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August
August 1: God Controls the Outcome“BUT AS FOR YOU, YOU MEANT EVIL AGAINST ME; BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, IN ORDER TO BRING IT ABOUT AS IT IS THIS DAY, TO SAVE MANY PEOPLE ALIVE” (Genesis 50:20). I bless you today to not stay in despair about the evil done against you…..the unfairness committed….the unrighteousness performed. God wants you to know that although the evil-doers will be held responsible for their evil deeds…it is He who controls the outcome. I bless you to take courage from the life of Joseph, who was persecuted by his own jealous brothers, thrown into a dry water pit, left to cope with his hopeless circumstances. Even though they meant it for evil...it was God who controlled the outcome, raising Joseph up to become a leader next to the mighty Pharaoh. (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! 18 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” I bless you to allow God to raise you up from the effects your present circumstances have on you. Believe that your present troubles are small compared to the glory God has in store for you in the final outcome. Fix your gaze on God. Remember, it is God who controls the outcome. “FOR I KNOW THE THOUGHTS AND PLANS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU, SAYS THE LORD, THOUGHTS AND PLANS FOR WELFARE AND PEACE AND NOT FOR EVIL, TO GIVE YOU HOPE IN YOUR FINAL OUTCOME.” (Jeremiah 29:11, AMP). I bless you |
August 2: 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 is 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…in spite of the discouragement in our hearts. “LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND. LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS OR BOASTFUL OR PROUD 5 OR RUDE. IT DOES NOT DEMAND ITS OWN WAY. IT IS NOT IRRITABLE, AND IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF BEING WRONGED. 6 IT DOES NOT REJOICE ABOUT INJUSTICE BUT REJOICES WHENEVER THE TRUTH WINS OUT. 7 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 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 |
August 3: I’m OK-You’re OKI 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”, but 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…God cannot be trusted. This way, he sets us up with a life position that keeps us trapped. We are not feeling 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 “sin” as the escape route…hiding from ourselves and our not-OK God…running from ourselves and God…blaming others and God. “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. Tell God the lies the father-of-lies has said about Him and let Him show you His perfect Love. 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, I have now come to know God as the Perfect Father who can be trusted. I have now adopted the life position “I’m OK-You’re OK”. I bless you |
August 4 : Misunderstandings
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August 5: Hide in the Shadow of the AlmightyAre 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 stalk in the darkness? Are you afraid of the arrow that flies by day? Are you afraid of the plague that destroys at midday? THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH I invite you to come and find security and protection in the shelter of the Most High. Come and find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, I bless you to be still. You are safe in the safe hold of the Most High. You are secure in the shadow of the Almighty, because He covers you with His feathers. He protects you with His wings. Be assured that the Most High honors His promises. YOU WILL NOT FEAR THE TERROR OF NIGHT, NOR THE ARROW THAT FLIES BY DAY, If you make the Most High your hiding place from danger or distress, you will not have to fear the terror of night…nor the arrow that flies by day…nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness. No evil will conquer you, because the Almighty protects those who trust in His Name. IF YOU MAKE THE LORD YOUR REFUGE, I bless you to find rest and stillness in the shadow of the Most High. I bless you |
August 6: The Darkness Shall not Hide from YouThe 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). I bless you today to be excited that the darkness and the light are both alike to your perfect Father. Be encouraged that although you might be engulfed in thick oppressing darkness…the Most High can see right through it. Be comforted that although your understanding becomes clouded by darkness…God’s understanding stays acute. “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). I bless you to 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). I bless you to 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” 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 your fellowship with God and your brother will be restored. 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” 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 cannot 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 are not able to achieve peace in your unsettling circumstances. Remember, only the Lord of Peace delivers Peace at all times and in every way. Your sufficiency of Peace comes from God. I bless you to be comforted if the enemy’s lies have confused you and you are not 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 do not have 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 I bless you |
August 9: The Meaning of SufferingA 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.” Has life become anything more to you other than a means to escape? I once lead a life of wanting to escape at all cost…. to escape from feeling abandoned… to escape from feeling condemned… to escape from feeling ashamed. 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 …depression…distraction…divorce. I have now learned that God has His own “escape” out of shame, abandonment and condemnation. He calls it discipline…a training that causes wholeness and holiness. “ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE; GOD IS TREATING YOU AS SONS (Hebrews 12:7). We see hardship as something that needs to be avoided. God sees hardship as something that needs to be exchanged…to remove what can be shaken and replace it with something that cannot be shaken. “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). I have chosen to not live my life as a means to escape. 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. “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 choose a life of discipline. Everything God does will endure forever. He will remove what can be shaken in your life…and exchange it for something permanent…that cannot be shaken… from which you do not have to escape.
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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 what sin was. 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 sin has a purpose. Sin is the father-of-lies’ solutions to escape heartache. 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 of abandonment, condemnation and shame, you can accept Jesus’ solutions of Truth, Hope and Love. I bless you |
August 11: The Meaning of TemptationI would like to remind you 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 of his painful beliefs of abandonment, condemnation and shame. 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 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 solutions for your heartache. Understand that his answers to your heartache cause harm…ruin…loss. Grasp that his solutions are counterfeit. Acknowledge that his answers to your heartache are only enticements to keep you away from experiencing God’s miraculous 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). I bless you to 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 escapable. 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 will miraculously remove what can be shaken in your life…and exchange it for something permanent…that cannot be shaken. I bless you |
August 12: May Christ’s Light Shine in your DarknessI have experienced intense darkness in my life…severe depression…deep despair…piercing heartache. 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 would stay. 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 god of this age has blinded our minds for fear that we would find out about the Glory of Christ that is able to shine on our 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 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— 26THE MYSTERY THAT HAS BEEN KEPT HIDDEN FOR AGES AND GENERATIONS, BUT IS NOW DISCLOSED TO THE SAINTS. 27TO 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 erased the darkness in my mind and in my heart…and exchanged the darkness for His own laws of Love, Truth and Hope. This is still an ongoing process every day. 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
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August 13: Know 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 it was that 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 means that we are devoid 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 that works…and where to look for the light. “AND HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM” (Ephesians 5:11). I bless you to encompass 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. Be on the lookout for “truths” in your heart that are really lies from the father-of-lies. I bless you to identify the darkness in your life. Give it a name. Investigate your heart. Observe your understanding in 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.” Understand that you are experiencing darkness because you do not know what is making you stumble. “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 expose it to Jesus. I bless you |
August 14: Each Moment Is an Act of DecidingMy life changed drastically when I realized that life was not just a solid time period here on this earth for which I have to make one big decision, but chopped up into little segments of time periods, for which I have 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 20 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 day you are alive here on this earth. Understand that every minute 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. Understand that 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 between God’s Hope, Love and Truth being manifested in you…or the god of this world’s hopelessness, hatred and deception being 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 had done and what I had 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 had 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 had 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 friends and 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” I bless you to 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). I bless you to realize 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. 5IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. 6LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. 7IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). I bless you to 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. It does not boast. It is not rude. 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. 7IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES” ((1 Corinthians 13:8, 7). Is your love failing? Love that is a fruit of God’s Spirit…does not fail. Love that is a by-product of God’s Spirit always protects…always trusts…always hopes…always perseveres. I bless you to 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
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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. I have experienced His Wisdom. I have tasted His Love. I have drunk from His streams of Living Water. I have become familiar with His abundant Life. I have witnessed His Light in my darkness. I have beheld His transforming Power. "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." God loves to watch out for me. He loves to answer me when I call upon Him. He loves to be with me when I am in trouble. He loves to deliver me when I feel hopeless, helpless and powerless. He loves to honor me. He loves to rescue me from the deception that lives in my own mind. He loves to protect me. He loves to talk to me. "IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND” (John 14:16). I bless you to believe that all these rewards and many more await you…if you would love God and obey what He asks of you…if you stop leaning on your own understanding, but acknowledge God’s perception in everything you do and think...if you stop hiding, running and blaming in obedience to the suggestions 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" I bless you to believe that God would love to reward you as well. 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. You see, the god of this world continually offers his suggestions to you, “I am not favored by God…I am alone…I am defenseless.” If you ignore his suggestions, your eye will stay clear and pure. You will see things in the Light of how God intended it to be. Consequently, you will be filled with Joy, Peace and Hope. However, if you adopt the suggestions of abandonment, condemnation and shame the father-of-lies offer you, your eye will go bad…and your light will quickly turn to darkness. “THEREFORE TAKE HEED THAT THE LIGHT WHICH IS IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS” (Luke 11:35). My experience with a bad eye is that everything and everyone around you becomes contaminated because you do not see through the lenses of Truth. If your eye is contaminated with speckles of abandonment, everything you look at will be speckled with abandonment and loneliness. If your eye is polluted with condemnation, you will experience condemnation wherever you go with whomever you interact. If your eye is smeared with shame, you will view everything and everyone through the lenses of shame. “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). If you have a bad eye, I bless you to ask God to shine His Light on and in you. Then His Light will decontaminate your bad eye …and you will see everything and everyonein the Light of God’s 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. 2FOR 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 allow God to will in you and act in you according to His good purpose. “THERE REMAINS, THEN, A SABBATH-REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD; 10FOR 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 work. He exchanges his good purpose…for God’s good purpose. 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.” “FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT” (2 Corinthians 5:7). I bless you
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August 20: You Have Received a Comforter“NEVERTHELESS I TELL YOU THE TRUTH; I bless you to believe that Jesus has sent you a Helper. 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, 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. “THOUGH MY FATHER AND MOTHER FORSAKE ME,
I bless you to know that even if your father and mother have forsaken you, the Perfect Father will receive 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: Worship God in Spirit and in TruthI 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 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 karate skills first, but on 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 then was he fit for starting his training as a karate expert. “BUT THE HOUR IS COMING, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; FOR THE FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM” (John 4:23). I have many sinful habits and patterns in my life and God has been training me to get rid of them, because He wants me to become an expert worshiper who would worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The perfect Father has not been satisfied with me just singing praise songs. He has been asking much more of me…to worship Him by getting rid of my sinful habits and patterns, and living in the Truth. God has been training me to hand my jacket of sinful habits and patterns over to Jesus to hang on the cross, daily…a hundred times a day. I bless you to not only worship the Father with praise songs, but to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth by handing over your sinful habits and patterns to Jesus to hang on the cross. Know that the Father is seeking such to worship Him. “SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH” (John 17:17). Understand that the Father is seeking those who would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, because the Truth sanctifies. The Truth gets rid of lies that cause sinful habits and patterns. The Truth sets you free. 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). I bless you to 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 Creator 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). I bless you to understand that the god of this world achieves his goal to worship and serve created things rather than the Creator by exchanging the Truth for a lie. 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 participate in every sort of evil…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, 10AND IN EVERY SORT OF EVIL THAT DECEIVES THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. THEY PERISH BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH AND SO BE SAVED.” I bless you to 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 and worth by serving people, things, organizations and high positions rather than the Creator of these. I bless you to love the Truth and be saved. Find the lies of unworthiness and unacceptance in your life and exchange them for the Truth. I bless you |
August 23: When You Surrender, God Will AcceptI 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 God to work in me according to His good purpose. “FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE” (Philippians 2:13). 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, 20BY A NEW AND LIVING WAY OPENED FOR US THROUGH THE CURTAIN, THAT IS, HIS BODY, 21AND SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD, 22LET 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 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: 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 every time you surrender sin and its underlying beliefs to Jesus, you have the opportunity to participate in the divine nature of God and escape the corruption of your sinful Self-nature, caused by evil desires? My life changed when I realized that the divine nature of God is at work in me whenever I yield Self to His Power and Control. I realized that I could not change Self into someone good…but God’s divine Power could mortify these deeds of my body which have their origin in Satan. Although I cannot disarm the condemnation burrowed in my heart, God does through His divine Power when I submit the beliefs of condemnation to Him. Although I cannot disband the abandonment stuck in my heart, God does with His divine Love when I surrender the beliefs of abandonment to Him. Although I cannot discard the shame lodged in my heart, God does with His divine Hope when I relinquish 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” I bless you to know that you can escape the corruption of your sinful Self if you rely on God’s divine Power. Realize that the weapons God uses are not the world’s weapons of running, hiding and blaming, but weapons of divine Power that can demolish the strongholds of corruption 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 to realize that God’s divine Power has given you everything you need to escape the corruption of your sinful Self… and live a holy life. 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. 13THEN PILATE ASKED HIM, "DON'T YOU HEAR THE TESTIMONY THEY ARE BRINGING AGAINST YOU?" 14BUT 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 reach this person’s heart…through me. 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 the will of the Perfect Father is 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 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… unacceptance… 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 his 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. 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… 4SURELY 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. I DID! 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 emotions. 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 his 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 deposit his painful beliefs and suggestions of wicked escape from these beliefs. 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, 14WHO 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” I bless you
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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.” You see, the word of God is alive and very powerful, cutting between soul and spirit. It discerns our innermost thoughts and desires…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” 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. 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 be an ambassador for Christ…a representative of your Perfect Father’s Kingdom. May your body be available to Christ, through which someone could experience the dwelling place of Jesus. May your hands be available to Christ, through which someone could experience the kindness of Jesus. May your mouth be available to Christ, through which someone could experience the gentleness of Jesus. May your feet be 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 someone could experience Jesus as the Truth, the Way and the Life. May your will be available to Christ, through which someone 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 |
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