love. He wants to teach you how to remain in His Love in the midst of the storms, but you need to love God enough to listen to His quiet Voice, instead of relying on your own sinful defense habits of running, hiding, and blaming others. Then, you will see Him.

“SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED” (John 8:36).

God grasps the secret of how to be set free from the accusatory lies of the father-of-lies. He longs to take what is His…and make it known to you. He longs to sanctify You with His Truth…so that you may taste real freedom, but you need to accept His invitation to freedom in the midst of feeling fatally flawed. Then, you will hear Him.

“SINCE THEY DID NOT KNOW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN, THEY DID NOT SUBMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Romans 10:3).

The holy God understands the secret of Righteousness. He wants to teach you the Righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus. He wants to show you a Righteousness that is stronger than your sinful habits and patterns, but you need to love God enough to stop seeking a righteousness of your own. Then, you will experience His undeniable secrets.

I bless you!
 
March 20 Your Shame Was Crucified

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I once felt very bad because of a spelling mistake I made. When I focused on the bad FEELING, I found out that I felt humiliated. When I traced the feeling of humiliation, I was drawn into a childhood memory, and discovered a negative, destructive CHILDHOOD CONCLUSION that sat underneath the humiliating feeling. I was about sixteen. An English teacher (this was in South-Africa where I spoke Afrikaans) asked me to write a sentence on the board. I made a spelling mistake. Instead of “their,” I wrote “there.” This was not what made me feel bad. What made me feel humiliated was what happened next. After asking me to hold out my hands, the teacher hit me with a ruler on both hands in front of all my class mates. During this humiliating experience, I made the negative, destructive childhood conclusion that I was stripped of my dignity and worth. I concluded that since my worth was taken away from me, I was now a lesser being. I experienced shame!

“YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU”
(John 15:3).

After I invited the Presence and Participation of the Lord Jesus into this shame, He showed me His memory: He was walking to Golgotha, scorned and humiliated. On His back, He carried His cross, and on that cross was my shame…ALL OF IT! He carried my shame on His cross, until it was crucified with Him…until it was permanently abolished by His last words, “It is finished!” None of it escaped.

My dignity was restored.

“WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED THE DRINK, JESUS SAID, ‘IT IS FINISHED.’ WITH THAT, HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT” (John 19:30).

Which childhood conclusion is responsible for your shame? I bless you to believe that the Lord Jesus carried your shame on His cross, too, until it was crucified with Him. He has spoken you clean from your shame with His last words, “It is finished.” Therefore, surrender your childhood conclusions of shame to Him…and He will exchange them for dignity.

I bless you! 
March 21 Two Opposing Purposes

“FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE FLESH; BUT THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE SPIRIT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT” (Romans 8:5).

I bless you today to discern that your life is based on one of two purposes: the purpose to live according to your natural flesh…or the purpose to live in accordance with the Spirit of Jesus.

“HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNETH FROM THE BEGINNING” (1 John 3:8).

Know that the goal of these two purposes are opposing…conflicting… incompatible. The natural flesh in you is obligated to please the father-of-lies, but the Spirit of Jesus in you is set to please the Perfect Father. The natural flesh in you obeys the OLD MAN, the set of negative, destructive beliefs instilled in our minds by the father-of-lies, but the Spirit of Jesus in you IS the NEW MAN, Jesus Christ. At any given moment in your life, you are living either to please the father-of-lies…or to please the Perfect Father. There is no middle ground!

“FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL” (1 John 3:8).

I bless you to understand that the Perfect Father sent His son, Jesus, to destroy the works of the father-of-lies: to destroy the negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs in our minds.

“THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION…IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE” (Romans 8:12-13).

Know that you have a choice: to live according to the natural flesh and obey the OLD MAN beliefs in your mind…or to live according to the Spirit, and allow Jesus to put to death the negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs, instilled in our minds by the father-of-lies. Which one will you choose?

“THEY WHICH ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE FLESH, THESE ARE NOT THE CHILDREN OF GOD” (Romans 9:8).

I bless you! 
March 22 Be Mindful When You Open the Door

“BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK; IF ANYONE HEARS AND LISTENS TO AND HEEDS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND WILL EAT WITH HIM, AND HE [WILL EAT] WITH ME” (Revelation 3:20).

I bless you today to be mindful of to whom you open the door to your heart. Know that your heart is vulnerable…susceptible to attack…easily hurt.

Therefore, listen carefully who is knocking at your heart’s door. Make sure it is the Lord Jesus, before you unbolt the latch. First, listen carefully to the voice behind the closed door. Give your full attention. Heed the words. See with the eyes of your heart.

“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS”
(John 16:13).

May you discern between the Voice of Truth of the HOLY SPIRIT…and the empty voice of the FATHER-OF-LIES. Know that when the Spirit of Truth knocks, He will offer you Hope, Peace, and Joy. He will never knock with a voice of despair. Understand that when the Holy Spirit knocks, He will propose Light, Power, and Life. He will never suggest darkness, powerlessness, and death. Grasp that when the Spirit knocks, He will set before you Wholeness, Holiness, and Wisdom. He will never put forward brokenness, unrighteousness, and confusion. He will not speak on His own, but only speak what He hears from the Lord Jesus…and Jesus will only speak what He hears from the Perfect Father.

“HE WILL BRING GLORY TO ME BY TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE AND MAKING IT KNOWN TO YOU. ALL THAT BELONGS TO THE FATHER IS MINE” (John 16:14-15).

Imagine the fellowship when you unlock the door and let the Lord Jesus in. Imagine the togetherness when He discharges His Hope onto your despair. Imagine the friendship when He trickles His Love over your heart. Imagine the companionship when He pours out His Power over your weakness.

When you open the door for the Lord Jesus, He will come in and sit down to fellowship with you…and you will be filled with Wonder.

I bless you!
 
March 23 Be Mindful When the Enemy Knocks

“THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY” (John 10:10).

I bless you to be mindful when the father-of-lies knocks on the door of your heart. Know that your heart is vulnerable…susceptible to attack…easily hurt.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM” (John 8:44).

Therefore, keep the door to your heart shut…locked…bolted and barred, when the murderer knocks. Know that the accuser only needs a sliver of an opening to push the door wide open and rush in. Understand that when he detects an opening, he loses no time. He will haul in everything he is able to drag in: condemnation…and abandonment…and shame.

“WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

Understand that once the door is open, it is extremely hard to close it again, once you have welcomed the enemy with all his lies and deceit. It is far better to keep the door to your heart shut and sealed from the start, than to try and close it, once you have given the father-of-lies right of entry. He will not be eager to leave.

“BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR” (1 Peter 5:8).

May you understand that it is through your THOUGHTS that the roaring lion finds an open door. Therefore, submit each thought to God for approval, before you start accepting, believing, and obeying that thought. Reject each thought that is not from God…keeping the door to your vulnerable heart shut and padlocked.

I bless you!
 
March 24 Do Not Mind Read

“SO I TELL YOU THIS, AND INSIST ON IT IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MUST NO LONGER LIVE AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING. THEY ARE DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD”
(Ephesians 4:17-18).

I urge you to be watchful of mind reading. Be aware that trying to read another person’s mind could become a very dangerous open door for the father-of-lies to deliver rejection, unworthiness, and shame to your vulnerable heart. Know that the father-of-lies is an OPPORTUNIST. Speculating and taking for granted another person’s reasons for enactment could give access to darkness of despair in your own heart. Assuming another person’s motives could unlock helplessness, powerlessness, and hopelessness in your own heart. Know that the father-of-lies will use your mind reading as an open door to express falsity…to bestow deception…to deliver his lies.

“YOU, HOWEVER, DID NOT COME TO KNOW CHRIST THAT WAY. SURELY YOU HEARD OF HIM AND WERE TAUGHT IN HIM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH THAT IS IN JESUS” (Ephesians 4:20-21).

I bless you to live in accordance with the Truth that is in Jesus. DO NOT ASSUME THE TRUTH. Do not assume that you know why someone did or said something. Your FACTS might be correct, but your INTERPRETATIONS are most likely not. Ask Jesus for the Truth. Remember, the mind of sinful man is death.

“THEREFORE, REJECTING ALL FALSITY AND BEING DONE NOW WITH IT, LET EVERYONE EXPRESS THE TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, FOR WE ARE ALL PARTS OF ONE BODY AND MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER” (Ephesians 4:25).

May you put off your mind reading, to be made new in the attitude of your minds. May you reject falsity, especially the kind that comes from your own thoughts. Instead, be sanctified by the Truth. You may find out that what you have been thinking, all along, is not at all the Truth, but a lie straight from the father-of-lies.

I bless you!
 
March 25 Steps I Use to Surrender

Describe the SITUATION that evoked your feelings of sadness, badness, or madness.

Example: Today, while we were driving, I felt very sad when my husband was gruff with me, after I asked him to slow down his driving.

Focusing on the FEELINGS evoked by this incident, find your PERTURBING PERCEPTION of the situation, the people involved, and especially yourself.

Example: I felt intense sadness in my heart during this incident. My perturbing perception was that I did not count, and that I did not matter to anyone.

Still focusing on the feelings, find the PLACE during your life where you felt like this FOR THE FIRST TIME, whether that be this day, last year, or fifty years ago.

Example: Focusing on the sadness, I discovered a memory that matched it: I was about eight years old. I had just cleaned the whole kitchen floor while my parents were out shopping and could not wait for them to come back and be proud of me. But after they returned from shopping, my dad walked over my clean floor with his dirty shoes. When I tried to tell him not to make my floor dirty, he was gruff with me, the same way my husband was with me when we were driving.

INVITE GOD’S PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION into your feelings, interpretations, and place where you experienced these for the first time. Allow Him to exchange your perception for His Perspective–the Truth.

Example: Lord Jesus, I invite You into this place of sadness in my heart. Although my mind is telling me that I do not count because my dad walked over my clean floor (and my husband does not want to slow his driving down just for me), I surrender my interpretation to You and ask for Your Truth.

Allow God to SPEAK into your feelings and perception. LISTEN for His voice. LOOK inside the memory and see, hear, feel if there is anything different there. God speaks in many different ways. Be open, and be patient.

Example: While focusing on the memory, I saw my mom’s face. It was as if God was showing me the Truth through her face. I saw love and admiration beaming from her face and I knew that I counted. I mattered. I was important. My feeling of sadness disappeared. Now, I know that I count, even when my husband is gruff.

I bless you 
March 26 It Is Finished!

“NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US” (Romans 8:37).

One day, my husband and I visited the Hot Sulphur Springs in Colorado. We were looking forward to a wonderful, relaxing time together. Well, the father-of-lies had plans of his own.

After we entered one of the small pools, I became thirsty and grabbed our water bottle. Suddenly another person in the pool commented, “Is that your water bottle…or mine?” Then I realized that I was drinking from the wrong water bottle!

This might seem funny to you, but I felt horrified…condemned…filled with shame. You see, the father-of-lies had been telling me all my life that I was not allowed to make mistakes. If I did, I WAS DEEMED BAD: corrupted…deformed…fatally flawed! Now, if he had accused me of DOING something bad, I could have fixed that. However, he accused me of BEING bad. How do you fix that?

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

That day at the pool, God showed me that the belief that I was corrupted, deformed, and fatally flawed after I had made a mistake was part of the OLD MAN—the accusatory beliefs instill in my mind by the father-of-lies. However, He showed me that the OLD MAN had been crucified with the Lord Jesus, so that I might be allowed to make a mistake without being deemed bad. The Lord Jesus had His last drink on the cross…and died, so that I might have a drink by mistake…and live. My shame had been crucified. My mistakes had been redeemed with His last words—“IT IS FINISHED!”

“WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED THE DRINK, JESUS SAID, ‘IT IS FINISHED.’ WITH THAT, HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT” (John 19:30).

I bless you to surrender the shame of being labeled “corrupted, deformed, and fatally flawed” when you make a mistake, to Jesus and allow Him to speak you clean with the words, “IT IS FINISHED.”

I bless you 
March 27 Discipline Means Training to Correct

“OUR FATHERS DISCIPLINED US FOR A LITTLE WHILE AS THEY THOUGHT BEST; GOD DISCIPLINES US FOR OUR GOOD, THAT WE MAY SHARE IN HIS HOLINESS”
(Hebrew 12:10).

I had many lies in my mind that had been planted there by the father-of-lies. Usually, the first thing I did when one of these lies was triggered…was to flee from it. I would actually get up and walk away when I felt shamed in someone’s presence. At that moment, all that mattered to me was to withdraw and hide. But then, the Everlasting Father called me to do the opposite—HE ASKED ME TO STAY WHEN I FELT LIKE RUNNING AWAY.

“ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE; GOD IS TREATING YOU AS SONS. FOR WHAT SON IS NOT DISCIPLINED BY HIS FATHER?” (Hebrew 12:7).

God showed me that He wanted me to stay when my shame was triggered, instead of running away, so that He could turn it into Holiness. And that is what I did: I STAYED! And that is what He did: He used the same shame the father-of-lies used to HURT me…to HEAL me, while I was staying in God’s Presence.

“MY SON, DO NOT MAKE LIGHT OF THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE, AND DO NOT LOSE HEART WHEN HE REBUKES YOU, BECAUSE THE LORD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES” (Hebrew 12:5, 6).

Discipline means training to correct. If you would stay, face your shame, and surrender it to God, He would turn your shame into holiness.

“NO DISCIPLINE SEEMS PLEASANT AT THE TIME, BUT PAINFUL. LATER ON, HOWEVER, IT PRODUCES A HARVEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY IT” (Hebrew 12:11).

I bless you to become trained, corrected, and healed by God’s discipline, so that it will produce a harvest of Righteousness and Peace in you. May you stay and allow God to have His way with you: to treat you as a son…to treat you as a daughter.

I bless you! 
March 28 Let Him Open the Door for You

“I KNOW YOUR [RECORD OF] WORKS AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. SEE! I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU A DOOR WIDE OPEN WHICH NO ONE IS ABLE TO SHUT; I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BUT LITTLE POWER, AND YET YOU HAVE KEPT MY WORD AND GUARDED MY MESSAGE AND HAVE NOT RENOUNCED OR DENIED MY NAME”
(Revelation 3:8 AMP).

I bless you to believe that God Himself goes before you to open the door wide open through which He wants you to enter. Understand that it is not up to you to FIND your own open door and force your way in. It is not up to you to go look and FIND GOD’S WILL; instead, He will REVEAL it to you when you OBEY Him.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you to OBEY the Lord Jesus, and then FOLLOW Him through the open door He will show you. Allow Jesus to go before you: showing Himself to you…guiding you into all Truth…making His Will known to you.

Know that the door God opens for you no one and nothing will be able to shut: not your lack of power…not your lack of resources…not your lack of knowledge. You only have to obey, have faith, and follow! Along with the open door, God will provide everything else you need.

“I WILL LEAD THE BLIND BY WAYS THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN, ALONG UNFAMILIAR PATHS I WILL GUIDE THEM; I WILL TURN THE DARKNESS INTO LIGHT BEFORE THEM AND MAKE THE ROUGH PLACES SMOOTH. THESE ARE THE THINGS I WILL DO; I WILL NOT FORSAKE THEM” (Isaiah 42:16).

Do not speed ahead of God, searching frantically for an open door. Instead, fall in step behind Him…obey Him…follow Him. When you cannot see, He will turn the darkness into Light before you. When He leads you along unfamiliar places, He will make the rough places smooth. He will not forsake you.

I bless you!
 
March 29 Do Not Be Burdened by the Yoke of Condemnation

“THEREFORE, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, BECAUSE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE SET ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:1-2).

Do you feel condemned…convicted…sentenced to death?

I bless you today with a special anointing: to accept that the Lord Jesus wants to free you from condemnation, so you may know that you are accepted… acquitted…approved.

“FOR GOD HAS DONE WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, [ITS POWER] BEING WEAKENED BY THE FLESH [THE ENTIRE NATURE OF MAN WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT]. SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE GUISE OF SINFUL FLESH AND AS AN OFFERING FOR SIN, [GOD] CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH [ SUBDUED, OVERCAME, DEPRIVED IT OF ITS POWER OVER ALL WHO ACCEPT THAT SACRIFICE]”
(Romans 8:3 AMP).

The Everlasting Father sent His own son as an offering for condemnation to deprive it of its power over all who accept His sacrifice. Understand that the Lord Jesus has done what you cannot do—to overcome condemnation and its effects on your heart.

“IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY” (Galatians 5:1).

But you have an obligation: to accept the Lord’s sacrifice and to come under the government of the Lord Jesus, so He can release you from the power of brutal condemnation at the hands of the accuser.

Then His Law of Life will free you from the Law of Death, for it is for FREEDOM OF CONDEMNATION that Christ has set you free.

I bless you! 
March 30 Your Father in Heaven Is the Taskmaster

“TAKE CARE NOT TO DO YOUR GOOD DEEDS PUBLICLY OR BEFORE MEN, IN ORDER TO BE SEEN BY THEM; OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE NO REWARD [RESERVED FOR AND AWAITING YOU] WITH AND FROM YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN”
(Matthew 6:1 AMP).

Know that your Father in Heaven is aware of all the good works that you do. Believe that the good works that count are the ones that your Father has chosen for you before He even formed you. Celebrate that your Father in Heaven chose you for these specific tasks He had in mind.

Many days I wake up and wonder, “What are the good works my Father has prepared for me for this day?” Since I have a relationship with God, I listen to Him to hear what He has planned for me for each day. It took me awhile to stop doing ALL the good works that are available to me, to ONLY do the good works my Father has prepared for me.

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO” (Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you today for doing the good works your Father has prepared for you: the kind deeds…the encouraging words…the financial support…all the hours spent counseling and helping others…all the service done to someone else. Know that your Father is pleased with you and He delights in you. He takes notice of each activity done in His Purpose.

Grasp that the good works God has prepared for you, you are doing FOR HIM…not the recipients of the good deeds. He is the Taskmaster…the Employer…the Manager. You are accountable TO HIM. Therefore, be determined to commit yourself TO HIM only. Look for payment FROM HIM only. Receive your honor FROM HIM only. Take care not to do your good works for people, in order to be rewarded by them; otherwise you will have no reward from your Taskmaster in Heaven.

“THEN YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU” (Matthew 6:4).

I bless you!
 
March 31 Why Don’t You Stay?

I am a runner—I run away from pain. The other day, my Everlasting Father asked me, “Renee, why do you always run away from pain? Why don’t you stay?” It was then that I pondered the question: Why don’t I stay? Why don’t I stay and face my pain of feeling that I am invisible…of feeling that I don’t count…of feeling that I am a mistake?

I found out that I run from pain, because I believe that it is not safe to stay. I believe that the pain is going to destroy me if I stay and face it.

I found out that I run from pain, because I believe that it is a sin to experience feelings of shame, condemnation, or abandonment, and that I need to escape these feelings as soon as possible.

I found out that I run from pain, because I believe that if I run away from it, the pain will go away all by itself…and I will be safe.

“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

My Everlasting Father showed me that if I stay and face my pain, I will not be destroyed by it, because He will not allow the father-of-lies to tempt me beyond what I can bear, Furthermore, He Himself will provide a way out of the pain, so that I can stand up under it.

My Father showed me that the pain is not the sin. It is merely the symptom of a negative, destructive belief from the father-of-lies that serves to convince me to run and hide from God, so that I would not experience His Love, Truth, and Hope in my life.

My Father showed me that if I run away from my pain, instead of facing it, the pain would only get worse and lead me farther and farther away from Him…into sin. But, if I stayed and faced it, He would have a chance to heal me. I bless you to stay!

“I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

I bless you! 

April 1 Love One Another Deeply, from the Heart

“NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART” (1 Peter 1:22).

Realize that in order to love one another deeply, you need a purified heart: a heart cleansed from rejection…released from abandonment…freed from condemnation. Understand that as long as your heart is occupied with rejection, you will have a tough time experiencing sincere love for others. Grasp that as long as your heart is diverted by abandonment, you will have a hard time enjoying unfeigned fellowship with one another. Recognize that as long as your heart is controlled by the degrading effects of condemnation, you will have a difficult time loving anyone from the heart.

“SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH” (John 17:17).

I bless you to allow God to set you free from the power of past rejection: when you were not included in the group…when you had to carry all the blame…when you were pushed aside as not being important. Only His Truth can set you free.

I bless you to permit God to set you free from the power of past abandonment: when someone important in your life left…when nobody was there to comfort you…when you had to take care of yourself, because there was nobody else. Understand that it is not the circumstances that are causing the pain, but the conclusions…the interpretations…the beliefs you formed in your mind at the time.

I bless you to authorize God to free you from the power of past criticism and disapproval: when you could never please your dad…when you were never good enough for your mother…when you were never accepted for being you. God will bring healing to your heart by replacing your conclusions with His Truth…if you let Him.

“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS”
(John 16:13).

I bless you!
 
April 2 Christ Was Crucified in Weakness

Have you ever had to interact with a real bully: someone who tries to knock you over and kick you…someone who tries to step on you to achieve his own goal…someone who tries to bring you down in his pursuit of glory. I have! All I wanted to do the whole time was defend myself, because I felt so weak and vulnerable. But God spoke into my heart and said, “Do not defend yourself, Renee, for not by your own power nor by your own might will you overcome this situation, but only by My Spirit.”

“SO HE SAID TO ME, ‘THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ZERUBBABEL: ‘NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,’ SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY”
(Zechariah 4:6).

Do not despair during times of weakness, for it is during the times that you are powerless, helpless, and hopeless that God has a chance to establish the Presence and Participation of His Spirit in you, if you invite Him.

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’ WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 7:21).

I urge you to use your time of weakness to allow God to extinguish your own will, and to exchange it for His divine Will in your thoughts, your purpose, and your actions.

“BUT THE WISDOM THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN IS FIRST OF ALL PURE; THEN PEACE-LOVING, CONSIDERATE, SUBMISSIVE, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUIT, IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE” (James 3:17).

I bless you to use your time of weakness to invite God to establish in you His Wisdom that is pure, peace-loving, and considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Know that you will not be able to accomplish this on your own, but if you ask the Lord Jesus, He will do this FOR you and IN you, because although He was crucified in weakness, He knows how to live by the Power of God.

“FOR THOUGH HE WAS CRUCIFIED IN WEAKNESS,
YET HE LIVES BY THE POWER OF GOD”
(2 Corinthians 13:4).

I bless you!
 
April 3 Your Mind

What is your opinion about your mind: that it is good…that it is trustworthy…that it knows the truth? Do you always rely on your mind to find a solution to your problem, your unworthiness, and your brokenness? Do you run to your mind when things go wrong…when someone insults you…when someone fails you? Would you like to know what God thinks of your mind?

“THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH” (Romans 8:6).

God does not deem your mind trustworthy. Why not? Your mind is not dependable, because the father-of-lies has had access to your mind since the day you were born. You are not the only one sharing your mind. During the disconcerting childhood circumstances of your life, the father-of-lies lured you into deception: false conclusions…wrong interpretations…inaccurate assumptions. Therefore, when you pull answers from your mind, you are also drawing false answers from the father-of-lies.

“SO I TELL YOU THIS, AND INSIST ON IT IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MUST NO LONGER LIVE AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING. THEY ARE DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD” (Ephesians 4:17-18).

Know that even after you have become a Christian, you must not live in the futility of your thinking, because your understanding is darkened by the father-of-lies. In fact, he uses your own thoughts to separate you from the life of God.

“THE WEAPONS WE FIGHT WITH ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY HAVE DIVINE POWER TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS. WE DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS AND EVERY PRETENSION THAT SETS ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

I bless you to treat your mind as a deathtrap to be used by the father-of-lies at any given moment in time. Take every thought captive that enters your mind. Question every belief that lives in your mind. Demolish every argument in your mind that has set itself up against the knowledge of God.

I bless you!
 
April 4 May you Walk in the Light of the Truth

When I was little, my daddy always picked me up at the bus station, after the school bus had dropped me off after school. But one day, he did not show up. I stepped out of the bus and looked around…but there was nobody. Feeling forsaken and forgotten, I started walking home…alone. Since that time, I always felt forsaken and forgotten when I was left alone…until I invited the Light of the Truth into that memory. Then, standing at that bus stop again, I sensed the fellowship of the Lord Jesus. I felt accompanied…complete…whole. I walked home in the Light of the Truth.

“THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND DECLARE TO YOU: GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. IF WE CLAIM TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM YET WALK IN THE DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT LIVE BY THE TRUTH. BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS, HIS SON, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN”
(1 John 1:5-7).

Fathom that to walk in the Light means to live by the Truth. The Truth turns darkness into Light.

“BUT WHOEVER LIVES BY THE TRUTH COMES INTO THE LIGHT” (John 3:21).

Expose the darkness in your mind to the Light. Lay open the beliefs that cause you to despair. Bring to light the interpretations you have made about yourself…the assumptions you have made about your enemies…the beliefs you have formed about your friends. Live by the Truth, so you can walk in the Light.

“FOR THE FRUIT OF THE LIGHT CONSISTS IN ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH” (Ephesians 5:9).

“I am a mistake. I am forsaken and forgotten. I am fatally flawed. I have disappointed God. I am a failure. I have no purpose. I am invisible. I am not special. I am a disgrace.” I bless you to bring these dark beliefs that live in your mind to the Light, and you will find Truth, for the fruit of the Light…is Truth.

“SEND FORTH YOUR LIGHT AND YOUR TRUTH, LET THEM GUIDE ME; LET THEM BRING ME TO YOUR HOLY MOUNTAIN, TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU DWELL”
(Psalm 43:3).

May you walk home in the Light of the Truth.

I bless you! 
April 5 What Is Sin?

I have often pondered the meaning of sin. I am not a murderer. I am not a liar. I do not steal. I do not even kill a spider. So, “When do I sin?”

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

I became aware that to sin or not to sin is an act of obedience: to follow the counsel of the father-of-lies…or to follow the Counsel of the Perfect Father. I am not talking about obedience to the Ten Commandments, but obedience to the living Voice of God through the Spirit of His Son, Jesus.

“AND EVERYTHING THAT DOES NOT COME FROM FAITH IS SIN” (Romans 14:23).

You see, when I obey the counsel of the father-of-lies—that I do not matter…that I am not acceptable…that I am not loved—I feel like sinning. It is when I obey his counsel of darkness and despair that I am drawn into the sinful solutions that harmful habits of distraction and destruction offer.

“MANY TIMES HE DELIVERED THEM, BUT THEY WERE BENT ON REBELLION AND THEY WASTED AWAY IN THEIR SIN” (Psalm 106:43).

Often, I have noticed the call of God: to turn to the Lord Jesus, in obedience, to be saved from feeling unloved, unwanted, and unacceptable. But I was bent on rebellion to follow the counsel of the father-of-lies. And I wasted away in my sin.

I bless you to know that you have a choice: to turn to the sinful solutions of harmful habits to save you from the counsel of the father-of-lies, or to turn to the Lord Jesus, in obedience, to save you from these belittling beliefs of the father-of-lies.

However, if you would turn to the Lord Jesus, in obedience, the result would be Righteousness—the opposite of sin.

I bless you!
April 6 The OLD MAN and the NEW MAN

“IF INDEED YOU HAVE HEARD HIM AND HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY HIM, AS THE TRUTH IS IN JESUS: THAT YOU PUT OFF, CONCERNING YOUR FORMER CONDUCT, THE OLD MAN WHICH GROWS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO THE DECEITFUL LUSTS, AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND, AND THAT YOU PUT ON THE NEW MAN WHICH WAS CREATED ACCORDING TO GOD, IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:21-24).

One of the revelations that opened my eyes was the discovery that I had an OLD MAN living inside of me: a corrupted person formed by deception…a needy being, shaped by the lies of the father-of-lies. My OLD MAN consisted of negative, destructive beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame, all of which were instilled by the father-of-lies since childhood.

Realize that the father-of-lies did not necessarily need BIG TRAUMATIC childhood experiences as a means to install his negative, destructive beliefs into your mind. Although he DID use the traumatic incidences in your life to instill beliefs of “God is disappointed in you” or “You are fatally flawed,” he only needed a little word like “NO!” when you were three years old to tell you that “You are not loved.” This negative, destructive belief would be just as severe when it was instilled during an insignificant event than when it was instilled in your mind during a traumatic event.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to know that the Lord Jesus nailed your negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs to the cross with Himself. Then, on the third day, He rose to become the NEW MAN in you: someone who is created without the lies of the father-of-lies in true Righteousness and Holiness.

Would you be willing to allow your OLD MAN to be crucified with Jesus, and then invite Him into your heart…to become your NEW MAN?

“FOR IF, WHEN WE WERE GOD’S ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO HIM THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, HOW MUCH MORE, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, SHALL WE BE SAVED THROUGH HIS LIFE!” (Romans 5:10).

I bless you!
 
April 7 Forgive Them, for They Do Not Know What They Are Doing

“WHEN THEY CAME TO THE PLACE CALLED THE SKULL, THERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, ALONG WITH THE CRIMINALS—ONE ON HIS RIGHT, THE OTHER ON HIS LEFT. JESUS SAID, ‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.’ AND THEY DIVIDED UP HIS CLOTHES BY CASTING LOTS” (Luke 23:33-34).

I bless you today with a special anointing to forgive as Jesus did. May you be able to say, “I forgive you, because you did not know what you were doing.”

Understand that an offender does not know the extent of the hurt he is causing you when he lashes out in anger at you or someone else. He is only focused on his own pain and reacting to his own heartache. He does not get the full scope of the result of his offense. He does not know what he is doing.

“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING”

Understand that when someone rejects you, the father-of-lies uses it as an open door to hurl all the rejection at you that has ever occurred during your entire life. You do not only perceive the pain of the present offense, but the pain of a lifetime. The father-of-lies is responsible for this…not your offender.

It is not what someone said or did to you that is causing all the pain…but what you came to believe about yourself. The father-of-lies is responsible for this…not your offender.

“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING”

Sometimes, somebody did what he thought best because he did not understand the whole situation, and that caused hurt feelings or deep resentment. He did not know what he was doing.

I bless you to let go and forgive as Jesus did. Do not let the father-of-lies have his way with you. Surrender your negative beliefs that resulted from these offenses, to Jesus. Then you will see that your heart will be healed and you will be able to say, “Father, forgive them, for they did not know what they were doing.”

I bless you!
 
April 8 Forgiveness Is Not Only a Decision

“IN ANGER HIS MASTER TURNED HIM OVER TO THE JAILERS TO BE TORTURED, UNTIL HE SHOULD PAY BACK ALL HE OWED. THIS IS HOW MY HEAVENLY FATHER WILL TREAT EACH OF YOU UNLESS YOU FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART” (Matthew 18:34).

People often tell me, “Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision! Just disregard your feelings. Then it is easy to forgive.” I have tried that. It did not work. Deep inside, my heart still remembered the pain.

“FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART”

I found out that the only way I can forgive from my heart is to not disregard my feelings…to not ignore my heart…to not make forgiveness just a cold decision. In fact, I have to do the exact opposite. I have to focus on my heart. I have to find out what it believes. I have to face the pain.

How do you forgive your brother from your heart, if your heart is hurting? Don’t you see? You cannot! You need a healed heart…and Jesus was broken so your heart can be healed!

I bless you to not be afraid of the pain that is seated in your heart. The pain will not destroy you if you find it and bring it to Jesus. In fact, the opposite is true. If you leave the pain in your heart, it will fester and destroy your heart a little bit at a time…and then you will not be able to forgive from your heart.

“FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART”

I bless you to forgive from your heart, because your Perfect Father expects that of you…and He sent His Son, Jesus, to heal your heart to make it possible.

“HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE CROSS, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED” (1 Peter 2:24).

I bless you!
 
April 9 Forgive from the Heart

“IN ANGER HIS MASTER TURNED HIM OVER TO THE JAILERS TO BE TORTURED, UNTIL HE SHOULD PAY BACK ALL HE OWED. THIS IS HOW MY HEAVENLY FATHER WILL TREAT EACH OF YOU UNLESS YOU FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART” (Matthew 18:34).

I have had many accusers and I have had many accusations hurled at me…and they hurt a lot. On one of these occasions, the accusations hurt so much that I did not think I would ever be able to walk upright again from the burden that was placed on my shoulders. To make matters worse, Jesus whispered to me, “Renee, I want you to forgive your accusers…forgive from your heart.”

I answered, “God, You are asking the impossible. My heart is broken. How can you expect me to forgive from a broken heart?” “Exactly,” the Holy Spirit answered, “You can’t. You can only forgive from your heart if it is healed. So let Me heal it first.”

To have my heart healed by the Lord Jesus, I had to focus on the pain in my own heart—the pain someone else’s accusations caused me. Do you know what? When I examined my heart, I discovered that the pain that really broke my heart was not the condemning, accusing words hurled at me by my accusers, but the conclusion that I had been alone, exposed, and unprotected during their tongue-lashing.

I brought the real pain to Jesus…and He brought me His Truth. Jesus showed me that He had been right there with me during the tongue-lashing. He was not next to me, but between me and the perpetrators…receiving the lashes for me. I had not been left alone. I had not been unprotected. In fact, Jesus showed me that the lashing was really meant against Him, who lives in me. I was suffering with Christ. I wept as this brought healing to the deepest places of my heart. Only then was I able to forgive my perpetrators from my heart.

“FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART”

What is the belief in your heart that is hurting so much that it is keeping you from forgiving from your heart? May you submit that to God…and be healed.

I bless you! 
April 10 Bitterness—the Heart of Stone

“MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ALL MEN AND TO BE HOLY; WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD. SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE MISSES THE GRACE OF GOD AND THAT NO BITTER ROOT GROWS UP TO CAUSE TROUBLE AND DEFILE MANY” (Hebrews 12:14-15).

Do you have a heart of stone: a heart filled with resentment…a heart filled with bitterness?

Some years ago, I went through an experience where someone affronted and vexed me and caused a lot of injury to my heart. I became bitter…very bitter. I bristled with resentment and animosity. I became hostile, harsh, and sour.

I was going to keep this behavior up for the rest of my life, but one day the Everlasting Father spoke to me through His Holy Spirit and said, “Renee, if you don’t look out, this bitterness of yours is going to destroy everything you have: your marriage…your friendships…your own life. Is this really what you want?”

“I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU; I WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH”
(Ezekiel 36:26).

The Perfect Father added, “Bring your bitterness to Me…and I will remove your heart of stone and give you a new heart and put My Spirit of Love in you. Are you willing?”

Well, that did it for me. I recognized that bitterness ruins and tears everything to shreds. I did not want to lose my marriage, my friendships, and my own life to bitterness. I confessed my resentment and animosity and allowed my Father to remove my heart of stone…and replace it with His own.

“SEE TO IT THAT NO…BITTER ROOT GROWS UP TO CAUSE TO…DEFILE MANY”

I bless you to understand that it is not the stones someone hurls at you that cause trouble and defile many, but the stones that are in your heart: the stones of bitterness, resentment, and animosity. Will you allow God to remove your heart of stone and replace it with His own?

I bless you! 
April 11 But God Intended It for Good

“YOU INTENDED TO HARM ME, BUT GOD INTENDED IT FOR GOOD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS NOW BEING DONE, THE SAVING OF MANY LIVES” (Genesis 50:20).

I am sorry if anybody intended to harm you at any point during your life. I am sorry about the evil done against you. I wish I could have protected you against it. I am sorry about any harsh punishment you had to go through as a child. I wish that did not happen. It breaks my heart. I am sorry about your dad’s or mom’s disapproval and condemnation. I wish their hearts had been healed from their own pain, so that they could have treated you differently. I feel your pain.

I am sorry for any unjust blame that you had to endure. I wish people could have owned their own stuff instead of blaming it on you. I know how you feel. I am sorry if you were abandoned by a parent or a friend. I wish I were there to comfort you and take their place. It hurts a lot to be left. I am sorry for any shame you had experienced at the hand of a smooth criminal. I am sorry if nakedness was involved. I wish I could have washed off all the unrighteousness and clothed you.

“BUT GOD INTENDED IT FOR GOOD”

Do not despair of the evil done against you: the injury…the depravity…the immorality. They might have meant evil against you; BUT GOD will cancel any evil done against you—any manipulation…any iniquity…..any corruption—if you yield it to His Power and Control.

I bless you to yield any evil done against you to God’s Power, so that He can turn it into good. Yield the abandonment to God’s Love, so that He can turn it into belongingness. Yield the condemnation to God’s Holiness, so that He can turn it into acceptance. Yield the shame to God’s Truth, so that He can turn it into glory.

I bless you!
 
April 12 Jesus Did Not Come to be Served…but to Serve

“THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY” (Matthew 20:28).

Celebrate that the Lord Jesus has been raised from the dead…
to become your Life.

Jesus wants you to know that, first and foremost, He did not come to be served by you, but to serve you: to care for you…to minister to you…to save you. Know that in the first place it is not about what you do for Him, but what Jesus does for you. It is not about how useful you are to Him, but how valuable He is to you. Believe that the Lord Jesus gives His Life for you so you can be unchained from sorrow….discharged from guilt…unyoked from the slavery of shameful habits.

“SO IT IS WRITTEN: ‘THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING’; THE LAST ADAM, A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

Understand also that it is not about what you have done in the past that was wrong, but about what the Lord Jesus has done in the past…that was right. He died for you, and became alive for you, to offer you Himself—a Life-giving Spirit.

“THEN JESUS DECLARED, ‘I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. HE WHO COMES TO ME WILL NEVER GO HUNGRY, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY’”
(John 6:35).

I bless you to receive from Jesus, the Bread of Life, so your hunger for Hope can be stilled…so your longing for Righteousness can be satisfied…so your yearning for Wholeness can be fulfilled. Accept that it is only after you have received from Him, that you can give back to Him, because without Him, you are nothing and you have nothing.

“IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THAT LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN” (John 1:4).

I bless you to allow Jesus to serve you—to become your Life and your Light.

I bless you!
 
April 13 Sometimes, You Have to Walk through the Mud

“LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME, AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED SUCH OPPOSITION FROM SINFUL MEN, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

I take a two-mile walk every day here in the mountains where I live. This time of the year, the snow melts and sometimes there is a lot of mud on the dirt road. Yesterday, I came to a patch of mud that stretched across the whole width of the road. I stopped short and stared at it in disgust. There was no way around it. I did not feel like trudging through the mud and getting my shoes, my pants, and my little white dog soiled with mud, but suddenly God nudged me, “Renee, sometimes you have to walk through the mud to get to the other side.” “But it is unpleasant, and I am going to get dirty,” I retaliated.

This is a very important message to those of you who have “mud” in your life: things like abuse, injustice, and shame. I bless you to walk through the mud. Face the childhood abuse. Look the offenses in the eye. Confront the shame…the mistreatment…the foulness. Do not be afraid. If you stay on this side, you are losing out. Your Father wants to accomplish many things in your life, but these are all on the other side of the mud patch.

You might say that you do not want to walk through the mud, because it will contaminate you, corrupt, and stain you. This is a lie from the father-of-lies. These beliefs are already contaminating your mind and hurting your heart. Remember, it is not the circumstances that are causing the shame and the pain, but what you came to believe about yourself because of the circumstances.

Therefore, take the Lord Jesus’ hand, and walk with Him through the mud in your life, while you listen carefully to what He has to say to you.

“YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU”
(John 15:3). “IT IS FINISHED” (John 19:30).

And the Lord Jesus Christ will speak you clean from the shame…the contamination…the stain with the words: “IT IS FINISHED!”

I bless you!
 
April 14 Put Off the OLD MAN with His Deeds

“THE OLD MAN WHICH GROWS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO THE DECEITFUL LUSTS” (Ephesians 4:22).

We all have a CORRUPTED PERSON living inside of us: a being full of negative, destructive beliefs of condemnation, shame, and abandonment, shaped in us by the father-of-lies: the OLD MAN.

When these OLD MAN beliefs of condemnation, abandonment, and shame are triggered, they hurt so much that we want to bandage the pain as soon as possible. And the father-of-lies stands ready with the SOLUTION: sinful habits and patterns of hiding, running, and blaming others. THESE ARE THE DEEDS OF THE OLD MAN.

I have noticed that some people think that in order to become holy, they should only put off the DEEDS of the OLD MAN. They think that they need to only stop their sinful defense habits and patterns of hiding, running, and blaming in order to become whole and holy.

“PUT OFF THE OLD MAN WITH HIS DEEDS” (Colossians 3:9).

But I have discovered that it does not help to only put off the DEEDS of the OLD MAN. You have to put off the OLD MAN, first. If you only put off the DEEDS of the OLD MAN, the OLD MAN nature is still in you. This is a deceived personality who is void of God’s Love, Hope, and Truth, and who feels very unacceptable and unlovable. HE NEEDS HIS DEFENSE PATTERNS, so he can take care of his pain. If you take his defense patterns away, he will only find new ones. You cannot do this backwards.

I bless you to invite the Lord Jesus to put off the OLD MAN in you, and to put on the NEW MAN in you: the Lord Jesus Himself, who is filled with new beliefs of Love, Truth, and Hope. Then, your defense patterns will disappear. It is only if there is someone NEW living in you with whole and holy beliefs that you do not need your sinful defense patterns anymore. Know that you cannot better yourself from the outside; you need to be exchanged on the inside. The NEW MAN, Christ in you, is your hope of Glory!

“CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY” (Colossians 1:27).

I bless you! 
April 15 May You Forgive Yourself

“GODLY SORROW BRINGS REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION AND LEAVES NO REGRET, BUT WORLDLY SORROW BRINGS DEATH” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Today I bless you with a special anointing to forgive yourself.

Discern that there is a difference between CONVICTION (convincing someone of an error) and CONDEMNATION (declaring someone as doomed). Accept that when God convicts you, He provides a way out—REPENTANCE. Understand that your repentance will turn you around to lead you back to the path of salvation. It delivers from evil. It harvests Hope. It results in Holiness. It provides forgiveness. It purifies from all unrighteousness. It never brings regret.

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 John 1:9).

On the other hand, when the accuser condemns, he provides no way out. Know that he will not provide anything to contribute to any kind of deliverance. His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. His intention is to deem you fatally flawed, unacceptable, and unworthy to be loved, even by God. His aim is to drive you away from your Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Love, Hope, and Truth…and to dump you into hopelessness, where he will tell you that there is no way out.

Therefore, I bless you to be alert to distinguish between CONVICTION that comes from God and CONDEMNATION that comes from the accuser.

“THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:1-2).

Furthermore, know that Jesus, your Savior, provides an escape from the enemy’s CONDEMNATION. If you cannot forgive yourself for something you have done, ask yourself why and find the belief the father-of-lies had planted in your mind. What is the reason you are not allowed to forgive yourself? For what do you have to keep on paying? Find that belief and ask the Lord Jesus to exchange it for His Truth. He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life.

I bless you!
 
April 16 You Cannot Out-Reason the Lies of the Enemy

I bless you to be able to let go of a situation where someone blamed you…where someone offended you…where someone wounded you. May you be released from replaying the incident over and over again in your mind, trying in vain to logically understand what has transpired.

“NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE” (Genesis 3:1).

Accept that you cannot logically out-reason the deception of the accuser with your mind. He is the father-of-lies and he has a lot more experience with deception than you will ever have. Know that he will fill you with lies about your offender, AND he will fill your offender with lies about you. Your mind is not capable to out-reason the deception of the enemy.

“SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH” (John 17:17).

Celebrate that the Lord Jesus provided a way out of your dilemma: to live by the Truth. Understand that the Truth comes from God. It is not an invention of the mind. It is not something you can create by yourself. It is a gift from God, when you yield your situation and your perturbing perceptions to Him.

“YOU WERE TAUGHT, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS, AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS”
(Ephesians 4:22-24).

I bless you to allow the Lord Jesus to put off your old Self, whose logic is corrupted by the lies of the father-of-lies, and exchange it for the new Self, whose reasoning is made new by the Truth…and the Truth will set you free from feeling blamed, offended, and wounded.

I bless you!
 
April 17 It Is All about the Relationship

“YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY THE SCRIPTURES BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT BY THEM YOU POSSESS ETERNAL LIFE. THESE ARE THE SCRIPTURES THAT TESTIFY ABOUT ME, YET YOU REFUSE TO COME TO ME TO HAVE LIFE” (John 5:39-40).

The Lord Jesus wants you to know that it is important for you to study the Scriptures diligently, because this is the way you will get to gather information ABOUT HIM. But, it is only through your personal intimate relationship with His Life-giving Spirit that you will come TO KNOW HIM…and enjoy the abundant Life He offers.

“SO IT IS WRITTEN: ‘THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING; THE LAST ADAM, A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT’” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

Today, I bless you with a special anointing to embrace that God made you for Himself. He delights in the relationship…the connectedness…the closeness with you. He sent His son, Jesus, to become a Life-giving Spirit to you, so you may get to KNOW the God of Hope, the Spirit of Truth, the Lord of Peace, the Light of the World, and the God of all Comfort.

“HOWEVER, AS IT IS WRITTEN: ‘NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD, NO MIND HAS CONCEIVED WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM’ BUT GOD HAS REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT SEARCHES ALL THINGS, EVEN THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD. FOR WHO AMONG MEN KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF A MAN EXCEPT THE MAN’S SPIRIT WITHIN HIM? IN THE SAME WAY NO ONE KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF GOD EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD BUT THE SPIRIT WHO IS FROM GOD, THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD HAS FREELY GIVEN US” (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).

I bless you to come to KNOW GOD through His Life-giving Spirit. God’s Spirit KNOWS Him and wants to reveal Him to you, so you may know Him, too. May you learn, through God’s Spirit, what He has freely given you: HIS LIFE…HIS LIGHT…HIS LOVE.

I bless you!
 
April 18 Psalm 91…A Lifestyle by which to Live

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
He is my God, and I trust Him.
For He will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with His feathers.
He will shelter you with His wings.”

I bless you to live in the shelter of the Most High:
in the embrace of His Hope…in the safety of His Truth…in the protection of His Light.
And you will find rest from the hopelessness…the darkness…the fear.
Do not lean on the understanding of your own thoughts,
allowing your emotions to be carried away.
But trust only in God.
And you will be protected…covered…hidden,
for it is He who will rescue you from every trap of deception.

“His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.”

Do not be dismayed when abandonment attacks at night,
Nor when the arrows of blame fly in the day,
Nor when the memories of shame strike at midday.
Know that no evil will touch you
if you surrender all of these to the Almighty.

“If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter.”

I bless you! 
April 19 Secure in Him

“His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you”
(Psalm 91:4-7).

I bless you to persevere when you feel you are the only one standing on the promises of God. Be tenacious. Keep on doing what is right. Be unyielding in your obedience.

Though a thousand fall at your side, yielding to the lies and deceit of the evil one, be unyielding in your obedience to the Truth. Do not lean on the understanding of your perturbing perceptions, thoughts, and circumstances, but trust your Perfect Father with all your heart. Keep on authorizing the Spirit of Truth to guide you into all Truth. Stop at nothing.

Though ten thousand are dying around you, walking in the darkness of unrighteousness, hopelessness, and fear, continue to live as a child of the Light: rejoicing with Hope through the Power of the Holy Spirit…persevering in affliction…praying without ceasing.

Do not base your security on the way those around you live their lives. Keep on uniting with your Perfect Father through His son, Jesus Christ. Let His faithful promise of “I have given you everything for life and godliness” be your protection. Stand firm.

And God’s faithful promises will be your armor and defense. The accuser’s lies will not throw you to the ground. The father-of-lies will not kill your Peace…steal your Hope…destroy your Truth. These evils will not touch you.

I bless you!
 
April 20 Why Don’t I Hear God’s Voice?

“BUT THEIR MINDS WERE MADE DULL, FOR TO THIS DAY THE SAME VEIL REMAINS WHEN THE OLD COVENANT IS READ. IT HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED, BECAUSE ONLY IN CHRIST IS IT TAKEN AWAY” (2 Corinthians 3:14).

I love the ocean. One of the things I love the most is the fog. I remember how the fog would lie low on the water, rendering the fishing boats mysterious and undefined. The fish shacks would become hazy, as if someone had drawn a veil over them. I would watch with wonder, as everything around me would become obscured and hidden in the fog.

The last time I witnessed the obscurity of the fog, I heard myself whisper, “God, sometimes You are like the objects in the fog: out of focus…remote…distant. Why is that?”

Through the continuous drone of the ocean I heard a palpable answer in my heart, “If you are not seeing or hearing Me, it is not because I have chosen to be unresponsive…unsociable…unfriendly. I am not trying to hide Myself from you. I am not trying to make it hard for you to find me. You cannot see Me, because I have been obscured by your own understanding…veiled by your own perturbing perceptions…dimmed by your own mind. I am always close to you–just on the other side of the veil. Nothing will separate you from My Love.”

And then He added, “You can lift the veil and experience My Presence by exchanging your own understanding…for Mine. You can remove the veil by yielding the messages the father-of-lies had delivered to your heart…to Me. The only thing that is standing between us is the deception of the deceiver: the darkness of your own tormenting thoughts, the murkiness of your own childhood conclusions…the gloominess of your own irrational interpretations.”

“BUT WHENEVER ANYONE TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY”
(2 Corinthians 3:16).

I bless you to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, relinquishing your negative, destructive beliefs to Him…and you will be able to see and hear Him again.

I bless you!
 
April 21 God Is Love

“LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND. IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD. IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES. LOVE NEVER FAILS” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:16).

Celebrate that God is patient, even when your pain and weaknesses show and you struggle to surrender…because God is Love.
Ponder that God is kind and does not condemn as people do…because God is Love.
Value that God does not boast, but came to this earth to share His Holiness with you…because God is Love.
Embrace that God is not rude, but gentle…because God is Love.
Know that God is not self-seeking, but came to seek those who are lost, because God is Love.
Receive that God is not easily angered, even when you come undone…because God is Love.
Speculate that God keeps no records of wrongs, after you have asked forgiveness…because God is Love.
Capture that God does not delight in evil done against you or anybody else…because God is Love.
Recognize that God rejoices when you are set free by the Truth…because God is Love.
Acknowledge that God yearns to protect you from the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies…because God is Love.
Understand that God always trusts and hopes that you will bring your pain and weaknesses to Him, instead of hiding, running away, and blaming…because God is Love.

“AND SO WE KNOW AND RELY ON THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR US. GOD IS LOVE. WHOEVER LIVES IN LOVE LIVES IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM” (1 John 4:16).

I bless you to rely on the Love God has for you…for it will never fail you.
May you live in God and God in you, so you, too, can love like God.

I bless you! 
April 22 Anger Is Not Only Skin-Deep.

“FOR MAN’S ANGER DOES NOT BRING ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE THAT GOD DESIRES” (James 1:20).

I bless you to understand that anger is often only the bandage that covers the wound. If you were to peel the anger off, you would expose a festering ulcer filled with unworthiness, condemnation, and abandonment.

“GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, RAGE AND ANGER, BRAWLING AND SLANDER, ALONG WITH EVERY FORM OF MALICE” (Ephesians 4:31).

Do not let your anger go unchecked, but instead, probe deeper to find out what is concealed underneath your anger. Inquire into the understanding of your mind to expose false beliefs from the father-of-lies. Scrutinize your heart for clues of unworthiness—feelings of “I do not measure up.” Probe your mind for clues of shame—feelings of “I am a disgrace.” Search your spirit for clues of abandonment—feelings of “I am all alone.” Anger does not stand alone, but sits on a pillar of negative, destructive beliefs instilled in the mind by the father-of-lies!

“A FOOL GIVES FULL VENT TO HIS ANGER, BUT A WISE MAN KEEPS HIMSELF UNDER CONTROL” (Proverbs 29:11).

Jesus wants you to know that “no temptation has seized you, except what is common to man.” He understands unworthiness. He is familiar with condemnation. He is acquainted with abandonment. He wants you to know that these common-to-man temptations that are hiding beneath your anger are not too powerful for Him to handle. He knows the way out.

I bless you to allow the Lord Jesus to look at the hidden ulcer underneath your anger. Allow Him to cover it with His bandages of Worth, Acceptance, and Love…and you will notice that your anger will disappear.

“REFRAIN FROM ANGER AND TURN FROM WRATH; DO NOT FRET—IT LEADS ONLY TO EVIL” (Psalm 37:8).
I bless you!
 
April 23 Work out Your Own Salvation

“THEREFORE, MY BELOVED, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” (Philippians 2:12).

I bless you to work out your own salvation with serious caution, taking ownership and responsibility for your own pain and weaknesses. Understand that it is your obligation to submit your own load of shame, abandonment, and condemnation to God for deliverance. Do not fall into anger, jealousy, and hatred, blaming others for your own heartache, for there will come a day that you will have to give account for every careless word you have spoken in anger, jealousy, and hatred.

“BUT I TELL YOU THAT MEN WILL HAVE TO GIVE ACCOUNT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR EVERY CARELESS WORD THEY HAVE SPOKEN. FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE ACQUITTED, AND BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED” (Matthew 12:36-37).

I bless you to work out your own salvation. Grasp that the everlasting Father has sent His son, Jesus, to be your Savior, but it is your responsibility to accept His Grace. Understand that the Perfect Father has sent the Spirit of Truth to guide you into all Truth, but it is your obligation to turn in the lies that the father-of-lies had planted in your mind. Celebrate that the Father has sent Jesus to be the Light of the World, but it is your responsibility to bring your darkness to Him. Believe that Christ’s Power is made perfect in weakness, but it is your obligation to recognize and accept your weaknesses, so that Christ’s Power may rest on you.

Therefore, work out your own salvation with respect to God and others.

I bless you!
 
April 24 Jealousy…the Plank in Your Eye

“WHY DO YOU LOOK AT THE SPECK OF SAWDUST IN YOUR BROTHER’S EYE AND PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE?” (Matthew 7:3).

I have had many bouts of jealousy in my own heart. When I paid attention to the plank in my own eye, I noticed that underneath my jealousy there was fear: fear that I would be rejected…fear that I would be forsaken and forgotten…fear that I would not be chosen.

Be wary when jealousy bursts forth in your life. Be on the alert, for jealousy is usually a sign that you have a plank in your own eye.

“HOW CAN YOU SAY TO YOUR BROTHER, ‘LET ME TAKE THE SPECK OUT OF YOUR EYE,’ WHEN ALL THE TIME THERE IS A PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE?” (Matthew 7:4).

Understand that this plank can come in many forms: the plank of feeling that you fall short compared to the other person…the plank of feeling that you are not special compared to the other person…the plank of feeling that you are deemed bad and not worthy to be loved by the other person. Recognize that when you are consumed with jealousy, it is not a good time to focus your gaze on the speck in your brother’s eye. Looking through your plank at your brother, you will not have a clear view of the Truth. His speck will not look like a smidgen anymore, but like an ugly blemish…a stain…a flaw.

“YOU HYPOCRITE, FIRST TAKE THE PLANK OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR BROTHER’S EYE”
(Matthew 7:5).

Therefore, I bless you to be on the alert during bouts of jealousy. Know that during your jealousy, your perception of your brother will be indiscernible… obscured…dark. First, clear up your own feelings and beliefs of shame, unworthiness, and rejection by bringing these to the Lord Jesus. Only when He tells you the Truth about yourself, will you notice that the speck in your brother’s eye is just that…a speck.

I bless you!

April 25 Child, You Are Fully Known

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD…NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).

Let me show you how a memory is formed during childhood. You see, your mind works like a TAPE RECORDER, recording every experience since the time of birth very accurately. During childhood, when something happened to you, your mind recorded the FACTS of that event. Well, that is not all that happened during that memory. While that memory was being made, you made certain INTERPRETATIONS, which go along with the facts. These interpretations were recorded permanently into your mind, as well. There is more. Along with the facts and the interpretations, certain EMOTIONS cropped up, too. These emotions were also recorded permanently in your mind during the making of the memory.

When your mind recorded the facts, interpretations, and emotions during the memory, the father-of-lies was present. His goal was to help us make FALSE INTERPRETATIONS of our situations, because his weapon against us is DECEPTION—the principle of luring us into beliefs that are not true. He knows that if he can get us to believe false things about ourselves and others during childhood, we will be impaired for the rest of our lives, because these false interpretations carry over into our ADULTHOOD. And because of these wrong interpretations, we see but a poor reflection of ourselves.

What false interpretations did you make during your childhood, when your memories were formed? Are you aware that these false interpretations and the accompanying emotions are STILL in your mind and heart, today? Did you know that God’s Truth can set you free?

I bless you to be excited that you are fully known by God, and that He longs to show you who you really are. But it is your responsibility to find these false interpretations…and EXPOSE them to God. HE will EXCHANGE them for HIS TRUTH…and a new memory will be made in the place of the old one.

I bless you!
 
April 26 Do This in Order to Have Fellowship with God

“THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND DECLARE TO YOU: GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. IF WE CLAIM TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM YET WALK IN THE DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT LIVE BY THE TRUTH”
(1 John 1:5-6).

The other day my husband and I had a two-hour long argument. He was holding onto his opinions and I was holding onto mine. I desperately wanted him to accept my opinion as the correct one, and I was determined not to give up until I win the argument. Just as I thought I was getting somewhere, the Spirit of Truth tugged at my heart and said very clearly, “Renee, you are the one who is wrong. You have a false belief in your mind that states that you do not count. That is the reason you are so vehemently defending your point. It is not important to Me that you win the argument. It is important to Me that you walk in the Light: that you surrender this belief to Me, so that you can live by My Truth.”

I felt touched that God went to all the trouble to tell me what was going on in my heart, but I was also humiliated. I now had to tell my husband that I was wrong: that there was a belief in my mind from the father-of-lies that made me feel that I did not count and that this was the reason I was arguing in the first place. I had to give up the argument.

I confessed my wrong belief to my husband and to God, because I wanted to live in the Light. It was more important to me to live by the Truth and have fellowship with my God than to win the argument with my husband.

I bless you to refrain from allowing your own perturbing perceptions to draw you into arguments that serve to prove that you count. May you humble yourself when the Spirit of Truth lets you know that you have a false belief in your mind that is causing the argument. May you confess that you were wrong and surrender your perceptions to Him, because it is more important for you to live by the Truth and have fellowship with God than to win the argument.

May you forgive your husband…your wife…your friend…your enemy, not because they deserve to be forgiven, but because you yearn to walk in the Light and enjoy intimate fellowship with your God, instead.

I bless you 
April 27 The Birth of Sin

“WHEN TEMPTED, NO ONE SHOULD SAY, ‘GOD IS TEMPTING ME.’ FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE TEMPT ANYONE” (James 1:13).

God does not tempt you. Your temptations are not coming from God. They have another origin.

“BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN, BY HIS OWN EVIL DESIRE, HE IS DRAGGED AWAY AND ENTICED” (James 1:14).

I bless you to understand that you are being tempted by the shame—I fall short—that the father-of-lies had imbedded in your mind, long ago. Grasp that you are being tempted by the condemnation—I am bad—that the father-of-lies had infused in your mind as a child. Know that you are being tempted by the abandonment—I have been pushed aside—that the father-of-lies had lodged in your mind in the past.

Realize that the father-of-lies tempts you with these painful beliefs to create desires in you to hide from the shame, run from the condemnation, and blame others for being abandoned. But he can only do this IF YOU BELIEVE HIM!

“THEN, AFTER DESIRE HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FULL-GROWN, GIVES BIRTH TO DEATH” (James 1:15).

Capture that if you accept and believe the painful beliefs of shame, condemnation, and abandonment that the father-of-lies had injected in your mind as a child, you will be tempted to react to these beliefs…and give birth to sin. And after you have fabricated your own set of sinful behavior patterns to cover the pain of the enemy’s lies, sin will give birth to death…every day of your life, here on earth.

“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO PERSEVERES UNDER TRIAL, BECAUSE WHEN HE HAS STOOD THE TEST, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM” (James 1:12).

Blessed are you who do not accept and believe the painful beliefs of the father-of-lies, but instead, embrace and expose them to God. After God has exchanged these beliefs for His Hope, Truth, and Love, you will be able to stand the test. Then, you will receive Life…every day, here on this earth.

I bless you! 
April 28 Meditate on These Things

“FINALLY, BRETHREN, WHATEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATEVER THINGS ARE NOBLE, WHATEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATEVER THINGS ARE PURE, WHATEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT, IF THERE IS ANY VIRTUE AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING PRAISEWORTHY—MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS”
(Philippians 4:8).

I bless you to meditate on thoughts that rejoice with the Truth, because Truth is uncorrupted by the lies of the father-of-lies. Understand that unvarnished Truth does not kill, steal, or destroy, but is wholesome and beneficial to your spirit, soul, and body. Truth is pure.

“THE LORD DETESTS THE THOUGHTS OF THE WICKED, BUT THOSE OF THE PURE ARE PLEASING TO HIM” (Proverbs 15:26).

I bless you to meditate on that which has virtue. Do not accept thoughts of shame and guilt from the evil one. They cause anger, jealousy, and hatred. Instead, meditate on God’s Forgiveness and Grace that are available to you, as soon as you are ready to accept it. He is just. Do not concentrate on acts of past rejection. These will throw you into depression. Instead, ponder the Acceptance God wants to pour into your heart. This is lovely. Stop harboring thoughts of abandonment. They will cause bitterness in your heart. Instead, invite God’s Presence and Participation into your life situations. This is praiseworthy.

“BUT THE WISDOM THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN IS FIRST OF ALL PURE; THEN PEACE-LOVING, CONSIDERATE, SUBMISSIVE, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUIT, IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE” (James 3:17).

Meditate on God’s Love that keeps you whole. Ponder God’s Peace that transcends all understanding. Dwell on God’s Hope that quells all hopelessness. Reflect on God’s Power that is at work within you. Covet the Wisdom that comes from Heaven and is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. These things are of good report.

I bless you!
 
April 29 Allow Jesus to Forgive through You

“JESUS SAID, ‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING’” (Luke 23:34).

I bless you to take hold of the truth that Jesus is the Perfect Forgiver. Even though His offenders nailed Him to the cross to die, He did not blame them. He did not repay evil with evil. He did not keep a record of their wrongs. Jesus forgave.

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

Capture that the same Jesus who forgives perfectly, resides in your heart, for God sent the Spirit of His Son to dwell in your heart, if you accept Him.

Therefore, I urge you to surrender the person you are unable to forgive to Jesus, the Perfect Forgiver, whose Spirit lives in your heart. Jesus knows how to give up resentment for harm done against Him.

If the abomination done against you is too big to forgive, release it to Jesus, the Perfect Forgiver, whose Spirit dwells in your heart. Jesus knows how to forgive a debt.

If the wrongs committed against you are too many to forgive and forget, release them to Jesus, the Perfect Forgiver, whose Spirit lives in your heart. Jesus knows how to forgive an enemy.

If the judgment against you was just too unfair, release it to Jesus, the Perfect Forgiver, whose Spirit dwells in your heart. Jesus knows how to grant forgiveness to an offender.

Allow Jesus to do it for you.

Then, Jesus, the Perfect Forgiver, who resides in your heart, will do what you are unable to do—He will forgive.

I bless you! 
April 30 Inherit Your Blessing

“FINALLY, ALL OF YOU, LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER; BE SYMPATHETIC, LOVE AS BROTHERS, BE COMPASSIONATE AND HUMBLE. DO NOT REPAY EVIL WITH EVIL OR INSULT WITH INSULT, BUT WITH BLESSING, BECAUSE TO THIS YOU WERE CALLED SO THAT YOU MAY INHERIT A BLESSING” (1 Peter 3:8-9).

Today, as we address the subject of forgiveness one more time, I bless you to not look for a blessing from the person you are forgiving, but to GIVE a blessing to the person who trespassed against you…and then, to expect and inherit your blessing from God.

“DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD” (Romans 12:21).

Know that God took notice of your mercifulness when you forgave that person for trespassing against you. The Most High God wants you to know that He paid attention when you did not repay insult with insult, even though you knew your offender was wrong, and you had many reasons to pay him or her back with insult. The Giver of every good gift wants you to know that He was a witness when you took your offender’s evil upon yourself. The Father to the fatherless will bless you for not repaying evil with evil, even though you knew the truth, and could have gotten yourself off the hook.

“BUT LOVE YE YOUR ENEMIES, AND DO GOOD, AND LEND, HOPING FOR NOTHING AGAIN; AND YOUR REWARD SHALL BE GREAT, AND YE SHALL BE THE CHILDREN OF THE HIGHEST” (Luke 6:35).

Therefore, look forward to your Father’s blessing that He has in store for you, because you were sympathetic, compassionate, and humble. To this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing from the Father of Compassion and all Comfort. Count on it….Hope for it…Expect it.

And you will be blessed!

I bless you!

 
May 1 Live in the Present

I bless you to live in the present…in the now…today.

“FROM THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED ONE BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER” (John 1:16).

I bless you to live in the abundance of each blessing that is available to you from the fullness of Christ’s Grace, here in this place, this very moment. Feast on it. There is enough for you for right now, if you do not invite the past and the future to participate in the present. From the fullness of His Grace, God will provide tomorrow’s blessings when tomorrow comes.

“THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN” (Matthew 6:34).

I bless you to live in the blessing of Hope that is available to you now, at this moment in time, through the abundance that is in the Lord Jesus. Take pleasure in the now. Make good use of it. Have a good time. Do not anticipate the hopelessness of tomorrow or waste away in the failures of yesterday. The God of Hope stands ready to fill you with His Joy and Peace now, in the present, as you trust in Him to overflow with Hope through the power of His Holy Spirit.

“GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD” (Matthew 6:11).

I bless you to flourish in the blessing of Peace that is available to you through the Lord of Peace right now, this very hour. Make each moment count. Rejoice in it. Make the most of it. Do not melt away in the sorrow of the past or lose strength in the expectations of the future. The Lord of Peace stands ready to give you His Peace, at this moment in time, for your immediate circumstances, because His Grace is enough for you, right now, for whatever you are going through. Tap into it.

“BUT HE SAID TO ME, ‘MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

May you live in the fullness of His Grace
And receive each blessing He has for you
Every day…every hour…this very moment
I bless you to live in the now.

I bless you! 
May 2 Put Childish Ways behind You

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Be reminded that when your mind recorded the facts, interpretations, and emotions that made up your childhood memories, the father-of-lies was present. His goal during your childhood was to help you make false conclusions of your situations, because he knew that if he could get you to believe false things about yourself and others during childhood, you would be impaired for the rest of your life, since these false childhood interpretations carry over into your adult life.

Understand that these false childhood conclusions are triggered all the time during adulthood, causing you to think like that little child again that felt so ashamed when she made a mistake…causing you to reason like that little child again who felt so condemned when she did not know the right answer…causing you to talk like that little child again who felt like a failure when he could not understand his math problems.

But God wants you to know that He longs for you to think like an adult…reason like an adult…and talk like an adult and put childish ways behind you. This is not something you can do by yourself. You need God’s help!

“WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN BUT WILL TELL YOU WHAT HE HAS HEARD”
(John 16:13).

I bless you to authorize the Spirit of Truth to exchange your childhood interpretations for the Truth. Do this every time a childhood conclusion is triggered. It is only then that you will stop reasoning irrationally like a child and stop feeling powerless and helpless like a child. It is only then that you will be able to become an adult and put childish ways behind you.

“AND YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE”
(John 8:32).

I bless you!

May 3 Come to God First

“COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST” (Matthew 11:28).

I bless you to come to the Lord Jesus first when you are heavy laden, before you seek the advice and comfort of your friends and family.

“IF ANY MAN THIRST, LET HIM COME UNTO ME, AND DRINK” (John 7:37).

“FOR HE SATISFIES THE THIRSTY AND FILLS THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS” (Psalm 107:9).

Capture that the Lord Jesus can satisfy your thirst and fill you with good things…things that your friends and family cannot do for you or give you.

“AND YE WILL NOT COME TO ME, THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE” (John 5:40).

Grasp that the Lord Jesus is the only One who could give you Life…His Life.

“I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS” (John 12:46).

Know that the Lord Jesus is the only One who could fill your darkness with Light.

“CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Agree that the Lord Jesus is the only One who could give you Wisdom from God—Righteousness, Holiness, and Redemption.

“MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, SO THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 15:13).

Realize that the Lord Jesus is the only One who could fill you with Hope from the inside out.

“NOW MAY THE LORD OF PEACE HIMSELF GIVE YOU PEACE AT ALL TIMES AND IN EVERY WAY” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

Recognize that the Lord Jesus is the only One who could bring you real Peace.

I bless you 
May 4 Restore with Gentleness

“BROTHERS, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE HIM GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELF, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED” (Galatians 6:1).

I bless you with a special anointing to restore…to restore with gentleness.

I encourage you to think of someone you know who is weary and weak—someone who might be trapped in the lies of the father-of-lies. Take note that you can be of great help and comfort to your friend by being willing to restore him or her gently.

Understand that when someone is trapped in a lie, he might behave irrationally. He might express anger. He might show jealousy. He might breathe animosity. However, regardless of the behavior he displays on the outside, deep in his heart he feels hopeless…helpless…powerless. Therefore, he hungers for Love—God’s Love. He hungers for God’s Hope, God’s Truth, and God’s Peace.

“HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY AND INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK”
(Isaiah 40:29).

Grasp that often, when someone is lying with his face in the dust, he is not able to reach God’s outstretched hand of Love, Hope, and Truth. Recognize that the heavy burden of hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness paralyzes a person…and can prevent him from looking up into God’s face.

Therefore, stoop down with gentleness and pick your friend up. Do not condemn, criticize, or control. These are sinful behavior patterns that ease your own pain. Be determined to encourage, bless, and understand.

Believe that your gentleness will prevail. You will witness a miracle when you see your friend arise from the prostration in which circumstances have kept him. And your heart will tremble with joy.

I bless you!
 
May 5 For All Times, One Sacrifice

“THEREFORE, MY BELOVED, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” (Philippians 2:12).

I bless you to not become a victim—the sacrifice for someone’s heartache he has been carrying around since childhood. Be on the alert, lest someone lays you on the altar as a sacrifice for her pain. Do not be deceived. Do not be fooled. Do not be tricked. Do not become injured and destroyed by another person’s pain.

Therefore, differentiate whether someone wants you to help him bring his pain to Jesus…or whether someone wants to victimize you, using you as a sacrificial lamb to carry his sins.

“HE IS THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT ONLY FOR OURS BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD” (1 John 2:2).

Know that everyone is responsible to work out his own salvation: owning his pain…taking responsibility for his own sinful defense habits and patterns …acknowledging his own misinterpretations, AND TAKING IT TO JESUS, the atoning sacrifice.

“BUT WHEN THIS PRIEST HAD OFFERED FOR ALL TIME ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS, HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” (Hebrews 10:12).

Do not play the role of the sacrificial lamb, for you will become a hindrance…a barrier…an obstacle, blocking the blamer from seeing the real Sacrifice—Jesus Christ, who offered Himself for our sins and also for the sins of the whole world. He is the only one who can pardon anyone’s sins and purify us from all unrighteousness…even the heartache we have been carrying around since childhood.

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 John 1:9).

I bless you!
 
May 6 The Sins of the Fathers

“YOU SHALL NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM NOR SERVE THEM. FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO HATE ME”
(Deuteronomy 5:9).

Did you have a parent or grandparent who misused alcohol or other substances? Did you have a parent or grandparent who reacted to life situations with violence and uncontrolled anger? Are you afraid that you would become like your parent, and even vowed that you would do the exact opposite of what they had been doing?

I bless you to be comforted that the sins of your ancestors do not need to carry over to you. Be encouraged that the way your ancestors reacted to life situations does not need to determine how YOU react to life issues.

Know that your parents and their parents had the same enemy you have—the father-of-lies—and they had decided to react to his lies with a certain behavior pattern. You do not need to do the same. You do not need to serve the father-of-lies and his lies of abandonment, shame, and condemnation with sinful defense pattern of rage, alcoholism, or other dependencies. You can choose to serve God!

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you to love God enough to choose a different behavior pattern than substance abuse or rage to deal with the father-of-lies’ painful beliefs of abandonment, shame, and condemnation. Instead, choose to surrender these beliefs to the Lord Jesus, who will cherish your relinquishment and reveal His Love, Hope, and Truth to you. Know that the Lord God will keep his covenant of Love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and surrender their pain to Him.

“KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD; HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD, KEEPING HIS COVENANT OF LOVE TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS” (Deuteronomy 7:9).

I bless you!

May 7 Your Heart Is the Wellspring of Life

“A MALICIOUS MAN DISGUISES HIMSELF WITH HIS LIPS, BUT IN HIS HEART HE HARBORS DECEIT. THOUGH HIS SPEECH IS CHARMING, DO NOT BELIEVE HIM, FOR SEVEN ABOMINATIONS FILL HIS HEART” (Proverbs 26:24-25).

Understand that your heart is a reservoir that either holds deceit from the father-of-lies…or Truth from the Lord Jesus Christ. You will know who fills your heart by looking at your actions and reactions that result from the abominations that fill your heart.

“CHRIST…FILLS ALL THINGS EVERYWHERE WITH HIMSELF” (Ephesians 1:23).

Listen to your heart and find out if it is harboring the abominations of unworthiness…condemnation…rejection. This is an indication that your heart is filled with deceit from the father-of-lies. JESUS WANTS TO FILL YOUR HEART WITH HIMSELF.

Listen to your heart and examine it for the abominations of anger and jealousy. This is an indication that your heart is filled with deceit from the father-of-lies. JESUS WANTS TO FILL YOUR HEART WITH HIMSELF.

Listen to your heart and look for the abominations of hopelessness and depression. This is an indication that your heart is filled with deceit from the father-of-lies. JESUS WANTS TO FILL YOUR HEART WITH HIMSELF.

“ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART, FOR IT IS THE WELLSPRING OF LIFE” (Proverbs 4:23).

I bless you to guard your heart. It is the wellspring of life. Know that you have a choice: to fill your heart with deceit from the father-of-lies…or to fill your heart with Truth from the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no middle ground.

I bless you!
 
May 8 Cut the Ropes that Hold Your Life Patterns

“SO THE SOLDIERS CUT THE ROPES THAT HELD THE LIFEBOAT AND LET IT FALL AWAY” (Acts 27:32).

I bless you today to consider cutting the ropes that are holding your lifeboat of sinful behavior patterns and habits afloat…and let it fall away.

Cut the ropes that are keeping Self alive. Know that Self loves to sulk, spending time in dejection and hopelessness, when things don’t go its way. Self is not self-controlled, but often surrenders to uncontrolled anger and rage when it is provoked. Self reacts to its deceitful desires with patterns of over-indulgence, mind-reading, and forsaking its tasks whenever Self is aroused.

“HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED. FOR YOU WERE LIKE SHEEP GOING ASTRAY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER OF YOUR SOULS” (1 Peter 2:24-25).

Believe that you do not need to keep Self with its deceitful desires alive. The Lord Jesus bore your sins on the cross, so that you might die to Self’s sinful behavior patterns, and allow the Righteousness of Jesus to live through you.

“THEREFORE, RID YOURSELVES OF ALL MALICE AND ALL DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, ENVY, AND SLANDER OF EVERY KIND. LIKE NEWBORN BABIES, CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK, SO THAT BY IT YOU MAY GROW UP IN YOUR SALVATION, NOW THAT YOU HAVE TASTED THAT THE LORD IS GOOD” (1 Peter 2:1-3).

Therefore, rid yourself of Self, who is full of malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Like a baby who is dependent on his parents, become dependent on the Overseer of your soul, so that through Him you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that your Perfect Father has sent the Lord Jesus to become your Righteousness in place of Self.

I bless you!
 
May 9 We Are Being Given over to Death for Jesus’ Sake

“FOR WE WHO ARE ALIVE ARE ALWAYS BEING GIVEN OVER TO DEATH FOR JESUS’ SAKE, SO THAT HIS LIFE MAY BE REVEALED IN OUR MORTAL BODY”
(2 Corinthians 4:11).

I have realized recently how many times a day Self, the OLD ME character that the father-of-lies has shaped in me, needs to be given over to death, so that the Life of Jesus might be revealed through my actions and reactions.

There are so many opportunities in my daily life where I have a choice to give Self over to death for Jesus’ sake. There are the times when I feel threatened by other people’s successes. There are the times when I feel attacked by other people’s selfishness. There are the times when I feel discouraged, alone, and afraid.

The other day I felt my Self cancelled by someone’s selfish remarks. When I took the pain of feeling annulled and deleted to the Lord Jesus, He answered, “But your Self DOES need to be cancelled, so that I may live in you. Stop defending your Self…and let it die.”

“LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS
AND THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES,
AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US”
(Hebrews 12:1).

I bless you to throw off everything that hinders the Life of Jesus to be revealed in your actions and reactions.

Know that the only way to give Self over to death is to give Self over to JESUS, every day…a hundred times a day…whenever it is provoked. JESUS IS YOUR SAVIOR. All authority has been given to Him. He is the only one who has the power to tie the noose around Self and its sinful habits and patterns. Jesus will get rid of Self and put HIMSELF in its place.

I bless you!
 
May 10 To Love God Is to Obey Him

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME” (John 14:21).

I bless you today to love Jesus. Know that to love Jesus is to obey Him. To obey Jesus means not to surrender to your childhood pain…but to surrender your childhood pain to Him.

“‘BECAUSE HE LOVES ME,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME. HE WILL CALL UPON ME, AND I WILL ANSWER HIM; I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE, I WILL DELIVER HIM AND HONOR HIM’” (Psalm 91:14-15).

Do you sometimes feel and act like a six-year-old? I bless you to obey Jesus by bringing all your six-year-old feelings of abandonment, rejection, and shame to Him when you felt like you were not loved…that you were in the way…that you did not count. Obey Jesus by bringing Him all your twelve-year-old interpretations of being an outcast….and alien…..an object when you were not accepted as being part of the crowd or when you were being abused.

Do not avoid the burden. Do not deny the problem. Do not simply endure the emotions. Do not get lost in the lies. Embrace the little child in you…and bring it to Jesus.

And because you love Jesus, He will rescue you from the childhood beliefs that have been keeping you captive. He will protect you from the control of the father-of-lies, because you acknowledge His Name. You will call upon Him, and He will answer you. He will deliver you from the lies of the enemy. He will be with you in trouble. He will honor you.

“JESUS SAID, ‘IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING, YOU ARE REALLY MY DISCIPLES. THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE’”
(John 8:31, 32).

I bless you to love Jesus and hold to His teaching. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free from childish ways.

“WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

I bless you!
 
May 11 Endure through Every Circumstance

“WE GIVE GREAT HONOR TO THOSE WHO ENDURE UNDER SUFFERING. FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW ABOUT JOB, A MAN OF GREAT ENDURANCE. YOU CAN SEE HOW THE LORD WAS KIND TO HIM AT THE END, FOR THE LORD IS FULL OF TENDERNESS AND MERCY” (James 5:11).

Do you know what it means to endure? Do you know what it means to persevere? To endure or persevere means to persist in a state or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement…without yielding.

“KEEP YOURSELVES IN GOD’S LOVE AS YOU WAIT FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BRING YOU TO ETERNAL LIFE” (Jude 1:21).

This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. You see, God wants us to persist in a certain state—the state of His Love—in spite of the counterinfluences of the people around us, in spite of the opposition of the father-of-lies, and in spite of the discouragement in our hearts.

“LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND. LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS OR BOASTFUL OR PROUD OR RUDE. IT DOES NOT DEMAND ITS OWN WAY. IT IS NOT IRRITABLE, AND IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF BEING WRONGED. IT DOES NOT REJOICE ABOUT INJUSTICE BUT REJOICES WHENEVER THE TRUTH WINS OUT. LOVE NEVER GIVES UP, NEVER LOSES FAITH, IS ALWAYS HOPEFUL, AND ENDURES THROUGH EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE”
“GOD IS LOVE” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and 1 John 4:8).

I bless you to keep your heart in the state of God’s Love when things go wrong in your life. God’s Love is patient. It is kind. God’s Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

I bless you to keep yourself in the state of God’s Love and persist in your undertaking of doing your Perfect Father’s Will. Do not lose Faith and demand your own way. Do not give up Hope, yielding to the lies of the father-of-lies. Do not forsake Love and become irritable.

May you persist in the state of God’s Love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus to bring you solutions and answers. Endure through every circumstance!

I bless you!
 
May 12 May Christ’s Light Shine in Your Darkness

I have experienced intense darkness in my life: severe depression…deep despair…piercing heartache. During times like these, I would try to shine light on my darkness and strive to get rid of the fear…the rejection…the unworthiness, but to no avail. The darkness prevailed. No amount of light I shone on it would make a difference.

“WHOSE MINDS THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

For the longest time, I never knew there was a Light available for my darkness. You see, the father-of-lies had blinded my mind, for fear that I would find out about the Glory of Christ that is able to shine on my darkness…and turn it to Light.

“BUT THE MINISTRY JESUS HAS RECEIVED IS AS SUPERIOR TO THEIRS AS THE COVENANT OF WHICH HE IS MEDIATOR IS SUPERIOR TO THE OLD ONE, AND IT IS FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES” (Hebrews 8:6).

The ministry Jesus has received is superior to anything I have ever come across. It is the only ministry that has had the Power to remove my darkness…and put Light in its place.

“I HAVE BECOME ITS SERVANT BY THE COMMISSION GOD GAVE ME TO PRESENT TO YOU THE WORD OF GOD IN ITS FULLNESS—THE MYSTERY THAT HAS BEEN KEPT HIDDEN FOR AGES AND GENERATIONS, BUT IS NOW DISCLOSED TO THE SAINTS. TO THEM GOD HAS CHOSEN TO MAKE KNOWN AMONG THE GENTILES THE GLORIOUS RICHES OF THIS MYSTERY, WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY” (Colossians 1:25-27).

The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages was disclosed to my heart: “Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.” The Light of Christ’s Glory has erased the darkness of depression and despair in my mind and in my heart…and has exchanged the darkness for His covenant of Love, Truth, and Hope. This is still an ongoing process, every day. Even now, whenever darkness enters my mind and heart, I surrender it to the Light of Christ’s Glory…and watch the darkness disappear miraculously.

I bless you!

 
May 13 The Shame of the Old Man

“IF I AM GUILTY—WOE TO ME! EVEN IF I AM INNOCENT, I CANNOT LIFT MY HEAD, FOR I AM FULL OF SHAME AND DROWNED IN MY AFFLICTION” (Job 10:15).

For the biggest part of my life, I lived in shame. I was ashamed, because I had an OLD SELF living in me: a corrupted being who was shaped by the lies of the father-of-lies. I could not lift my head, for I was filled with unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance. Being in persistent despair and distress, I reacted to this OLD SELF by trying to make myself good…by trying to fake myself into acceptance…by striving to become a being of worth and value. I desperately wanted to get rid of the corrupted OLD SELF in me…but how?

“YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU”
(John 15:3).

Then, one day, Jesus said something to me that changed my life forever. He said, “YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU. I, Jesus, have done something that you yourself are not capable of doing. I have spoken you clean of your OLD SELF. You do not have to strive to become good anymore. You do not have to pretend to be someone else to be acceptable. You do not have to work to become worthy. I have done it all for you on the cross.”

“FOR WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM SO THAT THE BODY RULED BY SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES TO SIN—” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to realize that you do not have to strive to be worthy. You do not have to fight for your heart to make it good. You do not have to be fake in order to be acceptable. Instead, hand your OLD SELF—the unworthy, unrighteous, and unacceptable person the father-of-lies has formed in you—to the Lord Jesus. He will accept it…and hand you a NEW SELF in return. Your shame will disappear. And you will be radiant.

“THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE RADIANT; THEIR FACES ARE NEVER COVERED WITH SHAME” (Psalm 34:5).

I bless you!

May 14 Child, May You Fully Know the Truth

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).

For a long time in my life, I carried the belief around in my mind that I do not matter. When things would go wrong, hopelessness and sadness would overcome me, and I would always say, “It does not matter, because I do not matter.”

Well, this was a childhood belief that was planted in my mind by the father-of-lies: “Renee, you do not matter.”

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

One day, I followed the emotion of sadness that accompanied the belief that I do not matter, and traced it back to a childhood memory. I was six years old and awakened one night by loud laughter, coming from the kitchen. I got out of bed to see what was going on and found my sister talking and laughing loudly with the rest of the family. I asked her to be quieter so I could sleep, but she ignored me. Right at that moment I made the false childhood conclusion, “I do not matter.” And that interpretation carried over into adulthood.

“WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH”
(John 16:13).

Tired of feeling that I do not matter, I confronted this painful belief and surrendered it to the Spirit of Truth. And God’s Spirit showed me the Truth: how much my sister loved me…that I was her best friend…that I still am loved by her and am very special to her, even though she is now in Heaven. From then on, the false interpretation that I do not matter did not keep me captive anymore.

I bless you to bring your childhood conclusions to God, so that you may fully know the Truth—that you matter.

I bless you!
 
May 15 The Enemy Likes to Hide

“NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘DID GOD REALLY SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN?’” (Genesis 3:1)

Be reminded that you have an enemy—the father of lies. He hates the Truth and will try to keep it from you with every tool at his disposal, his favorite gimmick being blaming others. He does this, so the focus is taken away from him.

Know that he always makes sure he stays hidden. Nobody would suspect him of the misinterpretations “I am a mistake…I don’t have what it takes…I am defenseless.” Nobody suspects him to be the cause of your misinterpretations, because he always makes sure the blame falls on someone or something else. “It is your mother who does not love you. It is your friend who does not care about you. It is your dad who thinks you are a failure.” Thus, the father of lies remains innocent and hidden, inventing untruths…concocting falsities…devouring anybody and everybody with his deceit.

“BUT I AM AFRAID THAT JUST AS EVE WAS DECEIVED BY THE SERPENT’S CUNNING, YOUR MINDS MAY SOMEHOW BE LED ASTRAY FROM YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

I bless you to take refuge in your Perfect Father, instead of blaming those who have hurt you. Acknowledge the name of Jesus, who can rescue you from the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies. Accept the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth, who can protect you. And God will expose the cunning serpent from his hiding place, so you could know the Truth…and you will trample the cobra.

“YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE COBRA; YOU WILL TRAMPLE THE GREAT LION AND THE SERPENT. ‘BECAUSE HE LOVES ME,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME’”
(Psalm 91:13, 14).

I bless you!
 
May 16 May You Receive Your Father’s Love

Did you know that your Perfect Father loves you even as He loves His son, Jesus? There is no other Love in existence like that of your Everlasting Father’s. There is no other Love with whom you can compare your Perfect Father’s Love for you.

“I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME” (John 17:22-23).

I bless you to understand that it is when you do not feel loved that you are prone to fall into sinful behavior patterns…especially if you do not feel loved by your Perfect Father. It is when you feel abandoned by your Everlasting Father that you fall into hopelessness. It is when you feel rejected by your Perfect Father that you fall into bitterness. It is when you feel that you do not live up to your Everlasting Father’s expectations that you fall into shame. It is God’s Love you crave the most: His delight in you…His affectionate Presence…His revelations for your life.

When my daddy died when I was fourteen, I felt betrayed. I felt orphaned. I felt forsaken. But then, I asked my Perfect Father where He was when my daddy died. Did He even care? Was He even there? He showed me that He was right there with me, at the funeral, holding me and comforting me, so that I could be filled to the measure of all the fullness of the Perfect Father’s Love for me.

“AND I PRAY THAT YOU, BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, MAY HAVE POWER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS, TO GRASP HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST, AND TO KNOW THIS LOVE THAT SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE—THAT YOU MAY BE FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Do you feel forsaken by someone…betrayed…orphaned? Ask your Everlasting Father to reveal His Love to you through Jesus, His son. That is all you really need, for the cares of this world—the betrayal…the abandonment…the shame—will all fade in the light of your Perfect Father’s Love for you. His Love surpasses everything.

I bless you!
 
May 17 You Will Trample the Great Lion

“BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR” (1 Peter 5:8).

I would like to draw a picture in your mind today. Please imagine with me an imaginary line from left to right on the ground that reaches into infinity both ways. On this side of the line is the world of deception. On the other side is the world of Truth.

Now imagine yourself living on this side of the line in the world of deception. You would love to step over the line into the world of Truth, but there is no way you could cross the line into the Truth, because it is guarded by a fierce lion, pacing back and forth, looking for someone to devour.

However, this is not the end of the story. There is Someone Else also standing on that line that separates the world of Truth from the world of deception. His name is Jesus—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus beckons to you to come closer to witness a demonstration of the fierceness of the pacing lion. He pulls a blowtorch the size of a cannon forward, and aims it at the roaring lion. Suddenly a huge flame leaps from the cannon and the lion’s mane blows in the force of the flame…but the lion is not affected by the flame…at all.

But then, Jesus shows you something else that you did not notice before—a thick strong chain. You notice that the Lord Jesus is holding the fierce lion by the chain! Tenderly, Jesus tells you, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. I am in control of the lion. You can enter through Me.”

“YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE COBRA; YOU WILL TRAMPLE THE GREAT LION AND THE SERPENT. BECAUSE HE LOVES ME,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME’”
(Psalm 91:13, 14).

Do not try to fight the great lion by yourself. He lives in your mind. Do not lean on your own perceptions…your own logic…your own understanding. He is a spirit and cannot even be destroyed by fire. He guards the Truth with his life. Instead, surrender your perturbing perceptions to Jesus. He will make sure you cross the line to the world of Truth safely…through Him.

I bless you!
 
May 18 Focus on the Route of Escape God Has Provided

“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

What temptation has seized you? Was your brother hateful, spiteful, or unfaithful to you…and now you feel rejected? Take heed! Do not take the escape route of quarreling. Did your co-worker blame her failure on you…and now you feel slighted? Be careful! Do not take the escape route of defending yourself. Has a friend stopped returning your phone calls…and now you feel abandoned? Stop! Do not take the escape route of pursuing her until she is brought down.

“SUCH A HIGH PRIEST MEETS OUR NEED—ONE WHO IS HOLY, BLAMELESS, PURE, SET APART FROM SINNERS, EXALTED ABOVE THE HEAVENS. UNLIKE THE OTHER HIGH PRIESTS, HE DOES NOT NEED TO OFFER SACRIFICES DAY AFTER DAY, FIRST FOR HIS OWN SINS, AND THEN FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. HE SACRIFICED FOR THEIR SINS ONCE FOR ALL WHEN HE OFFERED HIMSELF” (Hebrews 7:26-27).

Capture that Jesus is your High Priest who meets your needs. He sacrificed Himself for you once for all when He offered Himself. Jesus offered Himself to become your route of escape. He has become God’s way out!

Accept the Love that is available to you through Jesus, instead of focusing on the temptation. Receive the Hope that your High Priest has on hand for you, instead of focusing on your own escape routes. Secure the Truth that Jesus has ready for you, instead of focusing on your own defense mechanisms.

“THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU; YOU NEED ONLY TO BE STILL” (Exodus 14:14).

I bless you to focus on God’s way out…Jesus, who sacrificed Himself once for all.

I bless you!
 
May 19 May God Speak to You

I once suffered from fear, but then God spoke to me…and all I could feel was His Peace. I once suffered from abandonment, but then God spoke to me…and all I could see was His Presence. I once suffered from shame, but then God spoke to me…and all I could hear were His Words, “It is finished!”

When God speaks to you, your circumstances seem different. When God speaks to you, you are changed forever. What mattered before does not matter anymore. Listen! He wants to speak to you, too.

“BE…PATIENT IN AFFLICTION” (Romans 12:12).

I bless you to be patient in affliction…adversity…distress. Wait patiently for God to deliver you from your torment. Let God speak to you. Do not become impatient and turn to evil, harmful ways, or destruction, for “those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction” (Job 36:15).

“BE…FAITHFUL IN PRAYER” (Romans 12:12).

I bless you to be faithful in prayer during your affliction. Call upon the God of all Comfort instead of wallowing in your sadness. Appeal to the God who takes care of your yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows, instead of drowning in anxiety. Cry out to the God whose Power is sufficient, instead of being destroyed by your own weakness. Then, listen! He wants to tell you something, for “evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:17).

“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE” (Romans 12:12).

I bless you to be joyful in Hope, because Hope will not disappoint you. Expect God’s answer with confidence. Await God’s solution with anticipation. Look forward to God’s words to you. Therefore, “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

I bless you!
 
May 20 Be Patient in Affliction

“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER”
(Romans 12:12).

I bless you to be patient in your affliction. Do not turn to damaging ways, trying frantically to ease your pain by hiding from it. Distraction does not bring lasting relief. Wearing a mask only makes matters worse. Instead, hunker down and hide in the shelter of your Perfect Father’s embrace.

“FOR IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE HE WILL KEEP ME SAFE IN HIS DWELLING; HE WILL HIDE ME IN THE SHELTER OF HIS TABERNACLE AND SET ME HIGH UPON A ROCK” (Psalm 27:5).

I bless you to be patient in your suffering: when someone accuses you…when someone leaves you…when someone fails you. Do not turn to destructive ways, trying to relieve your pain instantly by running from it. Instead, run to the safety of your perfect Father’s arms. There you will be safe!

“THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG TOWER; THE RIGHTEOUS RUN TO IT AND ARE SAFE” (Proverbs 18:10).

I bless you to be patient during temptation: when someone sets forth his own weakness. Do not turn to unwholesome ways, trying to still your pain immediately by blaming it on the other person’s weakness. Instead, own your pain and take responsibility for it, allowing your Perfect Father to be your refuge and fortress—your God, in whom you trust.

“HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE; HIS FAITHFULNESS WILL BE YOUR SHIELD AND RAMPART”
(Psalm 91:4).

Know that God expects us to overcome affliction, because “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3). Furthermore, “to him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelations 3:21 NKJV).

I bless you!
 
May 21 Be Quick to Listen

“MY DEAR BROTHERS, TAKE NOTE OF THIS: EVERYONE SHOULD BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY” (James 1:19-20).

I encourage you to think of someone you know who is hurting deeply right now. Believe that you can be of great comfort to your friend by being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

Be quick to listen: listen carefully; listen observantly; listen with patience. Be attentive to your friend’s heart. Allow her to feel…to perceive…to experience. Her emotions will help her to connect with her heart, her pain, and with God.

“BUT THE COUNSELOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS” (John 14:26).

Be slow to speak. Know that it is not your advice that counts, your perception that is needed, your understanding that is important, but the advice of God, the Counselor. Help your friend to connect with God, the Counselor, by allowing yourself to be compassionate, sympathetic, and tenderhearted.

“BE…SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY, FOR MAN’S ANGER DOES NOT BRING ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE THAT GOD DESIRES” (James 1:19, 20).

Be slow to become angry. Be careful that your own pain does not get in the way and cause you to become angry when you listen to someone else’s pain. Recognize that it is not about your pain when you are helping someone else. Surrender your own heart-ache to God, the Counselor, so you can be a better listener to your friend.

Therefore, I bless you to be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. Be slow to become angry. By doing this you will help someone else hear God’s Perspective. And your friend will be comforted.

I bless you!

May 22 May You Know the True God

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).

Be reminded that as a child your brain recorded every experience since the time of birth very accurately. Not only were the facts of an experience permanently recorded, but also the conclusions that were made at the time of the event. Realize that your childhood conclusions were sold under sin to the father-of-lies, and these false beliefs distorted your perception of God.

And you would start asking questions like, “Am I good enough for God if I was not even good enough for my own mom during childhood? Would God banish me as my dad did, because of the mistake I made as a child? Would God keep me at arm’s length like my friend did when I did not please him when I was a little girl/boy? Does God even notice me…or am I invisible to Him, too?”

“NOW THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE: THAT THEY MAY KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU HAVE SENT” (John 17:3).

Accept that God is not like your childhood dad. God is not like your childhood mom. God is not like your childhood friends. May you obtain Truth for your childhood conclusions, so you could get to know God for who He really is.

“WE KNOW ALSO THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE. AND WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE—EVEN IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE” (1 John 5:20).

Surrender your childhood conclusions to the Lord Jesus, so you may get to know God fully, even as you are fully known by Him.

I bless you!
 
May 23 The Love Language of Affirmation

Is your love language affirmation? Do you constantly need to be recognized as being worthy, loved, or needed? Do you become insecure when your spouse or friend does not respond to your unhappiness?

Understand that if a male friend is not noticing and responding to your unhappiness, it is often not that he is deliberately choosing not to affirm and comfort you, but because he is simply obliviously unaware of your needs. Know that it takes men four times longer to notice subtle social cues than it does women.

Consider that if you constantly need to be affirmed and recognized, you might have a belief that was engraved in your mind by the father-of-lies: that you are insignificant…disposable…lacking in weight.

“FOR HE SATISFIES THE THIRSTY AND FILLS THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS” (Psalm 107:9).

I bless you to seek your affirmation from God. Turn your beliefs of insignificance over to Him, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

“HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!” (1 John 3:1).

Do not attack your spouse or your male friend for your belief that you do not count. This could trigger a belief of rejection in him. The result would be two people living in pain, practicing their sinful behavior habits and patterns on each other. Instead, allow your Perfect Father to lavish His Love on you and on your feeling of insignificance.

“THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND AND WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME. YOU WILL BE LIKE A WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE WATERS NEVER FAIL”
(Isaiah 58:11).

I bless you to invite God to satisfy your need for significance: to feel that you count…to feel that you carry weight…to feel that you matter.

I bless you! 
May 24 God Understands You

Do you struggle with the thought that nobody understands you…that nobody understood you as a child…that nobody understands the way you function? Do you feel that you are a mystery: inexplicable…baffling…insolvable?

Was there a time that you were treated unfairly as a child, because you were not understood? Has this caused resentment, fear, and confusion to settle in your heart?

Maybe you were mistreated and misunderstood as a child, and given no chance to justify your actions. I am sorry that you were left seething with anger and disappointment, believing that you had no defense…perceiving that there was no way to be released from the charge…realizing that there was no way of setting things right.

“THE LORD DOES NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS MAN LOOKS AT. MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Know that God understands you…and He also understood you when you were a child. Your Perfect Father does not look at things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but your Perfect Father looks at your heart. May you be comforted that God knows your heart…and He knew your heart when you were a child. Your Perfect Father never misunderstands.

“KNOW YE THAT THE LORD HE IS GOD: IT IS HE THAT HATH MADE US, AND NOT WE OURSELVES; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE”
(Psalm 100:3).

I bless you to be comforted. The God who made you understands you. You can let go of the charge.

“I KNOW THAT THOU CANST DO EVERY THING, AND THAT NO THOUGHT CAN BE WITHHOLDEN FROM THEE” (Job 42:2).

Believe with certainty that no thought can be withheld from God. Your Everlasting Father understands you perfectly…because He is perfect.

I bless you! 
May 25 Freedom from Being a Scapegoat

I bless you with consolation today if you had to be a parent to your parent when you were a child: playing the role of nurturer, while you yourself needed nurturing, and playing the role of caretaker, while you yourself were in need of care.

I bless you with wholeness if you had to be a scapegoat to your parent when you were a child: the recipient of someone’s wrath…the target of someone’s condemnation…the victim of someone’s irrational behavior and sinful insecurities.

“IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY” (Galatians 5:1).

I bless you with freedom if you, as a child, had been punished for a sin that someone else had committed. You did not deserve the harsh punishment. You deserved to be forgiven…accepted…comforted.

May you know that a Scapegoat already exists—Jesus Christ. You are set free to let go of your role as a scapegoat. You do not have to carry the blame for others’ shortcomings anymore. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free: freedom from blame…freedom from guilt…freedom from the responsibility to carry another’s sins.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by this yoke of slavery—the yoke of being a scapegoat.

“IN MY ANGUISH I CRIED TO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED BY SETTING ME FREE”
(Psalm 118:5).

I bless you!
 
May 26 The Holy Spirit—The Gift from God

I have noticed there is something in this life that we all desire more than anything. Can you guess what it is? JOY! We all would love to have JOY! Wouldn’t you?

I would like to tell you of something in my life that brings me tremendous JOY. It is TRUTH. Nothing brings me as much JOY as receiving the TRUTH…TRUTH through the SPIRIT OF TRUTH.

“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS, AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS YET TO COME” (John 16:13).

Nothing makes me as sad…as miserable…as joyless as living in deception, believing the lies of the father-of-lies: that I am insignificant…that I do not count…that I am not special.

“FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF EATING AND DRINKING, BUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 14:17).

I bless you to know that you are dependent on the SPIRIT OF TRUTH to produce TRUTH…and TRUTH will produce JOY. TRUTH is not an attribute of human nature. TRUTH is a gift from the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Without it, humans live in deception. Without it, humans believe every lie that comes from the father-of-lies. Without it, there is no JOY.

“BUT STEPHEN, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND SAW THE GLORY OF GOD, AND JESUS STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” (Acts 7:55).

I bless you to accept that TRUTH is not a human quality. May you acknowledge your dependency on the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, so you might see the glory of God in your life and every circumstance…and you will have JOY!

The Apostle Paul proclaimed, “I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN WALK IN TRUTH” (3 John 1:4).

I bless you!
 
May 27 The Holy Spirit—Your Father’s Gift

“IF YOU THEN, THOUGH YOU ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM” (Luke 11:13)!

Be encouraged by the extraordinary Gift you have received from your Father in Heaven—the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU; AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH” (Acts 1:8).

Acknowledge that the Holy Spirit gives birth to Power—a Power that can do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine. But you have a choice: to live by your own human power, or to live by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

“AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US, BECAUSE GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM HE HAS GIVEN US” (Romans 5:5).

Acknowledge that your Everlasting Father has made His Love available to you through His Gift, the Holy Spirit. But you have a choice: to live by the limited love that resides in your own Self-nature, or to live by the endless Love of the Holy Spirit.

“FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF EATING AND DRINKING, BUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 14:17).

Acknowledge that the Holy Spirit, the Perfect Father’s Gift to you, can furnish you with Righteousness, Peace, and Joy. But you have a choice: to live by the righteousness of your own Self-nature, or to live by the Righteousness, Peace, and Joy of the Holy Spirit.

“YOU STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE, WITH UNCIRCUMCISED HEARTS AND EARS! YOU ARE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHERS: YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Acts 7:51).

Do not resist your Perfect Father’s Gift to you. Do not counteract His Righteousness, Truth, Peace, Love, and Joy with your own. The peace that resides in your own Self-nature does not measure up. Your righteousness is not valid. Your truth is counterfeit. Your love falls short. I bless you to accept your Father’s Gift—the Holy Spirit.

I bless you! 
May 28 The Holy Spirit Is Always Available

“IF YOU THEN, THOUGH YOU ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM”(Luke 11:13).

I bless you to celebrate the Gift you have received from your Father in Heaven—the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

“DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN”
(1 Corinthians 6:19).

Celebrate that your Father’s Gift, the Holy Spirit, resides in you. Understand that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, who will teach you all things, makes His home in you. He is available all the time!

Be encouraged that you do not need to summon God out of Heaven to come and help you in your state of hopelessness. You do not need to fetch the Light to come and shine on your darkness. You do not need to call God into action to bring Truth into your deceptive mind.

Rejoice! All you need to do is enter into the Truth that is in the Spirit of Truth…who abides in you. All you need to do is expose your darkness to the Light of the Holy Spirit…who is in you. All you need to do is embrace the Hope that is available through the Holy Spirit…in you.

“AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COUNSELOR TO BE WITH YOU FOREVER” (John 14:16).

I bless you to welcome your Father’s Gift. Do not discredit the Love God has poured out in your heart through the Holy Spirit. Do not denounce the Truth the Holy Spirit provides. Do not belittle the Counsel of the Counselor, Who comes from God. Do not scorn the Hope the Holy Spirit supplies…in you.

I bless you!
 
May 29 Revelation Comes through Obedience

“SHOW ME YOUR WAYS, O LORD, TEACH ME YOUR PATHS” (Psalm 25:4).

Do you seek revelation from God? Would you like the Lord Jesus to show you what you should do about your affliction: about the person who has been persecuting you…about your relationship that is on the rocks…about the pain in your heart?

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

Revelation comes through obedient surrendering: submitting your persecutor to the Lord Jesus’ Love…turning your failing relationship over to the Perfect Father’s Power…yielding the pain in your heart to the Most High’s Authority.

“COMMIT TO THE LORD WHATEVER YOU DO, AND YOUR PLANS WILL SUCCEED”
(Proverbs 16:3).

Does the word SURRENDER baffle you? Do you wonder what it means…how it works…what it feels like?

To me, SURRENDER means to acknowledge to my Perfect Father that I cannot fix my problem myself: that He is my only solution…that what needs to happen is impossible for me, but completely possible for Him…that I am helpless, powerless, and hopeless without His Presence and Participation in my affliction.

To me, SURRENDER means to place my affliction under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, because Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

To me, SURRENDER means to allow the Holy Spirit access into the places in my heart that are too hard for me to give up on my own.

“AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM”

And the end-product of obedient surrendering? Revelation from God: an answer…a miracle…HOPE!

I bless you! 
May 30 The Blessing!

This is a blessing for you, if you grew up without a blessing in your life, wishing that your earthly father or your earthly mother had blessed you as a child.

Have you become anxious or depressed over the loss of your earthly father’s or mother’s love and acceptance? Have you become lonely and protective after losing the blessing of an important person in your life? Have you become a perfectionist and a workaholic after missing that coveted blessing? Did you grow up without a parent’s blessing, and now you are trying to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way?

“FROM THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED ONE BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER” (John 1:16).

I bless you to capture that through the fullness of His Grace, your Perfect Father has made all the blessings available to you that you will ever need. Through His son, Jesus and His gift, the Holy Spirit, you have received the blessing of Love, the blessing of Hope, and the blessing of Acceptance.

“HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!” (1 John 3:1).

Receive your Perfect Father’s blessing:

“THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU,
HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE.
HE WILL TAKE GREAT DELIGHT IN YOU,
HE WILL QUIET YOU WITH HIS LOVE,
HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING”
(Zephaniah 3:17).

“FORGET THE FORMER THINGS;
DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST.
SEE, I AM DOING A NEW THING!”
(Isaiah 43:18-19)

I bless you!
 
May 31 The Father’s Blessing of Acceptance

Did you fail to obtain an important person’s blessing when you were a child? Did you fail to obtain the acceptance of a father or a mother? Did these circumstances leave you with a feeling of being overlooked…disregarded…passed over? Do you feel there is an empty spot in your heart that can never be filled?

“LET THE MORNING BRING ME WORD OF YOUR UNFAILING LOVE,
FOR I HAVE PUT MY TRUST IN YOU.
SHOW ME THE WAY I SHOULD GO,
FOR TO YOU I LIFT UP MY SOUL”
(Psalm 143:8).

I bless you to acknowledge the emptiness in your heart: the void…the barrenness…the lack, and offer it to your Perfect Father, to fill with His Love.

Do not respond to your neediness by sucking others dry, trying to fill that lack. No human, or object, or place can make up for the unmet need for acceptance. You will end up as you started—disappointed and empty. You will only drain others of their desire to listen and help, as they try in vain to satisfy your need for acceptance.

“THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, SAYS: ‘IN REPENTANCE AND REST IS YOUR SALVATION, IN QUIETNESS AND TRUST IS YOUR STRENGTH, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT’” (Isaiah 30:15).

I bless you to recognize your need for acceptance as being genuine and valid. Do not hide it. Do not run from it. Do not blame it on the person who neglected to bless you with acceptance and approval.

“FORGET THE FORMER THINGS;
DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST.
SEE, I AM DOING A NEW THING!”
(Isaiah 43:18-19).

Allow your Perfect Father to do a new thing: to fill the void of non-acceptance in your heart with His Acceptance, Love, and Approval, for He is the only one who can meet the unmet need of non-acceptance.

I bless you!

 
June 1 Present Your Request to God

I once struggled with a big desire in my heart. Every day, as I brought it to God, I kept trying to come up with different reasons why He should answer my request: that I had obeyed everything that God told me to do…that I was His child…that I was worthy to be answered.

But then I heard the soft voice of God’s Spirit in my heart:

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD”
(Philippians 4:6).

I understood. Instead of coming up with all the reasons why God should answer ME because of who I was, I had to simply bring my request to the Perfect Father, because He is a PERFECT FATHER. He gives when we ask. He opens the doors when we knock. He lets us find what we are looking for when we seek, because of who HE is.

“ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED TO YOU. FOR EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES; THE ONE WHO SEEKS FINDS; AND TO THE ONE WHO KNOCKS, THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Are you anxious about something? Is your heart troubled with concern and disquietude? Is there a specific desire in your heart?

Know that the Perfect Father wants to answer your prayer, because He wants to be your PERFECT FATHER. He does not give you a stone if you ask for bread, because HE IS GOOD. He does not give a snake if you ask for a fish, because HE IS LOVE. He rewards those who earnestly seek Him, because He is the GREAT I AM!

“SURELY YOUR GOODNESS AND LOVE WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER” (Psalm 23:6).

I bless you!
 
June 2 The Way of Life in Christ Jesus

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT” (Proverbs 3:5).

I bless you to make “lean not on your own understanding” and “in all your ways acknowledge Him” a lifestyle: a way of living…a way of thinking. I DID…AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE!

Every action starts with a THOUGHT—an understanding. Every emotion starts with a THOUGHT—an understanding. Every purpose starts with a THOUGHT—an understanding. And a THOUGHT—an understanding—comes either from God, or from the father-of-lies. There is no middle ground.

I have discovered that if I follow the thought or understanding that comes from the father-of-lies, I end up in anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, and despair. However, if I follow the thought or understanding that comes from God, I end up in Hope, Truth, and Love. This is the moment-by-moment way of life in Christ Jesus.

“FOR THIS REASON I AM SENDING TO YOU TIMOTHY, MY SON WHOM I LOVE, WHO IS FAITHFUL IN THE LORD. HE WILL REMIND YOU OF MY WAY OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHICH AGREES WITH WHAT I TEACH EVERYWHERE IN EVERY CHURCH”
(1 Corinthians 4:17).

May you acknowledge the Lord Jesus in everything you think, everywhere you go, every moment of your life, whenever a thought enters your mind. Present that thought to Him, just the way it is, and ask Him whether that thought is from Him—the Truth—or from the father-of-lies. Then listen to His perspective…His opinion…His interpretation. It will change your life!

I bless you!
 
June 3 Be Still…Hear God’s Voice

“BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD; I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS, I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH” (Psalm 46:10).

I bless you with absolute stillness before your Father…complete silence.
Leave behind the noise of your circumstances.
Cast aside all activity from the father-of-lies.
Quiet all the voices in your mind.

Become still.
Listen!
Become acquainted with God’s voice.
Be a detective.
Perceive His perspective.
Become aware of His choice.

“BE STILL BEFORE THE LORD AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM” (Psalm 37:7).

Wait patiently…quietly,
After presenting your thoughts to your Perfect Father,
After offering Him your emotions,
After laying before Him your interpretations,
Remain in readiness and expectancy before your Creator.

“THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU; YOU NEED ONLY TO BE STILL” (Exodus 14:14).

And your Perfect Father will fight for you.
His Truth will prevail.
His Hope will bring Joy to you.
His Love will never fail.

I bless you!
 
June 4 The Sword of the Spirit

“FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE. SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, IT PENETRATES EVEN TO DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT, JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES THE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART”
(Hebrews 4:12).

I have noticed that God loves to communicate with me through His written and spoken Word, when I invite His Counsel into my own understanding.

I have come to know God’s Word as being sharper than any sword. It has the ability to penetrate deeply into the many voices of our minds, dividing good from evil: analyzing, exposing, and severing. How life changing it has been to allow God’s active Word to enter into the negative, destructive thoughts of my mind…and cut them out. How freeing it has been to invite the living Word of God into my moment-by-moment perceptions…to slice the lies and deceit of the father-of-lies from my heart. How encouraging it has been to submit my emotions to Him…and experience God’s powerful Word extracting the sorrow, despair, anger, and jealousy from my soul.

“BUT JESUS ANSWERED HIM, SAYING, ‘IT IS WRITTEN, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD’” (Luke 4:4).

Acknowledge that you are dependent on God’s Word. Let the Sword of the Spirit slice the darkness from your mind, cut the hopelessness from your heart, and sever the brokenness from your spirit.

“TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD” (Ephesians 6:17).

I bless you to know that the living and active Word of God is able to affect anything it penetrates. It is capable of determining and detecting, to estimate and evaluate, and to sever. It is effective… sufficient…practical. Invite the Sword of the Spirit to do a miracle in you.

I bless you!

 
June 5 Work out Your Own Salvation (2)

“THEREFORE, MY BELOVED, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” (Philippians 2:12).

Be watchful, you have an enemy: the father-of-lies. He delights in tempting you to believe his suggestions of abandonment…his thoughts of condemnation…his proposals of shame.

I bless you to work out your own salvation: to query your own beliefs of abandonment…to dispute your own interpretations of condemnation…to question your own understanding of shame, lest the father-of-lies have deposited these into your mind and heart to ensnare you.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

Understand that blaming others for your pain of shame in your heart will not get the job done. You cannot get rid of your heartache this way. Running away from the pain of condemnation does not help, either. Your agony will always catch up with you again. Do not hide behind walls to escape your pain of abandonment. The father-of-lies knows how to climb over any wall. Instead, confess these negative, destructive beliefs, which are the roots of sin, and let your heart be purified by the Lord Jesus.

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 John 1:9).

Know that God wants to forgive you and purify you from the unrighteousness that the beliefs of shame, condemnation, and abandonment have caused in your life, but you have an obligation: you need to love God enough to take His hand…love God enough to climb out of the hole where you have been hiding from shame, all your life…love Him enough to allow Him into the desolate places of abandonment in your heart where nobody has ever been.

And God will show Himself to you…to cleanse you from all unrighteousness!

I bless you!
 
June 6 The Misinterpretations of Childhood

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

You did not know it at the time, but as a child, you founded a permanent emotional position, grounded on your childhood interpretations: you developed fear, because you believed God had abandoned you. You acquired shame, because you believed that you were tainted. You developed guilt, because you believed that you were responsible. These beliefs would influence your whole world for the rest of your life.

You did not know that, as a child, even though your experiences were real, many of your conclusions were false and were slowly taking you captive: leading you away from the Truth, and bringing you under the control of the father-of-lies.

You did not know that, as an adult, your permanent emotional position you founded as a child would make you feel as if you had two very different personalities—one child-like…the other, adult-like—and that you would seesaw between these two states in a matter of minutes: living in a normal logical adult mind one moment, then thrown into an irrational child mind the next moment. Because of your false childhood conclusions, you would involuntarily be displaced into the past to relive the fear over and over again…to relive the shame over and over again…to relive the guilt over and over again.

“I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED ME; HE DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS” (Psalm 34:4).

I bless you to seek your Everlasting Father in the false conclusions that you have made as a child, and He will deliver you from all your fears. Your Father was there during your childhood misinterpretations. If you submit these to Him, He will remove the childhood shame and guilt that formed your emotional position. Then, He will fill you with His Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth.

I bless you!
 
June 7 Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now, when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard…Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said,…I wish to give to this last man the same as to you”
(Matthew 20: 2-14—The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard).

Has God also called YOU to come and work in His vineyard? But, do you feel that your job is inferior to those of other workers, who have been laboring for so much longer than you? Maybe, if you compare your job to those of the other workers, you feel that YOUR insignificant job does not even warrant a reward, at all.

I bless you to focus on the job God has given YOU to do. It does not matter HOW BIG or HOW IMPORTANT your job is, compared to those of others. It does not matter HOW LONG you have been doing the job God gave you, compared to those of others. All that matters is that you do the job God gave you to do and YOU DO IT FOR HIM.

God wants you to know that He will give you a complete reward for the job He gave you to do. You will be paid according to what was expected of YOU. The success of your job is not measured by comparing it to those of others. It is not a matter of ratio…correlation…comparative size or extent.

“BUT I AM AFRAID THAT JUST AS EVE WAS DECEIVED BY THE SERPENT’S CUNNING, YOUR MINDS MAY SOMEHOW BE LED ASTRAY FROM YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

I bless you to know that, to God, each job He gives stands alone. It is complete… self-contained…whole. It is not judged on the principles of comparison. You need only to focus on the job God gave YOU, and DO IT IN SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST…and you will receive your entire reward, whether you were first or last, whether your job was long or short, whether your job was big or small.
I bless you 
June 8 Singleness of Heart and Action

“[FOR BEING AS HE IS] A MAN OF TWO MINDS (HESITATING, DUBIOUS, IRRESOLUTE), [HE IS] UNSTABLE AND UNRELIABLE AND UNCERTAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING [HE THINKS, FEELS, DECIDES]” (James 1:8 AMP).

Do you struggle with double-mindedness: always hesitating…dubious…irresolute? Do you often start an action…then shrink from action, being uncertain about everything? Are you unstable in your thoughts and emotions and unreliable in your actions, uncertain in everything you think, feel, and decide?

“THEY WILL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD. I WILL GIVE THEM SINGLENESS OF HEART AND ACTION, SO THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS FEAR ME FOR THEIR OWN GOOD AND THE GOOD OF THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM. I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM: I WILL NEVER STOP DOING GOOD TO THEM, AND I WILL INSPIRE THEM TO FEAR ME, SO THAT THEY WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM ME” (Jeremiah 32:38-40).

Understand that you have become a person of two minds, because you have allowed your THOUGHTS to follow the father-of-lies…AND God. You cannot follow two masters! The father-of-lies will kill, steal, and destroy, BUT the Perfect Father wants to make an everlasting covenant with you: to never stop doing good to you.

God wants you to know that He wants to give you singleness of heart and action. He wants to make you stable, reliable, and certain about everything you feel, do, and decide. However, you need to allow God to become your only God in everything you THINK! If you want to be certain, stable, and reliable in your actions and decisions, you first need to be reliable in your THOUGHTS, because your emotions, actions, and decisions are born in your thoughts.

Therefore, I bless you to decide who is going to be the god of your thoughts: the father-of-lies…or the Perfect Father. May you invite God’s Truth, moment-by-moment, into each accusatory, destructive thought that resides in your mind. And God will give you singleness of heart and action.

I bless you!
 
June 9 God’s Goodness and Love Will Follow You

“I WILL REJOICE IN DOING THEM GOOD AND WILL ASSUREDLY PLANT THEM IN THIS LAND WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL” (Jeremiah 32:41).

I often run into situations where circumstances become too hard for me: where too many things have gone wrong…where I have messed up too many times…where the darkness is too dark or the fear is too severe. In times like these, I tend to think that I have come to a dead end. My resources have dried up. I am at wit’s end.

“I WILL NEVER STOP DOING GOOD TO THEM, AND I WILL INSPIRE THEM TO FEAR ME, SO THAT THEY WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM ME” (Jeremiah 32:40).

God wants you to know that a dead end to you is a starting point to Him. He wants you to capture that His Goodness is waiting for you at the dead end, to make a way where there is no way.

“THE HUMBLE WILL SEE THEIR GOD AT WORK AND BE GLAD. LET ALL WHO SEEK GOD’S HELP BE ENCOURAGED” (Psalm 69:32).

The Lord Jesus wants you to know that a dead end is not an obstacle to Him, but an opportunity to show off His Power, His Love…and especially His Goodness!

“THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION”
(Philippians 3:10).

May you come to know Him and the Power of His resurrection, whenever you feel defeated…whenever you feel trapped…whenever you have come to a dead end.

“SURELY GOODNESS AND LOVE WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE”
(Psalm 23:6).

I bless you to believe that God’s Goodness and Love will follow you wherever you go. His Goodness, Love, and Power will be on standby whenever you get to the dead ends of your life, to make a way where there is no way…if you invite Him to do that for you!

I bless you!
 
June 10 Take Time to Wrestle with God

“THEN JACOB WAS LEFT ALONE; AND A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM UNTIL THE BREAKING OF DAY. NOW WHEN HE SAW THAT HE DID NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIM, HE TOUCHED THE SOCKET OF HIS HIP; AND THE SOCKET OF JACOB’S HIP WAS OUT OF JOINT AS HE WRESTLED WITH HIM. AND HE SAID, ‘LET ME GO, FOR THE DAY BREAKS.’ BUT HE SAID, ‘I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME!’”
(Genesis 32:24-26).

I often wrestle with God and say to Him, “God, I will not let You go until You bless me: until Your Hope penetrates my hopelessness…until Your Truth permeates the accusatory voice in my mind …until Your Presence fills my loneliness.” God has blessed me countless times because of my persistence. I have noticed that the reason I need to wrestle with God is not that He is reluctant to meet my needs, but that the deception of the father-of-lies is so extensive in my life that it stands between God and me. The father-of-lies has pulled a veil over my eyes and ears, so I am unable to see and hear God. God speaks to me, but I cannot hear Him, because of the negative, destructive beliefs of abandonment, shame, and condemnation in my heart.

“THE LORD LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON THE SONS OF MEN TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY WHO UNDERSTAND, ANY WHO SEEK GOD” (Psalm 14:2).

I bless you to realize that God is looking down from Heaven to see if anyone is seeking Him. He is always checking to see if you need His Comfort…His Power…His Light. Know that the real burden is not in the circumstances, but in your own heart.

I encourage you to wrestle with God about anything and everything that bothers you. Engage your feelings. They will connect you to the real burden in your heart. Then, wrestle with God about this burden, until it lifts. Stay with Him until the deception of the father-of-lies lifts and you can perceive His answers.

God longs to reward you for seeking Him. He wants to show you that He is still in control and that He cares about your heart…and the circumstances.

“HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).

I bless you!
 
June 11 Everything Has Its Time

“[ EVERYTHING HAS ITS TIME ] TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Believe that God has a specific purpose for you for this segment of time in your life.

Realize that to God time is very important. God is very organized. He is very time-specific. Your Perfect Father is very structured. Therefore, God has allocated to everything…A SEASON.

I bless you to accept the season of time in which you are living right now. Embrace the purpose God has in mind for THIS season. Do the good works that God has chosen for you to do during this section of time. Do not try to exchange this season for a different season of time. Do not run ahead of God into the season that lies ahead. Do not stay behind in the season that is over.

Capture that God is with you in THIS season of time, whether it is a time to sow, or a time to reap…whether it is a time to gather, or a time to let go…whether it is a time to weep, or a time to laugh. God’s Grace is sufficient for this season of time…EVEN IF YOU ARE WEAK.

“BUT HE SAID TO ME, ‘MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

If it is time to be healed…may you succumb to it. If it is time to suffer…may you accept it. If it is time to keep silent….may you surrender to it. If it is time to speak…may you agree to it. If it is time to love…may you submit to it.

“HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

I bless you!
 
June 12 Carry around in Your Body the Death of Jesus

“WE ALWAYS CARRY AROUND IN OUR BODY THE DEATH OF JESUS, SO THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS MAY ALSO BE REVEALED IN OUR BODY” (2 Corinthians 4:10).

I have discovered that to be alive—to carry around in my body the Love, the Truth, and the Hope of Jesus—there are negative, destructive beliefs in me from the father-of-lies that need to be given over to death, first. Why? Because these beliefs keep sinful responses like jealousy, fear, and animosity alive in me. Sometimes it is the belief that God does not favor me…that God does not take care of me…that God does not love me. Sometimes it is the belief that I am not good enough…that I do not count…that I am a disappointment. Whatever it is, before I can expect Life, I need to be willing to give these hindrances over to death, first.

“FOR WE WHO ARE ALIVE ARE ALWAYS BEING GIVEN OVER TO DEATH FOR JESUS’ SAKE, SO THAT HIS LIFE MAY BE REVEALED IN OUR MORTAL BODY”
(2 Corinthians 4:11).

I have found in my own life that death precedes life. Jesus makes alive that which is dead. He does not make alive something that still has a life of its own. Something needs to be surrendered and destroyed for the sake of something new to be created. I would offer my own Self-nature in exchange for Christ’s Nature…my own sinful habits and behavior patterns in exchange for Christ’s behavior patterns of Love…my own understanding in exchange for Christ’s Truth.

“MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT REMAINS ALONE; BUT IF IT DIES, IT PRODUCES MUCH GRAIN” (John 12:24).

I bless you to believe that unless you let the negative, destructive beliefs that are keeping the jealousy, fear, or animosity in you alive fall into the ground and die, you will remain alone…without the Love, Hope, and Truth of Christ.

“FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN” (Philippians 1:21).

May we, who are alive, always give over to death everything that hinders and hurts…so that the LIFE OF JESUS may be revealed in our bodies.

I bless you!
 
June 13 Your Steps Are Directed by God

“A MAN’S STEPS ARE DIRECTED BY THE LORD. HOW THEN CAN ANYONE UNDERSTAND HIS OWN WAY?” (Proverbs 20:24).

I ask God many questions every day, so I might understand the way I should go. God does not necessarily tell me the whole plan for my life, but many of those questions He answers! I have filled many pages with the instructions I have received from God: with the directions for my life…with the guidance that shows me the way I should go…with the steps I am told to take. God told me the other day that everything I write belongs to Him. Another time, He told me that I should keep my eyes on HIM, and stop looking at RESULTS to guide my steps.

Some of His instructions are not easy to obey, because of my Self’s own will, but when I obey, I find my strength restored…like a well-watered garden.

“THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU CONTINUALLY, GIVING YOU WATER WHEN YOU ARE DRY AND RESTORING YOUR STRENGTH. YOU WILL BE LIKE A WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE AN EVER-FLOWING SPRING” (Isaiah 58:11).

God might not tell you everything He is doing, but know that your Perfect Father DOES GUIDE YOU continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength when you are weak. But, you need to develop an ear to listen and hear His voice, so you can receive the cup and drink the Water He is offering you.

“I WILL INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO; I WILL GUIDE YOU WITH MY EYE” (Psalm 32:8).

Be comforted by the knowledge that God is perfect. He does not make mistakes. He finishes what He has started. He has all the steps of your journey under control, and He wants to show you what He is doing in your life. Will you let Him guide you with His eye that sees the PAST, the PRESENT, and the FUTURE? Will you listen? Will you obey?

I bless you! 
June 14 Jesus—God’s New Covering for You

“AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN, SAYING, ‘OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN YOU MAY FREELY EAT; BUT OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL YOU SHALL NOT EAT, FOR IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT OF IT YOU SHALL SURELY DIE’” (Genesis 2:16-17).

Have you noticed that God’s relationship with man in the beginning of time was based on obedience? But, man chose to obey the father-of-lies.

“SO WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD, THAT IT WAS PLEASANT TO THE EYES, AND A TREE DESIRABLE TO MAKE ONE WISE, SHE TOOK OF ITS FRUIT AND ATE. SHE ALSO GAVE TO HER HUSBAND WITH HER, AND HE ATE. THEN THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE NAKED” (Genesis 3:6-7).

Notice that man’s disobedience rendered him naked: void of God’s covering for him…void of God’s Righteousness that clothed him. Man’s disobedience exposed and delivered him to evil.

“IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Rejoice! God has provided a new covering—Jesus Christ—who has now become our Righteousness from God. God has sent us a Redeemer to redeem us from the lies of the father-of-lies and restore the missing covering of Righteousness in our thoughts, actions, and purpose.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you to notice that God’s relationship with man is still based on obedience: to receive His new covering—Jesus Christ. God made His new covering available to you, but you still have a choice: to receive this Righteousness and Redemption that come from God…or to follow the father-of-lies in your thoughts, actions, and purpose. Know that if you would choose the Lord Jesus as your covering, your obedience will turn into moment-by-moment divine revelation from Him: your despair will turn into divine Hope…your jealousy will turn into divine Love…your sin will turn into divine Righteousness.

I bless you! 
June 15 Apart from Jesus You Can Do Nothing

“APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

Have you been trying lately to live a holy life? Have you been trying to think all the right thoughts? Have you been trying to live a life filled with hope, joy, and trust? I have only one more question. Have you been failing?

I usually do not know that I have been trying to do something in my own strength, until after I have discovered that I could not carry it out. Then I know it is time for me to stop dead in my tracks and look to someone else to take over. It actually feels good to surrender to someone else’s Power to get the job done, on one condition: that Person is Jesus.

“Lord Jesus, I can’t;
You never said I could.
Lord Jesus, You can;
And always said You would!!”
(Major Ian Thomas)

If you have been trying to go forward, but you have been going backwards instead, you have probably been trying to accomplish things in your own strength. I bless you to give up trying. Throw in the towel. Call it quits. Apart from Jesus, you can do nothing.

Therefore, confess to the Lord Jesus that you are not able to trust…not able to be joyful…not able to be holy. Declare to your Savior that you are not able to keep the negative thoughts at bay…not able to overcome your jealousy…not able to forgive. Admit to your Redeemer that you are not able to keep your emotions positive…not able to stop hating your enemy…not able to stop worrying.

“NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US, TO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST JESUS TO ALL GENERATIONS, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

And He who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think, will do it in you, for you. He will use your mind and your heart…but His Power!

I bless you!
 
June 16 Forgetting the Past

“NO, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I HAVE NOT ACHIEVED IT, BUT I FOCUS ON THIS ONE THING: FORGETTING THE PAST AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD” (Philippians 3:13).

I had a wonderful childhood. I grew up on the shores of the Indian Ocean, South Africa, with very good parents. I had everything I needed. Yet, regardless of my good circumstances, I noticed at some point that my heart had retained a lot of pain from my childhood. As an adult, I often felt rejected, condemned, abandoned, and shamed.

Maybe you also had a very good childhood with favorable circumstances. Maybe you had a horrible past. Maybe you had a good childhood with only one horrible experience. Maybe some people have told you to put the past behind you…that it was time to move on. Maybe you would like to let go of your past, BUT YOUR PAST DOES NOT WANT TO LET GO OF YOU.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING. HE HAS ALWAYS HATED THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS CHARACTER; FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

Grasp that it is not the PAST that is holding on to you, but the painful BELIEFS of the past. The father-of-lies handed out painful lies whenever he found an opportunity, regardless whether the circumstances were good or bad. The circumstances were ALWAYS favorable to him. It was not the circumstances during your childhood that had caused your pain, but the LIES that came from the father-of-lies during that time: “You are not good enough. You are not loved. You do not have a voice.”

Therefore, I bless you to know that if you want to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead, you need to ask the Lord Jesus to exchange the lies of the past…for His Truth. Only He can do this.

“TEACH ME YOUR WAYS, O LORD, THAT I MAY LIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR TRUTH! GRANT ME PURITY OF HEART, SO THAT I MAY HONOR YOU” (Psalm 86:11).

May you receive Truth for the negative, destructive beliefs of your past that was instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. Then, the past will lose its grip on you.

I bless you!
June 17 A Parent Could Reason like a Child

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Know that sometimes a parent still thinks like a child…reasons like a child…feels like a child. Sometimes it is hard for a parent to put childish ways behind him or her.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING. HE HAS ALWAYS HATED THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS CHARACTER; FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

Understand that your parents were not exempt from the father-of-lies’ deception. During a parent’s childhood, the father-of-lies attacked with the fierceness of a lion, instilling lies into their minds: “You don’t belong…You are a mistake…You are different and defective.” Understand that the accuser’s goal was for your parents to become slaves to these lies, so that these negative, destructive beliefs would carry over into their adulthood…and then to you and your children.

I bless you to be released from the belief that everything that went wrong during your childhood was your fault: that you were the bad one…that you were responsible…that you were guilty. Understand that when your parent condemned you, he could have been reacting from his own wrong interpretations of non-acceptance. Accept that when your parent abandoned you, she could have been responding from her own rejected heart. Acknowledge that when your parent overly controlled, she could have been retaliating from a place of fear.

I bless you to forgive your parents for their own pain, and to surrender them to the Perfect Father, so that He could call them to His Truth. Then, they would start to think like an adult, reason like and adult, and talk like an adult.

And you, too will receive healing.

I bless you!
 
June 18 The Many Voices of Accusation

“IF I AM GUILTY—WOE TO ME! EVEN IF I AM INNOCENT, I CANNOT LIFT MY HEAD, FOR I AM FULL OF SHAME AND DROWNED IN MY AFFLICTION” (Job 10:15).

Be reminded that when someone accuses you, you are not only being charged by a human, but also by the father-of-lies. When someone accuses you of wrongdoing, on the outside, the father-of-lies uses the opportunity to bring his own charge against you, on the inside. A person charges you with an offense: “You DID something bad.” The father-of-lies charges you with a character flaw: “You ARE bad.” Many divorces start this way and many friendships end this way, because the father-of-lies fills us with shame…even if we are innocent.

“NO WEAPON FORGED AGAINST YOU WILL PREVAIL, AND YOU WILL REFUTE EVERY TONGUE THAT ACCUSES YOU. THIS IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, AND THIS IS THEIR VINDICATION FROM ME,’ DECLARES THE LORD”
(Isaiah 54:17).

Take into account that the father-of-lies does not have the power to incriminate you. He does not have the power to make you into an evildoer by laying his charge on you. He does not have the power to make you into a bad person by accusing you. He can only suggest it, and you can believe it…or refute it. If you believe it, you have accepted his charge…even though you are innocent.

Therefore, do not accept the charge of incrimination the father-of-lies tries to lay on you when someone accuses you of wrongdoing. Refute every tongue that accuses you, not by defending yourself against the charge, but by surrender that charge of “being bad” to the Lord Jesus. Then, you will be vindicated by God’s Truth, for this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.

I bless you! 
June 19 May Christ Make You Complete

Do you often run into situations where you feel controlled by someone: overpowered by a spouse…violated by a friend’s lack of respect? I have! God showed me there was a reason for this: there was a gap in my heart. I was incomplete…deficient…unfinished, and that left my heart vacant to feel controlled whenever someone tried to exercise directing or restraining influence over me.

“CHRIST, WHO FILLS ALL THINGS EVERYWHERE WITH HIMSELF” (Ephesians 1:23).

Capture that Christ wants to fill you with Himself, so that you would become complete…whole…Christ-contained. He wants to fill the gap that leaves you susceptible to feeling overpowered and domineered…even by manipulators.

“NOW MAY THE GOD OF PEACE WHO BROUGHT UP OUR LORD JESUS FROM THE DEAD, THAT GREAT SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP, THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT, MAKE YOU COMPLETE IN EVERY GOOD WORK TO DO HIS WILL, WORKING IN YOU WHAT IS WELL PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, TO WHOM BE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

God showed me that if someone is trying to control me…that is the controller’s problem. However, if I FEEL controlled and violated by the controller…that is MY problem. God wants to make me complete through the blood of the everlasting covenant through Jesus Christ, so I may be entirely fulfilled—lacking nothing.

“BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE ITS PERFECT WORK, THAT YOU MAY BE PERFECT AND COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING” (James 1:4).

I bless you to be patient. Bring your incompleteness to God, so that He can accomplish His perfect work in you. You will become complete—filled with Christ—so that the next time someone tries to control you, he will not encounter a gap…but Jesus Christ.

I bless you! 
June 20 Rule in the Fear of God

Are you a ruler—a person in authority or control? Are you a parent…a teacher…an employer? Are you a babysitter…a caregiver…an overseer?

“THE GOD OF ISRAEL SAID, THE ROCK OF ISRAEL SPOKE TO ME: ‘HE WHO RULES OVER MEN MUST BE JUST, RULING IN THE FEAR OF GOD’” (2 Samuel 23:3).

Whenever you rule over someone, God wants you to be just…fair…honorable. When my children were small, I always explained to them why I required a certain behavior of them. I always tried to be just to my children and treat them with respect and fairness. Today, they have become honorable adults, who treat other people with respect and fairness.

“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Did you grow up with unfairness and disrespect, marked by injustice, partiality, or deception? How did you react to this injustice? How did your heart deal with the partiality? How did you handle the disrespect? Have you rebelled against man and against God?

I want to remind you that the anger and pain in your heart are not a result of what happened to you, but a result of what you came to believe about yourself under the unfair ruler: “I am shamed…I am abandoned…I am condemned.” Know that no temptation has seized you, except the lies of the father-of-lies that are presented to all humans. But God is faithful. Although you were tempted through unfairness and disrespect, God wants to show you His way out of the abandonment, shame, and condemnation that are still in your heart. Then, you will be able to stand up under the unfairness…and forgive your perpetrators.

“IT IS A JOY FOR THE JUST TO DO JUSTICE, BUT DESTRUCTION WILL COME TO THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY” (Proverbs 21:15).

If you are a ruler…an overseer…a leader, I bless you to be just, ruling over men in the fear of God, not out of self-centeredness. Do not be proud. Do not instigate rebellion. Do not generate animosity.

I bless you!
June 21 The Only Thing That Counts Is Faith

“MARK MY WORDS! I, PAUL, TELL YOU THAT IF YOU LET YOURSELVES BE CIRCUMCISED, CHRIST WILL BE OF NO VALUE TO YOU AT ALL. AGAIN I DECLARE TO EVERY MAN WHO LETS HIMSELF BE CIRCUMCISED THAT HE IS OBLIGATED TO OBEY THE WHOLE LAW. YOU WHO ARE TRYING TO BE JUSTIFIED BY LAW HAVE BEEN ALIENATED FROM CHRIST; YOU HAVE FALLEN AWAY FROM GRACE” (Galatians 5:2-4).

These are the revelations that have helped me to change. First, I realized that the father-of-lies has formed in me an “OLD SELF”—a corrupted being shaped by beliefs of condemnation, shame, and abandonment: “I am bad. I do not count. I have been left.” Second, I realized that these negative, destructive OLD SELF beliefs in my mind produced pain, shame, and distress in my heart. Third, I realized what sin was: TO REACT TO THE OLD SELF beliefs by trying in vain to make myself good, acceptable, and worthy.

How have you been reacting to the painful OLD SELF beliefs the father-of-lies has been forming in you since childhood? What have you been trying to do in vain to create in you a good heart? What have you been doing in your own strength to attempt to become acceptable and worthy?

“FOR WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to receive the GOOD NEWS: The Lord Jesus Christ knows about the painful beliefs of abandonment, shame, and condemnation that are causing you to sin: to look for your own righteousness, acceptability, and worth. He nailed the OLD SELF to the cross, to give you His Acceptability, Righteousness, and Worth. These you RECEIVE from HIM through FAITH.

“BUT BY FAITH WE EAGERLY AWAIT THROUGH THE SPIRIT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR WHICH WE HOPE. FOR IN CHRIST JESUS NEITHER CIRCUMCISION NOR UNCIRCUMCISION HAS ANY VALUE. THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS IS FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF THROUGH LOVE” (Galatians 5:5-6).

Do you want to change or get “unstuck”? Then, let Him nail your OLD SELF to the cross. Let Him circumcise your heart. Let Him give you HIS Acceptability, Worth, and Righteousness, for nothing YOU do will get rid of your OLD SELF. The only thing that counts is…FAITH!

I bless you! 
June 22 The Whole Gospel

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS”
(1 John 1:9).

Realize that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, but this is only the first part of what Jesus came to do for us. There is MORE. Listen to how the rest of the verse reads…

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 John 1:9).

Capture that Jesus did not only come to forgive us our sins, but also to cleanse us…to decontaminate us…to purify us, so that we should stop sinning in the first place.

“CHRIST, WHO FILLS ALL THINGS EVERYWHERE WITH HIMSELF” (Ephesians 1:23).

“But how does the Lord Jesus purify us?” you might ask. “Is it even possible?” The answer: It IS possible, because the Lord Jesus did not come to IMPROVE us, but to EXCHANGE us for HIMSELF. Jesus purifies us by filling us with Himself…and He knew no sin.

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

Know that each time you obey the Lord Jesus by surrendering a belief of hopelessness or powerlessness to Him, He exchanges it for Himself. Each time you obey by yielding a belief of unworthiness or abandonment to Jesus, He exchanges it for Himself. Each time you obey by offering a belief of condemnation or shame to Jesus, He exchanges it for Himself. Each time you obey counts toward Righteousness, because these underlying beliefs that cause unrighteousness are being exchanged for the Lord Jesus Himself, who knew no sin. In Him lives no hopelessness, shame, condemnation, or abandonment.

“FOR HE MADE HIM WHO KNEW NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I bless you! 
June 23 “Lord, What about Him?”

“WHEN PETER SAW HIM, HE ASKED, ‘LORD, WHAT ABOUT HIM?’ JESUS ANSWERED, ‘IF I WANT HIM TO REMAIN ALIVE UNTIL I RETURN, WHAT IS THAT TO YOU? YOU MUST FOLLOW ME’” (John 21:22).

I often get distracted by other people’s actions and character. I get distracted by the person in the fancy clothes in the fancy car who seems to have it all together, and then I ask God, “Lord, what about him? Why can’t I be like him?” God would answer me, “What is that to you? Don’t look around. Keep your eyes on Me. YOU must follow Me.”

I remember meeting these flawless parents who seemed to do everything perfectly. Their marriage seemed flawless. Their children seemed flawless, too. I felt so much less of a good wife and a mother after I watched what they could do. I asked God, “Lord, what about them? I am not like them.” And God answered, “What is that to you? Your Righteousness comes from Me. YOU must follow Me.”

I often look at ministers and people involved in church ministry, and ask God, “What about them?” God’s answer is always the same, “What are they to you? Some of those people work for Me, but do not even have a relationship with Me. YOU must follow Me.”

“THEREFORE, MY BELOVED, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” (Philippians 2:12).

Know that every person is responsible to work out his own salvation, regardless of what other people are doing. Every person is responsible to bring his own beliefs of shame, abandonment, and condemnation to God, regardless of what other people do with their heartache…because each person’s Truth, Hope, and Righteousness come from God.

I bless you!
 
June 24 Strongholds—the Hailstones in Your Life

“I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSINGS AND CURSES. NOW CHOOSE LIFE, SO THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN MAY LIVE AND THAT YOU MAY LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, LISTEN TO HIS VOICE, AND HOLD FAST TO HIM. FOR THE LORD IS YOUR LIFE” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Did you know that a big hard hailstone starts with a speck of dust? Under the right circumstances, a layer of ice builds up around the dust speck. Then, as the little ice pellet cycles through the thundercloud multiple times, more and more layers accumulate, until a huge stone the size of an egg forms that can do a lot of damage.

This is the way a stronghold is built in your life. It would start innocently as a speck of a thought, “Why did he betray me?” Then, as you dwell on these thoughts, layers of beliefs build, each one more potent than the one before, “Because I am not worthy…I am not loved…I am bad.” Following that, these beliefs billow into the pernicious POWER of HOPELESSNESS. Thus, a stronghold is formed that will keep you captive for the rest of your life…unless God sets you free.

I bless you to grasp that if you want to get rid of the strongholds in your life, you need to allow God to reverse the action. To break down the stronghold, God needs to peel it back one layer at a time…one belief at a time…one lie at a time. Are you willing to love the Lord your God enough to listen to His voice, moment-by-moment, as He breaks down the lies the father-of-lies has built around your thoughts? Are you willing to have a relationship with the Lord your God and hold fast to Him as He peels off the layers of beliefs that formed a stronghold in your mind? If you are, you are choosing Life, for the Lord IS your Life.

“FOR I WILL SURELY DELIVER YOU, AND YOU SHALL NOT FALL BY THE SWORD; BUT YOUR LIFE SHALL BE AS A PRIZE TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE PUT YOUR TRUST IN ME,” SAYS THE LORD” (Jeremiah 39:18).

And the Lord your God will deliver you from your strongholds—the hailstones in your heart and mind—for you have put your trust in God.

I bless you to choose Life!

I bless you! 
June 25 Strength to the Powerless

I often hear people say, “My wife attacked me…My coworker attacked me…My friend attacked me!” The truth is it is the father-of-lies who attacked you. During someone’s attack, the father-of-lies will accuse you of being powerless…helpless…hopeless, and this is what is really hurting your heart. If someone verbally or emotionally attacks you, it is their problem—their sinful reaction to the pain in their own heart—but if you feel attacked by them, it is your obligation to surrender your own heart to God.

“HE GIVES POWER TO THE WEAK AND STRENGTH TO THE POWERLESS”
(Isaiah 40:29).

Do not be dismayed about the powerlessness you have been experiencing during verbal and emotional attacks. Do not be distraught that you have been unable to help yourself feel safe. Do not be distressed that you feel defenseless… unarmed…attackable.

“BUT HE SAID TO ME, ‘MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Instead, be encouraged that it is when you are weak that you might give God’s Power the opportunity to strengthen you. Realize that God’s Power is the only Power that can stand up against the father-of-lies’ verbal and emotional attacks.

“AND IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD IS LIVING IN YOU, HE WHO RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN YOU” (Romans 8:11).

I bless you to capture the immensity of God’s Power. May you soar as you realize that the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead has overcome the father-of-lies. The same Power that raised Jesus from the dead can overcome your weakness. The same Power that raised Jesus from the dead can overcome your powerlessness, helplessness, and hopelessness.

May you receive God’s inexhaustible Power when you feel attacked by the father-of-lies.

I bless you! 
June 26 More than Conquerors

I live in Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island with the ocean in my back yard. This means beauty…awesomeness…excitement, but it also means sea breezes…gales… hurricanes, and because of this very reason, there is a story about an apple tree in my back yard that built its own defense. Because of the exposure to the sea storms, the apple tree had a hard time bearing fruit, so it used most of its limbs to build a shield against the storms. Those limbs did not bear fruit. Then, it grew a few limbs on the wind-protected side of the tree. Those limbs blossomed and bore much fruit. For years, we have watched the old apple tree only bear fruit on one side.

“HERE ON EARTH, YOU WILL HAVE MANY TRIALS AND SORROWS” (John 16:33).

Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows—storms of life that will come against you. You will be tempted to build your own defense mechanisms: shelters to cover your heart against pain…shields to ward off the accusations from blamers…barricades to keep yourself safe from gossip. You might be so busy building walls of defense that there is no energy left to bear fruit.

“BUT TAKE HEART, BECAUSE I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD” (John 16:33).

Take heart. Jesus has overcome the world. Do not be sidetracked when you discover a storm raging towards you. Do not hide. Do not run away. Do not blame. Instead, stay where you are, and expose the beliefs in your pain-filled heart to Him. Submit the trials and sorrows that the gossip and accusations cause, to Him. Accept Him as your defense, so you can bear fruit…bear fruit on all sides.

“‘AND I WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER FOR YOUR SAKES, SO THAT HE WILL NOT DESTROY THE FRUIT OF YOUR GROUND, NOR SHALL THE VINE FAIL TO BEAR FRUIT FOR YOU IN THE FIELD,’ SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS” (Malachi 3:11).

The Lord Jesus is your defense, so that you do not have to use your energy to create a defense mechanism against your enemies, but use it all to bear fruit. God will rebuke the devourers for your sake, so that they will not destroy your fruit.

“BECAUSE IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US” (Romans 8:37).

I bless you!
 
June 27 God, I Praise You

“PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF COMPASSION AND THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praise be to You for being the God of Compassion and the Lord of all Comfort. You comfort me when I feel lonely. When I go through the valley of the shadow of death, You assure me of Your Presence. When I think everybody has left me, You are there.

“LET THEM PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD, FOR HE COMMANDED AND THEY WERE CREATED” (Psalm 148:5).

Perfect Father, I praise You, for when I am hopeless, You command…and Hope is created. When I am powerless, You command…and Power is brought to life. When I am in darkness, You command…and Light shines out of darkness.

“FOR AS THE EARTH BRINGS FORTH ITS BUD, AS THE GARDEN CAUSES THE THINGS THAT ARE SOWN IN IT TO SPRING FORTH, SO THE LORD GOD WILL CAUSE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PRAISE TO SPRING FORTH BEFORE ALL THE NATIONS”
(Isaiah 61:11).

I praise You, Lord God, for You cause Your Righteousness to spring forth in me. You fill me with Your Wisdom when I do not lean on my own understanding. You give me Peace, all the time and in every way.

“THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD; MY HEART TRUSTED IN HIM, AND I AM HELPED; THEREFORE MY HEART GREATLY REJOICES, AND WITH MY SONG I WILL PRAISE HIM” (Psalm 28:7).

God, my heart greatly rejoices, for You are my Strength when I am bent over in my own weakness. My heart trusts in You and I am helped.

Blessed be Your Name!
 
June 28 The Presence of God

“YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE PATH OF LIFE;
YOU WILL FILL ME WITH JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE” (Psalm 16:11).

I bless you to invite the Presence of God into the circumstances that have left you hopeless. He is mighty to save.

I bless you to invite the Presence of God into your heart when it is trembling with sadness. He will fill you with Joy in His Presence.

“THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU,
HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE.
HE WILL TAKE GREAT DELIGHT IN YOU,
HE WILL QUIET YOU WITH HIS LOVE,
HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING”
(Zephaniah 3:17).

I bless you to invite the Presence of God into your heart when it is sizzling with rejection and condemnation. He will quiet you with His Love.

I bless you to invite the Presence of God into your heart when it has fallen into helpless despair. He will make known to you the path of Life.

I bless you to invite the Presence of God into your heart when it is devastated with loneliness and abandonment. He will take great delight in you,
for the Lord your God is with you!

“JOY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF TROUBLE,
BUT THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST”
(William Vander Haven).

I bless you!
 
June 29 The Path of Life

“YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE PATH OF LIFE; YOU WILL FILL ME WITH JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE” (Psalm 16:11).

I often hear people say, “Pain is part of life…and needs to be accepted.” But the Perfect Father has made known to me the Path of Life: “Pain is part of life…and needs to be exchanged!”

I have found in my life that my pain exists of the beliefs from the father-of-lies: that I am not needed here on earth…that I have no value…that I am not worthy to be celebrated. If I react to my pain, I stumble and die.

“FOR YOU HAVE DELIVERED ME FROM DEATH AND MY FEET FROM STUMBLING, THAT I MAY WALK BEFORE GOD IN THE LIGHT OF LIFE” (Psalm 56:13).

But then I discovered that the Perfect Father sent the Light of the World to expose the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies, and to exchange them for the Truth.

This path of life is filled with the Light of Life. But we have an obligation: to walk before God in the Light of Life.

“WHEN JESUS SPOKE AGAIN TO THE PEOPLE, HE SAID, ‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE’” (John 8:12).

I bless you to walk in the Light of God’s Presence. Do not accept your pain of abandonment. Do not comply with your pain of shame. Do not submit to your pain of condemnation. Instead, follow the Light of the World into the Truth. He is your Father’s answer to your hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness. He will turn your heart’s belief of “I am unworthy to be loved” into “I have value.” He will exchange “I am doomed in darkness” for “I walk in the Light of Life.” He will fill you with Joy in His Presence.

I bless you!
 
June 30 God Will Repay

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Understand that the goal of the father-of-lies during your childhood was to produce in you a distorted mind and a disturbed heart: to promote lies like “You don’t belong…You are a failure…You are fatally flawed.” The father-of-lies knew that if you would accept these beliefs as a child, you would become a slave to them for the rest of your life.

“I WILL REPAY YOU FOR THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS HAVE EATEN” (Joel 2:25).

However, God has paid for the years the locusts have eaten: He sent His son, Jesus, to reverse the lies from the father-of-lies in your heart…if you let Him. You were bought with a price to become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that you should proclaim Him who called you out of the dark beliefs of the father-of-lies, into His marvelous Light. The Perfect Father sent you a Redeemer. Will you let Him redeem you from the years the locusts have eaten?

“BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION, THAT YOU MAY DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT” (1 Peter 2:9).

I bless you to receive God’s blessings of Love, Truth, and Hope He is offering you in exchange for the hopelessness, fear, and deception of your childhood years. Meet Him face to face. Experience His Love. Taste His Hope. Feel His Power. Encounter His Truth. Discover His Comfort. Absorb His Light, so you may be children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation who live according to the lies of the father-of-lies.

“SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, ‘CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A WARPED AND CROOKED GENERATION.’ THEN YOU WILL SHINE AMONG THEM LIKE STARS IN THE SKY” (Philippians 2:15).

I bless you!
 
July 1 The Father Has Life in Himself

I sometimes experience negative beliefs that really hurt—that I am dispensable…that I am dishonorable…that I am disgraced—and no matter how much I struggle, these painful beliefs stays in my mind. No amount of struggle, warfare, or arguing can get rid of them. DEATH reigns in my mind.

“FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF” (John 5:26).

Celebrate that the Perfect Father has LIFE in Himself. Therefore, He granted His son, Jesus, to have LIFE in Himself as well, and He sent Jesus to grant that LIFE to YOU.

“BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME”
(John 20:31).

I bless you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, who came to bring YOU LIFE in His Name. In His Name, you can experience Truth for the negative, destructive beliefs that reign in your mind: that you are dispensable, dishonorable, and disgraced. In His Name, you can receive Hope for your hopelessness. In His Name, you can encounter Light for your darkness.

“YET YOU REFUSE TO COME TO ME TO HAVE LIFE” (John 5:40).

But you have an obligation: to come to the Lord Jesus, so that He can give you the Life that was given Him by the Perfect Father. Enter into the LIFE He is offering you, instead of trying to take revenge. Embrace His LIFE, instead of withdrawing from others in pain. Ask Him to feed you with His LIFE, instead of trying to fix your heart by yourself. And YOU will have LIFE, too.

“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE” (John 6:48).

I bless you!

July 2 Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

“JESUS REPLIED: ‘LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT. AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF’” (Matthew 22:37-39).

I have noticed that there is a set of lies living in my mind that carries a painful, negative message of failure, defilement, and unworthiness. This compilation of deceit includes degrading beliefs of “You are bad. You are not worthy to love and be loved. You are useless.” This cluster of deceit that lives in my mind—the OLD MAN—was shaped in my mind, one lie at a time, by the father-of-lies, since I was a child.

Furthermore, I have noticed that because of these negative, destructive beliefs “You are unimportant. You are unacceptable. You are unwanted,” I have a hard time loving myself. And because I have a hard time loving myself, I have a hard time loving my neighbor, or my friends, or my co-workers.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to take note that Jesus got rid of the set of negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. But you have an obligation: to believe! You need to believe that YOUR OLD MAN beliefs were also crucified with the Lord Jesus. All you need to do is surrender YOUR OLD MAN beliefs to Him, in faith, and come to Him to receive your new set of beliefs: “You are loved. You are accepted. You are worthy.”

“AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”

And because of your new set of positive, constructive beliefs, you will be able to love yourself. And because you love yourself, you will be able to love your neighbor as yourself.

I bless you!
 
July 3 Selfish Ambitions

I have been thinking lately how much the enemy of God has deceived me.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM” (John 8:44).

He was a murderer from the beginning, looking for opportunities to instill untruths in you—lies that would take you captive from the inside out. One of the lies the enemy instilled in me is the belief that I am not needed. Some people actually feel invisible. Others feel overlooked. It does not matter in what form this lie of unworthiness takes, the common denominator is I am unnecessary…disposable…unwanted.

“WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

His name is the father-of-lies. When he lies, he speaks his native language. That is the only language he knows…and he has been lying to you since childhood.

Realize that the lie of feeling “I am unnecessary…disposable…unwanted” creates pain. And the pain causes you to want to DO something, so you would BECOME someone who IS necessary…needed…wanted.

“FOR WHERE YOU HAVE ENVY AND SELFISH AMBITION, THERE YOU FIND DISORDER AND EVERY EVIL PRACTICE” (James 3:16).

This is exactly what the father-of-lies had planned. He planted the lie that you are not needed, so that you would develop an ardent desire for fame, rank, and power. The father-of-lies’ plan works really well, since you would become so busy harboring bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, that you would have no time to become quiet before God and find out what the Will of the Perfect Father is for your life.

I bless you to bring your lie of feeling unwanted and unneeded to the Perfect Father, so that you would become free from harboring bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart. Then, the father-of-lies would lose his hold on you, and you would become God-oriented instead of goal-oriented.

I bless you! 
July 4 May the Work of God be Displayed in Your Life

“‘NEITHER THIS MAN NOR HIS PARENTS SINNED,’ SAID JESUS, ‘BUT THIS HAPPENED SO THAT THE WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED IN HIS LIFE’” (John 9:3).

Know that the Father of the Heavenly Lights wants you to be healed from the damaging childhood incidents in your life that caused you to feel condemned, shamed, and abandoned, and fill you with His good and perfect gifts from above.

But you need to take your focus off the childhood incident that caused you to feel so guilty and condemned, even now, and turn your focus to the Lord Jesus. It is not what you did, that matters, but what Jesus did for you, for the Perfect Father did not send His son into the world to condemn you, but to save you. Therefore, allow the saving work of God to be displayed in your life, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM” (John 3:16-17).

In the same way, take your focus off your parents or other persons of authority who caused you harm during your childhood. It is not about what they did or did not do, that matters. It is about whether you are willing to submit the abandonment, shame, and condemnation that resulted from what they did, to the Lord Jesus, so that the saving work of God might be displayed in your life.

“FOR HE SATISFIES THE THIRSTY AND FILLS THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS” (Psalm 107:9).

I bless you today to allow the saving work of God to be displayed in your life: His Light in your darkness…His Hope in your hopelessness…His Wisdom in your confusion…His Righteousness in your sinfulness…His Wholeness in your brokenness…His Power in your weakness…His Peace in your anxiety…His Comfort in your sorrow…His Grace in your guilt.

I bless you!
 
July 5 Will You Lay Down Your Life for Me?

I was having a discussion with someone the other day about the antichrist. We were wondering who the antichrist was, and from where he would come. Was it a person? Was it a force? Was it already here or was it still to come?

Then I thought to myself, I don’t know who the antichrist really is, but I know that I have an antichrist already living inside of me. He is very powerful. He is very selfish. And he is very anti Christ. His name is Self.

“BUT EVERY SPIRIT THAT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IS NOT FROM GOD. THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST, WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD IS COMING AND EVEN NOW IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD” (1 John 4:3).

Self seems to be its own person who runs its own life in me. Self has its own will, its own desires, its own ambitions, its own defense, its own esteem, and its own righteousness. Self does not acknowledge or obey Jesus. In fact, Self serves as an agent for the father-of-lies to rival Jesus Christ as Lord.

“THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, ‘IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER WANTS TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR ME WILL FIND IT’” (Matthew 16:24-25).

I bless you to understand that the Lord Jesus is the Anti-Self. He has His own Righteousness that He would like to establish in you. He has His own Will for your life. He has His own Defense against the father-of-lies.

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

The Lord Jesus would like you to deny Self and allow Him to take its place. Would you consider laying down Self for Jesus?

I bless you!
 
July 6 The Man Who Loves His Life Will Lose It.

Self—the sinful nature—seems to be its own person who runs its own life in us. Self has its own will…its own esteem…and its own defense of criticism and condemnation. The only one Self cares about is itself. It always makes sure it comes out at the top, even if it has to step on others to accomplish this.

“THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE HIS SINFUL NATURE, FROM THAT NATURE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE” (Galatians 6:8).

Capture that you cannot please Self AND the Spirit. Understand that if you allow Self to sow criticism, condemnation, and control, you will reap destruction, but if you sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit you will reap Life.

“HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME, IF ONLY I MAY FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME” (Acts 20:24).

I bless you to consider letting go of your faultfinding, not holding onto it as something praiseworthy—a means to bring someone down, so Self can raise itself up. May you become someone whose only focus is to finish the task the Lord Jesus has given you: someone who would transfer His Love…project His Power…deliver His Message.

“THE MAN WHO LOVES HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, WHILE THE MAN WHO HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD WILL KEEP IT FOR ETERNAL LIFE” (John 12:25).

I bless you to lose your defense mechanism of disapproval, disagreement, and disaccord, which serves to please Self. Know that criticism is a poor way of dealing with someone’s heart. Grasp that faultfinding does not portray the heart of your Perfect Father. Notice that criticism steals your joy and the joy of your friends.

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

I bless you! 
July 7 Will You Lay Down Your Life of Mind-reading?

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

How do you deal with your pain? Have you adopted the sinful defense mechanism of mind-reading? Do you always assume you know what others are thinking? Do you read between the lines? Are you always gathering information to prove your presupposed point? Do you surmise, basing your ideas on scanty evidence? Do you often guess, arriving at your conclusions based on your own understanding?

“THE MAN WHO LOVES HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, WHILE THE MAN WHO HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD WILL KEEP IT FOR ETERNAL LIFE” (John 12:25).

Grasp that Satan, the master of deception, will take advantage of your mind-reading, each time, inserting more than is there. Know that he will for certain use it as an opportunity to drag misinterpretations into your mind, causing you to see yourself and others in a false light.

If you sow to please your sinful nature through mind-reading, you will reap destruction, but if you sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit you will reap Truth.

“THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE HIS SINFUL NATURE, FROM THAT NATURE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE” (Galatians 6:8).

I bless you to consider letting go of your mind-reading, not holding onto it as something precious. Don’t assume you know what others are thinking. Don’t read between the lines. Stop gathering information to prove your presupposed point. Quit surmising. Stop guessing. Instead, focus on finishing the race YOU have to run, and to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given YOU.

“HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME, IF ONLY I MAY FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME” (Acts 20:24).

I bless you!

 
July 8 Will You Lay Down Your Life of Forsaking the Task?

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

Do you deal with your pain through a defense mechanism of running away from a task, not following through, forsaking the job? Do you easily give up…abandon hope…throw in the towel?

“BECAUSE YOU ARE HIS SONS, GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS, THE SPIRIT WHO CALLS OUT, ‘ABBA, FATHER’” (Galatians 4:6).

Know that self-control is a fruit of God’s Spirit, and that God made His Spirit available to live in our hearts. Be comforted that you are not forsaken to deal with the task-at-hand on your own. His self-control can become a part of your life.

“THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE HIS SINFUL NATURE, FROM THAT NATURE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE” (Galatians 6:8).

I bless you to give up your task-forsaking behavior. Instead, allow yourself to feel the pain that instigates you to give up. Find the belief that the father-of-lies has planted into your mind—the thinking that is trying to persuade you to desert your task. Then surrender this emotion and conclusion to the Lord Jesus for His free setting Truth.

“HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME, IF ONLY I MAY FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME” (Acts 20:24).

May you lay down your life-pattern of giving up…abandoning hope… throwing in the towel, so you might complete the task the Lord Jesus has given you. If you sow relinquishment of your task, you will reap destruction. But if you sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit you will reap self-control.

I bless you!
 
July 9 Will You Lay Down Your Life of Over-indulgence?

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

Do you deal with your pain through the defense mechanism of over-indulgence: turning to something or someone other than Jesus to ease your pain? Know for certain that if you sow overdo and overuse, you will reap DESTRUCTION, but if you sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit you will reap LIFE.

“THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE HIS SINFUL NATURE, FROM THAT NATURE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE” (Galatians 6:8).

I bless you to give up seeking relief from your pain through over-indulgence of any kind. Instead, allow yourself to pause before you indulge, and feel the pain that instigates you to overdo. Identify the hurt. Find the beliefs the father-of-lies has planted in your mind: the thoughts that persuade you to run to FOOD to eliminate the heartache, to run to DRINK to shut out the hurt, and to run to DRUGS to squash the anguish. Then, surrender these interpretations to the Lord Jesus in exchange for His free-setting Truth. This will enable you to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given you.

“HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME, IF ONLY I MAY FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME” (Acts 20:24).

I bless you! 
July 10 Will You Lay Down Your Life of Anger and Rage?

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

I bless you to lay down your life of dealing with your pain through a defense mechanism of anger and rage, because Jesus laid down His Life for you!

“GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. ‘I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP’” (John 10:11).

I bless you to lay down your life of becoming enraged at yourself and those around you. Know that anger serves as a cover—an outer layer placed over a much deeper emotion. If you peel it off, you will discover unworthiness, condemnation, abandonment, and shame in your heart.

“THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE HIS SINFUL NATURE, FROM THAT NATURE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; THE ONE WHO SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE” (Galatians 6:8).

I bless you to give up your exasperation. Instead, dig a little deeper and find out what is concealed by your anger. Decode your understanding. Catch sight of what you really believe about yourself and others. Then, offer these beliefs to God for His Truth…His deduction…His viewpoint.

“HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME, IF ONLY I MAY FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME” (Acts 20:24).

Let go of your bad temper. Do not hold onto it as something praiseworthy. If you sow to live in anger, you will reap destruction. But if you sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit you will reap Truth…Joy…Life.

Remember, the Lord Jesus laid down His Life for you, so you could pick it up and put it in your heart to take care of your shame, condemnation, and abandonment.

I bless you!
 
July 11 Lay Down Your Life of Depression

Understand that Self, who lives in us, is self-contained. It depends on its own understanding as its only resource, which renders us susceptible to depression—a period spent in dejection and hopelessness—because of the negative, destructive beliefs that live in our own understanding.

“THEN JESUS ANSWERED, ‘WILL YOU REALLY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME’”
(John 13:38).

I suffered from depression. I would spend three days at a time in dejection and hopelessness. My period of depression would be marked by sadness, inactivity, excessive sleeping, and suicidal thoughts. I always thought depression was something that “happened” to me, until I discovered that depression always manifested after a negative, destructive thought had entered my mind and I had decided to accept that thought as the truth.

“HOW FOOLISH! WHAT YOU SOW DOES NOT COME TO LIFE UNLESS IT DIES”
(1 Corinthians 15:36).

One day, the Lord Jesus asked me, “Will you lay down your understanding for Mine? Will you lay down Self for Me? Will you let me exchange your negative, destructive beliefs that are causing your depression, for My Truth?”

“I KNOW THAT HIS COMMAND LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. SO WHATEVER I SAY IS JUST WHAT THE FATHER HAS TOLD ME TO SAY” (John 12:50).

I bless you to grasp that your depression will not lift, until you are willing to let the negative, destructive thoughts that are feeding it die. When you become willing to stop having fellowship with the dark thoughts of the father-of-lies, but instead, surrender these thoughts to the Lord Jesus, He will give you Life.

I bless you!
 
July 12 Self and the Spirit

Have you ever traveled to Newfoundland, Canada? I have. You might know that one of the things that pose a real threat to drivers there are the moose. Because they are so dark, moose are very hard to spot on the highway, especially at night. Each year, there are over six hundred collisions between drivers and moose. They would show up when you least expect them; therefore, you need to strain your eyes while you are driving…looking for moose. Never could you relax for a single moment by taking your eyes off the road.

“I KNOW THAT NOTHING GOOD LIVES IN ME, THAT IS, IN MY SINFUL NATURE. FOR I HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO WHAT IS GOOD, BUT I CANNOT CARRY IT OUT. FOR WHAT I DO IS NOT THE GOOD I WANT TO DO; NO, THE EVIL I DO NOT WANT TO DO—THIS I KEEP ON DOING” (Romans 7:18-19).

The moose in Newfoundland remind me of Self. Self is always around. Self is a real threat to me. I have had many collisions with Self the last year…many of which were fatal. Never can I relax and forget about Self, because even when I have the desire to do good, Self would get in the way. It would show up when I least expect it, full of anger, malice, and jealousy. The evil I do not want to do, Self would keep on doing.

“THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THAT NATURE DESIRES; BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THE SPIRIT DESIRES. THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH, BUT THE MIND CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE; THE SINFUL MIND IS HOSTILE TO GOD. IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GOD’S LAW, NOR CAN IT DO SO. THOSE CONTROLLED BY THE SINFUL NATURE CANNOT PLEASE GOD” (Romans 8:5-8).

But I have good news! I came to realize that Self is not the only one living in me. There is another living in me—THE SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF. I realize that I have an obligation: to stop setting my mind on what Self desires, for those controlled by Self cannot please God. Instead, I need to set my mind on what the Spirit of God in me desires…and receive Life and Peace.

I bless you!
 
July 13 Live a Life Worthy of the Calling Assigned You

“NEVERTHELESS, EACH ONE SHOULD RETAIN THE PLACE IN LIFE THAT THE LORD ASSIGNED TO HIM AND TO WHICH GOD HAS CALLED HIM. THIS IS THE RULE I LAY DOWN IN ALL THE CHURCHES” (1 Corinthians 7:17).

The other day I was very discouraged. I went for a walk on the beach and asked God to send me encouragement. When I got home, a friend had sent me a story.

The story was about a man who received an assignment from God. The Lord showed the man a large rock in front of the man’s house and asked him to push against the rock with all his might. The man was obedient. For many years, he toiled from sunset to sundown, pushing against the rock with all his might. But then the man became discouraged. He went to God and lamented, “I have labored long and hard for You, Lord, putting all my strength to do what You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged the rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

God responded compassionately, “My friend, I asked you to push against the rock with all your might. Never once did I mention that I expected you to move it. Your calling was only to be obedient. But look at you, with all the toil and exertion, you have become patient and disciplined, which will produce a harvest of Righteousness and Peace in your life. Because you have done what I have asked of you, I WILL NOW USE MY OWN STRENGTH TO MOVE THE ROCK!”

“AS A PRISONER FOR THE LORD, THEN, I URGE YOU TO LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE CALLING YOU HAVE RECEIVED” (Ephesians 4:1).

I would like to encourage you by telling you that God never expected you to move the rock. He is only asking you to be obedient and do the work for which He had called you, whether that is to be a teacher, a mother, a father, an encourager, a giver, a leader, an author, or any specific task for which He has called you.

I bless you to know that through being obedient, you will become patient and disciplined, which will produce a harvest of God’s Righteousness and Peace in your life, so that you may share in His Holiness. Be encouraged that if you are obedient to that which God has called you, GOD HIMSELF WILL MOVE YOUR ROCK.

I bless you!
July 14 God Has Been with You during Your Childhood.

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

I bless you to understand that it is not what happened to you as a child that is causing you so much heart-ache, but your interpretations of these events—what you came to believe about yourself and others.

“AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE”
(Matthew 28:20).

Keep in mind that the Lord Jesus was present…on duty…alive when you were making your conclusions as a child. He promised that He would never leave you.
He saw it all. He knew the circumstances, but most of all, he took notice of the misinterpretations that distorted your mind, and the lies that disturbed your heart. He was there. Nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight.

Be encouraged that Jesus is still aware of the false beliefs you had adopted during your childhood. He can read your heart like a book. He understands the lies. But most of all, He knows the Truth.

“NOTHING IN ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD’S SIGHT. EVERYTHING IS UNCOVERED AND LAID BARE BEFORE THE EYES OF HIM TO WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT” (Hebrews 4:13).

Jesus wants you to know that He has become your Wisdom from God: your Redemption from the deception that has been living in your heart since childhood.

Furthermore, He bought you Righteousness for the unrighteousness that has CAUSED your wrong interpretations and Holiness for the sin that WAS CAUSED by your false conclusions.

“IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

I bless you!
 
July 15 Take Hold of Jesus Christ when You Are Young

“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG, BUT SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS IN SPEECH, IN LIFE, IN LOVE, IN FAITH AND IN
PURITY” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Let no-one look down on you because you are young. Set an example for believers in the way you speak. May Jesus speak with your tongue. Set an example in the way you live. May Jesus live through your thoughts. Set an example in the way you love. May Jesus love through your heart. Set an example in the way you believe. May Jesus believe through your faith. Set an example in your holiness. May the Righteousness of Jesus shine through your actions and reactions.

“IN THIS WAY THEY WILL LAY UP TREASURE FOR THEMSELVES AS A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE COMING AGE, SO THAT THEY MAY TAKE HOLD OF THE LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE” (1 Timothy 6:19).

May you allow the Love and Life of Jesus to be displayed in your life when you are young, so you could lay a firm foundation for the rest of your life…and take hold of the life that is truly Life.

“AS A RESULT, HE DOES NOT LIVE THE REST OF HIS EARTHLY LIFE FOR EVIL HUMAN DESIRES, BUT RATHER FOR THE WILL OF GOD” (1 Peter 4:2).

I bless you to allow the Righteousness of Jesus to be revealed through you when you are young, so you will not live the rest of your earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the Will of God.

I bless you!
 
July 16 Deceitful Desires

“YOU WERE TAUGHT, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES” (Ephesians 4:22).

We have been taught to put off our old Self—the Self that is being corrupted by its DECEITFUL DESIRES. I thought to myself the other day, “If the old Self is being corrupted by its DECEITFUL DESIRES, then these DECEITFUL DESIRES must be a real problem.” How do these DECEITFUL DESIRES corrupt Self?

I have noticed that my Self has many DECEITFUL DESIRES. I have the desires to be loved…to be needed…to be important…to be successful…to be noticed. Now, there is nothing wrong with these desires, except if they are DECEITFUL DESIRES.

How do I recognize a deceitful desire? Behind each of these deceitful desires stands a negative, destructive belief from the father-of-lies. The belief I am invisible produces the deceitful desire: I need to be noticed. This desire is meant to trick you into thinking that if you are noticed, you would finally find meaning for your life. The negative, destructive belief I am a failure produces the deceitful desire: I need to prove that I am a success. This desire is meant to deceive you into thinking that you would be OK, once others see you as being successful. The belief I have no purpose produces the deceitful desire: I need to be needed. This desire is meant to mislead you into believing that when you are needed, you have arrived to your purpose in life.

These deceitful desires cause bewilderment. They obscure the Truth. They lead us astray. We become so busy trying to fulfill these deceitful desires that we do not get around doing the only thing that really matters—the Will of the Father.

“HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES, I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE PARADISE OF GOD” (Revelation 2:7).

I bless you today to overcome the urge to yield to Self…to overcome the urge to surrender to your deceitful desires…to overcome the urge to follow the beliefs I am a failure…I have no purpose…I am invisible. Instead, invite God’s Presence and Participation into these negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies. Then, He will turn your deceitful desires into HIS DESIRES for your life.
I bless you! 
July 17 Everyone Is Fighting the Same Battle

“BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR. RESIST HIM, STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BROTHERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE UNDERGOING THE SAME KIND OF SUFFERINGS”
(1 Peter 5:8-9).

I bless you today to take note that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering you are. Yes, everybody has the father-of-lies as an enemy…not only you. He came to kill, steal, and destroy all…not only you. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour…not only you.

Deception is the practice of luring someone into believing something that is not true. This is the father-of-lies’ weapon. Grasp that your brothers throughout the world have been victimized by deception…not only you.

“THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WHAT LOVE IS: JESUS CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.
AND WE OUGHT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR OUR BROTHERS” (1 John 3:16).

May you have compassion when someone believes falsities…when someone shows poor judgment…when someone fails you. May you understand that the father-of-lies stole their Truth, killed their Joy, and destroyed their Hope, too.

Therefore, be self-controlled and alert. RESIST being lured into believing something that is not true. STAND FIRM in your Faith. EMBRACE the Truth. Then PASS THIS ON to your brothers, who also grapple with deception.

Jesus laid down His life for YOU. Will you lay down your life for YOUR BROTHERS?

“BE KIND. REMEMBER EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING A HARD BATTLE”
(T. H. Thompson).

I bless you!

July 18 I Do Not Live Anymore

“I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: NEVERTHELESS I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME” (Galatians 2:20).

I bless you to know that there is a part of you that needs to be crucified with Christ. There is a part of you that needs to be exchanged for the Lord Jesus Christ, because He gave Himself for you…to live His Life of Faith inside you.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

Understand that there is an OLD MAN living his life inside you: an agglomeration of negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. This collection of OLD MAN beliefs carries a painful negative message of failure, defilement, and unworthiness.

Realize that this set of OLD MAN beliefs functions as the body of sin in you. This set of accusatory beliefs “You are bad…You do not count…You are a disgrace” causes painful emotions of unworthiness, hopelessness, and shame. When you feel unworthy, you envy…you strife…you fail. When you feel ashamed, you become angry…you become unkind…you become selfish. When you feel hopeless, you argue…you give up…you become depressed. Thus, the body of OLD MAN beliefs in you is the father-of-lies’ ally to control your mind…your emotions…your behavior.

“AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND; AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:23-24).

The Lord Jesus Christ came to crucify the body of OLD MAN beliefs in you, so that the body of sin might be destroyed. And in the OLD MAN’s place, He gave Himself to come and live in you, so that the life that you now live in the flesh, you live by the Faith of the son of God, in Righteousness and true Holiness.

May you allow the body of the OLD MAN beliefs, who lives in you, to be crucified, so that the Lord Jesus Christ might live His Life of Faith in you, instead.

I bless you!
 
July 19 He Has Saved Us Enough to Be Holy

“WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US TO A HOLY LIFE—NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE. THIS GRACE WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME”
(2 Timothy 1:9).

One of the things that turned my life inside-out was the realization that God did not just barely save me in a meager manner—He saved me enough to be holy.

Throughout my life, I had the idea that God saved me just enough to go to Heaven. Holiness was something extra…and holiness was up to me. I believed that if I wanted to be holy, I had to muster all my strength together to better my own Self. I believed I could make my Self more attractive by smiling more often, slamming less doors, and entertaining more guests.

However, big was my surprise when God showed me, one day, that my holiness did not depend on me, but on His Purpose and Grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus. He assured me that this had always been part of the package of Salvation, even before the beginning of time.

“THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM” (1 John 4:9).

At first, I did not know what to do with this Grace. Then slowly, I started understanding that God wanted me to invite His Grace into every situation, moment-by-moment, so that Self could stop acting through me, but be exchanged for Jesus. Instead of trying to smile when I was sad, I could invite His Grace into my sadness…to exchange for His Joy. Instead of slamming the doors when I was mad, I could invite His Grace into my anger, my animosity, and my jealousy…to exchange for His Love. Instead of entertaining more guests to feel loved, I could invite His Grace into the loneliness and abandonment that lived in my heart…to exchange for His Presence.

“I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND I NO LONGER LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME” (Galatians 2:20).

My life changed eternally when I received God’s Salvation that includes His Holiness by Grace. Why don’t you try it yourself? Your life might be changed, too.
I bless you! 
July 20 Jesus Has Come to Give You Understanding

“BUT YOU HAVE PLANTED WICKEDNESS, YOU HAVE REAPED EVIL, YOU HAVE EATEN THE FRUIT OF DECEPTION. BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEPENDED ON YOUR OWN STRENGTH AND ON YOUR MANY WARRIORS, THE ROAR OF BATTLE WILL RISE AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE, SO THAT ALL YOUR FORTRESSES WILL BE DEVASTATED” (Hosea 10:13-14).

I have many warriors, because I have eaten the fruit of deception from the father-of-lies. I have the warrior who fights to the bitter end, defending Self, so it could stay safe and alive in me. This warrior will attack, blame, and drive away anybody who challenges the reign of Self.

I have another warrior who is very good at hiding Self in the dark dungeons of depression or behind a mask whenever its safety and esteem are challenged.

Another warrior is a bit of a coward. It scoops Self up and runs to the safety of overindulgence whenever Self is provoked, not daring to come close to the battlefield. It watches from a distance, thinking its own thoughts and leaning on its own understanding.

“BUY THE TRUTH AND DO NOT SELL IT; GET WISDOM, DISCIPLINE AND UNDERSTANDING” (Proverbs 23:23).

Grasp that if you depend on your own strength and Self’s many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against you, causing you to plant wickedness and reap evil.

I bless you to change your ways. Dismiss your warriors. Instead of hiding Self, get Wisdom for your fear. Instead of letting Self run away, get discipline and understanding for your shame. Instead of defending Self, buy the Truth and do not sell it. Remember, the son of God has come to give you understanding.

“WE KNOW ALSO THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING” (1 John 5:20).

I bless you!
 
July 21 Self Likes to Boast

A friend came over the other night and said something that made me think twice before I acted. He said, “We should learn to talk about ourselves without boasting.”

I have seen people advertise themselves in various ways. They publicize their exotic trips to exotic countries. They announce important achievements of spouses and children. They broadcast their own endeavors and goals. However, listen how Jesus chose His words while speaking to His Father:

“I KNEW THAT YOU ALWAYS HEAR ME, BUT I SAID THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE STANDING HERE, THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU SENT ME”
(John 11:42).

After much pondering, I have decided that I have an answer to the question, “How do we talk about ourselves without boasting?” My answer is, “When you talk about yourself, let it be to the benefit of other people.” This is how Jesus talked!

“IN THIS SELF-CONFIDENT BOASTING I AM NOT TALKING AS THE LORD WOULD, BUT AS A FOOL” (2 Corinthians 11:17).

If you boast, you are not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. If you boast, you are not talking to benefit other people, but to raise your Self up. Boasting keeps Self alive. The question is why? Why do you have to show off? Do you feel invisible, ignored, or disregarded? Do you feel that your heart is bad and you have to prove that it is good? Do you feel lesser in quality, quantity, or stature and you have to make up for your deficit by boasting?

“CHRIST…FILLS ALL THINGS EVERYWHERE WITH HIMSELF” (Ephesians 1:23).

I bless you to allow Jesus to fill you with Himself. Allow Him to exchange Self for Himself and heal your unworthiness, so you can talk about yourself without boasting.

“LET ANOTHER PRAISE YOU, AND NOT YOUR OWN MOUTH; SOMEONE ELSE, AND NOT YOUR OWN LIPS” (Proverbs 27:2).

May everything you say and display be to the benefit of others.

I bless you! 
July 22 Wives and Husbands

“WIVES, IN THE SAME WAY BE SUBMISSIVE TO YOUR HUSBANDS SO THAT, IF ANY OF THEM DO NOT BELIEVE THE WORD, THEY MAY BE WON OVER WITHOUT WORDS BY THE BEHAVIOR OF THEIR WIVES, WHEN THEY SEE THE PURITY AND REVERENCE OF YOUR LIVES” (1 Peter 3:1-2).

Many wives seem against submission to their husbands. I am not. It is a beautiful thing. Wife, I bless you to realize that you could win your husband over without words by your submissive behavior toward him: of purity, honor, and respect.

“YOUR BEAUTY SHOULD NOT COME FROM OUTWARD ADORNMENT, SUCH AS BRAIDED HAIR AND THE WEARING OF GOLD JEWELRY AND FINE CLOTHES. INSTEAD, IT SHOULD BE THAT OF YOUR INNER SELF, THE UNFADING BEAUTY OF A GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, WHICH IS OF GREAT WORTH IN GOD’S SIGHT”
(1 Peter 3:3-4).

Wife, I bless you to put your hope in God, not in the circumstances…not in your husband…not in your Self. This will make you beautiful. Do what is right and do not give way to fear, because fear could turn you into a nagging, disrespectful person. Know that a gentle, quiet spirit is of great worth in God’s sight and can be used to win someone over to Him.

“FOR THIS IS THE WAY THE HOLY WOMEN OF THE PAST WHO PUT THEIR HOPE IN GOD USED TO MAKE THEMSELVES BEAUTIFUL. THEY WERE SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS, LIKE SARAH, WHO OBEYED ABRAHAM AND CALLED HIM HER MASTER. YOU ARE HER DAUGHTERS IF YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND DO NOT GIVE WAY TO FEAR” (1 Peter 3:5-6).

Husband, I bless you to be considerate as you live with your wife. Acknowledge that she is the weaker partner—more capable of being physically or emotionally wounded. Treat her with respect, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. Know that your wife is an heir with you of the gracious Gift of Life in Christ Jesus.

“HUSBANDS, IN THE SAME WAY BE CONSIDERATE AS YOU LIVE WITH YOUR WIVES, AND TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AS THE WEAKER PARTNER AND AS HEIRS WITH YOU OF THE GRACIOUS GIFT OF LIFE, SO THAT NOTHING WILL HINDER YOUR PRAYERS” (1 Peter 3:7).

I bless you!
 
July 23 A Tree and Its Fruit

“WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS. THEY COME TO YOU IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE FEROCIOUS WOLVES. BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM…A GOOD TREE CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT, AND A BAD TREE CANNOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT. EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE. THUS, BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM” (Matthew 7:15-16, 18-20).

Look out for false prophets. Know that they will not appear like ferocious wolves, but will come to you in sheep’s clothing. They might tell you that they prophesy in the name of Jesus, drive out demons in the name of Jesus, and perform many miracles in the name of Jesus. However, there is one thing that the false prophets will not be able to mimic—the Fruit of the Spirit. Jesus came to crucify the Self with its sinful nature, so that we do not have to be a slave to sin anymore, but display the Fruit of the Spirit.

“BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL…THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE CRUCIFIED THE SINFUL NATURE WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES” (Galatians 5:22-24).

Know that you will recognize someone by his fruit, since a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Therefore, watch out whom you trust. Observe them, especially at home with their family, and watch for the Fruit of Love, Peace, Patience, and Self-control.

Likewise, watch out that you do not become a false prophet. By your fruit you will also be recognized.

“MANY WILL SAY TO ME ON THAT DAY, ‘LORD, LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME, AND IN YOUR NAME DRIVE OUT DEMONS AND PERFORM MANY MIRACLES?’ THEN I WILL TELL THEM PLAINLY, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS!’”(Matthew 7:22-23).

I bless you! 
July 24 The Eyes of the Lord Are Everywhere

The other day, I felt very sad. I had to drop my daughter off at the airport. After saying good-bye, I sat in my car for a long time, crying. I missed my daughter, but that was not all of my sadness. Suddenly, I felt very alone and afraid in a big world of darkness, deceit, and despair.

This was a moment in my life that I knew I had to surrender…not just the feeling of sadness, but also the underlying belief that I was not safe in this world where most people lived to follow and obey the father-of-lies. And that is what I did: I looked at my daughter’s plane flying away above the building of the grocery store and invited the Lord Jesus into this place in my heart of sadness and fear.

Drying my tears, I walked into the grocery store and started shopping for vegetables. Suddenly, a beautiful song started to play through the sound system of the store: “I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be.” Awe filled my heart, as I stood frozen in front of the celery. God knew I was sad. He knew I was afraid. And He knew I was in the grocery store. He was quieting me with His Love. He was rejoicing over me with singing. He was lifting me up on His shoulders.

“THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE EVERYWHERE, KEEPING WATCH ON THE WICKED AND THE GOOD” (Proverbs 15:3).

I bless you to embrace that you are safe. God is keeping watch over you. His eyes are on you. He knows how you feel. He knows your beliefs. And He knows where you are. He is mighty to save…if you invite Him into your sadness and fear.

“THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU,
HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE.
HE WILL TAKE GREAT DELIGHT IN YOU,
HE WILL QUIET YOU WITH HIS LOVE,
HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING”
(Zephaniah 3:17).

Embrace that the Lord your God is with you, right where you are. He can see you, and He can see your heart. Invite Him into your feelings of sadness and beliefs of fear. He is mighty to save. Let Him quiet you with His Love. Let Him lift you up on His shoulders. Let Him show you the way out of your dilemma.

I bless you! 
July 25 Self Loves to Be First

The other day, my daughter and I walked across the beach to visit friends of ours. After our visit, our friend offered to take us back home by boat. Looking forward to walk home on the beach during a brilliantly sunny day where waves would splash beauty onto our souls, my daughter and I declined the offer. Then, not feeling slighted, neglected, or insulted, our friend offered to walk a part of the way back with us across the beach, instead.

“I WROTE TO THE CHURCH, BUT DIOTREPHES, WHO LOVES TO BE FIRST, WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US. SO IF I COME, I WILL CALL ATTENTION TO WHAT HE IS DOING, GOSSIPING MALICIOUSLY ABOUT US. NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT, HE REFUSES TO WELCOME THE BROTHERS. HE ALSO STOPS THOSE WHO WANT TO DO SO AND PUTS THEM OUT OF THE CHURCH” (3 John 1:9-10).

I would like to warn you that Self, the sinful nature in us, LIKES TO BE FIRST. When someone treats Self with disdain or indifference, like refusing an offered boat ride, Self could very easily feel slighted, neglected, and insulted. This could result in sinful acts of having nothing to do with the offenders—gossiping maliciously, and refusing to be welcoming.

“BUT YOU HAVE PLANTED WICKEDNESS, YOU HAVE REAPED EVIL, YOU HAVE EATEN THE FRUIT OF DECEPTION” (Hosea 10:13).

Know that Self has eaten of the fruit of deception. Self possesses no Truth.

“THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. THE WORLD CANNOT ACCEPT HIM, BECAUSE IT NEITHER SEES HIM NOR KNOWS HIM. BUT YOU KNOW HIM, FOR HE LIVES WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:17).

I bless you to understand that Self does not know the Truth, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him. However, you could know the Truth by inviting the Spirit of Truth into your heart. Allow Him to replace the deceitful beliefs of Self, and the Truth will set you free from feeling slighted, neglected, and insulted when someone declines your offer or invitation.

I bless you!

 
July 26 Embrace…Expose…Exchange

“HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED. FOR YOU WERE LIKE SHEEP GOING ASTRAY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER OF YOUR SOULS” (1 Peter 2:24-25).

“He Himself bore our sins…so that we might die to sins…” These two actions are closely connected.

Have you ever tried to get rid of a sinful action: the perpetual gossiping…the excessive boasting…the continual pouting? I have! It did not work, until I found out that I could not die to a sin without having Jesus bearing that sin. Although Jesus already bore my sins on the cross a long time ago, I discovered that I had to invite Him to bear each underlying belief that causes a sinful action, if I wanted to get rid of it.

EMBRACE YOUR SINS: First, I look closely at my sinful action, instead of hiding from it or blaming it on others. Why am I gossiping? Why am I boasting? Why am I pouting? Do I gossip because I feel unworthy? Do I boast because I feel insignificant? Do I pout because I feel forsaken?

EXPOSE YOUR SINS: Next, I expose the sinful action and the underlying belief that cause it, to Jesus…to bear it for me. Expose means to deprive from shelter and submit to a particular action or influence.

EXCHANGE YOUR SINS: Then, I allow Jesus to bear my sin for me. Exchanging is the act of giving or taking one thing in return for another. By bearing my sin, Jesus does something with it. With His Truth, He disarms the underlying belief that causes a sinful action or reaction. This eradicates my sinful action. I do not have to gossip anymore, because the belief “I am worthless” is destroyed. I do not have to boast anymore, because the belief “I am lesser” is eliminated. I do not have to pout anymore, because the belief “I am invisible” is wiped out.

“GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I bless you to embrace each individual sin with its underlying belief, and expose it to Jesus…so He can bear your sin and exchange it for His Truth, Hope, and Love.
I bless you! 
July 27 I Died to Sin

“HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED. FOR YOU WERE LIKE SHEEP GOING ASTRAY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER OF YOUR SOULS” (1 Peter 2:24-25).

Take note that Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree, not so that our sins might die…but so that WE might die to our sins.

“WHAT SHALL WE SAY, THEN? SHALL WE GO ON SINNING SO THAT GRACE MAY INCREASE? BY NO MEANS! WE DIED TO SIN; HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?”
(Romans 6:1-2).

I have died to many sins. I have died to depression, withdrawal, and pushing people away. I have died to blaming, hating, and condemning others. I have died to gossiping. I have died to boasting.

“FOR WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM SO THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES TO SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I have died to these sinful actions and reactions, because I have no need to live in them any longer. You see, my old Self—that person who was filled with shame, condemnation, and abandonment by the father-of-lies—was crucified with Jesus. My condemnation was turned to acceptance, so that I do not have to hate anymore in order to take revenge. My shame was turned to worthiness, so that I do not have to gossip and boast anymore in order to gain respect from others. My abandonment was turned to belongingness, so that I do not have to withdraw anymore in order to protect myself. These sinful actions and reactions serve no purpose to me anymore, because the old Self, the father-of-lies’ ally, was done away with. I am no longer a slave to it.

“IN THE SAME WAY, COUNT YOURSELVES DEAD TO SIN BUT ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST JESUS” (Romans 6:11).

In the same way, I bless you to die to your sinful actions and reactions. Let your Self be crucified with Jesus. Then you, too will count yourself dead to sin, because sinful actions and reactions will serve no purpose to you anymore.

I bless you!
July 28 Recognize the Cause for Immaturity

“THEY CLAIM TO KNOW GOD, BUT BY THEIR ACTIONS THEY DENY HIM. THEY ARE DETESTABLE, DISOBEDIENT AND UNFIT FOR DOING ANYTHING GOOD” (Titus 1:16).

Do you claim to know God, but still behave in childish ways, denying God by your actions and reactions, being detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good?

Understand that an adult could still display the character of a child and be disrespectful and immature, if his childhood misinterpretations of abandonment, condemnation, and shame have not been healed and removed.

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Recognize that when an adult acts like a six-year-old, he feels again like the little six-year-old he used to be when the misinterpretations of abandonment, condemnation, and shame had formed in his mind, the first time. He becomes the little six-year-old again, experiencing the fear, loneliness, and guilt.

“AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COUNSELOR TO BE WITH YOU FOREVER— THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. THE WORLD CANNOT ACCEPT HIM, BECAUSE IT NEITHER SEES HIM NOR KNOWS HIM. BUT YOU KNOW HIM, FOR HE LIVES WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:16-17).

I bless you to accept that your Everlasting Father has brought you a Solution for your immature behavior. He sent you a Counselor—the Spirit of Truth.

When the little six-year-old in you relives the memory that is bringing him/her so much pain and confusion, prompt him/her to offer the memory, with its painful feelings and interpretations, to the Spirit of Truth.

When the Spirit of Truth sets you free from the negative, destructive interpretations of shame, condemnation, and abandonment that lived in that memory, you will experience relief. Then, you will put childish ways behind you and start acting your age. You will know God and honor Him with your actions and reactions. You will become fit for doing good. You will become an adult.

I bless you!
 
July 29 Expectations on Earth, as It Is in Heaven

“WE HAD TO LEARN OURSELVES AND,
FURTHERMORE, WE HAD TO TEACH THE DESPAIRING MEN,
THAT IT DID NOT REALLY MATTER WHAT WE EXPECTED FROM LIFE,
BUT RATHER WHAT LIFE EXPECTED FROM US.”
(Man’s Search for Meaning, Page 77)
Viktor E. Frankl

I have noticed that I have many expectations. Before I get to my expected destination, I have already envisioned certain outcomes for certain occurrences. I have formed presumptions. I have made calculations. I have it all planned out ahead of time—what I am going to say and what I am going to do. And I expect my expectations to be fulfilled.

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;
IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM,
AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT”
(Proverbs 3:5-6).

I have discovered that to live according to my expectations is just another way to lean on my own understanding. Sometimes it feels so much more convenient to envision an outcome for an occurrence than to trust in the Lord with all my heart. It is so much easier to form my own presumptions and to make my own calculations than to acknowledge God in these ways. It is so much faster to plan my own future than to allow God to make my paths straight.

“YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 6:10).

I have noticed that I need to surrender my expectations to my Perfect Father, moment-by-moment, every day. God has already made the calculations. He has already planned the outcome. He has already made the plans in Heaven. He is looking for someone who is willing to lay down his/her expectations…for His. Whenever a picture forms in my head, I need to submit that picture to God and say, “Perfect Father, may Your Purpose be done in my life…not the purpose I am living through this picture in my head.” Whenever a plan forms in my mind, I need to lay that plan at His feet and say, “Perfect Father, may You do with me as you have already planned in Heaven. Only Your Expectations are valid.”

I bless you 
July 30 A Hardened Heart Causes Ignorance

“SO I TELL YOU THIS, AND INSIST ON IT IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MUST NO LONGER LIVE AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING. THEY ARE DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM DUE TO THE HARDENING OF THEIR HEARTS” (Ephesians 4:17-18).

Notice that a hardened heart causes a vicious circle. A hardened heart causes ignorance…and ignorance causes a darkened understanding and a separation from the life of God…and a darkened understanding causes futile thinking…and futile thinking causes you to conform to evil desires.

“AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, DO NOT CONFORM TO THE EVIL DESIRES YOU HAD WHEN YOU LIVED IN IGNORANCE” (1 Peter 1:14).

Grasp that a hardened heart causes ignorance: a lack of knowing God’s Truth…a lack of experiencing God’s Hope…a lack of perceiving God’s Love—SEPARATION FROM THE LIFE OF GOD. Once you are separated from God’s Truth, Hope, and Love, a lie from the father-of-lies seems like the truth. You are not able to separate right from wrong…evil from good…God from the father-of-lies. Your understanding is darkened. Now, you start thinking futile thoughts: thoughts that serve the father-of-lies…thoughts that kill, steal, and destroy…thoughts that disobey God. And if you conform to these futile thoughts…they lead to sin and death. They lead to unforgiveness.

“IN THE PAST GOD OVERLOOKED SUCH IGNORANCE, BUT NOW HE COMMANDS ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO REPENT” (Acts 17:30).

NOTICE THAT GOD DOES NOT OVERLOOK IGNORANCE!

Repent from your hardened heart and living in the ignorance of your own understanding and the futility of your own thinking.

And you will no longer be separated from the Life of God. The lies of the father-of-lies will turn into Truth. Your hopelessness and despair will be exchanged for God’s Hope. Your animosity will be exchanged for God’s Love. And you will LIVE!

I bless you! 
July 31 The Calloused Heart of Bitterness

“THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE TO SAY TO JOSEPH: I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE YOUR BROTHERS THE SINS AND THE WRONGS THEY COMMITTED IN TREATING YOU SO BADLY. NOW PLEASE FORGIVE THE SINS OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER WHEN THEIR MESSAGE CAME TO HIM, JOSEPH WEPT” (Genesis 50:17).

I bless you to forgive your husband…your wife…your father…your mother…your brother…your sister the sins and the wrongs they have committed against you. Stop holding them accountable for all the offenses they have committed against you. Your bitterness will not heal you, nor will it help you.

Know that it is not your offender’s offenses that damaged your heart, but the negative, destructive beliefs you have adopted from the father-of-lies, “I am a failure…I am a disgrace…I am a victim.” Know that your feelings of failure are not due to your offender’s wrongdoing, but due to the father-of-lies’ infringement on your heart. Your disgrace is not due to your offender’s misdeeds, but due to the father-of-lies’ misdeeds of deception against your heart. You have been victimized by the father-of-lies…attacked by God’s enemy…run down by the roaring lion.

“THERE WILL BE NO MERCY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SHOWN MERCY TO OTHERS. BUT IF YOU HAVE BEEN MERCIFUL, GOD WILL BE MERCIFUL WHEN HE JUDGES YOU” (James 2:13).

Understand that bitterness causes a calloused heart, so that you only see your offender as the one who caused you harm. You do not see the negative, destructive beliefs in your heart from the father-of-lies, nor do you hear and see God’s Truth, Hope, and Love that could heal you.

“FOR THIS PEOPLE’S HEART HAS BECOME CALLOUSED; THEY HARDLY HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES. OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM” (Acts 28:27).

I bless you to show mercy to others. Show compassion to the person who has done you harm, even though your heart demands punishment. DO THIS SO THAT GOD MAY BE MERCIFUL TO YOU…AND HEAL YOUR BROKEN HEART.

I bless you!

August 1 God Controls the Outcome

“FOR I RECKON THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED WITH THE GLORY WHICH SHALL BE REVEALED IN US”
(Romans 8:18).

Are you suffering right now: made subject to disrespect…bullying…humiliation. Do not despair about the evil done against you. God wants to reveal HIS GLORY in your heart, but you need to submit your suffering heart to Him, instead of focusing on the circumstances.

Take courage from the life of Joseph, who was persecuted by his own jealous brothers, thrown into a dry water pit, and left to cope with his hopeless circumstances. Even though they meant it for evil, it was God who revealed HIS GLORY in Joseph, raising him up to become a pillar for the mighty Pharaoh to lean on. (Read about the life of Joseph in the Bible book of Genesis)

“FOR OUR PRESENT TROUBLES ARE SMALL AND WON’T LAST VERY LONG. YET THEY PRODUCE FOR US A GLORY THAT VASTLY OUTWEIGHS THEM AND WILL LAST FOREVER! SO WE DON’T LOOK AT THE TROUBLES WE CAN SEE NOW; RATHER, WE FIX OUR GAZE ON THINGS THAT CANNOT BE SEEN. FOR THE THINGS WE SEE NOW WILL SOON BE GONE, BUT THE THINGS WE CANNOT SEE WILL LAST FOREVER”
(2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

May you allow God to raise you up from the effects your past circumstances have had on you. Be encouraged. Endure. Learn Patience. Overcome, for the suffering of this present time is preparing you for HIS GLORY that lasts into His eternal Kingdom, if you stop looking at the troubles you can see, but rather fix your gaze on the GLORY God wants to produce in you and through you.

Fix your gaze on God. Your troubles are big, but HIS GLORY vastly outweighs them, if you learn to endure the suffering and overcome the accusatory beliefs, placed in your heart by the father-of-lies. Then, God will write His Name on you and make you a pillar—an integral part of His Kingdom.

“HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I MAKE A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD, AND HE SHALL GO NO MORE OUT: AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND THE NAME OF THE CITY OF MY GOD, WHICH IS NEW JERUSALEM, WHICH COMETH DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD: AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM MY NEW NAME” (Revelation 3:12).

I bless you!

August 2 Do Not Slander Anyone

“THEY MUST NOT SLANDER ANYONE AND MUST AVOID QUARRELING. INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD BE GENTLE AND SHOW TRUE HUMILITY TO EVERYONE” (Titus 3:2).

Do not slander anyone…speak falsely or maliciously about anyone…scandalize anyone. Keep clear of quarreling. Avoid bickering. Resist being at loggerheads with anyone.

Know that if you fall into the sinful behavior pattern of always wanting to bring someone down, you might be trying to raise your Self up. This is the conduct of a child-mind: thinking like a child…reasoning like a child…talking like a child. Understand that the child-mind slanders because of its own childhood emotions of hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness that are still in effect. Accept that the child-mind belittles because of its own childhood beliefs of “I am not loved…I am not worthy…I am not important.”

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

I bless you to surrender your childhood mind with its beliefs of hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness to God. Then you will mature into an adult, void of childhood lies, who does not have to bring someone down in order to raise your Self up. May you come to believe that you are loved by God—that you are worthy, special, and unique. Then, you will put childish beliefs behind you, becoming gentle and showing true humility to everyone.

“WITH THE TONGUE WE PRAISE OUR LORD AND FATHER, AND WITH IT WE CURSE MEN, WHO HAVE BEEN MADE IN GOD’S LIKENESS” (James 3:9).

I bless you!
 
August 3 I’m OK-You’re OK

I enjoyed the book “I’m OK-You’re OK” by Thomas Harris. In this book, Harris explains that we take on certain life positions of OK-ness while we are very young. These life positions then stay with us for the rest of our lives. Some people take on the life position “I’m OK-You’re not OK”. Others take on the life position “I’m not OK-You’re OK”. One of the most damaging life positions to take on is “I’m not OK-You’re not OK”. Harris explains that when people take on this position, they hurt so much but are not likely to change, because on top of not liking themselves, they do not like anybody else enough to trust them.

“WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

I have concluded that it is the father-of-lies’ goal to get us to adopt the life position “I’m not OK-You’re not OK”. He does this by lying to us about ourselves…and lying to us about God. He tells us that we are not OK and that God is not OK either—that God cannot be trusted. This way, he sets us up with a life position that keeps us trapped: we do not feel OK about ourselves, but we have nowhere to turn, because “God is not OK and cannot be trusted”. But then the father-of-lies offers us an escape route: sinful habits and patterns of hiding our not-OK selves from our not-OK God, running from our not-OK selves and our not-OK God, and blaming our not-OK God for our not-OK selves.

“MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME” (John 17:23).

I bless you to know that all the things the father-of-lies told you about God…is not true. God is the Perfect Father and He wants you to know that He loves you as much as He loves His son, Jesus. You can trust Him!

By the way, I had taken on the life position “I’m not OK-You’re not OK” as a child, as well. Nobody could help me get rid of it, because I did not trust anybody. However, after I have come to know God as the Perfect Father who can be trusted, I have adopted the life position “I’m OK-You’re OK”.

I bless you!
August 4 Ye Must Be Born Again

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you to realize that there is an OLD MAN living his life inside you: an agglomeration of negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. This collection of OLD MAN beliefs carries corruptible seed of unrighteousness, unworthiness, and non-acceptance: “You are dirty. You are doomed. You are deserted.”

“MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN” (John 3:7).

Rejoice! The Lord Jesus came to nail your OLD MAN, with its corruptible seed, to the cross, so that you might be born again as a NEW MAN of incorruptible seed, which lives and abides forever.

“BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE, BY THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH LIVETH AND ABIDETH FOR EVER” (1 Peter 1:23).

Are you ready to receive the NEW MAN? Then, you need to embrace and expose the negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs, and surrender them to God.

Envision a life-size drawing of your OLD MAN against your kitchen wall, filled in with black sticky notes. On each sticky note is a description of an OLD MAN belief. Thus, the whole OLD MAN is labeled in terms of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance.

I bless you to get to know your OLD MAN character. Observe what is written on its black labels. Then, peel each label off and hand it to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will destroy the old black labels of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance, and write new white labels of Righteousness, Acceptance, and Worth in their place. May you be born again of incorruptible seed that lasts forever.

“AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND; AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:23-24).

I bless you!
 
August 5 Hide in the Shadow of the Almighty

Are you afraid? Are you filled with fear or apprehension? Are you so restless that you are unable to sleep at night? Are you afraid of the dark? Are you afraid of the pestilence that stalks in the darkness? Are you afraid of the arrow that flies by day? Are you afraid of the plague that destroys you at midday?

HE THAT DWELLETH IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH
SHALL ABIDE IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY (Psalm 91:1).

Come and find security in the Secret Place of the Most High.

HE SHALL COVER THEE WITH HIS FEATHERS,
AND UNDER HIS WINGS SHALT THOU TRUST:
HIS TRUTH SHALL BE THY SHIELD AND BUCKLER (Psalm 91:4).

Be still. Run into the Arms of the Most High. Come and sleep in the Shadow of the Almighty. Find protection under His Feathers. Seek cover under His Wings. Let His Truth be your shield from the threatening beliefs of the father-of-lies.

THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID OF THE TERROR OF NIGHT;
NOR THE ARROW THAT FLIETH BY DAY;
NOR THE PESTILENCE THAT WALKETH IN DARKNESS;
NOR THE DESTRUCTION THAT WASTETH AT NOONDAY (Psalm 91:5-6).

Make the Most High your hiding place from danger and distress. Let His Presence quiet your fear. Ask Him to take care of the plague that destroys you at midday. Let Him handle the terror of night and the pestilence that stalks in the darkness. Let Him catch the arrow that flies by day.

BECAUSE THOU HAST MADE THE LORD…THY HABITATION;
THERE SHALL NO EVIL BEFALL THEE,
NEITHER SHALL ANY PLAGUE COME NIGH THY DWELLING.
(Psalm 91:9-10).

I bless you to find rest and stillness in the closeness of the Most High. Trust in His Name. Let Him conquer the evil for you.

I bless you! 
August 6 The Darkness Shall not Hide from You

The other night, I sat on the beach to witness the rising of the full moon. I watched the lights of the fishing village grow brighter as the evening grew dimmer. As the glow of the sunset faded into hues of gray in the western sky, the full moon ballooned from the horizon in the east. A beam of dazzling light crept slowly across the water until it touched the sand at my feet.

The silver moon climbed high into the evening sky, causing the pebbles to shimmer on the beach like a highway inlaid with jewels. I could feel the moon light shining on my face like a lamp. Night appeared like day.

“INDEED, THE DARKNESS SHALL NOT HIDE FROM YOU, BUT THE NIGHT SHINES AS THE DAY; THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE BOTH ALIKE TO YOU” (Psalm 139:12).

Be excited that darkness and light are both alike to your Perfect Father. Be encouraged that although you might be engulfed in thick oppressing darkness, right now, the Most High can see right through it. Be comforted that although your understanding becomes clouded by darkness, God’s Perspective stays acute.

Do not be afraid of the darkness. To the Almighty, who created night and day, the night shines like the day. God wants you to know that you are safe. He can still see the way.

I bless you to take your Father’s Hand when you cannot see anymore. Lean on His understanding. Allow Him to make your crooked paths straight.

“I WILL INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO; I WILL GUIDE YOU WITH MY EYE” (Psalm 32:8).

Do not be afraid. Your everlasting Father, who sees in the darkness, will lead you to the Light.

I bless you!

 
August 7 Has Darkness Blinded Your Eyes?

“BUT FOR YOU WHO FEAR MY NAME, THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL RISE WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS. AND YOU WILL GO FREE, LEAPING WITH JOY LIKE CALVES LET OUT TO PASTURE” (Malachi 4:2).

A few mornings ago, I got up extra early to watch the sunrise over the North-Atlantic Ocean. The fog lay low over the water. A flock of seagulls stood guard on the boardwalk. Already a pinkish glimmer colored the dark water. Then the sun, rich and regal, arose from the ocean. Magnificent radiance penetrated every grain of sand. All darkness fled. It was a glorious day in Nova Scotia.

“BUT HE WHO HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN DARKNESS AND WALKS IN DARKNESS, AND DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING, BECAUSE THE DARKNESS HAS BLINDED HIS EYES” (1 John 2:11).

Understand that if you hate your brother…or your mother…or any other, you are walking in darkness. You have lost your way and do not know where you are going. Darkness has blinded your eyes and you cannot see. The sun of Righteousness, who has healing in its wings, has not yet risen over you.

“IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, AND WALK IN DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT PRACTICE THE TRUTH” (1 John 1:6).

Believe that if you hate your brother…or your mother…or any other, you are walking in darkness. You are hindered from experiencing God’s fellowship. You are hindered from perceiving God’s Truth. You believe a lie.

“NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART” (1 Peter 1:22).

God wants to remove your lie. The Sun of Righteousness would like to rise over you to bring you Truth—to remove the darkness—so that you would see and be healed. And you will love your brother…your mother…and any other deeply from your heart.

I bless you!
 
August 8 Your Power, Ability, and Sufficiency Are from God

“NOT THAT WE ARE FIT (QUALIFIED AND SUFFICIENT IN ABILITY) OF OURSELVES TO FORM PERSONAL JUDGMENTS OR TO CLAIM OR COUNT ANYTHING AS COMING FROM US, BUT OUR POWER AND ABILITY AND SUFFICIENCY ARE FROM GOD”
(2 Corinthians 3:5 AMP).

I bless you to be comforted if you have been trying in vain to be good and kind and patient. Understand that Jesus alone has become your Righteousness from God: your Patience…your Goodness…your Kindness. Your sufficiency of Goodness comes from God.

I bless you to be comforted if you have not been able to muster up hope for your future. Remember, it is the God of Hope who will fill you with Joy and Peace when you trust in Him. Your sufficiency of Hope comes from God.

I bless you to be comforted if you have not been able to achieve peace in your heart during your unsettling circumstances. Remember, only the Lord of Peace delivers Peace to your heart, at all times and in every way. Your sufficiency of Peace comes from God.

I bless you to be comforted if the father-of-lies has confused you, and you have not been able to unlock the truth. Remember, only the Spirit of Truth is able to guide you into all Truth. Your sufficiency of Truth comes from God.

I bless you to be comforted if you have not found the power to solve your problems. Your sufficiency of Power comes from God.

“FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER! AMEN” (Romans 11:36).

Remember, your Power, Ability, and Sufficiency
are FROM God, THROUGH God, and TO God.

I bless you!
 
August 9 The Meaning of Suffering

A quote from Victor E. Frankl, a psychiatrist, writing from a Nazi concentration camp, explains:

“A LIFE WHOSE MEANING DEPENDS UPON SUCH A HAPPENSTANCE—
AS WHETHER ONE ESCAPES OR NOT—
ULTIMATELY WOULD NOT BE WORTH LIVING AT ALL.”

I once led a life of wanting to escape at all cost: to escape from feeling abandoned…to hide when I felt condemned…to run away when I felt shamed. At some point, I was doing so much escaping that there was not much time left for living.

We are always looking for a way out of heartache and have come up with many solutions. Some of them are destruction, distraction, and divorce. I have now learned that God has His own escape route out of shame, abandonment, and condemnation…if I would stop trying to escape. He calls it DISCIPLINE—a training that causes wholeness and holiness.

“ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE; GOD IS TREATING YOU AS SONS” (Hebrews 12:7).

I have chosen to stop living my life as a means to escape. Instead, I have chosen GOD’S DISCIPLINE. I have discovered that a life of escaping becomes very tiresome. The same issues from which I need to escape today, I need to escape again tomorrow, and then again the day after that.

“THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE RECEIVING A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN, LET US BE THANKFUL, AND SO WORSHIP GOD ACCEPTABLY WITH REVERENCE AND AWE” (Hebrews 12:28).

We see hardship as something that needs to be avoided. God sees hardship as something that needs to be endured, so He could remove what can be shaken from our lives and replace it with something that is unshakable: something permanent, from which we do not have to escape.

“I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING GOD DOES WILL ENDURE FOREVER; NOTHING CAN BE ADDED TO IT AND NOTHING TAKEN FROM IT. GOD DOES IT SO THAT MEN WILL REVERE HIM” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

I bless you! 
August 10 The Meaning of Sin

“HE WHO SINS IS OF THE DEVIL, FOR THE DEVIL HAS SINNED FROM THE BEGINNING” (1 John 3:8).

For the longest time of my life, I never knew the meaning of sin. Sin seemed to be something mysterious…something unexplainable…SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I was aware that I felt wrong inside and did wrong things, but I never really understood WHY.

Over the last five years, I came to understand that sin is explainable—THAT SINFUL DEEDS SERVE A PURPOSE. Sin is the father-of-lies’ solutions to escape heartache. It is what we do when we hurt inside, so that we could feel better.

You see, sin does not stand alone. It does not happen by itself. It sits on a pillar of beliefs suggested by the father-of-lies. These beliefs hurt. They suggest that you have been abandoned by certain people and by God. They propose that you are unacceptable to certain people and to God. They offer the belief that you are nothing but a being of shame to certain people and to God.

However, the father-of-lies is craftier than that. Not only does he suggest the beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame, but also the solutions to the heartache these cause…SIN. After he introduces the hurtful beliefs, he offers solutions of distraction and destruction…SIN. After the father-of-lies plants his painful beliefs, he entices you to do what is wrong to dull the pain…SIN.

“FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL” (1 John 3:8).

I bless you to know that Jesus, the son of God, was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the father-of-lies. Jesus came to offer a different solution to escape the heartache of the father-of-lies’ painful beliefs: HIMSELF. Instead of turning to solutions of distraction and destruction to ease your heartache, you can turn to Jesus and ask Him to take away the pain in your heart. Instead of turning to SIN as a solution to the father-of-lies’ beliefs, you can accept Jesus’ solutions of Truth, Hope, and Love for your beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. What will you choose: sinful deeds of escape…or Truth, Love, and Hope in Jesus Christ?

I bless you!  
August 11 The Meaning of Temptation

Be reminded that sin is not something mysterious…something unexplainable… something unknowable. Sin is not just something that happens to you. Sin is explainable. Sin has a purpose. Sin is the father-of-lies’ solutions to escape the heartache his painful beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame cause in your heart.

Know that the father-of-lies is constantly tempting you to adopt his solutions of distraction and destruction to ease your heartache. The father-of-lies is continually enticing you to do what is wrong. The father-of-lies is incessantly luring you into harmful habits and patterns that point you away from God’s solutions.

“BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION: FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM” (James 1:12).

I bless you to stand firm when the father-of-lies invites you to adopt his sinful solutions for your heartache. Understand that his answers to your heartache cause harm…ruin…loss, because his solutions are counterfeit. In fact, his sinful solutions are only enticements to keep you away from experiencing God’s saving solutions of Truth, Hope, and Love.

“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Capture that the temptations from the enemy are explainable. Celebrate that the enticements of the father-of-lies are surmountable. Be encouraged that the allurements of the evil one are endurable.

I bless you to realize that Jesus stands ready with the real solution to your heartache of abandonment, condemnation, and shame…if you would only turn to Him for the answer. He wants to bless you with the crown of His Life.

I bless you!

August 12 I Am Special

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).

Here is another example from my own life of how to put childish ways behind you.

I was twelve years old and learning German in school for the first time. One of the first things I learned was to count in German. I was very proud of my accomplishment and could not wait to show my daddy that I could count to one hundred in German.

One day, I ran excitedly to my daddy and shouted, “Daddy, guess what I can do? I can count to one hundred in German.” I opened my mouth to start counting…but suddenly my daddy took the words out of my mouth and started counting in German for me…being very proud that he could do it, too.

The disappointment in the little twelve-year-old was immense. However, it was not the disappointment that stayed with me for the rest of my life, but the misinterpretations from the father-of-lies that formed in me that day: that I was not special…that there was nothing unique that I could bring to the table…that I had no purpose in this life.

These misinterpretations from the father-of-lies caused their own problems in my life. Whenever someone else was successful at something, I felt like a failure.

I surrendered that twelve-year-old with her misinterpretations from the father-of-lies to God…and the Truth set me free. God spoke into my heart by telling me how special I was to Him, and that He created me to be unique, with a very specific purpose.

How about you? Will you surrender your childhood interpretations to Him?

I bless you!
 
August 13 What Makes You Stumble?

“THE WAY OF THE WICKED IS LIKE DARKNESS; THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT MAKES THEM STUMBLE” (Proverbs 4:19).

One of the reasons I was chained by darkness was that I did not know what made me stumble. I did not understand the meaning of suffering. I did not grasp the meaning of sin. I did not understand the meaning of temptation. Everything was just all mixed together in a mysterious jumble…called darkness.

“FOR A MAN IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED HIM” (2 Peter 2:19).

Darkness is a lack of light. We do not understand. We are not able to discern. We are not able to differentiate. We are not able to recognize…to conclude…to know. We have become a slave to things that have mastered us, but we do not understand how it works…and where to look for the light. Understand that you are experiencing darkness because you do not know what is making you stumble.

“AND HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM” (Ephesians 5:11).

Observe and comprehend the darkness that fills your life. Be attentive to the feelings that cause you to flee from a situation. Be alert to the beliefs in your heart that cause you to hide from people. Investigate your heart and find out why you are blaming others for your pain.

Identify the darkness in your life. Give it a name. Investigate your heart. Observe the understanding of your mind. Search for beliefs planted in your mind by the father-of-lies: “I am a failure…I am not special…I am a mistake.”

“I HAVE COME AS A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS” (John 12:46).

Know that your darkness will turn to Light after you have identified what makes you stumble…and exposed it to Jesus. Then, HE will shed His Light on the mysteries in your mind and heart.

I bless you! 
August 14 Each Moment Is an Act of Deciding

My life changed drastically when I realized that life was not just a solid time period here on this earth for which I had to make ONE BIG DECISION, but chopped up into little segments of time periods, for which I had to make many individual MOMENT-BY-MOMENT DECISIONS.

“THIS DAY I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH AS WITNESSES AGAINST YOU THAT I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSINGS AND CURSES. NOW CHOOSE LIFE, SO THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN MAY LIVE AND THAT YOU MAY LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, LISTEN TO HIS VOICE, AND HOLD FAST TO HIM. FOR THE LORD IS YOUR LIFE” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Realize that your whole life is a moment-by-moment choice between Life and death. Every moment of your life is an act of deciding between the blessings of God and the curses of the roaring lion. Every minute you are alive, you live either in Light or in darkness. Every hour of your life, you are either living in Truth or in deception.

“DO NOT OFFER THE PARTS OF YOUR BODY TO SIN, AS INSTRUMENTS OF WICKEDNESS, BUT RATHER OFFER YOURSELVES TO GOD, AS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FROM DEATH TO LIFE; AND OFFER THE PARTS OF YOUR BODY TO HIM AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Romans 6:13).

Realize that each moment of your life you are selecting a choice of action. Every given moment of your life, you live either in obedience to the Perfect Father or in obedience to the father-of-lies. Each given moment, you either adopt the father-of-lies’ suggestions of escaping your heartache, or adopt the Perfect Father’s suggestions of dealing with your heartache.

Realize that each moment is an act of deciding whether God’s Hope, Love, and Truth will be manifested in you, or whether the god of this world’s hopelessness, hatred, and deception will be displayed in you.

May you realize that life is made up of many choices and even if you made the wrong decision one moment, you can make the right decision the next moment. I bless you to choose Life, EVERY MOMENT.

I bless you! 
August 15 Success Is a By-Product

“YET WHEN I SURVEYED ALL THAT MY HANDS HAD DONE AND WHAT I HAD TOILED TO ACHIEVE, EVERYTHING WAS MEANINGLESS, A CHASING AFTER THE WIND; NOTHING WAS GAINED UNDER THE SUN” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

At the end of my life, when I survey all that my hands have done and what I have toiled to achieve, I would like to see that everything was not meaningless…a chasing after the wind. I would like to see that something permanent was gained under the sun. What would you like to see at the end of your life, when you survey all you have toiled to achieve?

“AND I SAW THAT ALL LABOR AND ALL ACHIEVEMENT SPRING FROM MAN’S ENVY OF HIS NEIGHBOR. THIS TOO IS MEANINGLESS, A CHASING AFTER THE WIND” (Ecclesiastes 4:4).

At the end of my life, when I survey all that I have toiled to achieve, I would like to see that no achievement sprang from my envy of my neighbor. This would have been meaningless toiling…a chasing after the wind. Nothing would have been gained under the sun.

What is the reason you take on a certain activity or service? Is it to prove to yourself that you are as good as your neighbor? Why are you striving so hard to be successful? Is it to prove to your family, your friends, and your co-workers that you are worthy and acceptable in the eyes of people and of God?

“I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING GOD DOES WILL ENDURE FOREVER; NOTHING CAN BE ADDED TO IT AND NOTHING TAKEN FROM IT. GOD DOES IT SO THAT MEN WILL REVERE HIM” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

I bless you to grasp that everything God does is permanent. Everything God does through you will endure forever. Nobody will be able to add to that or take away from that. Success is only a by-product of your surrender to God.

“DON’T AIM AT SUCCESS. FOR SUCCESS CANNOT BE PURSUED, IT MUST ENSUE, AND IT DOES SO AS THE UNINTENDED SIDE-EFFECT OF ONE’S DEDICATION TO A CAUSE GREATER THAN ONESELF OR AS THE BY-PRODUCT OF ONE’S SURRENDER TO A PERSON OTHER THAN ONESELF” (Victor E. Frankl).

I bless you! 
August 16 Love Is a By-Product of God’s Spirit

“PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS”
(Psalm 103:2).

Realize that one of the benefits of living a life surrendered to God…is Love.

“BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE” (Galatians 5:22).

Know that Love is not a change of attitude towards someone from the outside. Love is a fruit of God’s Spirit that grows from the inside. Love is a by-product of your surrender to God.

“LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND. IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD. IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Understand that if your love is not patient, it is not Love grown by God’s Spirit. This counterfeit love loves on the outside, but hates on the inside. Love that is grown by God’s Holy Spirit is kind from the inside out. It does not envy on the inside, while it boasts on the outside. It is not Self-seeking on the inside, while it is kind on the outside. The only love that keeps no record of wrongs is the Love that is a by-product of your surrender to God.

“LOVE NEVER FAILS. IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES” (1 Corinthians 13:8, 7).

Does your love fail? Does it only seek to benefit and protect your Self? Love that is a fruit of God’s Spirit is not Self-seeking. Its goal is to protect the person you love. Love that is a by-product of God’s Spirit always protects the person you love, even when the person becomes rude and disrespectful. God’s Love never fails. It always trusts, even when the person you love keeps a record of wrongs against you. God’s Love through His Spirit does not easily anger toward the person you love. It always perseveres, even when the person you love becomes unkind to you.

Ask God to grow His Love in your heart…the kind that never fails.

“THE SALVATION OF MAN IS THROUGH LOVE AND IN LOVE” (Victor E. Frankl).

I bless you! 
August 17 God Loves to Reward Us

“ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).

I have discovered that the Perfect Father loves to reward me. I have come face to face with His Truth when I felt lost. I have experienced His Wisdom when I felt confused. I have tasted His Love when I felt forsaken. I have drunk from His streams of Living Water when I felt pushed aside. I have received His abundant Life when I felt dead. I have witnessed His Light in my darkness. I have beheld His transforming Power in my heart. But, I had to surrender MY perspective to Him, first, before I was able to see, hear, and experience His rewards.

“‘BECAUSE HE LOVES ME,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME. HE WILL CALL UPON ME, AND I WILL ANSWER HIM; I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE, I WILL DELIVER HIM AND HONOR HIM. WITH LONG LIFE WILL I SATISFY HIM AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION’”
(Psalm 91:14-16).

God wants to be your God. He loves to answer you when you call upon Him. He loves to be with you when you are in trouble. He loves to deliver you when you feel hopeless, helpless, and powerless. He loves to honor you. He loves to rescue you from the deception that lives in your mind. He loves to protect you from the father-of-lies. He loves to talk to you. But, you need to surrender YOUR perspective of things to Him, first, in order to see, hear, and experience the rewards He has for you.

“IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND” (John 14:16).

Believe that all these rewards and many more await you…if you would stop leaning on your own understanding, but acknowledge God’s Perspective in everything you think and do.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you to receive your rewards from God.

I bless you! 
August 18 If Your Eye Is Bad

“BUT IF YOUR EYE IS BAD, YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF DARKNESS. IF THEREFORE THE LIGHT THAT IS IN YOU IS DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS!” (Matthew 6:23).

I bless you to be on the alert for a bad eye, because if you have a bad eye, your whole body will be filled with darkness.

Realize that your eye is bad when you live in the negative, destructive beliefs of the evil one: “I am condemned. I am shameful. I am abandoned.” Everything and everyone around you becomes contaminated, since you do not see them through the lenses of Truth, but through the lenses of your bad eye of condemnation, abandonment, and shame.

“THEREFORE TAKE HEED THAT THE LIGHT WHICH IS IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS” (Luke 11:35).

If your eye is contaminated with speckles of abandonment, you will look at everything through the lenses of feeling alone, unprotected, and overlooked. If your eye is polluted with condemnation, you will experience everything and everybody through the lenses of feeling doomed, wrong, and incriminated. If your eye is smeared with shame, you will view everything and everyone through the lenses of guilt, shortcoming, and impropriety.

“FOR GOD, WHO SAID, ‘LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS MADE HIS LIGHT SHINE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE US THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST’” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

I bless you to ask God to shine His Light of Glory in your heart: on your abandonment…on your condemnation…on your shame. Then His Light will decontaminate your bad eye, and you will see everything and everyone through the lenses of God’s eyes. You will see Hope. You will see Love. You will see the Truth.

I bless you! 
August 19 Enter God’s Rest

“FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE” (Philippians 2:13).

One of the hardest things for me is to allow God to act in and through me according to His Good Purpose. I always seem to want to do everything according to my good purpose. It is so hard to think that God’s Good Purpose will be better than mine.

The problem with working out my good purpose is that it gives me no rest. I strive a lot. I worry a lot. In the end, things do not even work out.

“THEREFORE, SINCE THE PROMISE OF ENTERING HIS REST STILL STANDS, LET US BE CAREFUL THAT NONE OF YOU BE FOUND TO HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF IT. FOR WE ALSO HAVE HAD THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO US, JUST AS THEY DID; BUT THE MESSAGE THEY HEARD WAS OF NO VALUE TO THEM, BECAUSE THOSE WHO HEARD DID NOT COMBINE IT WITH FAITH” (Hebrews 4:1-2).

The promise of entering God’s Rest still stands, but it has to be combined with Faith—to believe that God can do His job: to will in you and act in you according to His Good Purpose.

“THERE REMAINS, THEN, A SABBATH-REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD; FOR ANYONE WHO ENTERS GOD’S REST ALSO RESTS FROM HIS OWN WORK, JUST AS GOD DID FROM HIS” (Hebrews 4:9-10).

I bless you to make every effort to enter into God’s Rest. Understand that anyone who enters God’s Rest rests from his own striving. He asks God to exchanges his good purpose…for God’s Good Purpose. He does this in combination with Faith.

May you be willing to repeat the words of Major Ian Thomas, “I am willing for You to invade my soul, to control my mind, to control my emotions, and to control my will, so that every decision within my soul will be in perfect harmony with my spirit, and my spirit in perfect harmony with You, so that my whole being may declare Your praise.” Do this in combination with Faith.

“FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

I bless you! 
August 20 You Have Received a Comforter

“NEVERTHELESS I TELL YOU THE TRUTH;
IT IS EXPEDIENT FOR YOU THAT I GO AWAY:
FOR IF I GO NOT AWAY, THE COMFORTER WILL NOT COME UNTO YOU;
BUT IF I DEPART, I WILL SEND HIM UNTO YOU”
(John 16:7).

Believe that the Lord Jesus has sent you a Helper—His own Spirit. You have an Adviser…a Sustainer…a Maintainer. You are not companionless… unaccompanied…alone. You are not forsaken…abandoned…betrayed. You have a Helper.

“AND I WILL PRAY THE FATHER,
AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER,
THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOREVER”
(John 14:16).

I bless you to be comforted and encouraged. The Comforter is always with you and will not leave you. You are never alone. Do not be intimidated by your surroundings and circumstances. You are not abandoned. Do not be afraid to be by yourself. Your Counselor is at your side. Do not be anxious about anything. Your Encourager abides with you forever. The Perfect Father has not left you comfortless. You are complete. You have everything you need for Life and Godliness—God’s life-giving Spirit.

“THOUGH MY FATHER AND MOTHER FORSAKE ME,
THE LORD WILL RECEIVE ME” (Psalm 27:10).

I bless you to know that even if your father and mother have forsaken you, the Perfect Father has received you. Be comforted and healed from your abandonment.

“I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS: I WILL COME TO YOU” (John 14:18).

I bless you!
 
August 21 That You May Stand

“STAND FAST IN THE LORD” (1 Thessalonians 3:8).

I love the movie Karate Kid released in 2010. What impressed me the most about the movie was the way the little boy started his training to become an expert. You see, the boy had a bad habit of throwing his jacket on the floor, instead of hanging it up on the peg, whenever he got home. His mother scolded him often, but his bad habit prevailed.

When his karate master started training him, he did not focus on the advanced karate skills first, but on the basic skills of curing him from his bad habit of throwing his jacket on the floor. For training, the boy had to take his jacket off, hang it on the peg, take it off the peg, and put it back on again. He had to do this for weeks on end, until his bad habit was broken. Only when he was done with the basic training was he fit for starting the advanced training of becoming a karate expert.

I have noticed that God trains us the same way. He would give us the same challenge over and over again, until we have learned to overcome: to pick up our hearts. During certain negative circumstances, we would drop our hearts in despair, refusing to turn in faith to God’s Hope, Love, and Truth that He holds out to us. But then, a month later, God brings around the same challenge. After many failures, we learn to pick up our hearts and believe. Only then God is able to teach us the next, more advanced lesson.

“THAT YOU MAY STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD” (Colossians 4:12).

I bless you to learn to stand perfect and complete in all the Will of God, no matter what God is teaching you at the moment. Pick your heart up, again…and again…and again. Learn to stand in faith, when circumstances beg you to give up. Learn to stand fast in the Lord, when you do not see any results, yet, of what He is teaching you. At the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up.

“LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD, FOR AT THE PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP” (Galatians 6:9).

I bless you! 
August 22 To Exchange the Truth for a Lie

“THEY EXCHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR A LIE, AND WORSHIPED AND SERVED CREATED THINGS RATHER THAN THE CREATOR—WHO IS FOREVER PRAISED. AMEN.” (Romans 1:25).

Understand that it has always been the god of this world’s goal to get you to serve created things rather than the Creator. He would like you to revere people, instead of the Creator of people. He would love you to serve a ministry, instead of the Author of the ministry. He would like you to glorify and exalt the extent of your education, rather than the Most High.

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

Understand that the god of this world achieves his goal to worship and serve created things, rather than the Creator, by exchanging truths in your life…for lies, one at a time. If the father-of-lies can get you to believe him, he can get you to obey him. Once he can get you to obey him, he can control you. Once he can control you, he can get you to become a slave to sin…because you are deceived.

“THE COMING OF THE LAWLESS ONE WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORK OF SATAN DISPLAYED IN ALL KINDS OF COUNTERFEIT MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND IN EVERY SORT OF EVIL THAT DECEIVES THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. THEY PERISH BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH AND SO BE SAVED”
(2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

Understand that you will perish if you refuse to love the Truth. You will serve created things, instead of the Creator. You will try to find acceptance, worth, and meaning for your life by serving people, things, organizations, and high positions rather than the Creator of these.

I bless you to love the Truth and be saved. Embrace. Expose. And let God exchange. Find the lies of unworthiness and non-acceptance in your life. Then, expose these to God, allowing His Truth to set you free.

I bless you! 
August 23 When You Surrender, God Will Accept

I live a life of surrendering every thought that enters my mind and every belief that enters my heart to God. I do this every day of my life…no exceptions. Many of these thoughts and beliefs turn out to be truths that the father-of-lies turned into lies when I accepted his suggestions. Other thoughts and beliefs are truth-based disappointments and grief that cause pain in my heart. It does not matter to me whether the thoughts of my mind and the beliefs of my heart are lies or truth…I yield them all to the Power and Control of my Perfect Father, for I want to stand perfect and complete in all the Will of God.

“THAT YOU MAY STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD” (Colossians 4:12).

Sometimes, when I try to yield my thoughts and beliefs to God, the father-of-lies would tell me that I am not surrendering in a way that is acceptable to God…that God would not accept my surrender unless I do it perfectly.

I would like to let you know that there is no wrong way to surrender anything or anyone to God. He will accept and guard what you have entrusted Him…even if you do not submit someone or something in a perfect way.

“THEREFORE, BROTHERS, SINCE WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, BY A NEW AND LIVING WAY OPENED FOR US THROUGH THE CURTAIN, THAT IS, HIS BODY, AND SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD, LET US DRAW NEAR TO GOD WITH A SINCERE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

I bless you to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance that He accepts what you entrust Him…even when it feels so unreal and unacceptable. Enter boldly into the Presence of the Most High with a heart fully trusting Him, for He has never forsaken those who seek Him.

“THOSE WHO KNOW YOUR NAME WILL TRUST IN YOU, FOR YOU, LORD, HAVE NEVER FORSAKEN THOSE WHO SEEK YOU” (Psalm 9:10).

I bless you!
August 24 Love One Another

“A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER” (John 13:34).

Realize that there is an OLD MAN living his life inside you: an agglomeration of negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. This collection of OLD MAN beliefs carries a painful, negative message of failure, defilement, and unworthiness.

I have discovered that when my husband and I argue, it is the presence of this OLD MAN and its degrading beliefs “You are not acceptable…You are not worthy…You are not lovable” that cause me to hate myself and consequently despise my spouse. I have noticed that my husband and I cannot love each other from the heart if we perceive ourselves as unworthy, unacceptable, and unlovable.

“NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART” (1 Peter 1:22).

I bless you to understand that your spouse cannot grant you Worth, Acceptance, and God’s Perfect Love. Instead, the OLD MAN beliefs of defilement, failure, and unworthiness, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies, need to be given over to the Lord Jesus…to be nailed to the cross. Only after He has exchanged them for new beliefs of Worth, Acceptance, and His Perfect Love will you have sincere love for yourself, your spouse, and the other people in your life.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

I bless you!
 
August 25 Be Silent when You Are Dishonored

“WHEN HE WAS ACCUSED BY THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE ELDERS, HE GAVE NO ANSWER. THEN PILATE ASKED HIM, ‘DON’T YOU HEAR THE TESTIMONY THEY ARE BRINGING AGAINST YOU?’ BUT JESUS MADE NO REPLY, NOT EVEN TO A SINGLE CHARGE—TO THE GREAT AMAZEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR” (Matthew 27:12-14).

Have you ever been accused…incriminated…denounced? Have you ever been treated with disrespect, dishonor, and disgrace? Jesus has…and He made no reply!

“HE WAS OPPRESSED, AND HE WAS AFFLICTED, YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH” (Isaiah 53:7).

Jesus was crushed by abuse, yet He said no word. He was severely distressed, yet He was silent.

“FATHER, IF YOU ARE WILLING, TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME; YET NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE” (Luke 22:42).

I bless you to take notice that when Jesus was accused, oppressed, and afflicted, He did not defend Himself in anger. He did not argue and try to prove Himself valid. Notice that the only thing that was important to Jesus was to do the Will of the Perfect Father.

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

I remember one time when I felt disrespected and dishonored by someone, and vehemently reacted in offense. As a result, I was unavailable to God to use me to reach this person’s heart. All that mattered to me then was “to take this cup from me.” I did not care about the Father’s Will. Another time, when I felt dishonored, I kept silent and offered the pain of being disrespected, to God. A month later, God used me to bring His Good News to the same person who had disgraced me before. I had done the Father’s will.

I bless you to know that God sent the Spirit of His Son into your heart. May you allow Jesus to react through you with silence when someone accuses and disrespects you, so that the Will of the Perfect Father may be done.

I bless you! 
August 26 To Say, “I Am Sorry”

“AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS, FOR WE ALSO FORGIVE EVERYONE WHO IS INDEBTED TO US. AND DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE” (Luke 11:4).

I once talked to a pre-teen about a lie that had crept into his heart. You see, the boy believed that he was a failure because of something his dad once said to him. A few years passed and the boy grew into a handsome teenager. One day, I ran into him again and enquired about his lie of feeling like a failure. He cheerfully answered, “Oh, that lie has been removed.” Astonished at his remark, I asked him how he got rid of this lie. He answered, “My dad said he was sorry for what he said to me and asked me to forgive him.”

Today I bless you to believe that it does make a difference to say, “I am sorry.” It does make a difference to offer an apology in a spirit of submission. It does make a difference to be atoning and show regret. To say, “I am sorry” can help deliver someone from the evil one.

“FOOLS MOCK AT MAKING AMENDS FOR SIN, BUT GOODWILL IS FOUND AMONG THE UPRIGHT” (Proverbs 14:9).

I bless you to understand that to seek forgiveness for an offense could soften someone’s hardened heart and release him from further temptation to hold onto his bitterness. To be atoning could deliver someone from strongholds set in place by the father-of-lies. Dropping your defense and offering an apology could bring truth to someone’s darkened understanding and set him free.

“A GENTLE ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH, BUT A HARSH WORD STIRS UP ANGER” (Proverbs 15:1).

I bless you to believe that a gentle answer could turn away strong vengeful anger and indignation. A gentle answer could soften someone’s heart enough to open a channel for God’s Truth to enter…for God’s Hope to be revealed…for God’s Love to heal. May you be willing to offer an apology to those who might be holding something against you. May you do this for God’s glory.

I bless you! 
August 27 In the Midst of Suffering

“MAN IS NOT FULLY CONDITIONED AND DETERMINED BUT RATHER DETERMINES HIMSELF WHETHER HE GIVES IN TO CONDITIONS OR STAND UP TO THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, MAN IS ULTIMATELY SELF-DETERMINING. MAN DOES NOT SIMPLY EXIST BUT ALWAYS DECIDES WHAT HIS EXISTENCE WILL BE, WHAT HE WILL BECOME IN THE NEXT MOMENT” (Victor E. Frankl).

Life is full of joy…but also full of pain. There is the pain of feeling alone… companionless…forsaken. Then there is the pain of rejection…unacceptability… condemnation. Still yet, there is the pain of shame—a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety. There is also the pain of loss and of disappointment.

Regardless of which pain you have, the determining question is, “What are you going to do with it?” You see, you do not simply exist, but God made you into a self-determining being—a being whose quality of existence depends on your choices. YOU ARE NOT CONTROLLED BY ANYBODY. You have the freedom to choose what you will become in the midst of your pain…even in the next moment. You have the freedom to decide whether your pain will control you…or you, your pain. If you believe that you HAVE to obey your pain, the father-of-lies has deceived you. YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO OBEY THE FATHER-OF-LIES!

“HE IS DESPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN; A MAN OF SORROWS, AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF…SURELY HE HATH BORNE OUR GRIEFS AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS” (Isaiah 53:3-4).

I bless you to know that you DO have a choice to decide who you will be in the midst of your heartache and suffering. You have the choice to run from your sorrows, hide from your anguish, or blame someone else for your wounds.

In contrast, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO ALLOW JESUS, A MAN OF SORROWS AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF, TO BEAR YOUR SUFFERING AND CARRY YOUR SORROWS FOR YOU…AND YOU WILL BE SET FREE FROM YOUR EMOTIONAL PAIN, regardless of the circumstances that caused them.

I bless you!
 

August 28 To Whom Do You Offer Your Emotions?

“WOMEN ARE NURTURERS. THERE’S SO MUCH WE CAN DO WITH THE POWER OF OUR FEELINGS, THE POWER OF OUR SENSITIVITY” (Nicole Kidman).

I have an excess of feelings…a plethora of impressions…an abundance of perceptions. I am very sensitive, perceptive, and aware. I am a woman.

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

Regardless of whether you are a man or woman, I bless you to realize that you do not simply exist, but God made you into a self-determining being—a being whose quality of existence depends on your choices. Be aware that you will become a slave to the one whom you obey…but you have a choice whom to obey. You have a choice to whom to offer your emotions.

“MAN IS NOT FULLY CONDITIONED AND DETERMINED BUT RATHER DETERMINES HIMSELF WHETHER HE GIVES IN TO CONDITIONS OR STAND UP TO THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, MAN IS ULTIMATELY SELF-DETERMINING. MAN DOES NOT SIMPLY EXIST BUT ALWAYS DECIDES WHAT HIS EXISTENCE WILL BE, WHAT HE WILL BECOME IN THE NEXT MOMENT” (Victor E. Frankl).

I have discovered that I have to be careful whom I serve with my emotions. Because I am so sensitive, perceptive, and aware of my surroundings, the father-of-lies is constantly looking for a way to use my emotions to serve him: to use these sensitive characteristics as an open door to enter into my heart and deposit his painful beliefs of non-acceptance into my soul.

However, I have also discovered that if I offer my emotions to the Perfect Father through Jesus, my emotions are redeemed. They are filled with Truth, Hope, and Love. They soar with Joy and Peace. They brim with Self-control and Patience.

“JESUS CHRIST, WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US TO REDEEM US FROM ALL WICKEDNESS AND TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE THAT ARE HIS VERY OWN, EAGER TO DO WHAT IS GOOD” (Titus 2:13-14).

I bless you! 
August 29 May the God of Truth Redeem Your Spirit

“BUT THERE IS A SPIRIT IN MAN, AND THE BREATH OF THE ALMIGHTY GIVES HIM UNDERSTANDING” (Job 32:8).

Often, when I am confused, perturbed, or anxious, and I hand this over to God, the breath of the Almighty gives me understanding. It is not necessarily an understanding that I can grasp and explain with my mind, but an understanding that places Truth, Hope, and Love deep into my spirit.

“FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, AND POWERFUL, AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF THE JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART” (Hebrews 4:12).

You see, the active, living words of God are very powerful. They speak into our spirits when we invite His Presence and Participation into our daily perceptions. They discern our innermost thoughts and desires, cutting between soul and spirit…even the thoughts and desires that are hidden from our own mind.

“INTO YOUR HAND I COMMIT MY SPIRIT; YOU HAVE REDEEMED ME, O LORD GOD OF TRUTH” (Psalm 31:5).

Celebrate that the God of Truth can circumvent your mind and speak directly to your spirit. The Word of Truth will reach places in your spirit where humans have no access.

Know that the breath of the Almighty can redeem you from the inside out, without first having to explain things to your understanding. He does not need to speak to your mind first, in order to speak to your spirit. However, the spiritual insight will eventually reach your mind…and your mind will become renewed.

I bless you to commit your spirit into the hand of your Father, so He may give you understanding from the inside out.

I bless you!
 
August 30 Ambassadors for Christ

“WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST”
(2 Corinthians 5:20).

It is so easy to be a representative of my own kingdom…a spokesperson of my own domain…an advocate of my own possessions.

“BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS;
AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU”
(Matthew 6:33).

I bless you to become an ambassador for Christ—a representative of your Perfect Father’s Kingdom.

May your body become available to Christ, through which someone could experience the Dwelling Place of Jesus.

May your hands become available to Christ, through which someone could experience the Kindness of Jesus.

May your mouth become available to Christ, through which someone could experience the Gentleness of Jesus.

May your feet become available to Christ, through which someone could experience the Presence of Jesus.

“THY KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM,
AND THY DOMINION ENDURETH THROUGHOUT ALL GENERATIONS”
(Psalm 145:13).

May your mind be available to Christ, through which you could experience Jesus as the Truth, the Way, and the Life.

May your will be available to Christ, through which you could experience the Obedience of Jesus towards His Father.

God’s Kingdom lasts forever!

I bless you!
 
August 31 Your Decisions Matter

“BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU” (Matthew 6:33).

In my life, I have discovered that it is so easy to become a representative of the father-of-lies’ kingdom: a spokesperson for his domain of lies…an advocate for his godlessness and wickedness. All I need to do is ACCEPT AND ADOPT the thoughts he introduces on a daily basis, and SUPPRESS THE TRUTH offered by the God of Truth, in opposition to these.

I bless you to grasp that when you adopt a thought offered by the father-of-lies, you have MADE A DECISION to invite the father-of-lies to govern your life at that moment. Understand that you have placed your whole Self under the authority of the father-of-lies and his kingdom. You have MADE A DECISION to offer your mind and body to him…to kill, steal, and destroy you and those around you.

“MAN IS NOT FULLY CONDITIONED AND DETERMINED BUT RATHER DETERMINES HIMSELF WHETHER HE GIVES IN TO CONDITIONS OR STAND UP TO THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, MAN IS ULTIMATELY SELF-DETERMINING. MAN DOES NOT SIMPLY EXIST BUT ALWAYS DECIDES WHAT HIS EXISTENCE WILL BE, WHAT HE WILL BECOME IN THE NEXT MOMENT” (Victor E. Frankl).

I bless you to understand that when you turn the father-of-lies’ thoughts over to the God of Truth, you have MADE A DECISION to invite God to govern your life at that moment. Grasp that you have placed your whole Self under the authority of God’s Kingdom. You have MADE A DECISION to offer your mind and body to God for His Truth, Love, and Hope to be revealed to you and those around you.

“THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL THE GODLESSNESS AND WICKEDNESS OF MEN WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH BY THEIR WICKEDNESS” (Romans 1:18).

I bless you to see that you are a self-determining being. YOUR DECISIONS MATTER…to the father-of-lies…to the God of Truth…to you…and to those around you.

I bless you! 

September 1 Take Hold of That for which Jesus Took Hold of You

“BUT I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS TOOK HOLD OF ME” (Philippians 3:12).

Jesus took hold of you. Have you taken hold of Him? He bought you salvation from your Self: from what you do…and from who you are. Have you taken hold of this? He came to nail the beliefs “I am not loved, I am not lovable,” on the cross, so that you could be freed from the effects of these beliefs on your heart. Have you taken hold of that?

“PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD” (1 Peter 1:3).

I bless you to recognize that there is a Living Hope available to you, moment-by-moment: a Living Hope for your living despair, a Living Hope for your living fear, a Living Hope for your living grief. Have you taken hold of this Living Hope?

“JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME” (John 14:6).

Jesus, the Living Hope, is your Way to feel loved and lovable. But you need to take hold of His Way, and invite His Presence and Participation into these places of your heart. Jesus, the Living Hope, is the Truth to your perturbing perception that you are fatally flawed. But you need to take hold of the Truth. Jesus, the Living Hope, is offering you His Life, so you may be redeemed from the father-of-lies. But you need to take hold of His Life.

MAY YOU REALIZE THAT JESUS TOOK HOLD OF YOU
SO THAT YOU MAY TAKE HOLD OF HIM!

I bless you!
 
September 2 Take Hold of That for which Jesus Took Hold of You

“BUT I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS TOOK HOLD OF ME” (Philippians 3:12).

My life has had many opportunities…many courses of action…many options. However, there has only been ONE PLAN that has contained the THAT for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. The other plans have not necessarily been bad. They contained many good works. They delivered great results. However, they did not deliver the God-sized results that only God’s plan could deliver. I am talking about God’s unique PURPOSE for my life.

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM”
(Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you to know that God has a THAT available for YOUR life too. God’s mastermind has a marked-out course for your life: a plan to follow…a program of action. Know that he already has certain projects planned for you…certain assignments lined up…certain accomplishments mapped out. One of the reasons that you are not walking in the THAT could be that you have not been willing to give up all the other plans you are following, so you can take hold of the THAT!

Would you allow the Lord Jesus to guide you to your PURPOSE that was specifically designed for YOU? I know that the projects you are doing in your life right now are not necessarily bad, but are they the THAT that God has predesigned just for YOU?

May you only be satisfied to walk in the THAT that the Lord Jesus has available for you. And may you discontinue all other projects—good and bad—in order to take hold of the THAT!

I bless you!
 
September 3 Meet Him in Your Heart

“JESUS ANSWERED, ‘I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME’” (John 14:6).

For a very long time during my life, I felt sad, bad, and mad, but I did not know why. I had never connected with my heart.

My life became increasingly miserable, even when circumstances were good. I found myself always reacting to everything and everyone, and I came to the conclusion that I was not normal. Everybody else seemed to have it together, why was I falling apart, daily? After a lifetime of confusion and despair, I finally decided to connect with my heart. What I saw in my heart was darkness…blackness…no light.

I needed LIGHT: a Way out of my conclusion that I was not okay…Truth for my perception that God had no plan for the future…Life for the deadness in my soul.

At first, I tried turning the light on in my heart, all by myself. I did this in any way I could muster up: by memorizing Scripture…by pretending that everything was OK…by keeping busy, or just sleeping it off. I did all of this to force my heart to see things in a positive, holy way. It did not work. My perceptions remained. And the darkness prevailed.

Then I discovered the Truth, the Way, and the Life. His name is Jesus Christ.

I learned that the Lord Jesus wanted to have a RELATIONSHIP with my heart. He wanted to bring HIS LIGHT into my heart, but it was up to me to connect with my heart, and bring the perturbing PERCEPTIONS that lived there, to Him. HIS PERSPECTIVE would bring the Truth that I mattered. HIS PERSPECTIVE would supply the Way that pointed to a purpose for my life. HIS PERSPECTIVE would wake the deadness in my soul and equip it with Life. But, the exchange had to happen in my own heart.

I bless you to connect with your heart, and allow the Lord Jesus to exchange the perturbing perceptions that live there, for His Perspective. Then, He will become your Way, your Truth, and your Life, too!

I bless you! 
September 4 The Two Fathers

“BE VERY CAREFUL, THEN, HOW YOU LIVE—NOT AS UNWISE BUT AS WISE, MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL”
(Ephesians 5:15-16).

I urge you to be careful how you live. Make the most of every opportunity. Know that the father-of-lies is using every opportunity to look for a way to make you serve him. Do not live as unwise…but as wise.

“FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER!” (Romans 11:36).

Understand that the father-of-lies is using every opportunity to get you to live FROM him, and THROUGH him, and TO him. He would love to take the place of God in your life. HE LIVES IN YOUR SELF-NATURE.

“I KNOW THAT NOTHING GOOD LIVES IN ME, THAT IS, IN MY SINFUL NATURE. FOR I HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO WHAT IS GOOD, BUT I CANNOT CARRY IT OUT. FOR WHAT I DO IS NOT THE GOOD I WANT TO DO; NO, THE EVIL I DO NOT WANT TO DO—THIS I KEEP ON DOING” (Romans 7:18-19).

Realize that nothing good lives in your sinful Self-nature. Although it wants to live FOR God and THROUGH God and TO God, it cannot carry it out. It does not submit to God, nor can it do so. Realize that those who live according to the sinful Self-nature have their minds set on what that nature desires: to live FROM the father-of-lies…THROUGH the father-of-lies…and TO the father-of-lies.

“THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THAT NATURE DESIRES; BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THE SPIRIT DESIRES” (Romans 8:5).

I bless you to understand that the Perfect Father sent His son, Jesus, to make a new life available to you—the Life of the Spirit. Therefore, those living in accordance with the Spirit of God have their minds set on what the Spirit desires: to live FOR the Lord Jesus…THROUGH the Lord Jesus…and TO the Lord Jesus. They give honor to the Perfect Father, and the father-of-lies has no hold on them.

I bless you!

September 5 A New Befitting Heart

“THAT YE PUT OFF CONCERNING THE FORMER CONVERSATION THE OLD MAN, WHICH IS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO THE DECEITFUL LUSTS” (Ephesians 4:22).

Realize that there is an OLD MAN living his life inside you: an agglomeration of negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. This collection of OLD MAN beliefs carries a painful negative message of failure, defilement, and unworthiness.

“KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE; FOR OUT OF IT ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE” (Proverbs 4:23).

Understand that the father-of-lies shaped in you an OLD MAN for a reason. He placed in you an ally through whom he can control you from the inside out, breaking your heart with belittling beliefs: “You are inept. You are improper. You are offensive.” He uses this OLD MAN to break your heart…to manage your mind…to dominate your emotions, because he knows that your heart is the wellspring of life.

“I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU; I WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH”
(Ezekiel 36:26).

I bless you to believe that the Lord Jesus came to nail your OLD MAN with its heart-breaking beliefs to the cross, to give you a new heart in its place, for He knows that out of your heart flow the issues of life.

“THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH” (Ephesians 3:17).

I bless you!
 
September 6 A Dog Returns to Its Vomit

“‘A DOG RETURNS TO ITS VOMIT,’ AND, ‘A SOW THAT IS WASHED GOES BACK TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MUD’” (2 Peter 2:22).

I have the cutest little dog—a Bichon Frise. He is snow white. I wash him with a special shampoo and conditioner; otherwise, his hair curls and mats too much, especially in salty ocean air. However, this cute little dog has a very gruesome habit—he returns to his vomit. I do not have to describe this to you. I am sure you are familiar with the habits of dogs.

“NOW THE MIND OF THE FLESH [WHICH IS SENSE AND REASON WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT] IS DEATH [DEATH THAT COMPRISES ALL THE MISERIES ARISING FROM SIN, BOTH HERE AND HEREAFTER]. BUT THE MIND OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT IS LIFE AND [SOUL] PEACE [BOTH NOW AND FOREVER]” (Romans 8:6 AMP).

Understand that the mind of Self reasons without the influence of the Holy Spirit. It operates under the management of the father-of-lies: embracing perturbing perceptions…concocting false deductions…inventing wild suspicions. These cause jealousy, hatred, and rage…and eventually death.

“THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THAT NATURE DESIRES; BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THE SPIRIT DESIRES” (Romans 8:5).

Just like a dog returns to its vomit, and a sow that is washed returns to its wallowing in the mud, so also the mind, reasoning without the Holy Spirit, will always return to the same patterns that please the sinful nature. It will return to its mind-reading and consequential animosity…its perturbing perceptions and ensuing jealousy…its wild suspicions and resulting rage. These irrational, out-of-control, and hateful behavior patterns will return tomorrow…and the day after that…and the day after that.

If you would like to change your behavior patterns, you will need to start living from the reasoning of the Holy Spirit. You will need to surrender your mind reading, wild suspicions, and perturbing perceptions (reasoning without the Holy Spirit) to the Lord Jesus, and ask Him for His Perspective (reasoning with the Holy Spirit.) He will set your mind free from returning to its own vomit.

I bless you! 
September 7 How to Name the Pain

“SEE, I HAVE REFINED YOU, THOUGH NOT AS SILVER; I HAVE TESTED YOU IN THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION” (Isaiah 48:10).

I have a certain attitude towards emotional pain that helps me to cope with it. When I have emotional pain, I deal with it by comparing it with something materialistic that can be perceived by the senses—something physical that becomes an agent for identification. When I have emotional pain, I become aware of its attributes, its intensity, and its resemblance to something else I know.

Once, I identified my emotional pain as a distortion in my heart. Another time, it felt like a heavy rock at the bottom of my heart. Yet another time, it felt like a stabbing knife that was sunk deeply into the tender tissues of my heart. All of these images help me to identify the darkness in my heart that makes me feel so unloved and unlovable…so unaccepted and unacceptable…so unworthy and unwanted.

After I have identified and named the various partitions in my heart that contain pain and darkness, I invite the Presence and Participation of the Lord Jesus into each of these spots in my heart.

“NOTHING IN ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD’S SIGHT. EVERYTHING IS UNCOVERED AND LAID BARE BEFORE THE EYES OF HIM TO WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT” (Hebrews 4:13).

Then, the Lord Jesus Himself turns on the Light in each partition of my heart. He removes the rock of hopelessness that is sitting at the bottom of my heart. He pulls out the knife of non-acceptance that is causing the sharp pain of jealousy in my heart. He erases the distortion that causes me to stumble in confusion. He does this, because nothing in creation is hidden from God’s sight…not even the pain in my heart.

Each time I lay an image of emotional pain at the feet of God, He turns His Light on in my heart. Soon, everywhere in my heart, there are partitions in which His Light is shining. And the darkness disappears. It is then that I can say, “I have been tested and refined in the furnace of affliction.”

I bless you!
 
September 8 The Benefits of Loving God

“BECAUSE HE HATH SET HIS LOVE UPON ME, THEREFORE WILL I DELIVER HIM: I WILL SET HIM ON HIGH, BECAUSE HE HATH KNOWN MY NAME. HE SHALL CALL UPON ME, AND I WILL ANSWER HIM: I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE; I WILL DELIVER HIM, AND HONOUR HIM. WITH LONG LIFE WILL I SATISFY HIM, AND SHEW HIM MY SALVATION” (Psalm 91:14-16).

Pay attention that the Most High does not treat everyone the same. Note that there are special privileges for those who set their love upon Him: for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High…for those who make the Lord God their hiding place…for those who acknowledge God in everything they think, say, and do. Those shall call upon Him when they are afraid, alone, or rejected, and He will answer them. He will make His Presence known to them during their troubled times of sorrow and despair. He will deliver them. He will honor them. He will save them.

“IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU” (John 15:7).

Notice that the Lord God does not treat everyone the same. Note that there are special benefits for those who abide in Him and allow His words to abide in them: for those who continue to do what is right in spite of adversity…for those who remain fixed on God’s Truth, instead of having fellowship with the lies of the father-of-lies…for those who endure their pain by surrendering it to the Lord Jesus Christ. They will ask whatever they wish, and it will be done for them.

“OH HOW GREAT IS THY GOODNESS, WHICH THOU HAST LAID UP FOR THEM THAT FEAR THEE; WHICH THOU HAST WROUGHT FOR THEM THAT TRUST IN THEE BEFORE THE SONS OF MEN!” (Psalm 31:19).

Take note that the Everlasting Father does not treat everyone the same. Note that there are special advantages for those who trust in Him: for those who rely on the Character, Ability, Power, and Truth of the Perfect Father. They will receive the Goodness, which the Perfect Father has prepared for them since the beginning of time.

I bless you!
 
September 9 Prayer Is A Place to Hide

“WHERE CAN I GO FROM YOUR SPIRIT?
WHERE CAN I FLEE FROM YOUR PRESENCE?
IF I GO UP TO THE HEAVENS, YOU ARE THERE;
IF I MAKE MY BED IN THE DEPTHS, YOU ARE THERE.
IF I RISE ON THE WINGS OF THE DAWN,
IF I SETTLE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE SEA,
EVEN THERE YOUR HAND WILL GUIDE ME,
YOUR RIGHT HAND WILL HOLD ME FAST.
IF I SAY, ‘SURELY THE DARKNESS WILL HIDE ME
AND THE LIGHT BECOME NIGHT AROUND ME,’
EVEN THE DARKNESS WILL NOT BE DARK TO YOU;
THE NIGHT WILL SHINE LIKE THE DAY,
FOR DARKNESS IS AS LIGHT TO YOU”
(Psalm 139:7-12).

The other day, I felt stuck. I felt lost. I felt anxious. There was pain in my heart—all kinds of pain: sorrow…fear…despair. Negative, destructive beliefs were bombarding the tender walls of my heart: “There is no answer. You are stuck with your problem. You are going to die.” I wanted to hide. But where? Where could I hide where the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies would not find me? Where could I hide from sorrow, fear, and despair?

And then the Answer spoke, “My child, I have a hiding place for you—PRAYER! You can hide in prayer. Prayer is available to you everywhere, because I am everywhere. Even if you run away and settle far away from everyone, I am there. You can pray. In your work, I am there. In your sleep, I am there. You can pray. Even if you hide in the dark dungeons of despair, I am there. You can pray. And I will answer!”

“IN MY DISTRESS I CRIED UNTO THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME” (Psalm 120:1).

I bless you to be comforted. You are never without help. You do not have to be anxious, for you are never stuck or lost. God’s Presence is everywhere. All you need to do…is PRAY!

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD”
(Philippians 4:6).

I bless you! 
September 10 FROM God and THROUGH God and TO God

“BE VERY CAREFUL, THEN, HOW YOU LIVE—NOT AS UNWISE BUT AS WISE, MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL”
(Ephesians 5:15-16).

Be careful, then, how you live. Make the most of every daily, moment-by-moment opportunity.

“FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER!” (Romans 11:36).

Ask yourself, often, whether what you think is FROM God, and THROUGH God, and TO God. Know that you can obtain this quality of life by not believing everything you think, but by taking hold of every thought that enters your mind, and yielding it to the Lord Jesus…for Truth.

“WE DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS AND EVERY PRETENSION THAT SETS ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Ask yourself, daily, whether what you believe about someone or something is FROM God, and THROUGH God, and TO God. For you can obtain this quality of life by not relying on your own perceptions, interpretations, or conclusions, but by actively asking God for His Perspective during every moment-by-moment situation you encounter.

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING” (Proverbs 3:5).

Deliberately ask yourself, daily, whether what you do at a given moment is FROM God, and THROUGH God, and TO God, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

I bless you to make the most of every moment-by-moment opportunity.

I bless you!
 
September 11 Perseverance Is a Tool

“BY FAITH HE LEFT EGYPT, NOT FEARING THE KING’S ANGER; HE PERSEVERED BECAUSE HE SAW HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE” (Hebrews 11:27).

Do you keep your eyes on Him who is invisible, or are you watching the king’s anger? Do you keep your eyes on Him who is invisible, or are you staring at the circumstances? Do you keep your eyes on Him who is invisible, or are you taking stock of your failures? Do you keep your eyes on Him who is invisible, or are you looking at the results?

“YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD, YOU WILL RECEIVE WHAT HE HAS PROMISED” (Hebrews 10:36).

Understand that perseverance is a tool in God’s hands. It is the tool He uses to slay your enemies: abandonment, condemnation, and shame. It is when you do not give up, despite the opposition, that God has a chance to do the miracle. It is when you keep on going, despite discouragement, that God has a chance to accomplish the impossible. It is when you stand firm and keep doing what is right, despite counterinfluences, that God has a chance to accomplish His Purpose in you and through you.

“AS YOU KNOW, WE COUNT AS BLESSED THOSE WHO HAVE PERSEVERED. YOU HAVE HEARD OF JOB’S PERSEVERANCE AND HAVE SEEN WHAT THE LORD FINALLY BROUGHT ABOUT. THE LORD IS FULL OF COMPASSION AND MERCY” (James 5:11).

I bless you to believe that there are many things God wants to accomplish with your life, for He is full of compassion and mercy, BUT YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE! It is during perseverance that the Will of God is done. Do not give up. Do not stop. Persevere!

“BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO PERSEVERES UNDER TRIAL” (James 1:12).

I bless you!

 
September 12 What If I Did Not Have Faith?

“WHAT IF SOME DID NOT HAVE FAITH? WILL THEIR LACK OF FAITH NULLIFY GOD’S FAITHFULNESS? NOT AT ALL!” (Romans 3:3-4).

I bless you today to celebrate that your lack of faith will not nullify God’s faithfulness.

“BUT THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, AND HE WILL STRENGTHEN AND PROTECT YOU FROM THE EVIL ONE” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

In times when the evil one attacks you with abandonment, God is still faithful. He has not left you. He is still Immanuel—God with you.

In times when the evil one attacks you with hopelessness, God is still faithful. He will strengthen you with His Hope. He is still the God of Hope.

In times when the evil one attacks you with powerlessness, God is still faithful. He is still the God of Power who can do more than you can ever imagine.

In times when you feel you are surrounded by nothing but the darkness of the evil one, God is still faithful. He will protect you from the evil one. He is still the God of Light.

“IF WE ARE FAITHLESS, HE WILL REMAIN FAITHFUL, FOR HE CANNOT DISOWN HIMSELF” (2 Timothy 2:13).

In times when you feel filled with fear, God is still faithful. He never changes, but always stays the same. Even when you are faithless, God will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.

“GOD, WHO HAS CALLED YOU INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, IS FAITHFUL” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Will your lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
Not at all!

I bless you! 
September 13 The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit

When my mother was very ill, I interceded for her, day and night. I knew she was almost too weak to pray, and I took on the job of caring for her through intercession. I pleaded with the Father to help her…to deliver her…to care for her. I carried the heavy load of intercession. Then, my brother called to say she was admitted to the hospital. She was close to the end of her life here on earth. Again, I fell on my knees and vehemently interceded for her. But then God spoke to me. He said, “Renee, your work is done. The Holy Spirit has taken over your job of intercession for your mother. He is sitting with her, day and night, watching her carefully. Whenever she needs something, He tells Me, the Perfect Father, and then I supply. We are taking good care of her. We are in control. You can rest now.”

“IN THE SAME WAY, THE SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE OUGHT TO PRAY FOR, BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANS THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS” (Romans 8:26).

I bless you to understand that God sent you the fellowship of His Spirit to watch over you…to listen to your needs…to intercede for you. You are never alone. The Holy Spirit listens to your heart…and then tells the Perfect Father what you need.

When you are trembling with fear, the Holy Spirit intercedes for you with groans too deep to express. When you are overwhelmed with sorrow, the Holy Spirit pleads for you in His own purposeful way. When you are encumbered with despair, the Holy Spirit comes to your aid and holds you up to your Perfect Father.

“AND HE WHO SEARCHES OUR HEARTS KNOWS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S WILL” (Romans 8:27).

And the Perfect Father, who searches your heart, pays attention to the pleas of the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit pleads on your behalf according to the Father’s Will.

“MAY THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU ALL” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

I bless you to succumb to the Grace of the Lord Jesus, abide in the Love of the Perfect Father, and enjoy the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

I bless you! 
September 14 You Must Follow Me

“WHOEVER SERVES ME MUST FOLLOW ME; AND WHERE I AM, MY SERVANT ALSO WILL BE. MY FATHER WILL HONOR THE ONE WHO SERVES ME” (John 12:26).

If you want to serve the Lord Jesus, you must first follow Him, so He can show you where and how He wants you to serve Him. Then, you will end up in the place where the Lord Jesus wants you to be…and everything you do where Jesus is matters.

Capture that when you are where Jesus is, every smile you give matters…every word you speak matters…every deed you do matters.

Understand that when you are where Jesus is, your patience counts…your faithfulness makes a difference…your love carries weight.

Be encouraged that the Perfect Father honors those who serve and follow His son, Jesus. He applauds their work. He reveres their commitment. He prizes their efforts.

“HIS WORK WILL BE SHOWN FOR WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE THE DAY WILL BRING IT TO LIGHT. IT WILL BE REVEALED WITH FIRE, AND THE FIRE WILL TEST THE QUALITY OF EACH MAN’S WORK. IF WHAT HE HAS BUILT SURVIVES, HE WILL RECEIVE HIS REWARD. IF IT IS BURNED UP, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS; HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).

I bless you to be diligent to follow the Lord Jesus and only do the work He has shown you to do, because then your work will be the Will of the Perfect Father. Know that one day, your work will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of your work, but if you were where Jesus was and served Him with the work He has shown you, your work will survive…and you will receive your reward.

“THE WORLD AND ITS DESIRES PASS AWAY, BUT THE MAN WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD LIVES FOREVER” (1 John 2:17).

I bless you!
 
September 15 Jesus Has the Power

The other day I had a dilemma. My heart was in a quandary, showing desires in two different directions. Although both of these desires were good, I was in a state of perplexity. The perplexity was very painful. Then I wondered, “Would God bring this dilemma in my heart under His control if I yielded it to Him?” He did! A few days later, I sensed that my desires had sorted themselves out. I was not in a quandary anymore. I knew what to do. God had brought the dilemma under His control.

I often ask God to bring a problem under His control, and then I am so surprised when He does.

“WHO, BY THE POWER THAT ENABLES HIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL, WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY” (Philippians 3:21).

Take heart! The Lord Jesus Christ possesses the Power that enables Him to bring everything under His control.

Be glad! Jesus is capable of bringing your out-of-control tongue under His control. Be encouraged! Jesus is capable of bringing your out-of-hand dilemma under His control. Rejoice! Jesus is capable of bringing your uncontrollable thoughts under His control.

Sing with joy! Jesus is capable of bringing your incorrigible heart and your unruly mind under his control. Jubilate! Jesus is able to exercise restraining influence over that which is ungovernable. Celebrate! Jesus is able to rule over that which you place under His control.

“THE LORD ON HIGH IS MIGHTIER THAN THE NOISE OF MANY WATERS, YEA, THAN THE MIGHTY WAVES OF THE SEA” (Psalm 93:4).

I bless you as you submit your uncontrollable problem to Jesus. I bless you as you surrender your unmanageable weakness to Jesus. I bless you as you yield your entire life to Jesus.

I bless you!
 
September 16 The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

“‘LORD, IF IT’S YOU,’ PETER REPLIED, ‘TELL ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.’
‘COME,’ HE SAID. THEN PETER GOT DOWN OUT OF THE BOAT, WALKED ON THE WATER AND CAME TOWARD JESUS. BUT WHEN HE SAW THE WIND, HE WAS AFRAID AND, BEGINNING TO SINK, CRIED OUT, ‘LORD, SAVE ME!’ IMMEDIATELY JESUS REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND CAUGHT HIM. ‘YOU OF LITTLE FAITH,’ HE SAID, ‘WHY DID YOU DOUBT?’” (Matthew 14:28-31).

Living in faith feels to me like walking on water. It feels scary to trust someone you do not understand, hoping for that which you do not see. It feels strange to disregard the turbulent water surrounding you.

The other day, a troublesome thought entered my mind, “Living-by-faith is a trick from God. He is making a fool out of me. His goal is to immobilize me…to de-activate me…to annihilate me. He knows that as long as I trust HIM for the outcome, I will not do anything about my problem MYSELF.”

Did you recognize the voice of the father-of-lies? I did! I submitted these thoughts to God and He assured me that if I took matters into my own hands, the results might be good…but, they would not be miraculous. It is only when we trust HIM and allow HIM to handle matters, that we will be able to do the impossible—to walk on water. Then I realized, “Yes, I might be a fool to trust God, but I am a fool for Christ.”

“WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST” (1 Corinthians 4:10).

I bless you to live by faith. Become a fool for Christ. Walk on water, even if it feels scary and strange to hope for that which you do not see. Never stop praying. It is when you walk on water that you will experience God’s Truth, Love, and Hope as a regular part of your life.

“BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH” (Habakkuk 2:4).

It is when you walk on water that you will experience the miraculous.

“NOW FAITH IS BEING SURE OF WHAT WE HOPE FOR AND CERTAIN OF WHAT WE DO NOT SEE” (Hebrews 11:1).

I bless you!
 
September 17 My Sheep Listen to My Voice

I used to follow any voice than entered my mind. I still remember. The voice would start innocently as a little thought “That person does not like you.” Then, as I dwelled on the thought, a belief would grow “I am not worthy to be liked.” Eventually, after days following this voice, a pernicious power of hopelessness and meaninglessness would overtake me…and I would end up in the dark dungeon of despair.

“I AM THE GATE; WHOEVER ENTERS THROUGH ME WILL BE SAVED. HE WILL COME IN AND GO OUT, AND FIND PASTURE. THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL” (John 10:9-10).

However, my life has changed. I do not follow just any thought that enters my mind, any more. One thought at a time, I gave my life to Jesus. As a result, I have gotten to know the Voice of Jesus. I know its characteristics. It fills me with Joy. It lavishes me with the Perfect Father’s Love. It feeds me with Faith. It leads me to pastures of Peace. When I follow the Voice of Jesus, I end up where Jesus is—in the Will of the Perfect Father.

“MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE; I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME”
(John 10:27).

Become familiar with the Good Shepherd’s Voice—the Voice of Life. If you follow His Voice regularly, you will know His Voice. When you know His Voice, you will recognize the voice of the thief, who has come to kill, steal, and destroy. You will recognize the voice of the thief as belonging to a stranger—one that offers hopelessness, hatred, and death. And you will flee from it.

“AND A STRANGER WILL THEY NOT FOLLOW, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM: FOR THEY KNOW NOT THE VOICE OF STRANGERS” (John 10:5).

I bless you to surrender your life to the Lord Jesus, one thought at a time. Submit the voices in your mind to Jesus, one by one, until they are all quiet, and only one Voice remains: the Voice that proclaims Hope…the Voice that proclaims Peace…the Voice that proclaims Forgiveness. That is the voice of Jesus. Follow that Voice!

I bless you! 
September 18 The Same Attitude as Jesus Christ

“YOU MUST HAVE THE SAME ATTITUDE THAT CHRIST JESUS HAD.
THOUGH HE WAS GOD,
HE DID NOT THINK OF EQUALITY WITH GOD
AS SOMETHING TO CLING TO.
INSTEAD, HE GAVE UP HIS DIVINE PRIVILEGES;
HE TOOK THE HUMBLE POSITION OF A SLAVE
AND WAS BORN AS A HUMAN BEING.
WHEN HE APPEARED IN HUMAN FORM
HE HUMBLED HIMSELF IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD
AND DIED A CRIMINAL’S DEATH ON A CROSS.
THEREFORE, GOD ELEVATED HIM TO THE PLACE OF HIGHEST HONOR”
(Philippians 2:5-9 NLT).

I bless you to humble yourself in obedience to God. Give up your privileges. Quit seeking glory for your Self. Stop trying to execute your own plan. Stop coveting a successful ministry, so you may boast to be like God. The Lord Jesus did not even do that…and He WAS God. Realize that you can accomplish nothing on your own: no Righteousness…no Salvation…no Hope.

“THE WORDS I SAY TO YOU ARE NOT JUST MY OWN.
RATHER, IT IS THE FATHER, LIVING IN ME, WHO IS DOING HIS WORK”
(John 14:10).

“I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN”
(John 8:27).

I bless you to have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had: to humble yourself in obedience to God, and allow Him to do His work in you and through you. He will accomplish His Purpose in you and through you, and He will elevate you at the right time.

“HUMILITY IS THE ONLY SOIL IN WHICH THE GRACES ROOT”
(Andrew Murray).

I bless you!
 
September 19 Jesus, Your Living Hope

When I feel hopeless, everything around me feels dead…lifeless…extinct. My possibilities seem crushed. My life seems obsolete. My power seems extinguished. Hopelessness seems to be associated with termination… expiration…ruin. Everything has ended. There is nothing left.

“PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD” (1 Peter 1:3).

I bless you today to know that you have been given birth into a LIVING HOPE. Jesus was resurrected from the dead to bring Life…new beginnings…creation. Jesus makes alive which is dead. He creates which does not exist. To Him there is no expiration…no termination…no end.

Notice that Jesus, your Hope, is ALIVE and LIVING. Jesus, your Hope, does not end. Your Hope does not grow weary. Your Hope does not sleep.

“JUST AS THE LIVING FATHER SENT ME AND I LIVE BECAUSE OF THE FATHER, SO THE ONE WHO FEEDS ON ME WILL LIVE BECAUSE OF ME” (John 6:57).

Be encouraged that just as the living Father sent Jesus to live because of the Father, so you will live. BUT YOU NEED TO FEED ON JESUS. You need to bring Him your powerlessness, so His Power can be renewed in you. You need to lay before Him your impossibilities, so that He can change them to possibilities. You need to give Him that, which has ended, so that He can create a new beginning. Capture that because of Jesus, you always have another chance…another beginning…another possibility. Jesus has become your LIVING HOPE.

“I AM THE LIVING ONE; I WAS DEAD, AND BEHOLD I AM ALIVE FOR EVER AND EVER!” (Revelation1:18).

I bless you as you feed on the Living Hope today and ask Him to make alive that, which is dead.

I bless you!
 
September 20 Not FOR Him but FROM Him

“FOR FROM HIM…ARE ALL THINGS” (Romans 11:36).

There is a big difference between living a life FOR God, as opposed to living a life FROM God. A life for God means I AM SOMETHING and I need to strive to become something MORE…something BETTER…something BIGGER. A life from God means that I AM NOTHING and I can ALLOW GOD TO BE SOMEONE IN ME.

“APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Do you expect yourself and those around you to be perfect: being entirely without fault and defect…satisfying all requirements…corresponding to an ideal standard?

To be perfect means to know that you are NOTHING and that you can DO NOTHING. To be perfect means to know that you DO have faults and defects, that you DO NOT satisfy all the requirements, and that you DO NOT correspond to an ideal standard. BUT GOD DOES. God is without fault and defect. God satisfies all the requirements. God corresponds to an ideal standard. And He wants to live HIS LIFE in you and through you. He wants to be in charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your actions, and your purpose.

“IF ANYONE THINKS HE IS SOMETHING WHEN HE IS NOTHING, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF” (Galatians 6:3).

I bless you to stop striving to be without fault and defect. You will never be. Stop trying to satisfy all the requirements. You never will. Stop trying to correspond to the ideal standard. You never can. Instead, invite God into each situation of your busy life. Admit that you are not…BUT that HE IS, and that you cannot…but that HE CAN!

“THERE REMAINS, THEN, A SABBATH-REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD; FOR ANYONE WHO ENTERS GOD’S REST ALSO RESTS FROM HIS OWN WORK, JUST AS GOD DID FROM HIS” (Hebrews 4:9-10).

I bless you!

September 21 Grow into a Full Experience of Salvation

“LIKE NEWBORN BABIES, YOU MUST CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK SO THAT YOU WILL GROW INTO A FULL EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION. CRY OUT FOR THIS NOURISHMENT, NOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD A TASTE OF THE LORD’S KINDNESS”
(1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT).

After I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior, I was like a newborn baby. Even though I was reconciled to the Father through Jesus, my PAST still had a big hold on me, because the father-of-lies had buried many beliefs of shame, condemnation, and abandonment in my childhood heart. However, I searched for all these negative, destructive beliefs, and each time I found one, I surrendered it to God. He was faithful. He exchanged these painful childhood beliefs for His Truth. I was set free from the PAST. I had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

As I grew more and more into a fuller experience of Salvation, the next step was to be on the alert for negative, destructive beliefs suggested by the father-of-lies during the PRESENT. Accusatory thoughts entered my mind, daily. They suggested, “God is disappointed in you…God is tricking you…God is not really in control.” Since I had a taste of what God could do with the painful beliefs of the PAST, I cried out for His nourishment for the PRESENT, also. Instead of believing every negative thought that entered my mind, I submitted each one to God, and asked for Truth. God was faithful. I started living in moment-by-moment Truth during the PRESENT circumstances, as well.

I bless you to grow into a FULL experience of salvation: to not only start living free from PAST negative, destructive beliefs, but to be filled with the Light of God’s Presence in your PRESENT circumstances, as well.

Eventually, you will become so illuminated with God’s glorious Presence, that the darkness from outside will not be able to enter your soul at all, for God’s Light in you will keeps it out. This glorious Light will not only light up your soul, but project far into the darkness around you. THIS IS THE FULLNESS OF YOUR SALVATION.

“GROW INTO A FULL EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION” (1 Peter 2:2).

I bless you!

September 22 Faith…Perseverance…Maturity

“CONSIDER IT PURE JOY, MY BROTHERS, WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE. PERSEVERANCE MUST FINISH ITS WORK SO THAT YOU MAY BE MATURE AND COMPLETE, NOT LACKING ANYTHING” (James 1:2-4).

I bless you to ponder the sequence of these words: Faith…Perseverance…Maturity.

Understand that to be mature means having undergone growth and development and having attained a final desired state. Take note that before you can reach MATURITY, you need to PERSEVERE, and before you can reach PERSEVERANCE, you need to have FAITH. You need to follow a pattern in order to reach MATURITY.

Have you matured? Have you undergone growth and development? Or are you still the same person of hopelessness, powerlessness, and helplessness you were a year ago…five years ago…ten years ago?

“THE SEED THAT FELL AMONG THORNS STANDS FOR THOSE WHO HEAR, BUT AS THEY GO ON THEIR WAY THEY ARE CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES, RICHES AND PLEASURES, AND THEY DO NOT MATURE” (Luke 8:14).

Know that each trial that comes your way gives you the opportunity to either become MATURE…or to be choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures.

I bless you to understand that the PERSEVERANCE that leads to maturity calls for a special ingredient—THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Understand that to PERSEVERE means to persist in a state or undertaking in spite of opposition and discouragement, and to wait for the LORD JESUS to show you His way out of the trial, instead of taking your own way out.

This is FAITH, which leads to PERSEVERANCE, which leads to MATURITY.

I bless you!
 
September 23 Consider God’s Purpose When You Pray

“I TOOK MY TROUBLES TO THE LORD;
I CRIED OUT TO HIM, AND HE ANSWERED MY PRAYER”
(Psalm 120:1).

I am reminded of a specific incident where I took my troubles to God. I prayed for weeks on end. I pleaded with God. I begged Him for an answer. Day after day, I waited for an answer, but nothing happened. God was silent.

A month later, I talked to a friend about my plight: “God never answered my cry. I don’t think He cares about me anymore. In fact, I think God has abandoned me.” Suddenly, as I was speaking, I remembered something. I remembered hearing a little voice in my heart about two weeks after I had started praying about my problem. As I focused on the message of the little voice, I suddenly realized it had been the answer to my prayer. Then I wondered, “Why did I not hear the answer at the time that it was conveyed to me?”

Today, I know the answer to that question: At the time, I already had an answer visualized in my mind. MY answer filled my entire mind; there was no space for GOD’S answer. My mind was not open to the radical answer God wanted to give me.

“FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE” (Philippians 2:13).

I bless you today to be certain that your Father DOES answer your prayer, but the answer might be different from the one you are expecting. It might be radical… revolutionary…extreme. The answer might not fit your purpose, but it will fit God’s Purpose. Consider that God might have answered you already, but you did not recognize the answer, because you have been so set on your own purpose and your own vision. Maybe God does not want to follow your plan, but He wants you to follow His.

When you pray, do not only consider the things you have asked God, but keep in mind His answer He wants to give you. He might have a Vision and Purpose all set and ready for you…AND HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT, all along!

I bless you!
 
September 24 Strength and Beauty

“‘TO WHOM WILL YOU COMPARE ME?
OR WHO IS MY EQUAL?’ SAYS THE HOLY ONE.
LIFT YOUR EYES AND LOOK TO THE HEAVENS:
WHO CREATED ALL THESE?
HE WHO BRINGS OUT THE STARRY HOST ONE BY ONE,
AND CALLS THEM EACH BY NAME.
BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT POWER AND MIGHTY STRENGTH,
NOT ONE OF THEM IS MISSING”
(Isaiah 40:25-26).

I bless you to ponder God’s beauty around you. Listen. Observe. Embrace.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Notice the stars. Behold the majestic Milky Way. Listen, and you will hear, “My child, I am He who created the stars and called them each by name. Because of my great Power and mighty Strength, not one of them is missing. You will not become lost, either. Allow Me to be your Refuge and your Strength, your God in whom you trust. My Power is sufficient to take care of you as well.”

“THE LORD ON HIGH IS MIGHTIER THAN THE NOISE OF MANY WATERS, YEA, THAN THE MIGHTY WAVES OF THE SEA” (Psalm 93:4).

Stand next to the ocean and observe. Watch the waves swell and plummet, leaving a veil of white surf flying on the wings of the wind. Hear the waves smashing and crashing, exploding on the rocks. Listen, and you will hear the Most High telling you, “Be still, child. Be patient in affliction. I am mightier than the mighty waves of the sea. I will provide.”

“THE LORD WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT, AND YOUR DAYS OF SORROW WILL END” (Isaiah 60:1, 20).

Feel the moonlight shining on your face like a lamp, casting long shadows behind you, night appearing like day. Listen, and you will hear the everlasting Father tell you, “My child, I sent you my son, Jesus, to be your everlasting Light, so that you would not have to walk in darkness anymore. Follow Him as He leads you into belonging, acceptance, and worthiness…and your days of sorrow will end.”

I bless you!
 
September 25 Faith Has a Purpose

“MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS;
KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE.
BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK, THAT YE MAY BE PERFECT AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING” (James 1:2-4 KJV).

Notice that faith has a purpose. Faith causes you to stand: to endure…to tolerate without flinching…to remain firm. If you would trust God to show you His way out when you are tempted, you will learn to become steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity. You will learn to stand: to be willing to bear the pain of condemnation, abandonment, and shame while you wait for God’s answer.

“IF YOU DO NOT STAND FIRM IN YOUR FAITH, YOU WILL NOT STAND AT ALL”
(Isaiah 7:9).

Take into account that faith is the foundation by which the righteous shall live. If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all, because faith is based on patience: waiting for God to show you His way out. But if you take your own way out, you will fall.

“BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH” (Habakkuk 2:4).

Know that while you are standing in faith, waiting on God’s way out, He will protect you with His Power.

“WHO THROUGH FAITH ARE SHIELDED BY GOD’S POWER UNTIL THE COMING OF THE SALVATION THAT IS READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME” (1 Peter 1:5).

I bless you to stand firm in faith. Do not be hasty. Wait on God. Let God’s Patience make you perfect. Obey God in what He has asked you to do, even though you do not understand from where the answer and outcome will come, for God’s righteous shall live by faith.

“BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN CALLED TO GO TO A PLACE HE WOULD LATER RECEIVE AS HIS INHERITANCE, OBEYED AND WENT, EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING” (Hebrews 11:8).

I bless you!
 
September 26 The Voice in my Heart

I have noticed something about my heart. I have noticed that when I react to something or someone, I do not react to the person or the circumstance, but I react to a VOICE IN MY HEART. The voice is very subtle…almost hidden, and if I do not deliberately pay attention to it, I will not notice it at all. To reword, this voice is better described as a thought…a speculation…a judgment.

I have observed that this voice speaks to me during the FRACTION OF TIME in between a happening and my reaction, which makes it very hard to catch. In fact, if I do not slow things down and focus on that fraction of time, the voice will go unnoticed and it will seem as if I am reacting to the circumstance or person, instead.

“THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART, AND THE EVIL MAN BRINGS EVIL THINGS OUT OF THE EVIL STORED UP IN HIS HEART. FOR OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF HIS HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS”
(Luke 6:45).

Know that there are many speculations stored up in your heart and that you react to someone and something according to what is stored up in your heart. For years, I had a lot of abandonment, condemnation, and shame stored up in my heart. Whenever I reacted to something or someone, I did not react to the person or the circumstance, but to the subtle voices of the abandonment, condemnation, and shame in my heart.

However, I have learned to PAUSE the fraction of time between a happening and my reaction…and CATCH the subtle voices of abandonment, condemnation, and shame that have been stored up in my heart. Then, I have learned to SURRENDER these voices to God, allowing Him to EXCHANGE them for the clear Voice of Truth. During the pause, I listen, and I am able to hear, “THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT.”

“WHETHER YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, YOUR EARS WILL HEAR A VOICE BEHIND YOU, SAYING, ‘THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT’” (Isaiah 30:21).

Today, I have noticed that the speculations in my heart have changed. During a happening, I am now able to respond from the new voices of belonging, acceptance, and confidence that now live in my heart.

I bless you! 
September 27 Obedience Has a Purpose

God has given me many personal instructions during my walk of following Him. During those times, I was sure the personal command or order came from God…and I obeyed. Yet, some days I am still tempted to come up with my own ideas of what God might want me to do, because of my own understanding that I have to strive to do things in my own strength and knowledge.

“I WILL NOT SPEAK WITH YOU MUCH LONGER, FOR THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD IS COMING. HE HAS NO HOLD ON ME, BUT THE WORLD MUST LEARN THAT I LOVE THE FATHER AND THAT I DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME”
(John 14:30-31).

Observe that the evil one had no hold on the Lord Jesus, for the Lord Jesus ONLY obeyed His Father. He only did what the Perfect Father instructed Him to do.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

YOUR MOMENT-BY-MOMENT OBEDIENCE RENDERS GOD’S MOMENT-BY-MOMENT REVELATION, POWER, AND LIFE TO YOU.

Your obedience to only obey God’s personal instructions will unlock the Truth that has been taken captive by the father-of-lies. Your obedience to stop striving, and to only do what God instructed you to do, will release the Love that has being hindered by the god of this world. Your obedience to quit leaning on the understanding of your own reasoning, but to listen carefully to God’s personal instructions, will unbind the Hope that has been seized by the evil one…AND THE FATHER-OF-LIES WILL LOSE HIS GRIP ON YOU.

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

Maybe you have never heard God’s personal instructions to you. Then, I bless you with a personal relationship with Him, first.

I bless you! 
September 28 Judge Nothing before the Time

“THEREFORE JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME, UNTIL THE LORD COME, WHO BOTH WILL BRING TO LIGHT THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DARKNESS, AND WILL MAKE MANIFEST THE COUNSELS OF THE HEARTS: AND THEN SHALL EVERY MAN HAVE PRAISE OF GOD” (1 Corinthians 4:5).

There has been many times in my life where I have judged something or someone at face value, just to find out later that things were not at all what they seemed. I remember one incident where I formed an opinion about someone as being strong, powerful, and victorious. I found out later that the person was weak and deeply unhappy. Things were not what they seemed.

“I CARE VERY LITTLE IF I AM JUDGED BY YOU OR BY ANY HUMAN COURT; INDEED, I DO NOT EVEN JUDGE MYSELF” (1 Corinthians 4:3).

Know that things are not what they seem. In fact, what you perceive as the truth might be the exact opposite from God’s Truth. You cannot form an opinion about someone based on his actions. You cannot conclude whether someone is good or bad based on the work he does, even if he is involved in a ministry for God.

“BUT THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, ‘DO NOT CONSIDER HIS APPEARANCE OR HIS HEIGHT, FOR I HAVE REJECTED HIM. THE LORD DOES NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS MAN LOOKS AT. MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

To evaluate what someone does and who he really is, you need to know his motives: WHY he acts or reacts in a certain way. However, only God knows WHY a person is saying or doing something, because He is the only one who can see all the way into the heart. He can see the person for who he really is.

So, the next time you want to judge something or someone, including yourself, at face value…DON’T! Things are not what they seem. Only God knows the Truth. Ask him for it.

I bless you!
 
September 29 A Heart of Flesh

“I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU; I WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH”
(Ezekiel 36:26).

I have noticed that I need to be very diligent to keep my heart soft. Often, when the father-of-lies shares his lies with me, I fall into the temptation to harden my heart. I do this to protect my heart from injury. However, I have noticed that as soon as my heart starts hardening, God’s Voice of Truth, Hope, and Love starts dimming, and my heart becomes filled with destruction. I have noticed that a soft heart absorbs God’s Light to emit it again, but a hard heart deflects God’s Light.

I have noticed that when my heart is soft, God blesses it with His Wisdom. He fills it with His Joy. He furnishes it with His Strength.

“THE MAGICIANS SAID TO PHARAOH, ‘THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD.’ BUT PHARAOH’S HEART WAS HARD AND HE WOULD NOT LISTEN, JUST AS THE LORD HAD SAID” (Exodus 8:19).

I have noticed that it is the father-of-lies’ goal to harden my heart. A hardened heart is filled with resentment. It is infused with destruction. It is injected with pride. It refuses to forgive.

“TEACH ME YOUR WAY, O LORD, AND I WILL WALK IN YOUR TRUTH; GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART, THAT I MAY FEAR YOUR NAME” (Psalm 86:11).

I bless you to keep your heart soft…tender…sensitive. Do not allow the lies from the father-of-lies to grow a hard defense in your heart. That defense is counterfeit. It does not really shield you from injury and destruction. Instead, it only serves as a barrier to block God’s Love, Hope, and Truth.

Capture that it is God’s Love, Hope, and Truth that provide the real cover that your heart needs to protect it from injury and destruction. Do not harden your heart against it.

I bless you!
 
September 30 Are You Looking for You?

“I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU; I WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH”
(Ezekiel 36:26).

Are you looking for the ME in you? Are you trying to find the person you were meant to be? Are you wondering who lives in your heart? This is how I found the ME in me:

I used to be someone very different from who I am, today. I used to be someone filled with negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies—lies about God and about ME. You see, the father-of-lies already had a personality picked out for me: a personality filled with abandonment, condemnation, and shame. This is who I became in my mind. But the heart feels what the mind believes. Because of these negative, destructive beliefs in my mind, I developed a heart filled with resentment, hatred, and jealousy. And this is who I became …until God saved me from me.

God called me to a NEW ME. When I consented, He stripped the lies off my mind and my heart, one by one. And then my heart of stone turned into a heart of flesh. As the wrong beliefs about ME started coming down, the scales fell from my eyes…and I could see the person I was always meant to be.

It was fun seeing ME. I was not the person I thought I was. I was very special. I was unique. I was worthy. The things that I thought would matter the most, did not matter at all, and the things that never used to matter, became very important to me.

Suddenly I had time to live. I was not busy spending all my energy reacting to the stone in my heart anymore, struggling to survive the negative, destructive beliefs the father-of-lies had planted in my mind. I was free to be ME: to be confident with my own special, unique personality.

I bless you to find the ME in you. Find the lies that turned your heart into stone, and surrender them to God. Then the scales will fall off your eyes, and you will see the NEW ME in you: the special, unique, and worthy person God meant you to be.

I bless you!

October 1 Who Am I?

Realize that there is an OLD ME living inside you: a person living in accordance with the set of negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies.

“PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS; AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

I have gotten to know myself during the last few years. I have gotten to know the OLD ME personality, shaped in me by the father-of-lies: the one who is unacceptable, offensive, and everything bad. And I have gotten to know the NEW ME personality, created in me by Christ Jesus: the one who is acceptable, competent, and complete.

“AS IT IS, IT IS NO LONGER I MYSELF WHO DO IT, BUT IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME…FOR IN MY INNER BEING I DELIGHT IN GOD’S LAW” (Romans 7:17, 22).

Understand that the father-of-lies shaped in you an OLD ME for a reason. He wants you to believe that this is who you are: that you are everything bad…that you are unacceptable…that you are inadequate and incompetent. But this is not who you are. This is sin living in you through the OLD ME.

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM”
(Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you to surrender your OLD ME personality to God. You will become His workmanship, and He will lead you into your real personality, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. And you will see that you are acceptable, competent, and complete.

I bless you!
 
October 2 “Did God really Say?”

“BUT YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, FOR WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOU WILL SURELY DIE” (Genesis 2:17).

Notice that God’s Counsel is clear…straightforward…uncomplicated.

“NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘DID GOD REALLY SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN?’” (Genesis 3:1).

Take notice of how Satan attacked God’s Word. He proposed, “Did God really say?”

I bless you to look out for these words of doubt from the father-of-lies: “Did God really say?” Understand that the father-of-lies is cunning and subtle. He tries to distract from the Truth. He tries to confuse God’s clear and uncomplicated Word. He tries to separate you from God’s Counsel of Love, Light, and Life. His weapon is deception: the practice of luring you into accusatory beliefs that are not true.

When the crafty one fills your mind with his thoughts of fear, hopelessness, and unworthiness, turn his words over to God, and ask Him to tell you the Truth. Then, you can answer the father-of-lies with the very words of the Lord Jesus Himself:

“MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD” (Matthew 4:4).

I bless you!
 
October 3 Persecuted, but Not Forsaken

“THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Be aware that you have an enemy: the god of this age…the accuser of brethren…the father of lies.

Be cautioned that the god of this age loves to darken your understanding, so that you would not recognize the Light of the message concerning Jesus Christ: that He offers Hope during despair…Love when you feel unloved…Truth for your perturbing perceptions.

“WE ARE HARD-PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT CRUSHED; WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Recognize the voice of the deceiver—the father-of-lies:

For when you are hard-pressed, he will demand that you have been crushed.
When you are perplexed, he will declare that your circumstances are hopeless.
When you are persecuted, he will proclaim that you have been forsaken.
When someone strikes you down, he will claim that you have been destroyed.

Be encouraged that the Lord Jesus came to save you from the father-of-lies and his oppressing beliefs. But you have a responsibility: to submit your heart to the Lord Jesus when you feel crushed, hopeless, forsaken, and destroyed, so He can tell you the Truth about yourself and your situation.

“DO NOT OFFER ANY PART OF YOURSELF TO SIN AS AN INSTRUMENT OF WICKEDNESS, BUT RATHER OFFER YOURSELVES TO GOD AS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FROM DEATH TO LIFE; AND OFFER EVERY PART OF YOURSELF TO HIM AS AN INSTRUMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Romans 6:13).

I bless you to stop offering your mind to the father-of-lies to be used for his wickedness; but instead, offer your thoughts and reasoning to God as instruments of His Righteousness.

I bless you!
 
October 4 I Gave my Heart to Jesus

I hear many people say, “I gave my heart to Jesus!” Well, I did too. I gave my heart to Jesus…but then I took it back again.

You see, I do not view my heart as only one entity, but as an entity that exists of many compartments. In my heart, there are compartments that belong to Jesus. They are filled with the nature of Jesus, because He lives there. I have given the Self-nature that used to live there…to Jesus. I have surrendered the negative, destructive beliefs that used to live there…to Jesus. When I am required to react from these parts of my heart, I react with the Love, Truth, and Hope of Jesus.

“CHRIST, WHO FILLS ALL THINGS EVERYWHERE WITH HIMSELF” (Ephesians 1:23).

However, I still have compartments in my heart that are not filled with Jesus, yet. They are still filled with the lies from the father-of-lies. When I am required to react from these parts of my heart, I react with anger, jealousy, and bitterness.

“THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEARTS AND THE HEARTS OF YOUR DESCENDANTS, SO THAT YOU MAY LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND LIVE” (Deuteronomy 30:6).

I bless you to give your heart to Jesus, even if you have done it before. This time, do not only give your heart as an entire entity, but do it one compartment at a time…one lie at a time…one negative thought at a time. By doing this, the Lord Jesus has the opportunity to fill each part of your heart with His Self, as you surrender those parts to Him.

Therefore, next time you experience the painful feelings of anger, resentment, or jealousy, know that the Lord Jesus does not rule in that compartment of your heart, yet. However, it is an opportunity for you to invite Him in. Know that He will come in and circumcise your heart, obliterating the lies that live there. Then, He will fill this compartment of your heart with His Self, too…and you will live!

I bless you!
 
October 5 The Veil is Taken Away

“FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD” (Romans 8:38-39).

Although nothing and nobody can separate me from the Love, Truth, and Hope of God, I have found that I do not always experience those attributes of God in my life. They exist, but they are not part of my world. It is as if these attributes of God had been taken hostage and hidden behind a veil. We know about them, but we cannot reach them…and they cannot reach us.

I have discovered something that makes God’s attributes accessible and part of my world. I have found that the veil can be lifted by surrendered OBEDIENCE: obedience to lay down my own perturbing perceptions at the feet of the Lord Jesus. Whenever I am willing to surrender my own understanding of a situation to Him, the veil is lifted, and God’s Love, Truth, and Hope become accessible to me…to be experienced in my own heart.

“BUT THEIR MINDS WERE MADE DULL, FOR TO THIS DAY THE SAME VEIL REMAINS WHEN THE OLD COVENANT IS READ. IT HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED, BECAUSE ONLY IN CHRIST IS IT TAKEN AWAY. EVEN TO THIS DAY WHEN MOSES IS READ, A VEIL COVERS THEIR HEARTS. BUT WHENEVER ANYONE TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY” (2 Corinthians 3:14-16).

I bless you to believe that the Most High yearns to show Himself to you in the smallest and biggest of your situations, but you need to surrender your own interpretation of the situation to God if you want to know the Truth. Know that your FACTS about your situation are most likely correct, but your INTERPRETATIONS of your situation are most likely false. Why? Because your mind has been made dull by the lies of the father-of-lies.

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I bless you! 
October 6 Grace Abounds More

“BUT WHERE SIN INCREASED, GRACE INCREASED ALL THE MORE” (Romans 5:20).

I bless you to understand that God’s Grace covered your past…because it was MORE. God’s Grace covers the present…because it is MORE. God’s Grace will cover your future…because it will be MORE.

Believe that God’s Grace is always MORE than anything that has ever happened to you or that you yourself have done. And God’s Grace is MORE than anything anyone has ever done to you.

“FOR SIN SHALL NOT BE YOUR MASTER, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE” (Romans 6:14).

I bless you to know that, during your present life, God’s Grace abounds MORE. Do you wrestle with a sinful habit or pattern in your life? God’s Grace abounds MORE. Do you often become angry, fearful, or jealous? God’s Grace abounds MORE. Do you struggle with depression or anxiety? God’s Grace abounds MORE.

Understand that sin is the father-of-lies’ solutions to escape the pain of the negative, destructive thoughts he proposes. Sin does not stand alone. It does not happen by itself. It sits on a pillar of oppressing beliefs suggested by the father-of-lies: beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. And these beliefs cause anguish…misery…distress. Not only does the father-of-lies suggest these beliefs to you, but he also offers the solutions to still the pain these beliefs cause—SIN.

Therefore, I bless you to know that there is enough Grace to overcome the pain of any negative, destructive belief in your heart from the father-of-lies, so that you do not have to react to these through sin. But, you need to surrender these beliefs to God to experience His Grace. Then, you will find that His Grace is always sufficient. It is always available. It is always MORE.

I bless you!
 
October 7 What Is Obedience?

“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM” (John 14:21).

I have learned something life-changing during the last few years. I have learned what OBEDIENCE is. But, I am not talking about obedience to the Ten Commandments or a different set of rules and regulations. That obedience constricts…chains…chokes. There is a different kind of obedience that liberates…unshackles…disencumbers. It is the surrendered OBEDIENCE to “lean not on your own understanding,” but “trust God with all your heart.”

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This kind of obedience changed my life. You see, each time I obeyed God by not leaning on my own perturbing perception, but instead, forfeited my conclusion for His Perspective, He showed me the Truth about people, situations, and me, just like He promised He would do: “AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM.” And once I knew the Truth about something or someone, it set me free to love my neighbor…as myself.

“TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES” (Mark 12:33).

I stopped hating a particular person, because I now knew the Truth about him. I stopped coveting my neighbor’s stuff, because I now knew the Truth about me. I stopped giving false testimony against someone, because I now knew the Truth about the situation.

“DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE COME TO ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS; I HAVE NOT COME TO ABOLISH THEM BUT TO FULFILL THEM” (Matthew 5:17).

I bless you to discover OBEDIENCE. It will change your life, because you will come to know the Truth about the people in your life, the situations in your life, and about yourself. Most importantly, you will know the Truth about God…and you will be able to love Him with all your heart, your strength, and your surrendered understanding. Thus, God will fulfill His Law in you…by His own Truth.
I bless you! 
October 8 Overcome the Voice of Temptation

“I USED TO WANDER OFF UNTIL YOU DISCIPLINED ME; BUT NOW I CLOSELY FOLLOW YOUR WORD” (Psalm 119:67 NLT).

This verse describes me. I used to wander off, following the voice of temptation. For a long time, I did not understand where the voice of temptation came from. Although I read about it in the Bible, I never understood what it was and how it worked. Now I understand that the voice of temptation comes from the father-of-lies. His lures? Thoughts of condemnation, abandonment, and shame. His goal? Drawing us into hopelessness, hatred, and hard feelings. Why? The father-of-lies knows that if he can get us to the place of hopelessness, hatred, and hard feelings, he can entice us to adopt his escape routes of ‘relief’ that lead away from God’s Presence—the escape routes of sin.

“THOSE WHOM I LOVE I REBUKE AND DISCIPLINE. SO BE EARNEST, AND REPENT. HERE I AM! I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES, I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO SIT WITH ME ON MY THRONE, JUST AS I OVERCAME AND SAT DOWN WITH MY FATHER ON HIS THRONE”
(Revelations 3:19-21).

Today, I am a different person, because God disciplined me. He has taught me not to wander off, following the alluring thoughts of condemnation, shame, and abandonment. Instead, He has taught me to overcome: to invite Him to defeat my thoughts of shame…to conquer my thoughts of condemnation…to subdue my thoughts of abandonment. The battle needs to be fought and won in my own heart and mind, first.

I bless you to listen carefully when you are tempted: when you are bombarded with negative thoughts of condemnation, shame, and abandonment…when you are inundated with hopelessness, hatred, and hard feelings. Pause! Pay attention, and you will hear another Voice knocking at your heart—the Voice of Truth. He is calling you to overcome the voice of temptation.

Be determined to open your heart to the Truth. He will come in and share His Presence with you, and along with Him will come Acceptance, Worthiness, and Belonging.

I bless you! 
October 9 Created in Christ Jesus

“SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM” (Genesis 1:27).

I often wonder what man was like right after God created him. What was it like to not only be created in the image of God, but to be living in the image of God and acting in the image of God, as well? It must have been a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

But then something happened. The father-of-lies invented the circle of sin. First, he lured us into belittling beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. These beliefs generated hopelessness, hatred, and fear. Then the father-of-lies stood ready to offer his routes of escape to ease the pain his lies had caused—SIN. The image of God in man was distorted…maimed…disabled.

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO” (Ephesians 2:10).

But then the Perfect Father sent the Spirit of His son, Jesus, to live in our hearts. Not only is Jesus created in God’s image, but He also lives in God’s image and acts in God’s image.

“AND HAVE PUT ON THE NEW SELF, WHICH IS BEING RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE IN THE IMAGE OF ITS CREATOR” (Colossians 3:10).

I bless you to invite the Spirit of Jesus Christ into your heart to live and act in the image of God in and through you. Allow Jesus to exchange your old self, with its distorted image of God, with the new self, who is created in Christ Jesus. Invite Him to abolish the beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame that the father-of-lies has engrained in your mind since childhood, and replace them with new beliefs of belonging, acceptance, and worth.

And you will live a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I bless you! 
October 10 What about the Pain in My Heart?

Sin does not stand alone. It does not happen by itself. It sits on a pillar of beliefs, suggested by the father-of-lies: beliefs of abandonment, beliefs of condemnation, and beliefs of shame. Understand that these beliefs cause anguish: anger, animosity, jealousy, sadness, and despair. Know that this pain is a natural response to the disheartening beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame. The pain will not harm you…until you react to it.

“THEREFORE DO NOT LET SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY SO THAT YOU OBEY ITS EVIL DESIRES” (Romans 6:12).

I used to feel very guilty whenever I experienced pain in my heart. I always thought that pain in my heart was a sign that I was bad, and that I had to flee from it as soon as possible. I did not know that pain was merely an indication that a negative, destructive belief, planted in my heart by the father-of-lies, was being triggered. Never before did I realize that it was not the PAIN in my heart, but my REACTION to it, that rendered me sinful.

I bless you to be patient when your heart is aching. Understand that your haste to get away from your heartache could drive you straight into the lion’s den. Know that he lures you to adopt his negative, destructive beliefs of abandonment, condemnation, and shame, and then he suggests the solutions to escape from the pain these beliefs cause—sin. In your haste to flee from your anguish, you are in great danger of accepting any route of escape the father-of-lies would offer. And anything he offers kills, steals, and destroys.

“IN MY ANGUISH I CRIED TO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED BY SETTING ME FREE” (Psalm 118:5).

I bless you to stay and face the pain in your heart. Then submit it to the Lord Almighty. He will answer by setting you free.

I bless you. 
October 11 He Answered by Setting Me Free

“IT IS WRITTEN: ‘MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD’” (Matthew 4:4).

One of the mistakes I often make is to expect my husband to be my Truth. I expect him to talk to my heart and solve the lies that the father-of-lies had dumped there since childhood. I expect him to be my Comforter when I feel comfortless, my Hope when I feel hopeless, and my Love when I feel unloved and unlovable. I do this because I want the pain in my heart to disappear as soon as possible. I do not want to take the time to talk to God about the anguish in my heart.

“HE SAID TO ME: ‘IT IS DONE. I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. TO HIM WHO IS THIRSTY I WILL GIVE TO DRINK WITHOUT COST FROM THE SPRING OF THE WATER OF LIFE’” (Revelations 21:6).

Understand that human counselors, friends, and your spouse hold a certain place in your life. They can encourage, instruct, and admonish you. They can teach you in the ways that God has taught them, sharing with you the truths God has told them. They can advise you in how to avoid future failure. They can pray with you. However, they cannot be your Truth, Hope, and Love.

I bless you to come to the Lord Jesus when you feel unloved and unlovable. Tell Him how you feel. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Be patient. He will furnish you with a permanent answer. Run to the Lord Jesus when you feel hopeless. Tell him exactly what is on your heart and why you feel hopeless. Persevere. He is the Lord of Lords. He will fill you with the real solution. Come to the Lord Jesus when you feel lost and confused. Tell Him what is bothering you. Wait for His answer. He is the Comforter. He will give you a drink of Comfort without cost.

“IN MY ANGUISH I CRIED TO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED BY SETTING ME FREE” (Psalm 118:5).

Be determined to cry out to Jesus whenever your heart hurts. Your friend, counselor, or spouse can encourage, instruct, and admonish you. But Jesus can set you free.

I bless you! 
October 12 To Him Who Overcomes

What is there in your life that needs to be overcome? Is it the belief that you are unacceptable? What do you need to conquer? Is it the belief that you are forsaken? What do you need to master? Is it a particular habit or sin pattern?

“HE THAT OVERCOMETH, THE SAME SHALL BE CLOTHED IN WHITE RAIMENT; AND I WILL NOT BLOT OUT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, BUT I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME BEFORE MY FATHER, AND BEFORE HIS ANGELS” (Revelation 3:5).

Know that the Lord Jesus regards overcoming as something very valuable. If you live a life of overcoming, your name is so commendable that it will not be removed from the book of Life, but it will be confessed before the Perfect Father…the Most High…the Creator of all things.

“BECAUSE THOU HAST KEPT THE WORD OF MY PATIENCE, I ALSO WILL KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION, WHICH SHALL COME UPON ALL THE WORLD, TO TRY THEM THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH” (Revelation 3:10).

Be patient during affliction. Do not run to sinful defense habits and patterns to escape the pain of temptation. Do not hide the pain in your heart by pretending that you are okay, or wear a mask to pretend that you are not who you are. Do not blame others for your own pain. Instead, run to the Lord Jesus. He will show you how to overcome the temptations in your life.

“TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, AND AM SET DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE” (Revelation 3:21).

I bless you to know that the Lord Jesus can keep you from the hour of temptation. He can give you Truth for the belief that you are not acceptable. But you need to come to Him and surrender that belief to Him. He can give you Truth about the belief that you have been forsaken. But you need to ADMIT that you have that belief, and SUBMIT it to Him. Then, He will COMMIT to you…and give you an answer. This is how you overcome temptation!

If you overcome by submitting the negative, destructive beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies, to the Lord Jesus, you will sit with Him in His throne.

I bless you! 
October 13 The Will of the Father

“YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 6:10).

I have found that the Will of the Perfect Father is the highest Power in Heaven and on earth. Nothing can extinguish it…except my own will.

“ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A PENNY? YET NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND APART FROM THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER” (Matthew 10:29).

But the father-of-lies is always trying to persuade me to do HIS will, instead: to follow his negative, destructive thoughts “God does not love you…God wants to harm you…God wants to punish you.” He is always fighting for MY will, so I would submit it to HIM, instead of to the God whose Will created all things.

I have noticed that the father-of-lies always tries to persuade me that HIS will is good for my life, and that the Perfect Father’s Will is bad. However, I have observed from my own life that whenever I believe the father-of-lies’ negative, destructive thoughts, I am filled with suspicion, hatred, jealousy, and anger. On the other hand, the more I surrender these thought to God, the more I am filled with His Hope, Truth, and Love.

“YOU ARE WORTHY, OUR LORD AND GOD, TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER, FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS, AND BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED AND HAVE THEIR BEING” (Revelation 4:11).

I wish for my life to be like that of a little sparrow—completely dependent on the Will of my Perfect Father. I now know that if the Father’s Will reigns in my life, everything works out for my good. I realize that every moment I choose to do the Perfect Father’s Will, the father-of-lies’ will has no hold on my life.

I bless you to fathom that the Perfect Father’s Will is good and powerful. However, it all depends on YOUR will.

I bless you!
 
October 14 Good Works for Your Personality

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO” (Ephesians 2:10).

I often talk to young people who complain that there is something wrong with their personalities. If the person is an introvert, she regrets not being an extrovert. If a person is an extrovert, he regrets not being an introvert. Some people feel they are not interesting enough. Others feel they are too superficial. Regardless of the personality, people do not seem to be satisfied with who they are.

At some point, I too wished I were different. However, after I discovered the set of good works that GOD had prepared for me in advance, I discovered that my personality was perfect for these works, almost as if Someone had designed my personality specifically just for them. Interestingly, my personality was NOT suited for the good works that I HAD CHOSEN FOR MYSELF.

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’ WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 7:21).

I bless you to know that God’s Will for you is the highest Purpose for your life. It is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Why? Because it is based on a plan that was created before the beginning of time. It is not something that just happened haphazardly, on the spur of the moment. It is not a hit or miss situation.

Be encouraged that God’s plan for your life is a master plan that is very specific to your personality and gifts.

Therefore, do not try and change who you are. God created your personality for a before-ordained master plan. He has something very specific in mind for you, and he needs your specific personality traits for that. Instead of trying to change your personality, ask God to show you who you really are, and to show you the specific set of good works that requires your specific personality with your specific gifts. Then, forsake all other good works that you have chosen for yourself in this life…and cling to the good works that have been prepared for your personality.

I bless you! 
October 15 I AM Serving You

There was a time in my life that I focused heavily on how my husband did NOT serve me. I focused on how he did NOT listen when I spoke. I focused on how he did NOT understand me. I focused on how he did NOT….

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO” (Ephesians 2:10).

I have discovered that God has created my husband for a set of good works that God had prepared for him since the beginning of time. Furthermore, after I paid attention to the good works my husband was doing, I discovered that he was also serving our children and me with the good works God had prepared for him. Although my husband was not necessarily serving me with the good works I wanted, he was being the person GOD wanted Him to be. This changed my focus. I started focusing on how he DID serve me…instead of how he DID NOT.

“THE WORLD AND ITS DESIRES PASS AWAY, BUT THE MAN WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD LIVES FOREVER” (1 John 2:17).

I bless you to focus on how your spouse, your parent, or your friend is serving you. Do not focus on how she is NOT serving you. Appreciate the personality and skills God has given her. Enjoy the gifts with which God has furnished him. He is God’s workmanship, created to do the good works GOD had prepared for him in advance. Remember, every good gift is from above, coming from the Father. If you look closely, you will see that your spouse, parent, or friend is serving you with the gifts with which he had been endowed.

“EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, COMING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF THE HEAVENLY LIGHTS, WHO DOES NOT CHANGE LIKE SHIFTING SHADOWS” (James 1:17).

I bless you to ask God to supply you with the needs which your spouse, relative, or friend is not able to supply. Appreciate your spouse, relative, or friend for how she IS serving you…AND RECEIVE THE REST FROM GOD.

I bless you! 
October 16 The Arrow that Flies by Day

“YOU WILL NOT FEAR THE TERROR OF NIGHT, NOR THE ARROW THAT FLIES BY DAY” (Psalm 91:5).

The other day, my heart was struck by an arrow that flew by day. I am not sure why that arrow was flying—whether it was aimed at my heart with the purpose to harm, or whether it was shot out of self-defense and just happened to land in my heart. However, I felt it bore deep into my heart, until it was securely lodged. A few years ago, I would have left the arrow in my heart and allowed it to create a deep wound of bitter resentment. But today I know better. You see, I have made a decision in my life to throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles.

Therefore, I admitted to God that I had an arrow stuck in my heart. I took up the shield of faith and ran to Jesus. Instead of focusing on the PERSON who shot the arrow, I focused on my own HEART, and on my SAVIOR. Do you know what happened? The Lord Jesus pulled the arrow out. Not only did He remove the arrow, but He also bathed the wound with heavenly salve.

“THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SUCH A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS AND THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES, AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US” (Hebrews 12:1).

Many arrows fly by day. Some arrows are aimed to harm your heart. They are shot on purpose. They are meant for revenge. Other arrows are shot by accident. They just happen. Regardless of why and how an arrow was shot, if it struck your heart, it is your responsibility to have it removed. If not, it will hinder you from enjoying everything the Lord Jesus offers, and it will cause you to react with the solutions of escape that the father-of-lies offers—SIN.

“IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, TAKE UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH, WITH WHICH YOU CAN EXTINGUISH ALL THE FLAMING ARROWS OF THE EVIL ONE” (Ephesians 6:16).

I bless you to take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows that have flown your way. Take your wounded heart to Jesus. He will pull out the arrow, and reverse the damage that was done in your heart.

I bless you! 
October 17 The Two Sources of Counsel

“THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, ‘WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE’”

“‘YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,’ THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN”
(Genesis 3:2-4).

Notice that there are two sources of counsel available to you: God’s Counsel, and Satan’s counsel.

Notice that Satan’s counsel opposes God’s Counsel…resists God’s instructions… attacks God’s Word.

“WE DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS AND EVERY PRETENSION THAT SETS ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

What bothers me most about the counsel of Satan is that he uses MY MIND as a vessel for his arguments against the knowledge of God. He uses MY thoughts…MY conclusions…MY perceptions.

I have noticed that I sometimes have to return to the MOMENT when I started feeling bad, mad, or sad in order to find Satan’s argument that had set itself up against the Counsel of God. Often, when I think back of the thought my mind heard at the time when I started feeling unloved or unlovable, I tend to find the injurious counsel of Satan.

I bless you to do whatever it takes to find the injurious argument that had set itself up in your mind against the Counsel of God. Then take that thought to Jesus. Only after the thought had become obedient to Jesus, who is the Truth, will Satan’s counsel leave.

“JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME” (John 14:6).

I bless you!
 
October 18 Whose Counsel Do You Heed?

“THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, ‘WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE’”

“‘YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,’ THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN”
(Genesis 3:2-4).

Notice that there are two sources of counsel available to you: God’s Counsel and Satan’s counsel.

Notice that Satan’s counsel opposes God’s Counsel…resists God’s instruction… attacks God’s Word. This is God’s Counsel:

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;

IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM,
AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT.

DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES;
FEAR THE LORD AND SHUN EVIL”
(Proverbs 3:5-7).

Be aware that Satan’s counsel will oppose God’s counsel. It will say:

Do not trust God,
but lean on your own understanding,
Rely on your own insight and believe everything you think.
Acknowledge your own mind in everything you do,
for your mind is sufficient to supply all the explanations you need.
Be wise in your own eyes.
Then everything will turn out OK.

“THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH, BUT THE MIND CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE” (Romans 8:6).

Whose counsel do you heed?

I bless you! 
October 19 I Will Give You Rest

I have discovered that the things in life that burden me the most are the father-of-lies’ lies. They are relentless. They kill, steal, and destroy. They cause defeat…depression…death.

When my sister died, I was very sad. However, the thought that caused me the most grief was the father-of-lies’ lie “You have lost her love forever.”

Two of Satan’s favorite lies are “You are not loved” and “You are bad.” Sometimes my husband and I spend hours arguing about something. However, the things we fight about are not the things we fight for. We think we are fighting about the situation; but instead, we are fighting for our hearts. I am fighting to keep my heart from being labeled “bad.” I am fighting to prove to my husband that I am worthy. And he is doing the same. Neither husband nor wife wants to let the other one win the battle, because that would leave the loser with Satan’s lie of unworthiness and not being good enough. And that hurts more than the fight.

“COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matthew 11:28-29).

Do you have a problem for which you see no possible solution? Know that your situation might be difficult, but it is the lies in your soul that are causing you to be weary and burdened.

“YOU, DEAR CHILDREN, ARE FROM GOD AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO IS IN THE WORLD”
(1 John 4:4).

I bless you to look for the lies that are causing you to be so weary and burdened. Find them and bring them to Jesus; He will give you rest for your soul. Be encouraged that He who is in you is greater than any lie that is seeking to destroy you. You only need to find that lie and surrender it to Him who is in you. When I surrendered the lie of my deceased sister’s lost love to God, He revealed His Truth to me: that my sister still loves me all the way from Heaven. Her love for me will never die. Love never fails…ever.

I bless you! 
October 20 Become Mature through Constant Use

“THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, ‘WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE’”

“‘YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,’ THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN”
(Genesis 3:2-4).

I bless you to notice that there are two sources of counsel available to you: God’s holy Counsel of Truth and Satan’s counsel, filled with deception.

“ANYONE WHO LIVES ON MILK, BEING STILL AN INFANT, IS NOT ACQUAINTED WITH THE TEACHING ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS. BUT SOLID FOOD IS FOR THE MATURE, WHO BY CONSTANT USE HAVE TRAINED THEMSELVES TO DISTINGUISH GOOD FROM EVIL” (Hebrews 5:13-14).

One of the ways that I have become more mature is by distinguishing between God’s Counsel and the father-of-lies’ counsel. This has required of me to take notice of what is going on in my heart at all times. I have discovered that the father-of-lies’ counsel aims to kill, steal, and destroy; however, God’s Counsel brings abundant Life into every situation.

“THE THIEF COMETH NOT, BUT FOR TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY: I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY” (John 10:10).

Every moment, I train myself to separate and classify the counsel that enters my heart, as GOOD or EVIL. I have perceived that if I catch Satan’s lie or counsel right when it knocks on my heart’s door, I still have time to surrender it to Jesus and overcome the evil. However, the deeper I allow Satan’s counsel to penetrate my heart, the harder it becomes to surrender it to Jesus and overcome the evil…and the easier it becomes to react sinfully to his painful words of deception.

I bless you to become acquainted with the teaching of Righteousness. Train yourself to listen carefully to the suggestions that enter your heart. Classify your thoughts into categories of good and evil. Learn to single out the evil one’s false interpretations. Train yourself to perceive the difference between God’s Counsel of Truth, and Satan’s counsel of deception. Most of all, train yourself to catch Satan’s lies as soon as possible. By doing all this, you will become mature.

I bless you!

October 21 When You Go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

“FOR THIS PEOPLE’S HEART HAS BECOME CALLOUSED; THEY HARDLY HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES. OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM” (Matthew 13:15).

I still remember when I went through the valley of the shadow of death. I felt so alone. I felt so unloved. I felt so unlovable. I did not know what to do with myself. I did not even understand what was going on…just that there was something wrong with me…and that I needed help. I needed a way out.

But then I heard it—my Everlasting Father’s Comfort through the Holy Spirit. He asked me to listen with the ears of my heart. When I had finally calmed down and was listening, He said, “My child, you are not alone. I am right here with you. Can you see Me? Can you hear Me? Do you understand with your heart that I AM very close? I want to heal you!”

“EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME” (Psalm 23:4).

I bless you to look around you when you are going through the valley of the shadow of death. Listen carefully with the ears of your heart and you will hear your Everlasting Father tell you that you are not alone…that He already knows what you need…that He has already planned a way to provide for you.

“BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD…I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH”
(Psalm 46:10).

May your heart not become calloused when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death and turn against your Perfect Father. May you hear with your ears the Hope He has for you. May you see with your eyes the Love He has for you. May you understand with your heart the Truth He has for you. Become still! Listen to Him! He wants to heal you!

I bless you!
 
October 22 Lean on God with Your Entire Personality

“IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY NOT GROW DISINTERESTED AND BECOME [SPIRITUAL] SLUGGARDS, BUT IMITATORS, BEHAVING AS DO THOSE WHO THROUGH FAITH (BY THEIR LEANING OF THE ENTIRE PERSONALITY ON GOD IN CHRIST IN ABSOLUTE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN HIS POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS) AND BY PRACTICE OF PATIENT ENDURANCE AND WAITING ARE [NOW] INHERITING THE PROMISES” (Hebrews 6:12 AMP).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His POWER, so that your faith might not rest on your own sufficiency, but on God’s Power.

“SO THAT YOUR FAITH MIGHT NOT REST ON MEN’S WISDOM, BUT ON GOD’S POWER” (1 Corinthians 2:5).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His WISDOM, for He will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

“FOR I WILL GIVE YOU WORDS AND WISDOM THAT NONE OF YOUR ADVERSARIES WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST OR CONTRADICT” (Luke 21:15).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His GOODNESS, which He has stored up for those who revere Him—who acknowledge Him in all their ways.

“HOW GREAT IS YOUR GOODNESS, WHICH YOU HAVE STORED UP FOR THOSE WHO FEAR YOU, WHICH YOU BESTOW IN THE SIGHT OF MEN ON THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN YOU” (Psalm 31:19).

By the practice of patient endurance and waiting, you will inherit the promises which God has promised you.

I bless you!
 
October 23 Is Your Heart Bad or Good?

All my life, I wanted to be good. I wanted a good heart. I wanted a heart filled with Goodness, Righteousness, and Holiness. However, MY HEART WAS BAD. It was filled with evil thoughts. It was as heavy as stone. Because I felt so ashamed of my heart, I desperately tried to hide it. It became a matter of life and death to prove that my heart was good…so that people would not find out that it was bad. That made matters worse, for I ended up with many sinful defense habits and patterns that fought for my heart. Consequently, I felt even more ashamed.

“THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND BEYOND CURE. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

I found out that the father-of-lies was responsible for my bad heart. While I was growing up, he filled me with deceit…one lie after the other. Eventually these lies all accumulated, until a heart was formed that was carved out of a stone of lies. Out of this heart came evil thoughts and bad conduct.

“FOR OUT OF THE HEART COME EVIL THOUGHTS, MURDER, ADULTERY, SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THEFT, FALSE TESTIMONY, SLANDER” (Matthew 15:19).

Then the Lord Jesus called me and asked me if I wanted Him to give me A GOOD HEART. He showed me that He could remove the bad heart of stone the father-of-lies had given me, and that He could give me a new heart filled with His Spirit—a good heart. I accepted!

“I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU; I WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH”
(Ezekiel 36:26).

Today I have a new heart—A GOOD HEART. I do not have to adopt sinful defense habits and patterns anymore to hide my bad heart from the world. I do not have to be ashamed anymore of a bad heart filled with the lies and deceit of the father-of-lies.

Are you ashamed of your heart? I bless you to ask the Lord Jesus to give you a new heart, too and put His Spirit in you, as well. Ask Him to remove the heart of stone that formed in you as a result of the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies. And He will give you HIS VERY OWN HEART.

I bless you! 
October 24 Refurbished by the Spirit of Life

I have heard many ministers preach: “Get rid of anger. Release your bitterness. Forgive yourself.” Others preach: “Don’t care what others think. Do not let others manipulate you. Rid yourself from the expectations of others.” Then again, I hear: “Get rid of your fears. Break past your bondage. Free yourself from blocks.”

I have tried all the above. I tried for twenty years. It did not work. I could not do this by myself. I needed a Savior who could break my bondage for me…a Redeemer who could get rid of my fears for me…a Deliverer who could release my bitterness for me. I needed Jesus.

“I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

I bless you to know that you are not able to get rid of your fears. You are not able to free yourself from bondage. You are not able to get rid of anger. Jesus has to do it for you.

“FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:2).

Therefore, invite the Spirit of Life to free you from your iniquities. Bring your heart that has been numbed by the pain of abandonment, rejection, and shame, to the Spirit of Jesus, to be resurrected…to be revived…to be restored.

Bring your mind that has been deadened by fears, blocks, and bondage, to the Spirit of Jesus, to be renewed…to be reshaped…to be refurbished.

Yield your heart that cares so much about what others think of you, to the Spirit of Jesus, to be repaired…to be re-created…to be replaced.

And you will see the bondage broken…the blocks removed…the fears banished.

I bless you!
 
October 25 A Light Has Dawned

“INDEED, THE DARKNESS SHALL NOT HIDE FROM YOU, BUT THE NIGHT SHINES AS THE DAY; THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE BOTH ALIKE TO YOU” (Psalm 139:12).

Are you living in the land of the shadow of death? Are you surrounded by the deepest gloom? Are you walking in darkness?

Maybe you believe that your heartache is buried so deeply that God would not be able to find it. Maybe you know that you have pain in your heart, but believe that it is too late to ask God for help. Maybe you can feel the anger and bitterness in your heart, but believe that it is hidden in a hard protective coating, so that it is not accessible to God’s healing.

I bless you to be excited that God can see deep inside your wounded heart. Do not despair in your darkness. God is able to find wounds that are too deep for you to access. God is powerful enough to know where to look, when you do not even know where to start looking. God can see through your protective coating. Your darkness is not hidden from God.

“HE BROUGHT THEM OUT OF DARKNESS AND THE DEEPEST GLOOM AND BROKE AWAY THEIR CHAINS” (Psalm 107:14).

Be encouraged that God can see what you cannot see. Know that God can recognize what you cannot recognize. Realize that God can understand what you cannot understand. Darkness does not hide from Him. Gloom does not intimidate Him. The land of the shadow of death is not unfamiliar to Him.

“On those living in the land of the shadow of death a Light has dawned.” Take heart! The God of Light stands ready to bring you out of your darkness and the deepest gloom, and break away your chains. All you need to do is to invite the God of Light into your darkness. He will do the rest.

“THE PEOPLE WALKING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; ON THOSE LIVING IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH A LIGHT HAS DAWNED” (Isaiah 9:2).

I bless you!
 
October 26 The Serpent Deceived Me, so I Ate

“THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?’THE WOMAN SAID, ‘THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE’” (Genesis 3:13).

“My friend was rude to me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My boss made a snide comment, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My husband did not love me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My wife disrespected me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”

I bless you to understand that the enemy, the father-of-lies, will offer you his fruit every day, to cause sin to reign in your mortal body “SO THAT YOU OBEY ITS EVIL DESIRES” (Romans 6:12).

Know that the evil one will offer you the fruit of enmity, strife, fear, jealousy, mistrust, anger, fits of rage, animosity, and selfishness. Moreover, he will offer his fruit along with the excuse, “She gave me some of the fruit, so I had to eat.”

I bless you to know that you DO NOT HAVE TO EAT THE FRUIT THE ENEMY OFFERS YOU, even when someone is hateful, manipulative, or condemning.

“SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU” (James 4:7).

You have a choice: You can eat of the fruit the enemy offers you when someone says or does something to you…or you can resist obedience to the father-of-lies, and submit your pain to God, instead.

I bless you to submit yourself, then, to God, and to resist the father-of-lies…and he will leave you alone.

I bless you!
 
October 27 Those Who Fear Him Lack Nothing

It has been a great encouragement to me to discover that there are many promises available to those who fear God…to those who honor the Perfect Father…to those who revere the Most High. So, I asked God how I could honor and revere Him. He answered:

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT” (Proverbs 3:5-7).

I bless you to acknowledge God’s Perspective in everything you do. Honor His Counsel wherever you go. Trust His Word above your own, for those who rely on His moment-by-moment Truth enjoy His promises. They will lack nothing.

“FEAR THE LORD, YOU HIS SAINTS, FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM LACK NOTHING” (Psalm 34:9).

Be sensitive to the voices in your heart. Be aware of the father-of-lies’ counsel. Take notice of God’s Voice. Know that there is always a choice. If you submit the counsel of the father-of-lies to God in exchange for His Truth, His Righteousness will prevail in your heart and those of your children’s children.

“BUT FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING THE LORD’S LOVE IS WITH THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH THEIR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN”
(Psalm 103:17).

Grasp that God’s Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His Dominion endures through all generations. Capture that God is faithful to all His promises. Therefore, fear the Lord…honor the Perfect Father…revere the Most High.

“YOUR KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND YOUR DOMINION ENDURES THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS. THE LORD IS FAITHFUL TO ALL HIS PROMISES AND LOVING TOWARD ALL HE HAS MADE” (Psalm 145:13).

I bless you!
 
October 28 Seek and You Will Find God

“YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART”
(Jeremiah 29:13).

I have been very encouraged by the ways God has allowed me to find Him after I have sought Him with all my heart. I have learned from experience to lay my request at His feet…and then look to Him with expectation.

He does not always answer in the way I expect Him to answer. He does not always answer in the timing I allow Him. He does not always answer in the place I watch for Him. However, He always answers.

I have become excited about the ways God speaks. Sometimes, His Answer hits suddenly and vividly like a lightning bolt. Sometimes, His Counsel comes quietly in a whisper, like a gentle sea breeze. Sometimes, His Truth trickles in drop by drop, until the bucket is full and the Answer is complete.

I bless you to know that when you do not hear from God and it feels like He has abandoned you…He IS working on your case. Understand that you might not see Him working, but He IS working behind the scenes. Be encouraged that He IS busy moving the mountains. Sometimes, that mountain is in your heart. Sometimes, that mountain is in someone else’s heart. Sometimes, that mountain is a circumstance.

Do not always expect an instant answer and instant solution, and that every mountain be moved in a second. Sometimes it takes time to move mountains.

“AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).

I bless you to believe that God WILL reward you if you seek Him earnestly. He has done it for me. He will do it for you.

I bless you!
 
October 29 When I Fail

Oswald Chambers once said, “When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything.”

“JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING, EXCEPT IT BE GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN” (John 3:27).

What do you need? At what are you failing? I bless you to sing a new song of joy. Jesus came to give you what you need…so you do not have to fail anymore.

“HITHERTO HAVE YE ASKED NOTHING IN MY NAME: ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL” (John 16:24).

Do you need acceptance? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need goodness? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need kindness? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need joy? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need faith? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need hope? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need comfort? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need light? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need life? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need healing? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need forgiveness? Receive it from Jesus!

“PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS—
WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR SINS AND HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES,
WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT
AND CROWNS YOU WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION,
WHO SATISFIES YOUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS
SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S”
(Psalm 103:2-5).

I bless you!
 
October 30 Redemption

Once upon a time, in a place far away, humans lived according to spiritual principles: indwelled by God’s Spirit…covered by God’s Love, Hope, and Truth. They thought God’s thoughts and lived in God’s Light, uninterrupted by negative thoughts, far-fetched imaginations, and senseless arguments. There was no darkness in their mind and no pain in their heart. They were whole and holy.

“FOR WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL: BUT I AM CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN” (Romans 7:14).

But then something happened. Humans decided that they would disobey God by listening to someone else’s counsel—THE FATHER-OF-LIES’. And they became naked! They were stripped of God’s Truth, Hope, and Love that lived directly in their hearts. Although these attributes of God were still available to them, they were now only seen through a veil, because humans were sold into slavery under the control of sin.

“WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS” (Titus 2:14).

But we received a second chance—JESUS! He died, giving Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, repurchase us from the father-of-lies, and purify us to be whole and holy again.

“BUT GOD WILL REDEEM MY SOUL FROM THE POWER OF THE GRAVE: FOR HE SHALL RECEIVE ME” (Psalm 49:15).

I bless you to know that you have a Redeemer. He did a complete work. He gave Himself to you. He died so you may become spiritual again through the Spirit of God. He came to offer His own Nature to you to free you from the lies of the father-of-lies. He came to live His own life through you…and Jesus does not sin.

“PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS—
WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT
AND CROWNS YOU WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION,
WHO SATISFIES YOUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS
SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S” (Psalm 103:2, 4-5).

I bless you!
October 31 Let Patience Have Its Perfect Work

“MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS, KNOWING THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE. BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE ITS PERFECT WORK, THAT YOU MAY BE PERFECT AND COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING” (James 1:2-4).

I bless you to count it pure joy whenever you encounter trials or fall into various temptations. Understand that temptations give you the opportunity to become patient and stay in the Presence of the Perfect Father, instead of running off to hide somewhere. Temptations give you the opportunity to endure and stand firm in God’s Love, instead of blaming someone else for your own pain. Temptations give you the opportunity to be steadfast and abide in God’s Hope, instead of hiding behind sinful habits and defense patterns.

“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER”
(Romans 12:12).

Be encouraged that Patience is something intrinsically valuable to the Perfect Father. It is while you are calmly bearing the temptation, that God has an opportunity to renew your mind with His Truth. It is while you are bearing and facing your pain, that you have the opportunity to be changed and to share in God’s Holiness. CHANGE HAPPENS DURING PATIENCE.

“ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE” (Hebrews 12:7).

Be joyful that God uses the same temptations that the enemy uses to harm you…to heal you. When you fix your eyes on Jesus during your temptations, God uses the moment to turn your darkness into Light. When you endure hardship and face the shame, condemnation, and abandonment in your heart, God uses that point in time to heal your heart and set you free.

“NO DISCIPLINE SEEMS PLEASANT AT THE TIME, BUT PAINFUL. LATER ON, HOWEVER, IT PRODUCES A HARVEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY IT” (Hebrews 12:11).

I bless you!

November 1 Faith Is a Belief that God Will Reward

“AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).

I always knew that faith was something I needed to move mountains. At first, I believed that faith was a skill…a mental efficacy…an influence over circumstances. I believed that faith was MY authority, power, or ability to produce an effect. At one point, faith seemed so complicated to me that I decided that I did not have what it took to move mountains.

Then, one day, during a walk, God explained to me that I was placing too much emphasis on ME when I was seeking faith…and not enough emphasis on GOD. The Most High continued that faith was not meant to be something I possessed to move mountains, BUT A BELIEF THAT GOD WOULD MOVE MY MOUNTAINS, if I asked Him. Faith was focusing on GOD’S possession of control…GOD’s Authority over His creation….GOD’S Power to produce an effect.

After I realized that, it became easy for me to pray about something and then look toward GOD for the reward…the answer…the solution.

“‘HAVE FAITH IN GOD,’ JESUS ANSWERED” (Mark 11:22).

I bless you to grasp that faith is not YOUR possession of control…YOUR mental efficacy…YOUR influence over things. Faith does not depend on YOUR authority, power, or ability to produce an effect.

Faith is a belief in God’s faithfulness.

And if you do not believe that God will reward you if you earnestly seek Him, the father-of-lies has told you a lie: that God does not favor you…that God only wants to punish you…that God is disappointed in you. Bring these negative, destructive beliefs to God, and ask Him to tell you the Truth about who He really is.

“NOT A STRIVING TO HAVE FAITH…BUT A LOOKING OFF TO THE FAITHFUL ONE SEEMS ALL WE NEED; A RESTING IN THE LOVED ONE ENTIRELY, FOR TIME AND ETERNITY” (Hudson Taylor).

I bless you! 
November 2 Be Perfect, as Your Father Is Perfect

Is there someone in your life who hates you? Is there someone in your life who always tries to manipulate and control you? Is there someone in your life who is spiteful…who is defensive…who is contentious?

“BUT YOU ARE TO BE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT”
(Matthew 5:48).

Do you know what your Father is expecting of you? Yes, you guessed it—to be perfect! What would a perfect person say to someone who hates him? How does a perfect person react to someone who tries to manipulate and control him? What would a perfect person do with someone who spitefully uses him?

“YE HAVE HEARD THAT IT HATH BEEN SAID, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR, AND HATE THINE ENEMY. BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU; THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN: FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST. FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS THE SAME? AND IF YE SALUTE YOUR BRETHREN ONLY, WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS SO? BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT. (Matthew 5:43-48).

Know that your Perfect Father knows that you cannot be perfect by mere effort. Therefore, your Father sent the Spirit of His son, Jesus, into your heart…so He can be perfect in you, through you, and for you.

“IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

The Lord Jesus has not only become your redemption, but also your holiness.

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

I bless you to surrender your own heart of animosity to Jesus, and allow Him to love your enemies through you: to bless them who curse you…to do good to those who hate you…to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

I bless you!

November 3 Call to Me When You Are Confused

Sometimes life gets very confusing to me. I know something is wrong, but I do not even know where to begin to find the problem, let alone the solution. I know I am feeling sad, or mad, or bad, but I do not know which one it is. I am willing to take responsibility for my thoughts and surrender my own understanding to God, but I do not know what those thoughts are. It seems as if there are several perturbing perceptions mulling around in my mind at the same time, but I cannot tell them apart.

“CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND TELL YOU GREAT AND UNSEARCHABLE THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW” (Jeremiah 33:3).

When things become so confusing to me that I cannot even find the problem, I call out to God to help me. I invite His Presence and Participation into the deepest places of my heart and mind to detect and discern the unsearchable things I do not know: the emotions that are unclear…the thoughts of my mind that are impenetrable…the beliefs of my heart that are concealed.

“ONLY IN RETURNING TO ME AND RESTING IN ME WILL YOU BE SAVED. IN QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE IS YOUR STRENGTH” (Isaiah 30:15 NLT).

When your life becomes very complicated and entangled…when your mind seems to be an insolvable puzzle…when your heart turns into a mystery, return to your Perfect Father. Only in resting in Him will you be saved from your confusion. Know that during a time of perplexity, your strength is in quietness and confidence. Let Him show you the unsearchable things you do not know.

“SURELY YOU DESIRE TRUTH IN THE INNER PARTS; YOU TEACH ME WISDOM IN THE INMOST PLACE” (Psalm 51:6).

And your Perfect Father will bring you Truth in the inner parts of your mind and Wisdom in the inmost places of your heart.

“FOR GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION BUT OF PEACE”
(1 Corinthians 14:33).

I bless you!
 
November 4 Three Things You Need to Be Truly Happy

“THEY SAY A PERSON NEEDS THREE THINGS TO BE TRULY HAPPY IN THIS WORLD:
SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO,
AND SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR”
(Thomas Edward Bodett).

I have found this to be true in my life:
I need three things to experience true joy in this world:
to love God,
to do the good works God has prepared for me to do,
and to have the hope of possessing a heart that is good, acceptable, and worthy.

I bless you to believe that you were created with the desire to love God; however, you need to understand how to love God. Loving God is not just a feeling. Loving God is not just a onetime decision. Loving God is a moment-by-moment interchange of surrendering and receiving—surrendering everything you are, to God, to receive everything God is, to you.

I bless you to believe that you were created to do the good works God has prepared for you. These works accommodate your personality, skills, and gifts. They allow you to be you! When you do the good works that God has prepared for you since the beginning of time, you experience God’s Peace, God’s Power, and God’s Joy!

I bless you to believe that you were created with the desire to have a good heart. People always ask, “Have you given your heart to Jesus?” But I would like to ask, “Have you asked Jesus to give His heart to you?” When you receive the heart of Jesus, you do not have to strive to make your own heart good, to make yourself acceptable, and to prove that you are worthy. HIS HEART IS GOOD. You just need to come and draw what you need out of the wells of salvation that is available to you through Jesus Christ.

“THEREFORE WITH JOY SHALL YE DRAW WATER OUT OF THE WELLS OF SALVATION” (Isaiah 12:3).

I bless you!

November 5 Believe…And You Will Have Life

Are you afraid of death?

“FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF” (John 5:26).

Celebrate that the Perfect Father has Life in Himself…so He granted His Son, Jesus, to have Life in Himself, too…and that Life is available to you, as well.

“BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME”
(John 20:31).

I bless you to BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by BELIEVING you may have Life in His name.

“THE WORDS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE” (John 6:63).
Know that Life comes from God. Jesus, the Bread of Life, has received Life from the Father, and wants to give that Life to you. Come to Him and receive His words. Listen to what He wants to tell you. Invite His Presence and Participation into the death that is surrounding your heart, soul, and spirit.

And He will give you Life…Life that will last forever.

“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE” (John 6:48).

I bless you!

 
November 6 Receive through the Righteousness of Jesus

“PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF COMPASSION AND THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES, SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT THOSE IN ANY TROUBLE WITH THE COMFORT WE OURSELVES HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

I sometimes listen to arguments people have with atheists to convince them that God really exists. They talk about evolution, how old the world is, and if Noah’s ark really existed. They try to prove scientifically whether there is a God or not. Then I think to myself, “Mr. Atheist, if only I could tell you about the Comfort I have received from God during a time when there was only sorrow. If only I could tell you about the Hope now living in me where before there was only brokenness and despair. If only I could tell you about the Righteousness of Jesus that has turned my hatred and jealousy into Love.”

Do you have something you have received from God that is worth sharing with someone else? Have you received Hope for your despair? Have you received Comfort for your sadness? Have you received Love for your animosity? Have your sinful behavior patterns been exchanged for the Righteousness of Jesus?

I hope you could answer positively to all my questions. If not, then you have not grasped that the Perfect Father loves you so much that He sent His son, Jesus, into the world, SO THAT YOU MIGHT RECEIVE FROM HIM!

“SIMON PETER, A SERVANT AND APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, ‘TO THOSE WHO THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF OUR GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST HAVE RECEIVED A FAITH AS PRECIOUS AS OURS’” (2 Peter 1:1).

Simon Peter received Faith through the Righteousness of Jesus. I have received Love, Truth, and Hope through the Righteousness of Jesus. What have you received through the Righteousness of Jesus, so that you may share with others what you have received from God?

I bless you!
 
November 7 Misunderstandings

I had a conversation with my husband, the other day, during which I was a bit emotional. I was not mad or sad or bad. My emotions just got carried away in my eagerness to make my point. My husband took my emotional eagerness as an attack on him. That hurt me. I felt misunderstood and being accused of being a bad person. I felt condemned.

However, my husband and I have learned to recognize the father-of-lies and his ways during our conversations—that he kills, steals, and destroys.

“THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL” (John 10:10).

Be on the alert during your conversations. Your adversary is prowling around, looking for an opening during your conversations to kill your love, steal your joy, and destroy your relationships. He would love to use your mind as a means to hate someone…to deceive someone…to attack someone.

“THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH, BUT THE MIND CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE” (Romans 8:6).

Know that you cannot trust your own mind, because you are not the only one using it. The father-of-lies has access to your mind, to fill it with his own conclusions whenever he gets a chance…especially during conversations. Remember, his weapon is deception: the principle of luring you into beliefs that are not true. Most often, your FACTS during a conversation are correct…but, your INTERPRETATIONS are not.

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT” (Proverbs 3:5).

I bless you to yield your INTERPRETATIONS during conversations to God’s Truth. By doing this, you have stopped leaning on your own understanding. By doing this, you have invited God into your conversations. By doing this, you have offered your mind to God to love through you…to comfort through you…to live through you. And the mind controlled by the Spirit…is Peace.

I bless you!
 
November 8 You Share the Divine Nature of God

“THROUGH THESE HE HAS GIVEN US HIS VERY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, SO THAT THROUGH THEM YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVINE NATURE AND ESCAPE THE CORRUPTION IN THE WORLD CAUSED BY EVIL DESIRES” (2 Peter 1:4).

Did you realize that God wants you to participate in His Divine Nature?

My life changed when I realized that the Divine Nature of God is at work in me whenever I yield my Self-nature to His Power and Control. I realized that I cannot change my Self-nature into someone good, but God’s Divine Nature can…through His Divine Power.

Although I cannot disarm the condemnation burrowed in my heart, God can through His Divine Power, when I submit the accusatory beliefs that support the condemnation, to Him. Although I cannot disband the abandonment stuck in my heart, God can with His Divine Love, when I surrender the oppressing beliefs that support the abandonment, to Him. Although I cannot discard the shame lodged in my heart, God can with His Divine Hope, when I relinquish the belittling beliefs that support the shame, to Him.

“FOR THOUGH WE LIVE IN THE WORLD, WE DO NOT WAGE WAR AS THE WORLD DOES. THE WEAPONS WE FIGHT WITH ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY HAVE DIVINE POWER TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS”
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

I bless you to know that you can escape the corruption of your sinful Self-nature, by allowing God to participate in your life with His Divine Nature. Realize that the weapons God uses are not the world’s sinful defense weapons of running, hiding, and blaming, but weapons of Divine Power that can demolish strongholds in your heart.

“HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS THROUGH OUR KNOWLEDGE OF HIM WHO CALLED US BY HIS OWN GLORY AND GOODNESS” (2 Peter 1:3).

I bless you!
 
November 9 Make the Most of Every Opportunity

“BE VERY CAREFUL, THEN, HOW YOU LIVE—NOT AS UNWISE BUT AS WISE, MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL”
(Ephesians 5:15-16).

I bless you to be very careful how you live. Make the most of every opportunity…every task…every incident.

“THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THAT NATURE DESIRES; BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THE SPIRIT DESIRES” (Romans 8:5).

Understand that it is during all the ordinary little conversations and daily tasks that you have the chance to make the most of every opportunity: that you have the opportunity to either set your mind on what your Self-nature desires…or on what the Spirit desires.

“MAN IS NOT FULLY CONDITIONED AND DETERMINED BUT RATHER DETERMINES HIMSELF WHETHER HE GIVES IN TO CONDITIONS OR STAND UP TO THEM.”
(Victor E. Frankl)

Grasp that to “live in accordance with the Spirit” is a moment-by-moment opportunity. Understand that to “live in accordance with the Spirit” does not only apply to the big incidences of crises and chaos, but to the little daily happenings: the simple assignments…the basic chores…the ordinary errands.

“FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER!” (Romans 11:36).

I bless you to live FROM God, THROUGH God, and TO God during your daily errands…when the disappointment, confusion, and frustration strike, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

“BECAUSE THOSE WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD”
(Romans 8:14).

I bless you!
 
November 10 Your Will Be Done!

“YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 6:10).

I have come to the place in my heart where I often have nothing to pray about other than asking God for His Will to be done in my life.

It was not always like that. I used to pray for my own will to be done…for my own desires to be fulfilled…for my own plans to succeed. But I have changed. My desires have changed. Someone asked me the other day to make a list of my desires and lay them before God. I looked forward to doing that, but as I got ready to write them down, my desires were not very clear to me. What used to be such an intense desire before was not a desire at all anymore. It seemed that all my desires became quiet in my heart and all I really wanted was for GOD’S WILL TO BE DONE IN MY LIFE.

“‘FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU,’ DECLARES THE LORD, ‘PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

I remember years ago when I used to be afraid of God’s Will. I used to view God as someone who wants to hurt me…who wants to take away from me…who wants to punish me. I used to think that His Will was something bad…something ill fated…something threatening. As I started trusting God with more and more of my life, I TASTED THAT HIS WILL WAS GOOD. The more I tasted, the more I trusted Him, and the more I trusted Him, the more I tasted of His Goodness.

“TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD; BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO TAKES REFUGE IN HIM” (Psalm 34:8).

I bless you to taste so much of God’s Goodness in your own life that you, too will come to the place where you trust God with all your heart. Then the desires in your heart will become silent and all you will ask is, “GOD, MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE IN MY LIFE.”

I bless you!
 
November 11 Deny Yourself and Take up Your Cross

Realize that there is an OLD MAN living his life inside you: an agglomeration of negative, destructive beliefs instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. These beliefs carry a painful negative message of failure, defilement, and unworthiness, which cause deceitful desires that lead to sin.

“THAT YE PUT OFF…THE OLD MAN, WHICH IS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO THE DECEITFUL LUSTS; AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND; AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

I bless you to understand that you have a choice: to live according to the negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs…or to turn the OLD MAN over to the Lord Jesus in exchange for the NEW MAN, who is created in Righteousness and true Holiness.

“AND HE SAID TO THEM ALL, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME” (Luke 9:23).

Therefore, stop hiding from your negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs by wearing a mask, pretending that you are not who you are. Quit running from your painful OLD MAN beliefs, trying to fix yourself by striving to be popular and holy. Stop blaming your accusatory OLD MAN beliefs on your father, your mother, your husband, your brother, or your friend.

Instead, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Embrace. Expose. Exchange. Take up the cross of your negative, destructive OLD MAN beliefs, asking the Lord Jesus to exchange it for the NEW MAN. Do this daily, whenever these accusatory beliefs are triggered in your life. And you will be renewed in the spirit of your mind according to the NEW MAN, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness.

“WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” (Philippians 2:12).

I CHANGE, HE CHANGES NOT;
THE CHRIST CAN NEVER DIE:
HIS TRUTH, NOT MINE, THE RESTING PLACE;
HIS LOVE, NOT MINE, THE TIE.
(Hudson Taylor)

I bless you!
 
November 12 Your Heart Matters to God

“KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE; FOR OUT OF IT ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE” (Proverbs 4:23).

Realize that your heart is a fountainhead—the point of origin from which God wants to flow His Living Water. If your heart is dead and clogged with the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies, God’s Living Water cannot stream forth from your heart.

“THEN JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES A PARABLE TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP. HE SAID: ‘IN A CERTAIN TOWN THERE WAS A JUDGE WHO NEITHER FEARED GOD NOR CARED ABOUT MEN. AND THERE WAS A WIDOW IN THAT TOWN WHO KEPT COMING TO HIM WITH THE PLEA, ‘GRANT ME JUSTICE AGAINST MY ADVERSARY’” (Luke 18:1-3).

Know your adversary. It is not your mother. It is not your father. It is not your brother or your sister. It is not your neighbor. It is not your friend. It is the father-of-lies…the evil one…Satan. HE HAS COME TO KILL YOUR LOVE, STEAL YOUR JOY, and DESTROY YOUR HEART! I bless you to keep coming to your Father with the plea, “Everlasting Father, Grant me justice against my adversary, the father-of-lies. Grant me a new heart…a new fountainhead…a new beginning.”

“FOR SOME TIME HE REFUSED. BUT FINALLY HE SAID TO HIMSELF, ‘EVEN THOUGH I DON’T FEAR GOD OR CARE ABOUT MEN, YET BECAUSE THIS WIDOW KEEPS BOTHERING ME, I WILL SEE THAT SHE GETS JUSTICE, SO THAT SHE WON’T EVENTUALLY WEAR ME OUT WITH HER COMING!’”(Luke 18:4-5).

I bless you to know that God is not like the unjust judge, who delayed in helping the widow. Your Father in Heaven is PERFECT. He brings justice to all His chosen ones, who cry out to Him from everywhere. He will not put you off, but see that you get justice, and quickly. He will grant you a new heart…a new fountainhead…a new beginning, so that His Living Water can stream forth from your heart.

“AND THE LORD SAID, ‘LISTEN TO WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAYS. AND WILL NOT GOD BRING ABOUT JUSTICE FOR HIS CHOSEN ONES, WHO CRY OUT TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT? WILL HE KEEP PUTTING THEM OFF? I TELL YOU, HE WILL SEE THAT THEY GET JUSTICE, AND QUICKLY’” (Luke 18:6-8).

I bless you!
 
November 13 Your Father’s Unlimited Resources

“WHEN I THINK OF ALL THIS, I FALL TO MY KNEES AND PRAY TO THE FATHER, THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. I PRAY THAT FROM HIS GLORIOUS, UNLIMITED RESOURCES HE WILL EMPOWER YOU WITH INNER STRENGTH THROUGH HIS SPIRIT” (Ephesians 3:14-16 NLT).

Did you know that your Perfect Father, the Creator of everything in Heaven and on earth, has unlimited Resources from which He is able to supply what you need? Maybe you have been thinking that there is no answer for your problem. Maybe you believe that there is no solution for your unacceptable character. Maybe you regard your sinful habits and patterns as being greater and stronger than God’s Power and Grace.

I bless you to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in your inner being. Great is Your Father, and of great Power. His Understanding is infinite. His glorious Recourses are unlimited. His Grace is sufficient.

“GREAT IS OUR LORD, AND OF GREAT POWER: HIS UNDERSTANDING IS INFINITE” (Psalm 147:5).

Do you need hope? He has inexhaustible Hope to give you if you are willing. Do you need comfort? He has immeasurable Comfort that can be yours if you would only ask. Do you need wisdom? He has unceasing Wisdom to give you whenever you ask for it. Do you not know what you need? He, as your Creator, knows what you need even before you ask.

“AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD YOU; THAT YE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY ABOUND TO EVERY GOOD WORK”
(2 Corinthians 9:8).

I bless you to know that regardless of your need, shortcoming, or defect, God is able to make all Grace abound toward you, so that you may have sufficiency in all things, and abound in every good work.

I bless you!
 
November 14 Father, Protect Them from the Evil One

“MY PRAYER IS NOT THAT YOU TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD BUT THAT YOU PROTECT THEM FROM THE EVIL ONE” (John 17:15).

The Lord Jesus knew that your problem would not be with the world, but with the evil one. Therefore, Jesus asked His Father to protect you from the evil one.

The Lord Jesus knew that your problem would not be with your circumstances…but with the evil one. Your circumstances might be hard, but the evil one would deem them impossible, unsolvable, and unchangeable. Therefore, Jesus asked His Father to protect you from the evil one.

The Lord Jesus knew that your problem would not be with what people tell you…but with what the evil one tells you. What people tell you might hurt, but what the evil one tells you will tear your heart apart: “Your mistakes are too numerous. Your character is too flawed. Your defect is non-redeemable.” Therefore, Jesus asked His Father to protect you from the evil one.

“IF YOU MAKE THE LORD YOUR REFUGE,
IF YOU MAKE THE MOST HIGH YOUR SHELTER,
NO EVIL WILL CONQUER YOU”
(Psalm 91:9-10).

I bless you to make the Lord Jesus your refuge against the evil one. Invite His Presence and Participation into the oppressing belief that you are not good enough…and you will trample the dragon. Ask Him for Truth for the accusatory belief that your character is fatally flawed…and you shall tread upon the lion and the adder. Lay the dark belief that you are not likable, at His feet…and He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler. If you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you, for because He Himself suffered when He was tempted by the evil one, He is able to help those who are being tempted by the evil one.

“BECAUSE HE HIMSELF SUFFERED WHEN HE WAS TEMPTED, HE IS ABLE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE BEING TEMPTED” (Hebrews 2:18).

I bless you!
 
November 15 Follow…Do Not Pass!

“BUT THE PLANS OF THE LORD STAND FIRM FOREVER, THE PURPOSES OF HIS HEART THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS” (Psalm 33:11).

I was driving on a highway in Nova Scotia, Canada, when I came upon some road works. I had to wait behind a man standing next to the road with a stop sign in his hand, for about five minutes. Then, a pickup truck arrived with a sign on its roof that read, “FOLLOW, DO NOT PASS!” I had to follow this truck on the wrong side of the road, passing many road workers and their machines. As I followed, I thought of how God often tells me the same thing: “FOLLOW…DO NOT PASS!”

How often I want to run ahead of God, because I think He is too slow. How often I want to take my plans into my own hands, forgetting that it is the plans of the Lord that stand firm forever.

“MANY ARE THE PLANS IN A PERSON’S HEART, BUT IT IS THE LORD’S PURPOSE THAT PREVAILS” (Proverbs 19:21).

Let God initiate and establish your plans. FOLLOW…DO NOT PASS! Be encouraged that God’s plans always come with moment-by-moment instructions, and His Purpose prevails forever…through all generations.

“THE LORD KNOWS ALL HUMAN PLANS; HE KNOWS THAT THEY ARE FUTILE”
(Psalm 94:11).

Allow God to blaze the trail for you, instead of trying to kick the doors open by yourself. Be comforted that He prepares the way before He calls you to go on it.

I bless you to permit God to lay the foundation for your plans, instead of laying your own stones on your own footing. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will bring your plans into His Purpose. What God does lasts forever. The Purposes of His heart stand firm forever…through all generations.

“COMMIT TO THE LORD WHATEVER YOU DO, AND HE WILL ESTABLISH YOUR PLANS”
(Proverbs 16:3).

I bless you!

November 16 Representatives of the Lord Jesus

“AND WHATEVER YOU DO OR SAY, DO IT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS THROUGH HIM TO GOD THE FATHER” (Colossians 3:17).

For a long time, I thought that to be a representative of the Lord Jesus was to do my best trying to be like Jesus: copying Jesus…duplicating Jesus…mimicking Jesus. But, it did not work for me. I discovered that the only way I could be like Jesus was to be ME, presenting my Self to Him to be His Self in me. That meant offering Him my own sinful nature, because He offered me His own holy nature…to live in my heart.

“THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THAT NATURE DESIRES” (Romans 8:5).

Understand that if you are still living according to your own accusatory understanding and thoughts, you cannot be a good representative of the Lord Jesus, no matter how much you are copying Him. If you are still being controlled by the father-of-lies’ negative beliefs in your mind, you will not be a good spokesperson for Jesus, regardless of how much you are mimicking Him. If you still have your mind set on dealing with your heartache with sinful defense patterns of distraction and destruction, you will not be a good mouthpiece for Jesus, no matter how much you are duplicating Him.

“BUT THOSE WHO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON WHAT THE SPIRIT DESIRES” (Romans 8:5).

I bless you to offer YOUR SELF to the Lord Jesus, and He will take what you offer Him, and establish HIS SELF in your heart—becoming a representative of HIMSELF.

And when your family sees you, they will not see your own self-seeking nature, but the Kindness of Jesus. When your friends observe you, they will not see your own perturbing perceptions, but the Patience of Jesus. When your enemies meet you, they will not see your sinful defense patterns, but the Forgiveness of Jesus.

I bless you!
 
November 17 Your Part and God’s Part

“IF THE SON MAKES YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED” (John 8:36).

I bless you to believe that it is the Lord Jesus, God’s son, who sets you free. However, it is YOUR responsibility to come to Him to be set free.

“WE DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS AND EVERY PRETENSION THAT SETS ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Be encouraged that Jesus came to set you free from the father-of-lies’ arguments that are set up against God, and the arguments that are set up to keep you under the father-of-lies’ power. However, it is YOUR responsibility to demolish these arguments that are set up against God by bringing these arguments to Jesus—the Truth, the Way, and the Life.

Capture that the Perfect Father sent Jesus to free you from negative, degrading, and oppressing thoughts, but it is YOUR responsibility to catch these thoughts and lay them before Jesus in obedience.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” (Romans 6:6).

Know that your OLD MAN, the cluster of lies instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies, was crucified with Jesus. However, it is YOUR responsibility as a human to surrender your OLD MAN to Jesus in faith, so that this body of sin might be destroyed.

“[GOD] CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH [SUBDUED, OVERCAME, DEPRIVED IT OF ITS POWER OVER ALL WHO ACCEPT THAT SACRIFICE] (Romans 8:3).

Acknowledge that Jesus deprived sin of its power over you. However, it is YOUR responsibility to stop running and hiding from the pain that the father-of-lies’ lies cause in your life, but instead, to bring your sinful defense habits to the Lord Jesus…to receive His gift of freedom.

I bless you!
 
November 18 Your Struggle is not against Flesh and Blood

“AND HE SAID, ‘WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED? HAVE YOU EATEN FROM THE TREE THAT I COMMANDED YOU NOT TO EAT FROM?’” (Genesis 3:11).

Who told you that you were not good enough…that you were unacceptable…that you were unlovable? Have you leaned on your own understanding?

“THE MAN SAID, ‘THE WOMAN YOU PUT HERE WITH ME—SHE GAVE ME SOME FRUIT FROM THE TREE, AND I ATE IT’” (Genesis 3:12).

“The husband you put here with me…it is his fault that I am not happy.”
“The parents you put here with me…it is their fault that I turned out this way.”
“The coworker you put here with me…it is her fault that I am always in a bad mood.”

“FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES, AGAINST THE POWERS OF THIS DARK WORLD AND AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS” (Ephesians 6:12).

Know that your struggle is not against the people in your life, but against the spiritual forces of evil, whose weapon against you is deception—the principle of luring you into believing something that is not true about yourself, others, and God.

Understand that blaming others will not get rid of the deception. There is only ONE solution: to stop leaning on your own understanding about yourself, others, and God. Expose your own perturbing perceptions to the Light, and He will turn them into TRUTH.

“SEND FORTH YOUR LIGHT AND YOUR TRUTH, LET THEM GUIDE ME; LET THEM BRING ME TO YOUR HOLY MOUNTAIN, TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU DWELL”
(Psalm 43:3).

I bless you!
 
November 19 I Was Afraid…so I Hid

“HE ANSWERED, ‘I HEARD YOU IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; SO I HID’” (Genesis 3:10).

“So I hid!”

Have you been hiding from God because you feel that you are naked…not good enough…not desirable? Do you feel that you do not please God…so you hide from Him? Do you feel that you have disappointed God…therefore you hide from Him?

“AND HE SAID, ‘WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED?’” (Genesis 3:11).

Who told you that you were naked? Who told you that you have disappointed God and that He has no desire for you anymore? Who told you that you have no favor with God?

“THE WOMAN SAID, ‘THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE’” (Genesis 3:13).

Did the serpent deceive you…and you ate? Did you know that the serpent came to kill, steal, and destroy? Did you know that his name is the father-of-lies? Did you know deception means to entice you to believe something that is not true?

“YOU BELONG TO YOUR FATHER, THE DEVIL, AND YOU WANT TO CARRY OUT YOUR FATHER’S DESIRES. HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

I bless you to notice that the father-of-lies is a murderer—not holding to the Truth. When he lies, he speaks his native language.

Therefore, I ask you again, “Why are you hiding? Who told you that you were naked? Are you carrying out the father-of-lies’ desires?”

I bless you!
 
November 20 Clothe Yourself with the Lord Jesus

“BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

At first, after I had become reconciled to God, I believed that God was done doing things for me, and my time had come to do things for God, and after I had done things for God, to do more things for God. I thought the Christian life was all about WHAT I DO FOR GOD.

But God showed me that the Christian life was all about WHAT THE LORD JESUS DOES FOR ME, and then what He does THROUGH me. After I was reconciled to God, I was an empty jar of clay that had to be filled up with accomplishments that THE LORD JESUS HAD TO DO FOR ME AND THROUGH ME.

I started inviting Him into everything in my life, and asked Him to do for me that which I could not do for myself. I could not make myself feel loved or lovable. JESUS HAD TO DO THIS FOR ME. I could not fix my teenagers’ pain. JESUS HAD TO DO THAT FOR ME. I could not make myself feel safe, protected, and covered, especially in the presence of intimidating and manipulating people. JESUS HAD TO DO THIS FOR ME. The list was endless. Therefore, I STOPPED DOING FOR GOD, AND LET GOD DO FOR ME.

There was just one problem. This would never stop. I realized that I always needed something from God, every day, moment-by-moment. My jar would never fill up. I was dependent on God. Then, I understood. This is how God wanted it. I was not a closed jar of clay. I was an open jar. God’s Love, Hope, and Truth were supposed to constantly flow into my jar…and then spill out to those around me.

It is never about us doing for God. It is always about God doing for us, and allowing that, which He does for us, to flow out of us to those around us. It is all about the Treasure—JESUS CHRIST—who lives in us—THE JARS OF CLAY—to show that this all-surpassing Power is from God…and not from us.

“RATHER, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Romans 13:14).

I bless you!
 
November 21 My Heart’s Identity

For a long time, after I had become a Christian, I searched for my heart’s identity. “Who am I? Who lives in my heart?” I was looking forward to finding my heart’s glory. When I finally found my heart, I found that IT WAS NOT ALONE. It did not exist as an independent entity. It did not possess a glory of its own. Rather, it was connected to God…and His Love…and His Righteousness…and His Wisdom…and His Power…and His Peace…and His Joy!

“I PRAY THAT OUT OF HIS GLORIOUS RICHES HE MAY STRENGTHEN YOU WITH POWER THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN YOUR INNER BEING, SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH” (Ephesians 3:16-17).

I bless you to understand that your heart was never meant to have a self-contained existence without God and to have an identity separate from God. YOUR HEART WAS CREATED FOR CHRIST: for Christ to dwell in your heart through faith…to become part of your identity.

“ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, EXCEPT IT ABIDE IN THE VINE; NO MORE CAN YE, EXCEPT YE ABIDE IN ME”
(John 15:4).

Take notice that a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except if it abides in the vine. In the same way, your heart cannot be complete, except if it is connected to the Lord Jesus.

“AND THE GLORY WHICH THOU GAVEST ME I HAVE GIVEN THEM; THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE: I IN THEM, AND THOU IN ME, THAT THEY MAY BE MADE PERFECT IN ONE” (John 17:22-23).

Observe that your heart was created to carry the Glory of Jesus. It was created to be united with God. It was created to be made perfect in unity “I in them, and Thou in me.”

“RATHER, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Romans 13:14).

Your heart does not exist by itself.

I bless you!
 
November 22 Come to Me to Abide in Me

“COME TO ME” (Matthew 11:28).

“ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU” (John 15:4).

Pay attention that the Lord Jesus did not say, “Come to Me to abide with Me,” but rather, “Come to Me to abide in Me.” Jesus called you to “Come to Me to stay in Me.”

Understand that there is a difference: To stay WITH Jesus means that you try very hard to keep up with Him…to be like Him…to follow a set of rules. It is about fixing your mind, heart, and circumstances…about changing yourself to become like Jesus…about mending the past, the present, and the future. It is all about what you ought to do.

However, to abide IN Jesus means to come into the Presence of the Lord Jesus and wait for Him to renew your mind and heal your heart. To abide IN Jesus means to continue placing your painful beliefs of being unacceptable, flawed, and defected at the feet of Jesus, while you sit at His feet. To abide IN Jesus means to endure without yielding…to bear patiently…to continue in His Presence. To abide is not about fixing…about mending…about doing. It is about waiting in expectation…about remaining in readiness…about being in His Presence. It is all about what you cannot do.

“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNED TO ACCLAIM YOU, WHO WALK IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR PRESENCE, LORD” (Psalm 89:15).

Understand that the Lord Jesus did not bring you a set of rules to follow. He brought you HIMSELF, so you may know the correct conclusion of why your dad ignored you…the right interpretation of why your friend rejected you…the true explanation of why you feel so unacceptable, unloved, and unworthy.

I bless you to come to the Lord Jesus and abide IN His Presence. Stop striving, fixing, and doing. Stop hiding, running, and blaming. Wait with expectation In His Presence, until He has renewed your mind and healed your heart with His Self.

I bless you!
 
November 23 The Shame of Being Me

“IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER’S COMMANDMENTS AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE”
(John 15:10).

I bless you to understand that the Lord Jesus is not trying to convey a message of condemnation when He asks, “Keep my commandments to abide in My love.” He is not trying to bind you to a life of rules and regulations. He is not trying to convince you to lead a moral life. He is not telling you that if you do not keep His commandments and obey His Counsel that He would not love you anymore.

Instead, Jesus is fighting for your heart. He knows of the shame that lives in your heart because of the OLD MAN—the cluster of negative, degrading beliefs instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. Jesus knows that you are afraid to be YOU, because of the shame that lives in your heart. Jesus knows that the father-of-lies has told you that YOU ARE BAD! And that is why Jesus said, “IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER’S COMMANDMENTS AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.”

If you stop leaning on the father-of-lies’ counsel of who you are, but bring the shame of being YOU, to the Lord Jesus, you are keeping His commandments, and are abiding in His Love, just as He has kept His Father’s commandments and abided in His Love. And He will make known to you the paths of life, and fill you with Joy in His Presence! He will restore your heart and make your paths straight. He will grant you unending blessings and make you glad with the Joy of His Presence. He will keep you safe from the accusatory tongue of the father-of-lies.

“YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE PATHS OF LIFE; YOU WILL FILL ME WITH JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE” (Acts 2:28).

I bless you!
 
November 24 Activities Made Perfect in the Flesh

“AND WHATEVER YOU DO [NO MATTER WHAT IT IS] IN WORD OR DEED, DO EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND IN [DEPENDENCE UPON] HIS PERSON, GIVING PRAISE TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM” (Colossians 3:17 AMP).

I bless you to honor and give praise to God the Father by making sure that everything you do in your life, no matter what it is, is in dependence upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ: His Truth…His Love…His Righteousness.

“ARE YE SO FOOLISH? HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT, ARE YE NOW MADE PERFECT BY THE FLESH?” (Galatians 3:3).

Know that there are activities, which from the outside seem to honor God the Father, because they seem to be done in dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ. They are good activities like preaching, teaching, singing in the choir, and outreach to the lost…the orphaned…the poor, but they are not done in dependence upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are “MADE PERFECT BY THE FLESH.” They are activities done by striving, motivated by perturbing perceptions, to honor your Self…not God, the Father.

Believe that the Father is not impressed or honored by activities “made perfect by the flesh,” no matter how perfect they seem to you. Capture that God only values the deeds and words that are done and spoken in dependence upon the Person of the Lord Jesus.

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to discern between activities done to honor God the Father…and activities done to honor your Self, activities done in dependence upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ…and activities made perfect in the flesh.

“MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN THY NAME? AND IN THY NAME HAVE CAST OUT DEVILS? AND IN THY NAME DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? AND THEN WILL I PROFESS UNTO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY” (Matthew 7:22-23).

I bless you!
 
November 25 Repent and Receive a New Heart

“THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND BEYOND CURE. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Know that deep inside, the cores of our hearts have been filled with deceit from our enemy, the father-of-lies, who, at first, instilled in our hearts beliefs that we are unworthy, unacceptable, and unrighteous. Therefore, we try to hide what is in our hearts, by polishing it on the outside to hide the brokenness that is on the inside. And by doing this, we BECOME unworthy, unacceptable, and unrighteous. Thus the father-of-lies has achieved his goal—sin. Then, slowly but surely, each of our hearts turns to stone as it grapples with the unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance from the father-of-lies…a vicious circle without cure.

“A NEW HEART ALSO WILL I GIVE YOU, AND A NEW SPIRIT WILL I PUT WITHIN YOU: AND I WILL TAKE AWAY THE STONY HEART OUT OF YOUR FLESH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN HEART OF FLESH” (Ezekiel 36:26).

I bless you to believe that the Perfect Father sent the Lord Jesus to give you a new heart, because your stony heart is without cure. The Lord Jesus came to exchange your heart for His own—a heart that is Worthy, Acceptable, and Righteous.

“I WILL JUDGE EACH OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN WAYS, DECLARES THE SOVEREIGN LORD. REPENT! TURN AWAY FROM ALL YOUR OFFENSES; THEN SIN WILL NOT BE YOUR DOWNFALL. RID YOURSELVES OF ALL THE OFFENSES YOU HAVE COMMITTED, AND GET A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT” (Ezekiel 18:30-31).

Know that God will judge each of us according to our own ways. If we hide what is in our hearts, by polishing it on the outside to hide what is on the inside, sin will be our downfall. If we hide the beliefs of unworthiness, non-acceptance, and unrighteousness we feel on the inside, we will become unworthy, unacceptable, and unrighteous on the outside. There is only one cure: to repent, and receive a new heart and a new Spirit—the heart and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

I bless you!
 
November 26 Approved by God

“AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).

Do you believe that God exists? Do you believe that God will reward you if you earnestly seek Him? If you don’t, you need to bring the reasons you do not believe, to God and lay them at his feet. You need to find the why’s and how’s of your own perturbing perceptions and submit them to God…before you can go on.

“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” (John 16:13).

Why do you think God will not reward you if you earnestly seek Him? What is the understanding of your own mind? Do you believe that you are unacceptable, not worthy of reward? Do you believe that you have blown it, because you have made too many mistakes? Do you believe that you are a disappointment, only worthy of punishment? Maybe you believe that God is bad…unacceptable… unworthy?

I bless you to ask the Spirit of Truth to lead your perturbing perceptions into all Truth.

“THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE”
(John 8:32).

And the Spirit of Truth will tell you the Truth…and the Truth will set you free.

“DO YOUR BEST TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD AS ONE APPROVED, A WORKER WHO DOES NOT NEED TO BE ASHAMED AND WHO CORRECTLY HANDLES THE WORD OF TRUTH” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Understand that it is important that you become someone who feels approved—someone who feels accepted by God. For when you feel approved by God, you will believe that He will reward you if you earnestly seek Him.

I bless you!
 
November 27 A Life-giving Spirit for Your Heart

“GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS” (Galatians 4:6).

God sent the Spirit of His Son into our HEARTS! Have you ever wondered why God chose our HEARTS for His Spirit?

It was only after I had received the life-giving Spirit of the Lord Jesus into my heart that my heart became ALIVE: that my heart became the heart God created it to be—filled with acceptance, love, and worth.

“THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING; THE LAST ADAM, A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

I discovered that my real heart is God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to be astute, acute, calculating, discerning, pressing, intense, and decisive. Understand that your real heart is God’s workmanship, created in the life-giving Spirit of Christ Jesus. Do you know your real heart?

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you to look for your real heart…and you will find Christ Jesus…and Christ Jesus will help you find your real heart, because it is only the life-giving Spirit of the Lord Jesus that can show you your real heart, created as God’s workmanship.

May the Lord Jesus become a life-giving Spirit to your heart. May the life-giving Spirit of God’s son show you who God created you to be. May the life-giving Spirit of God’s son show you your God-given personality…YOUR HEART…YOU, as you trust in Him to be helped. And you will find your purpose, too.

“THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD; MY HEART TRUSTED IN HIM, AND I AM HELPED: THEREFORE MY HEART GREATLY REJOICETH; AND WITH MY SONG WILL I PRAISE HIM” (Psalm 28:7).

I bless you!
 
November 28 Love and Respect

“HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT” (Ephesians 5:25).

I bless you, husband, to love your wife, even as Christ loved you and gave Himself for you. Christ did not come to condemn you, but to save you. In the same way, I urge you not to condemn your wife when she makes mistakes or does not live up to your expectations, but to lead her to Christ…to be saved.

“FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED” (John 3:17).

I bless you, husband, to nurture your wife when she feels alone and abandoned, guiding her to Christ, that He might sanctify her from the negative beliefs that are causing her abandonment and loneliness.

I bless you, husband, to cherish your wife when she feels ashamed, bringing her to Christ, that He might cleanse her from the beliefs that are causing her shame…and render her holy and without blemish.

“THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE IT WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD, THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT, OR WRINKLE, OR ANY SUCH THING; BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH” (Ephesians 5:26-27).

Wife, I bless you respect your husband by ALLOWING him to nourish you and cherish you…to guide you to Christ to be saved from feeling abandoned, condemned, and shamed. Know that your husband is not able to cleanse you and heal you from the OLD MAN—the set of lies instilled in you by the father-of-lies. Understand that your abandonment, condemnation, and shame were not created by your husband, but had been formed in you since childhood by the father-of-lies. Furthermore, know that your husband cannot supply all the Love, Acceptance, and Worthiness that your heart needs, BUT he can take you to the One who can.

“AND THE WIFE SEE THAT SHE REVERENCE HER HUSBAND” (Ephesians 5:33).

I bless you!
 
November 29 Strongholds

“FOR THOUGH WE LIVE IN THE WORLD, WE DO NOT WAGE WAR AS THE WORLD DOES. THE WEAPONS WE FIGHT WITH ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY HAVE DIVINE POWER TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS”
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

I have noticed that sometimes it is easy to surrender and submit a negative belief that was formed in my mind by the father-of-lies, to God. I find the belief. I surrender the belief. God brings Truth.

However, there are times when I struggle…a lot. I find a belief. I surrender a belief. There is no Truth. I surrender again…all the negative, degrading beliefs that pepper my mind and hurt my heart. Still no Truth. I submit again, taking every hurtful thought captive and laying it at the feet of Jesus…again and again…day after day…week after week. And then…TRUTH!

I have noticed that some negative beliefs that live in my mind are different than others. They are stronger…fortified…unyielding. THEY ARE STRONGHOLDS. They require more surrendering…more abiding…more perseverance. However, in the end, they are ALWAYS overcome…IF I persist…IF I do not give up surrendering them to God…IF I persevere.

“YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD, YOU WILL RECEIVE WHAT HE HAS PROMISED” (Hebrews 10:36).

I bless you to persevere when you have negative, destructive beliefs that have fused together to form a stronghold against you. Understand that the stronghold formed by the father-of-lies is a place of survival for the accusatory, degrading beliefs that dwell in them.

“WITH A BLINDING FLASH HE DESTROYS THE STRONGHOLD AND BRINGS THE FORTIFIED CITY TO RUIN” (Amos 5:9).

To persevere means to endure without yielding…to bear patiently…to remain fixed in a state…to continue in God’s Presence. To persevere is not about fixing…about mending…about doing. It is all about what you cannot do. Instead, it is all about what God will do for you, for the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

I bless you! 
November 30 Created IN Christ Jesus

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP” (Ephesians 2:10).

Fathom that YOU are the workmanship of the Perfect Father…the Most High…the I AM. He is the husbandman, and He created you to live in His Son, Christ Jesus.

“CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 2:10).

Capture that you have been created IN Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus encompasses you. He surrounds you. He covers you with His Life. He envelops you with His Love. He enfolds you with His Righteousness. Understand that you were never meant to live independently from Christ Jesus, for you were created IN Him: as part of Him…as a branch of Him…as a partaker of Him.

Notice that you are created IN Christ Jesus, and you cannot live abundantly outside of Him: beyond the enclosure of His Light…beyond the boundary of His Holiness…beyond the circle of His Presence.

“I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES: HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING”
(John 15:5).

Understand that if you step outside of your life IN Christ Jesus, you will step into the OLD MAN: the set of accusatory, belittling beliefs, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies. If you step outside of your life IN Christ Jesus, you will be stripped of His Provision of Wisdom…removed from His Covering of Hope…separated from His Protection of Truth. There you will wither and die.

“IF A MAN ABIDE NOT IN ME, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, AND IS WITHERED; AND MEN GATHER THEM, AND CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED”
(John 15:6).

I bless you to be created IN Christ Jesus.

I bless you!
 
December 1 It Is the Season of Glory

“FROM HIS ABUNDANCE WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED ONE GRACIOUS BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER” (John 1:16 NLT).

During this Christmas Season, I bless you to prepare differently for Christmas than you have in the past. The Everlasting Father is inviting you to fill the next month with reflections of PAST Glory from Him, and with anticipation of FUTURE Glory from Him.

I bless you to not fill yourself with dread of these days, or rehearsal of what has been, or worry of what might be. The Mighty God longs to invite you to a higher and deeper place…a new place…a place of Glory. Let Him show you who He wants to be for you during this season of His Glory.

“FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN, TO US A SON IS GIVEN, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON HIS SHOULDERS. AND HE WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE” (Isaiah 9:6).

For you a Child is born. To you a Son is given. Invite His Government to govern your heart, His Counsel to show you Joy in your sorrow, His Peace to reign in your anxiety. Expect His Love, Purpose, and Power when you feel alone and lonely during this season of His Glory. Let Him fill you with Hope when you feel despair pulling you down into the pit of darkness.

Anticipate His Presence when you buy gifts…when you spend time with your family…when you look at the beautiful Christmas decorations everywhere that celebrate His Glory. Invite the King of Kings to rule in the circumstances of your life during this season. Give Him your animosity…your anger…your disappointments. Ask the Holy Spirit to reign in your heart with His Truth in the midst of the season. Meditate on everything that is honorable, pure, and lovely.

Invite the Wonderful Counselor to make new memories for you this Christmas season, and to remove the pain of the old memories of years gone by. Start new traditions as you let His Light of Life shine in the darkness of your heart. Receive the blessings of Righteousness, Holiness, and Wisdom that the Perfect Father longs to give you through His precious Son, the Christ.

I bless you! 
December 2 The Mind of Human Nature

“NOW THE MIND OF THE FLESH [WHICH IS SENSE AND REASON WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT] IS DEATH [DEATH THAT COMPRISES ALL THE MISERIES ARISING FROM SIN, BOTH HERE AND HEREAFTER]. BUT THE MIND OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT IS LIFE AND [SOUL] PEACE [BOTH NOW AND FOREVER]” (Romans 8:6 AMP).

Capture that the mind of human nature is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit. Understand that the purpose of human nature is to live according to the OLD MAN—to obey the painful accusatory beliefs instilled in the mind by the father-of-lies. And if you live according to the dictates of these painful beliefs, you will surely die a death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin…BOTH HERE and HEREAFTER. You will become a slave to theses OLD MAN beliefs, and held in servitude to the father-of-lies.

“FOR ALL WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD” (Romans 8:14).

But the mind of the Holy Spirit is Life and Peace…BOTH NOW and FOREVER. If you allow the Holy Spirit to continually put to death the perturbing perceptions and destructive beliefs prompted by the OLD MAN in your human nature, you will be called a son of God…and you will experience true Righteousness.

“FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO [THE DICTATES OF] THE FLESH, YOU WILL SURELY DIE. BUT IF THROUGH THE POWER OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT YOU ARE [HABITUALLY] PUTTING TO DEATH (MAKING EXTINCT, DEADENING) THE [EVIL] DEEDS PROMPTED BY THE BODY, YOU SHALL [REALLY AND GENUINELY] LIVE FOREVER” (Romans 8:13 AMP).

This Christmas season, believe that you have a choice: to keep living according to the painful beliefs of the OLD MAN, who directs and controls the mind of human nature…or to start a new tradition, and live according to the reasoning of the Holy Spirit, who directs and controls the sons of God.

“DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT IF YOU CONTINUALLY SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO ANYONE TO DO HIS WILL, YOU ARE THE SLAVES OF HIM WHOM YOU OBEY, WHETHER THAT BE TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16 AMP).

I bless you! 
December 3 Alive in Christ Jesus

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs: ask yourself what makes you come alive. Then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.” Harold Whitman

Know with certainty that if you live according to the mind of human nature, you will be inundated with the OLD MAN, who controls and directs the human mind with DEADENING beliefs of “You are unworthy. You are unacceptable. You are a failure.” The mind of human nature is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit, but the mind of the Holy Spirit is Truth…Peace…LIFE.

“NOW THE MIND OF THE FLESH [WHICH IS SENSE AND REASON WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT] IS DEATH [DEATH THAT COMPRISES ALL THE MISERIES ARISING FROM SIN, BOTH HERE AND HEREAFTER]. BUT THE MIND OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT IS LIFE AND [SOUL] PEACE [BOTH NOW AND FOREVER]” (Romans 8:6 AMP).

If you live according to the dictates of the human mind, the lies of the father-of-lies will steal every drop of LIFE from you. Your heart will be DEADENED… paralyzed…desensitized. Your mind will be corrupted.

“FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO [THE DICTATES OF] THE FLESH, YOU WILL SURELY DIE. BUT IF THROUGH THE POWER OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT YOU ARE [HABITUALLY] PUTTING TO DEATH (MAKING EXTINCT, DEADENING) THE [EVIL] DEEDS PROMPTED BY THE BODY, YOU SHALL [REALLY AND GENUINELY] LIVE FOREVER” (Romans 8:13 AMP).

But, I have good news for you! The Lord God has given you a chance to come ALIVE, for IN CHRIST all shall be made alive. His Truth inspires. His Hope invigorates. His Power resurrects. If you stop living according to the dictates of the mind of human nature, and live according to the Truth of the Holy Spirit, YOUR HEART WILL BECOME ALIVE.

“FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE”
(1 Corinthians 15:22).

I bless you this Christmas season to ask yourself if you are ready to come alive. Will you allow the Spirit of the Lord Jesus to make alive that which has died in your heart? Then, live, because what your family and friends need this Christmas season is someone who has come alive by the Power of Christ Jesus.

I bless you!
 
December 4 Turn in Repentance

“IN FACT, THEIR MINDS WERE GROWN HARD AND CALLOUSED [THEY HAD BECOME DULL AND HAD LOST THE POWER OF UNDERSTANDING]; FOR UNTIL THIS PRESENT DAY, WHEN THE OLD TESTAMENT (THE OLD COVENANT) IS BEING READ, THAT SAME VEIL STILL LIES [ON THEIR HEARTS]” (2 Corinthians 3:14 AMP).

I bless you to understand that the mind of human nature has become dull and has lost the power of understanding—of knowing the Truth. Know that the understanding of human nature is defective…undependable…inaccurate, because a veil has been drawn over it by the father-of-lies.

How often have you wished to save yourself from feeling unworthy,
But you could not carry it out?
How often have you wished to rescue yourself from feeling abandoned,
But you could not perform it?
How often have you wished to free yourself from hopelessness,
But you could not succeed?

Know that you could not save yourself, because you could not see the Truth. You could not see the Hope, the Worthiness, and the Joy that is available through the Lord Jesus Christ. You could not see the Truth, because your mind had become calloused and dull, and had lost its understanding.

“THAT SAME VEIL STILL LIES [ON THEIR HEARTS] NOT BEING LIFTED [TO REVEAL] THAT IN CHRIST IT IS MADE VOID AND DONE AWAY. BUT WHENEVER A PERSON TURNS [IN REPENTANCE] TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS STRIPPED OFF AND TAKEN AWAY” (2 Corinthians 3:14, 16 AMP).

I bless you to see that whenever a person turns to the Lord Jesus, and surrenders his beliefs of abandonment, unworthiness, and hopelessness to Him, the veil of not understanding—of not knowing the Truth—is stripped off and taken away. During this moment, you will have a window through which you will see God’s Hope and Worth for you, and experience the Presence of God.

May you turn to Him often, because it is only then that you will have understanding…and know the Truth.

I bless you! 
December 5 Ephesians 2:10 for Christmas

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP…”

I bless you this Christmas season to know that YOU reflect the skill of the Perfect Father…the Most High…the I AM. He is the husbandman, and He created you to live IN His Son, Christ Jesus: in dependence of His Love…united with His Spirit… conditioned by His Truth…relying on His Purpose…subject to His Will.

“CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS…”

Capture that you are created to live IN Christ Jesus…to dwell IN Christ Jesus…to function IN Christ Jesus, so you could experience and share the Joy of His Righteousness, Hope, and Love. You have been created IN Christ Jesus, because living IN Christ Jesus sets you free from living in your own understanding of your circumstances: the perturbing perceptions that transpire naturally and sinfully in your everyday, moment-by-moment thoughts.

“UNTO GOOD WORKS…”

Realize that you are created unto good works. The father-of-lies would like you to believe that you are good for nothing…that you are a disgrace to your family… that you are a mistake. He would like you to believe that there is nothing that you can contribute to your family and friends during this Christmas season.

“WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED…”

But understand that your good works have been before ordained…prepared beforehand…planned in advance, and these good works are waiting for you IN Christ Jesus. You will see them when you take your eyes off the past, and what was, and what could have been…and place them on the Son, who has been given to you as a gift from the Perfect Father in Heaven.

“THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM” (Ephesians 2:10).

I bless you to live IN Christ Jesus during this Christmas season, and not in your own understanding of your circumstances, so you can be God’s workmanship to your family and friends.

I bless you! 
December 6 Start Where You Are

I bless you to know that the Father gave the Lord Jesus the ability (GLORY) to become ONE with Him, while Jesus was here on earth. And then the Lord Jesus passed that ability (GLORY) on to us: TO BECOME ONE WITH THE FATHER AND WITH HIM, while we are here on earth. Imagine that! The very same ONENESS that Jesus enjoyed with His Father has been made available to us. What a privilege! What a gift! What a glory!

“NEITHER PRAY I FOR THESE ALONE, BUT FOR THEM ALSO WHICH SHALL BELIEVE ON ME THROUGH THEIR WORD; THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US…AND THE GLORY WHICH THOU GAVEST ME I HAVE GIVEN THEM; THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE” (John 17:20-22).

I bless you this Christmas season to know that this ONENESS has already been given to you. It is a GIFT from God. All you need to do is to start inviting the Presence and Participation of God into your daily, moment-by-moment tasks, wherever you are, whatever you do.

Start where you are. Do not go and look for something BIG or different to do for God. Invite Him into the existing emotions and beliefs of your heart, and into your current daily situations and problems. Do you have a child? Invite God into your frustration, when he or she starts screaming in public, while you are doing your Christmas shopping. Do you have a husband? Invite God into the abandonment, when your husband ignores you. Do you have a co-worker? Invite God’s Presence and Participation into the shame, when your co-worker sees your mistakes. Do you have an enemy? Invite God into the rejection, when your enemy accuses you. You will find that this is no easy task. But this is ONENESS WITH GOD. Once He is part of every thought of your mind and feeling of your heart, He Himself will lead you to the next step, and bring you into the Purpose that He has for you.

“THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM” (1 John 4:9).

I bless you!
 
December 7 Servants of Righteousness

“THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM” (1 John 4:9).

I love the fact that I am God’s workmanship. I have discovered that I am a very different person when I allow CHRIST JESUS to live His Life in me than when I allow the OLD MAN—the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies—to live his life in me.

“WHO HATH SAVED US, AND CALLED US WITH AN HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, WHICH WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN” (2 Timothy 1:9).

I love the fact that God has called me with a holy calling to be the person whose inward nature functions WITHIN Christ Jesus…whose inner thoughts, character, and feelings are united with the thoughts, character, and feelings of Christ Jesus.

“AND HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, YOU HAVE BECOME THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (OF CONFORMITY TO THE DIVINE WILL IN THOUGHT, PURPOSE, AND ACTION)” (Romans 6:18 AMP).

I love the fact that the Perfect Father sent His Son, Jesus, to set me free from the OLD MAN, so that I can have new and different thoughts, a new and different purpose, and new and different actions through Him.

I am now a servant of Righteousness: in my thoughts…in my purpose…and in my actions. Every day, I actively decide not to think the thoughts the OLD MAN wants to think through me, but to allow the Lord Jesus to think His thoughts through me. My thoughts have become servants of Righteousness according to God’s holy calling. Moment-by-moment, I decide not to fulfill the OLD MAN’s purpose for me, but to allow the Lord Jesus to fulfill His purpose through me. My purpose has become a servant of Righteousness according to God’s holy calling. This Christmas season, I have decided not to do the actions the OLD MAN wants to do through me, but to allow the Lord Jesus to act through me. My actions have become servants of Righteousness according to God’s holy calling.

I bless you to become a servant of Righteousness in thought, purpose, and action.

I bless you! 
December 8 A Perfect Father for You

“EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, COMING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF THE HEAVENLY LIGHTS, WHO DOES NOT CHANGE LIKE SHIFTING SHADOWS” (James 1:17).

This Christmas season, I bless you to grasp that your everlasting Father is perfect. He is not like your earthly father, but is entirely without fault and defect—satisfying all requirements and corresponding to an ideal standard. He never makes mistakes. He is perfectly holy. He is steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity. He is perfectly patient. His heart is not influenced by the lies of the father-of-lies. He is perfectly good. He does not forget. He is firm in adherence to His promises. He is perfectly faithful. He does not change like shifting shadows. And He wants to be YOUR Father, this Christmas season.

“PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF COMPASSION AND THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES, SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT THOSE IN ANY TROUBLE WITH THE COMFORT WE OURSELVES HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

I bless you to invite the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to become YOUR Perfect Father, as well, during this season of celebration. Allow the Father of Compassion and the God of all Comfort to comfort your heart of the sadness that has been living there all these years, so that you can turn around and comfort those who live in sadness this season, with the same Comfort with which the Father has comforted you.

“YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU ASK HIM” (Matthew 6:8).

It is the season of gifts. Remember, the Father of the Heavenly Lights knows what you need, even before you ask Him, and every gift that comes from Him is good and perfect, too…for He is the Perfect Father.

“YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT” (Matthew 5:48).

I bless you!
 
December 9 The Gift of Eternal Life

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE”
(John 3:16).

For You a Child is born. To You a Son is given. I bless you, this Christmas season, to believe that God gave His one and only son, to YOU, too. You are not the exception…the excluded one…the one shut out. Know that even though your past is different than those of others, God loves you, too. Though your circumstances are out of the ordinary, He gave His son to you, too. Though you might be unconventional, this perfect Gift is for you, as well. God did not single you out to hate you…to punish you…to reject you. He wants you to believe.

“FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM” (John 3:17).

Capture that God did not send His son into the world to condemn you for who you are and for what you have done, but to save you from yourself…to rescue you from the evil one…to deliver you from evil. Recognize that God sent His son into the world, so that you would not perish under the beliefs that you are not good enough. He bought you Life…now and hereafter.

“IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH; THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING: THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE LIFE.”
(John 6:63).

Understand that if you only look at yourself and circumstances through your natural eyes during this Christmas season, you will only see what the father-of-lies wants to show you: despair…defeat…destruction. But if you allow the Spirit of Jesus to quicken your spirit, you will see what Jesus wants to show you: Hope…Life…a New Beginning. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn you…but to save you.

“GOD’S PERFECT WILL WAS FOR THE NATURAL TO BE CHANGED INTO THE SPIRITUAL THROUGH OBEDIENCE. SIN IS WHAT MADE IT NECESSARY FOR THE NATURAL TO BE SACRIFICED” (Oswald Chambers).

I bless you!
 
December 10 Fix Your Mind on God

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM”
(Ephesians 2:10).

There have been times in my life when I have felt extremely ashamed of myself. I WAS ASHAMED OF MY ACTIONS—for how I behaved when other people caused me pain. After analyzing the situation, I discovered that I felt ashamed of walking in the oppressing OLD MAN beliefs about myself: committing the deceitful deeds the father-of-lies suggested to me, in order to quiet my painful emotions…performing certain deeds in a certain way, because of other folk’s misdeeds. I did to others what was wrong because others did to me what was wrong.

“DO YOUR BEST TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD AS ONE APPROVED, A WORKER WHO DOES NOT NEED TO BE ASHAMED AND WHO CORRECTLY HANDLES THE WORD OF TRUTH” (2 Timothy 2:15).

How relieved I was when I discovered that God sent His son into my world to overcome the father-of-lies—to put off the deeds of the oppressing OLD MAN beliefs in me. He did this, so that I may present myself to God as one approved: someone who does to others what is right after others did to me what was wrong…someone who correctly handles the word of Truth…someone who overcomes evil with good.

“THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE” (Isaiah 26:3).

I bless you to overcome evil with good during this Christmas season. Allow the NEW MAN, the Lord Jesus, to tell you the Truth about yourself, especially when your family and friends do not believe in you. Do this, so that you do not have to be ashamed of your deeds, but present yourself to God as one approved—someone who walks in the good works, which God has before ordained for you. Know that He keeps those in perfect Peace, whose thoughts are fixed on Him.

“BE NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD” (Romans 12:21).

I bless you!
December 11 Forgive and Forget

Capture that forgiveness is not only an act performed by the MIND…but also by the HEART.

Understand that if you forgive from the mind, you make a deliberate decision to give up resentment and your claim to requital for the wrong deeds done against you, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT. Understand that many people will advise you to forgive only from the mind, since it does not involve your heart with its hurtful feelings. However, Jesus requires MORE! Jesus requires you to forgive FROM YOUR HEART!

“FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER FROM YOUR HEART” (Matthew 18:35).

I bless you to know that if you forgive from the mind, you will only be able to give up your resentment partially, because the other part will still be lodged in your heart. However, if you also involve your heart during the process of forgiveness, you have the opportunity to experience a miracle. If you invite Jesus into your heart to deal with the heartache caused by wrongful deeds committed against you, Jesus will heal your heart. In turn, you will not only be able to let go of your resentment, but you will also be able to FORGET the wrongs committed against you…because the pain will be gone.

“IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE” (Galatians 5:1).

Forgiveness from your heart requires your heart to be involved…to be engaged as a participant…to feel. To forgive from the heart, Jesus requires you to FEEL the effects of the wrongful deeds committed against you—the rejection…the betrayal…the abandonment…the shame—then, to submit your heart to Him to be healed from the PAIN.

Then, you will be able to FORGIVE and FORGET.

I bless you!
 
December 12 The Kingdom of Light

“IN WHOM THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HATH BLINDED THE MINDS OF THEM WHICH BELIEVE NOT, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE UNTO THEM” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The father-of-lies is keeping many things hidden from you: God’s Truth…God’s Righteousness…God’s Redemption. He hides everything God has to offer you, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine on you. It is the father-of-lies’ goal to keep you in darkness. Know that as long as you live from the sinful Self—the beliefs that live in your human mind—you will walk in darkness, because the natural mind cannot see.

“GIVING THANKS TO THE FATHER, WHO HAS QUALIFIED YOU TO SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS IN THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT. FOR HE HAS RESCUED US FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS AND BROUGHT US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON HE LOVES” (Colossians 1:12-13 NLT).

This Christmas season, I bless you to understand that the Perfect Father has qualified you to share in the Kingdom of Light, for He has rescued you from the power of darkness…to let the Light of His son shine in your heart.

“FOR GOD, WHO SAID, ‘LET THERE BE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS,’ HAS MADE THIS LIGHT SHINE IN OUR HEARTS” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

However, it is your responsibility to believe—to stop having fellowship with the darkness, but instead, to surrender the dark thoughts in your mind to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you do this, you will see what the father-of-lies does not want you to see: God’s Truth…God’s Righteousness…God’s Redemption. And you will give thanks to the Father, because in the Light of Jesus Christ, sin has no hold on you.

“BUT IF WE ARE LIVING IN THE LIGHT, AS GOD IS IN THE LIGHT…THE BLOOD OF JESUS, HIS SON, CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN” (1 John 1:7).

I bless you!
 
December 13 Your Father Rewards

“BUT WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR ROOM, CLOSE THE DOOR AND PRAY TO YOUR FATHER, WHO IS UNSEEN. THEN YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU. AND WHEN YOU PRAY, DO NOT KEEP ON BABBLING LIKE PAGANS, FOR THEY THINK THEY WILL BE HEARD BECAUSE OF THEIR MANY WORDS” (Matthew 6:6-7).

I bless you to know that you have a Perfect Father in Heaven. He always rewards you if you pray to Him. He will never fail you.

Therefore, come to your Perfect Father with confidence during this Christmas season. When you pray, do not just babble empty words as if your Father does not listen and does not hear. Instead, when you pray, know that every word you utter counts…that every thought you surrender matters…that every request you submit is heard. Your Perfect Father sees what is done in secret. His understanding is infinite.

“WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME UNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM”
(Hebrews 7:25).

Know with confidence that You may bring your hopelessness, anxiety, and fear to God during this season of Joy. He is able to save you to the uttermost from these feelings and their underlying beliefs, if you come to Him through His son, Jesus, who intercedes for you day and night.

I bless you to believe with your whole heart that your Heavenly Father listens and hears what you pray in secret…AND HE WILL REWARD YOU, BECAUSE HE IS PERFECT.

“YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT”
(Matthew 5:48).

I bless you!
 
December 14 Why Are You so Afraid?

“WITHOUT WARNING, A FURIOUS STORM CAME UP ON THE LAKE, SO THAT THE WAVES SWEPT OVER THE BOAT. BUT JESUS WAS SLEEPING. THE DISCIPLES WENT AND WOKE HIM, SAYING, ‘LORD, SAVE US! WE’RE GOING TO DROWN!’ HE REPLIED, ‘YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID?’ THEN HE GOT UP AND REBUKED THE WINDS AND THE WAVES, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY CALM” (Matthew 8:24-26).

What did Jesus do when His circumstances got rough? What did Jesus do when a situation changed unexpectedly? What did Jesus do when everybody else panicked?

“BUT JESUS WAS SLEEPING”

Why was Jesus sleeping during the storm?

Jesus was sleeping during the storm, because He knew His Father. He knew His Father would watch over Him and make sure that He was safe. He knew His Father would provide a way out of the storm. He knew He could trust His Father. He knew His Father, because He was ONE with His Father.

“THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US” (John 17:21).

“Why are you so afraid? Why are you so afraid when your circumstances get rough? Why are you so afraid when your situation changes?”

“YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID?”

What do YOU believe about your Perfect Father?

“TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES; YE PEOPLE, POUR OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE HIM: GOD IS A REFUGE FOR US” (Psalm 62:80).

May you become ONE with God, and believe!

I bless you!
 
December 15 Awaken to Righteousness

“WOE TO THE REBELLIOUS CHILDREN, SAITH THE LORD, THAT TAKE COUNSEL, BUT NOT OF ME; AND THAT COVER WITH A COVERING, BUT NOT OF MY SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY ADD SIN TO SIN” (Isaiah 30:1).

There have been times during past Christmas seasons when I have been extremely ashamed of myself. I felt ashamed of my actions: saying certain things I should not have said…doing certain things I should not have done. I said and did these things to ease the nagging voices in my heart that accused me of being unacceptable, unloved, and unimportant. I reacted to the OLD MAN, the set of destructive beliefs instilled in me by the father-of-lies. I covered my pain with a covering that was not of God’s Spirit. I sinned.

The OLD MAN beliefs in my mind accused me of being unacceptable, unloved, and unimportant…which led to unacceptable behavior to ease that pain…which led to being ashamed again for being a person who acted wrongfully. Only now I really had reason to feel ashamed, because I DID behave wrongfully. I ran in circles, chasing my own tail. My own misdeeds turned around and bit me in the heel.

“IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 John 1:9).

I bless you to believe that the Perfect Father sent you His son to forgive your sins. But He did MORE. He sent His son to reverse the cycle of sin, by awakening You to a new covering—His Righteousness.

“AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SIN NOT” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Therefore, I remind you this Christmas season of your obligation: to take your counsel from the Spirit of Truth, instead of from the father-of-lies. Next time you feel accused of being unworthy, unacceptable, or unimportant, surrender these OLD MAN beliefs to the Lord Jesus, instead of taking cover under a covering that is not from God. And you will not need to sin in order to still the pain of these accusatory beliefs. Instead, Jesus will cover and fill you with His own Righteousness.
I bless you!
 
December 16 I Have Come That You Might Have a Heart

“THE THIEF COMETH NOT, BUT FOR TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY…” (John 10:10).

I have noticed that there is a father-of-lies who has declared war against my heart. His goal is to take the property that belongs to another, and put it out of existence.

As a little girl, I adored my sister. Being six years younger than she was, I spent a lot of effort trying to be like her, even as a little girl. But, I remember one incident during my childhood, when I tried asking her a question. On that day, she chose not to answer me…deliberately. No matter how many times I asked the question, she had randomly decided not to answer me, or even acknowledge that I was talking to her.

It was a perfect set-up for the father-of-lies. He introduced a killer thought: “You were randomly chosen to be rejected by your sister, by others, and by God.” Then, he added, “There is NOTHING you can do to become part of God’s chosen ones, because you are an outsider, randomly excluded from God’s Kingdom of Light, Love, and Life.” I fell for this oppressing belief bait, hook, and sinker.

I held onto this belief for thirty years, until the Perfect Father called me to exchange my broken heart for a new one.

I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY” (John 10:10).

When I went back in memory to the place where my sister had ignored me, the Perfect Father showed me that it was not the deliberate act of unfairness committed against me by my sister, but the deliberate act of hatred committed against me by the father-of-lies that put my heart out of existence. However, it was my responsibility to invite the Lord Jesus to give me back my heart!

What were the beliefs that took your heart out of existence? Will you consider bringing these beliefs to Jesus, so He can give you back your heart?

I bless you! 
December 17 Christ-in-You—Your Hope of Glory

Do you sometimes feel that you would never be able to overcome the unrighteousness that lives in you?

Know that in your natural mind lives the OLD MAN, a set of accusatory beliefs instilled in you by the father-of-lies. And in the OLD MAN dwells the law of sin and death. Therefore, if you live a life ruled by the standards set up by your natural mind, you will live a life of unrighteousness.

“TO WHOM GOD WOULD MAKE KNOWN WHAT IS THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY AMONG THE GENTILES; WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY” (Colossians 1:27).

However, the OLD MAN is not the only one who lives in you. The Perfect Father sent you Jesus Christ to live in your spirit. Christ-in-you is the Spirit of Life. Christ-in-you is the Spirit of Righteousness. Christ-in-you is your Hope of Glory.

“THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:1-2).

Christ-in-you is your Hope of Glory, because Christ-in-you overcomes the OLD MAN in you. Christ-in-you overcomes the unrighteousness in you. Christ-in-you overcomes the law of sin and death that lives in your natural mind.

But you have a choice: to walk in the OLD MAN, believing and reacting to the negative beliefs that live in your natural mind, or to walk in Christ-in-you, believing and reacting to His Righteousness, Love, and Hope that live in your spirit.

Which one will you choose, every day, moment-by-moment: the OLD MAN in your mind…or Christ in your spirit? I bless you to choose Christ-in-you.

“WHOM WE PREACH, WARNING EVERY MAN, AND TEACHING EVERY MAN IN ALL WISDOM; THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERY MAN PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS”
(Colossians 1:28).

I bless you! 
December 18 Blessed Are You Who Believe

“BLESSED IS SHE WHO HAS BELIEVED THAT WHAT THE LORD HAS SAID TO HER WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED!” (Luke 1:45).

I bless you to keep your eyes on your own personal vision that God has given you. Do not look to your right and to your left at what others are doing. Also, do not set your eyes on success. Instead, keep your eyes on God, and set your eyes on the daily, moment-by-moment task God has given you. Do not invent your own ministry, but participate in God’s Purpose. Know that God will keep him in perfect Peace, whose focus is set on Him, and who trusts in Him.

“THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE” (Isaiah 26:3).

May you look forward to seeing the personal promises that God has made to you come into fulfillment. Rejoice in the Faithfulness of the Perfect Father. Anticipate His revelations. Keep the Faith.

Know that no matter what vision God has given you, His Purpose will always be revealed to you through His son, Jesus Christ. The Perfect Father has deposited every good thing you will ever need in Christ Jesus.

“THAT THE COMMUNICATION OF THY FAITH MAY BECOME EFFECTUAL BY THE ACKNOWLEDGING OF EVERY GOOD THING WHICH IS IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS” (Philemon 1:6).

Therefore, do not fix your eyes on what your natural mind understands or perceives, but on God’s written and spoken Word to you. Capture that what is seen is temporary, but God’s Purpose lasts forever. Therefore, you can only receive the fulfillment of your promises in the Person of Christ Jesus.

“SO WE FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT ON WHAT IS UNSEEN. FOR WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

I bless you!
 
December 19 Born of God

“JESUS ANSWERED HER, ‘IF YOU KNEW THE GIFT OF GOD AND WHO IT IS THAT ASKS YOU FOR A DRINK, YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM AND HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU LIVING WATER’” (John 4:10).

There was a time in my life where I had an intense desire to do what was good, but I could not carry it out. But then I learned of the Living Water…and I drank. I drank deeply of God’s Holiness. I drank deeply of God’s Righteousness. I drank deeply of God Himself. And I changed. I had the desire to do what was good…and I started carrying it out. Streams of Righteousness and Love flowed through me, and I stopped being the irrational, childish, and needy person I used to be.

“NO ONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD WILL CONTINUE TO SIN, BECAUSE GOD’S SEED REMAINS IN THEM; THEY CANNOT GO ON SINNING, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN BORN OF GOD” (1 John 3:9).

The secret? I stopped living from my Self…and started living from the Person of Jesus Christ in me. In Him the Father had deposited the Righteousness I needed. God’s Seed was placed in me. In His Seed was everything I needed to live a life of Glory. The Lord Jesus came to take away our sins, by living His own Life in us, and in Him is no sin.

“BUT YOU KNOW THAT HE APPEARED SO THAT HE MIGHT TAKE AWAY OUR SINS. AND IN HIM IS NO SIN. NO ONE WHO LIVES IN HIM KEEPS ON SINNING. NO ONE WHO CONTINUES TO SIN HAS EITHER SEEN HIM OR KNOWN HIM” (1 John 3:5-6).

I bless you to accept the Father’s Seed in you—Jesus Christ. In Him is deposited the Righteousness you need. In Him is deposited the Hope you need. In Him is deposited the Love you need. Invite the Lord Jesus to pour His own life into you, and so take the place of your sinful Self, formed in you by the father-of-lies….for He came to destroy the devil’s work.

“THE ONE WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHT IS RIGHTEOUS, JUST AS HE IS RIGHTEOUS. THE ONE WHO DOES WHAT IS SINFUL IS OF THE DEVIL, BECAUSE THE DEVIL HAS BEEN SINNING FROM THE BEGINNING. THE REASON THE SON OF GOD APPEARED WAS TO DESTROY THE DEVIL’S WORK” (1 John 3:7-8).

I bless you! 
December 20 Despair That Will Change Your Life

“FOR I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH,) DWELLETH NO GOOD THING: FOR TO WILL IS PRESENT WITH ME; BUT HOW TO PERFORM THAT WHICH IS GOOD I FIND NOT. (Romans 7:18).

If you have come to the place in your life where you realize that you have the desire to do what is good, but no power to carry it out…MAY YOU BE BLESSED!

If you have come to the place in your life where you realize that nothing good lives in your natural nature and mind …MAY YOU BE BLESSED!

If you have come to the place in your life where you realize that you have failed to practice the good deeds you desired to do, but the evil deeds you did not desire to do were what you accomplished…MAY YOU BE BLESSED!

“FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE [WHICH IS] IN CHRIST JESUS [THE LAW OF OUR NEW BEING] HAS FREED ME FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND OF DEATH. FOR GOD HAS DONE WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, [ITS POWER] BEING WEAKENED BY THE FLESH [THE ENTIRE NATURE OF MAN WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT]. SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE GUISE OF SINFUL FLESH AND AS AN OFFERING FOR SIN, [GOD] CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH [SUBDUED, OVERCAME, DEPRIVED IT OF ITS POWER OVER ALL WHO ACCEPT THAT SACRIFICE]” (Romans 8:2-3 AMP).

I bless you to understand that you have come to the place where you realize that you need a Savior. You now understand that you cannot save yourself from the LAW OF SIN AND DEATH—the accusatory beliefs of the father-of-lies and their effects on your life. You have grasped that you need THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS to free you from THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. You finally realize that God has done what you cannot do through your own human nature.

But you also need to know that God, through His Son, Jesus, deprived the father-of-lies’ accusatory beliefs of their power over you…if you accept JESUS as the Exchange for these negative, destructive beliefs instilled in your mind… instead of accepting YOUR OWN SINFUL DEFENSE PATTERNS as the sacrifice for the father-of-lies’ accusatory beliefs and their effects on your life.

“NO ONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD WILL CONTINUE TO SIN, BECAUSE GOD’S SEED REMAINS IN THEM; THEY CANNOT GO ON SINNING, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN BORN OF GOD” (1 John 3:9).

I bless you! 
December 21 The Desire to Please

“DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” (Romans 6:16).

Have you ever heard people say, “You are only doing that to please God,” insinuating that you are doing something wrong?

I bless you to know that the desire to please comes from God. God put that desire in you with the purpose that you would please and obey the Perfect Father by allowing His son to live His Truth in you. On the other hand, the father-of-lies wants to use the same desire to please for his own purposes—to allow his lies to live in you.

Understand that when you offer yourself to someone to please and obey him, you become the slave to the person whom you are pleasing. A slave is a person who is bound in servitude as the property of a person. The father-of-lies wants you to please and obey his negative, destructive beliefs, so that you can become a slave to sinful solutions, which leads to death.

“BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SLAVES TO GOD, THE BENEFIT YOU REAP LEADS TO HOLINESS, AND THE RESULT IS ETERNAL LIFE” (Romans 6:22).

Know that if you please and obey your Perfect Father by allowing His son to live His Truth in you, you become a slave to God. You become a person who is bound in servitude to God as His property. And you will reap a tremendous benefit—Holiness, which leads to Life.

“BUT YOU KNOW THAT HE APPEARED SO THAT HE MIGHT TAKE AWAY OUR SINS. AND IN HIM IS NO SIN. NO ONE WHO LIVES IN HIM KEEPS ON SINNING. NO ONE WHO CONTINUES TO SIN HAS EITHER SEEN HIM OR KNOWN HIM” (1 John 3:5-6).

I bless you!
 
December 22 Your Purpose in Life

“AND HE WHO SENT ME IS WITH ME. THE FATHER HAS NOT LEFT ME ALONE, FOR I ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM” (John 8:29).

Be encouraged that you do not have to go and find yourself a PURPOSE in life. You do not have to find out why God put you here on this earth. You do not have to be anxious, thinking that you do not have a purpose. You HAVE a purpose: TO PLEASE YOUR PERFECT FATHER.

Notice that Jesus left you an example when He was on earth: He always did those things that pleased His Father. HIS PURPOSE WAS TO PLEASE HIS FATHER.

“SO THEN THOSE WHO ARE LIVING THE LIFE OF THE FLESH [CATERING TO THE APPETITES AND IMPULSES OF THEIR CARNAL NATURE] CANNOT PLEASE OR SATISFY GOD, OR BE ACCEPTABLE TO HIM” (Romans 8:8 AMP).

Notice that if you live the life of the flesh—catering to the natural impulses of your own understanding…obeying the set of negative beliefs instilled in you by the father-of-lies…believing every thought you think—you cannot please or satisfy the Perfect Father.

“BUT YOU ARE NOT LIVING THE LIFE OF THE FLESH, YOU ARE LIVING THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT, IF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT OF GOD [REALLY] DWELLS WITHIN YOU [DIRECTS AND CONTROLS YOU]. BUT IF ANYONE DOES NOT POSSESS THE [HOLY] SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS [HE DOES NOT BELONG TO CHRIST, IS NOT TRULY A CHILD OF GOD]” (Romans 8:9 AMP).

However, the Lord Jesus came to live His Life in you—a Life of pleasing the Perfect Father. He wants to dwell in you and direct your thoughts, actions, and purpose, so they would please the Father, as well.

“BY MYSELF I CAN DO NOTHING…FOR I SEEK NOT TO PLEASE MYSELF BUT HIM WHO SENT ME” (John 5:30).

May you allow the Lord Jesus to please the Father through you, for only He knows how to do that.

I bless you!
 
December 23 The Last Shall Be First

“SO THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST, AND THE FIRST LAST: FOR MANY BE CALLED, BUT FEW CHOSEN” (Matthew 20:16).

The other day, I relived a memory: I was five years old. My family was at a festival where they invited all five-year old children to enter a race to win some fabulous prizes. My daddy registered me to run in the race. I had never run in a race before.

When the whistle blew, I hardly knew what direction to run, but the kids right and left of me shot forward like bullets aimed at a target, and ran for all their might. But I came in last.

Feeling very humiliated, I reluctantly accepted the lollipop they offered me at the finish line. Come to think of it, I don’t even think I finished.

The other day, this same memory was triggered when I looked around in jealousy at all the people who were running the race of success, acclaim, and accolades. I could not keep up with them. Time after time, I came in last. Feeling forsaken and forgotten, I submitted my defeat to God. “Save me, Lord Jesus. I am tired of running. I am always last.”

Then, God showed me the Truth through His Holy Spirit. I was five years old again, running the race at the festival, trying to keep up with the other fast competitors. Suddenly, I spotted the Lord Jesus sitting next to the race track, beckoning me to quit the race and come to Him, instead. As I walked over to Him, He snatched me up and placed me on His knee. Then He said, “Renee, I love you so much. I am so proud of you for who you are. You do not have to run this race to prove to Me that you are good enough. Only do the things I tell you to do. That is all I want from you. In the world’s eyes, you might not be important, but in My eyes, those who are last will be first.

Then, for the first time, I saw that the Lord Jesus was sitting with His back to the finish line. He was not at all interested in the winners. In fact, He did not even know who was first, because He was not even looking.

I bless you! 
December 23 Baptized into Jesus Christ

“FOR WE WHO ARE ALIVE ARE ALWAYS BEING GIVEN OVER TO DEATH FOR JESUS’ SAKE, SO THAT HIS LIFE MAY BE REVEALED IN OUR MORTAL BODY”
(2 Corinthians 4:11).

I bless you to come to the place where you realize that life lived in your own understanding needs to be given over to death…so that the Life of Jesus Christ may be lived through you.

“KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?” (Romans 6:3).

Realize that you cannot save yourself from your own sinful defense patterns that have set themselves up against the destructive beliefs instilled in you by the father-of-lies. You need to be baptized into Jesus Christ.

“THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH: THAT LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE” (Romans 6:4).

Realize that you need THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS to free you from THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH, for God has done what you cannot do through your own human nature—to deprive sin of its power over you. You need to be baptized into Jesus Christ, so that you might walk in newness of His Life through you.

“FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN PLANTED TOGETHER IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, WE SHALL BE ALSO IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION” (Romans 6:5).

Know that if you have been baptized into Jesus Christ, He will live His own sinless Life through you, for the OLD MAN, with its mind of negative beliefs and sinful defense patterns, does not live in Jesus.

“KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN”
(Romans 6:6).

I bless you
 
December 24 Submit Yourselves to God

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;
IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM,
AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT”
(Proverbs 3:5-6).

Realize that the OLD MAN—the set of degrading beliefs instilled in you by the father-of-lies—lives in your own understanding. It is an inseparable part of human nature. Your natural understanding is calibrated to these negative beliefs, because the mind of human nature is void of the Spirit of Truth. This set of annihilating beliefs is the ally through which the father-of-lies manages you from the inside out: operating your mind…manipulating your emotions…directing your actions. Often, a thought might seem like the truth to you, but not to others, and not to God. It might be a misguided belief and a lie from the father-of-lies.

“SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU” (James 4:7).

I bless you to resist the devil by submitting every argument in your mind to God, EVEN THE ARGUMENTS THAT FEEL TRUE AND VALID…and the roaring lion will flee from you.

I bless you to resist the devil by taking every thought captive and submitting it to God’s authority, EVEN THE THOUGHTS THAT FEEL RELIABLE AND SOUND…and the father-of-lies will flee from you.

I bless you to resist the devil by trusting God with all your heart and leaning not on your own understanding, EVEN WHEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING SEEMS TO BE PURE AND JUST…and the enemy will flee from you.

I bless you to resist the devil by acknowledging God in ALL your ways, EVEN THE WAYS THAT SEEM RIGHT AND CONFIRMED…and Satan will flee from you.

“HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44).

I bless you! 
December 25
A Christmas Blessing

“FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN,
TO US A SON IS GIVEN,
AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON HIS SHOULDERS.
AND HE WILL BE CALLED
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD,
EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE”
(Isaiah 9:6-7).

I bless you to receive the Gift your Perfect Father has for you today, on Christmas day.

“IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION”
(1 Corinthians 1:30).

To Him be Glory! The everlasting Father sent His Son, Jesus, to be your Redeemer: to repurchase you from the father-of-lies…to free you from the stresses and harms of the enemy’s oppressing beliefs…to clear you from sin. But that was not all. He sent Jesus to be more than Redemption to you.

Rejoice! The Perfect Father sent you a wonderful Counselor to become your Wisdom from God, because the wisdom that comes from your mind is not reliable. It is tainted by the enemy—the father-of-lies. But the Wisdom that comes from the wonderful Counselor is pure, considerate, and full of mercy.

“BUT THE WISDOM THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN IS FIRST OF ALL PURE; THEN PEACE-LOVING, CONSIDERATE, SUBMISSIVE, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUIT, IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE” (James 3:17).

For you a child is born. To you a son is given. And He wants to be your mighty God to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine. But you need to allow the government of your life to be on His shoulders.

“NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE…TO HIM BE GLORY” (Ephesians 3:20).

I bless you!
 
December 26 If Our Heart Condemns Us Not

“FOR IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US, GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART, AND KNOWETH ALL THINGS. BELOVED, IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US NOT, THEN HAVE WE CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD” (1 John 3: 20-21).

I have discovered that it is important to get to the point in life where my heart does not condemn me: where I do not live in guilt because of what I do or have done…where I do not feel ashamed for who I am. This is important, because if someone’s heart does not condemn him, THEN he has confidence toward God.

I have noticed that if I live in guilt and shame, I cannot enter into a relationship of trust and intimacy with God, because certain beliefs in my understanding tell me that I am not good enough for God, or that God is not pleased with me. If my heart pronounces me wrong or evil, I do not have faith that God will act toward me in Goodness and Faithfulness.

“HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE IF YOU ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER, YET MAKE NO EFFORT TO OBTAIN THE PRAISE THAT COMES FROM THE ONLY GOD?”
(John 5:44).

If your heart condemns you, find out WHY. What are the beliefs on which the condemnation is based? Do you feel condemned because of a sinful defense pattern you are still committing? Then you need to ask God to help you get rid of that. God is greater than your heart. Do you feel condemned because of sinful defense patterns you committed in the past? Then you need to submit these past events to God and allow Him to strip the guilt from you. God knows all things. Do you feel condemned because of who you are? Then you need to surrender the person you think you are to God, SO HE CAN TELL YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

I bless you!
 
December 27 My Peace I Give You

“PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE YOU. I DO NOT GIVE TO YOU AS THE WORLD GIVES. DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DO NOT BE AFRAID” (John 14:27).

I bless you to understand that the Peace Jesus offers is not the same peace the world offers.

The peace the world offers is a kind of cease-fire between battles: a suspension of hostilities—a breathing spell before the next conflict. The peace the world offers depends on the circumstances…the amount of antagonism…the degree of the crises.

The Peace that Jesus offers depends on His Truth…His Faithfulness…His Goodness. The Peace that Jesus offers does not depend on the circumstances. The Peace that Jesus offers lasts forever.

“THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE” (Isaiah 26:3).

When you are anxious because of the future…or perturbed because of what someone said…or shaken because of what someone has done, do not look at the circumstances. Look at Jesus. Trust in Him. Let your mind rest in Him, for He will keep him in perfect Peace, whose mind focuses on Him, and not on the circumstances. The Lord Jesus will provide despite the circumstances.

“NOW THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, THAT YE MAY ABOUND IN HOPE, THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST”
(Romans 15:13).

May the God of Hope fill you with Peace through the Power of His Holy Spirit, because you believe.

I bless you!
 
December 28 Fruit That Will Last

When I committed and surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus and asked Him to do everything in my life He had planned to do, I was afraid that although Jesus would do something good with my life, the fruit would not last. I was wrong! Every time I thought that my fruit had dried up, my life started bearing MORE FRUIT. The KINDNESS that Jesus produced in me years ago has persevered. The FAITHFULNESS that Jesus created in me long ago has stayed. The PATIENCE, with which Jesus furnished me a while back, has lasted. In fact, not only has the fruit lasted, but multiplied.

“YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT—FRUIT THAT WILL LAST” (John 15:16).

I bless you to recognize that you were appointed by the Lord Jesus to BEAR MUCH FRUIT: much kindness, much goodness, much patience, much faithfulness, much gentleness, much self-control.

I bless you to grasp that you were chosen to BEAR FRUIT THAT WILL LAST: fruit that will outlive the evil your enemies have planned against you…fruit that will hold up against Satan’s schemes…fruit that will persist during bad circumstances.

“I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT” (John 15:5).

May you become a branch on the vine, Jesus, so that His Nature can flow through you abundantly and permanently. Similar to the xylem and the phloem of a plant, allow your sinful Self-nature to flow into Jesus, and His Love and Righteousness to flow into you. Then you will bear much fruit…fruit that will last.

Know that if Jesus has started producing fruit in your life, He will continue, but you must abide in Him moment-by-moment, yielding each accusatory thought in your mind and oppressing pain in your heart to Him in obedience.

And Your fruit will last!

“THIS IS TO MY FATHER’S GLORY, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT” (John 15:8).

I bless you! 
December 29 The Scriptures Testify about Christ

“ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Study the Scriptures diligently, because they are useful for teaching, correcting, and training in Righteousness.

I have noticed that since all Scriptures are God-breathed, I need the breath of the Lord Jesus to make them come alive through His divine inspiration.

“YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY THE SCRIPTURES BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT BY THEM YOU POSSESS ETERNAL LIFE. THESE ARE THE SCRIPTURES THAT TESTIFY ABOUT ME, YET YOU REFUSE TO COME TO ME TO HAVE LIFE” (John 5:39-40).

I bless you to use the Scriptures for teaching and rebuking, but do not use them as a substitute for your relationship with Jesus, who is the only one who can give you Life. Know that the Scriptures are useful for correcting and training in Righteousness, but do not use them as a substitute for your relationship with Jesus, who is the only one who can shine Light on your darkness.

May you understand that Righteousness is the nature of Jesus Christ, revealed in your life. It is not a by-product of the Scriptures. May you grasp that Love is a creation of God, poured out into your heart. It is not a by-product of the Scriptures. May you realize that Hope is the workmanship of the Lord Jesus, established in your soul. It is not a by-product of the Scriptures.

“BUT OF HIM ARE YE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US WISDOM, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION” (1Corinthians 1:30).

Celebrate that the Scriptures testify about Truth, but Jesus can turn your lies from the father-of-lies into Truth. The Scriptures testify about Love, but Jesus can turn your hatred into Love. The Scriptures testify about Hope, but Jesus can turn your hopelessness into Hope.

I bless you!
 
December 30 You Have a Partner

I have raised four children. I raised them to the best of my knowledge. Ignoring my own needs, I often got up in the middle of the night to take care of their needs. I homeschooled them for ten years. Yet, I was utterly surprised and disappointed when I learned that the father-of-lies had snuck negative, destructive beliefs into their minds and hearts during the years that I was taking such good care of them. I thought that I had prevented all of that with my diligent care and love.

Disappointed and disillusioned, I took the matter to God. What have I done wrong? Was my love not enough to protect them from the lies of the father-of-lies? Was my care meaningless?

“APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:5).

Filled with love and tenderness, God assured me that nothing I did was meaningless. My love mattered. My care counted. My diligence made a difference. However, I was no match against the father-of-lies. The Lord Jesus was the only one who could out-do the father-of-lies. He was my secret Partner working alongside me. Jesus would take care of the negative, destructive beliefs instilled in my children’s minds and hearts by the father-of-lies. Jesus would renew their minds by creating in them a NEW MAN in the place of their accusatory OLD MAN beliefs. Jesus would free them of their sinful habits and patterns that they acquired over the years.

“BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD: …I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH”
(Psalm 46:10).

As we come close to the end of another year, I bless you to understand that there were certain tasks that you were not able to accomplish for your child during this last year. However, God will keep raising your child long after you have stopped, until she or he breathes her or his last breath here on earth.

“FOR IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE” (Philippians 2:13).

I bless you!
 
December 31 May God Bless You!

“BUT YOU WILL NOT LEAVE IN HASTE
OR GO IN FLIGHT;
FOR THE LORD WILL GO BEFORE YOU,
THE GOD OF ISRAEL WILL BE YOUR REAR GUARD”
(Isaiah 52:12).

As we get to the end of this year, I bless you to be comforted and encouraged that your Perfect Father is going before you into this coming new year. Do not be afraid. Trust Him! Rely on His Character…His Ability…His Strength. Depend on His Faithfulness…His Love…His Holiness. Abide in His Truth. Know that the Perfect Father rewards your love. He honors your obedience. During this coming year, when you call upon Him, He will answer. Because you set your love upon Him, He will deliver you. He will be with you in trouble. He will give His angels charge over you to preserve you in all your ways.

I bless you to be convinced that your Father will also be your rear guard during this next year. He will protect you from your past, catching the lies the father-of-lies has instilled in you since childhood and turning them into Truth, Hope, and eternal Life through His Holy Spirit.

“AND WE PRAY THIS IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE LORD
AND MAY PLEASE HIM IN EVERY WAY:
BEARING FRUIT IN EVERY GOOD WORK”
(Colossians 1:10-12).

I bless you to live your life worthy of the Perfect Father, pleasing Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work. May the Love, Righteousness, and Redemption of Jesus Christ be revealed to others through your thoughts, character, and actions, for He is the only one who can please the Perfect Father.

I bless you!

May God bless you!