March Blessings
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March 2: The Spirit of Truth“BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” (John 16:13). Your Father knows that you have an enemy…the father-of-lies. Celebrate that your Father did not abandon you here on this earth as orphans to deal with the enemy and his deception all by yourself. He furnished you with the Spirit of Truth to live in you. “HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS, AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS YET TO COME. 14HE WILL BRING GLORY TO ME BY TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE AND MAKING IT KNOWN TO YOU” (John 16:13, 14). Furthermore, take note that the Spirit of Truth does not stand on His own, but extracts His Truth from 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). I bless you to recognize that Jesus obtains His Truth from His Father. Know that all that belongs to the Father belongs to Jesus. 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). I bless you to believe that if you have accepted Jesus as your savior, the Sprit of God lives in you…and your spirit has been made alive by God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit has imbued your spirit with righteousness. “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it” (Romans 8:12). I bless you to understand that although your spirit is saved and alive by God’s Spirit, your mind and the rest of your body is dead because of sin 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. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation— 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 nature 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 to have your mind, your emotions and your actions and reactions led and controlled by the 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. 23FOR 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). I bless you today to acknowledge that you need to purify yourself first before you can deeply love someone from the heart. You purify yourself by accepting and believing the Truth about yourself and about other people. Celebrate that you can love one another sincerely…but you need to accept the Truth about yourself, before you will be able to love others. If you still feel that God favors the other person more that you, you will not be able to love her. If you still believe that you are of inferior personality compared to the other person, you will not be able to love him. If you still believe that the other person wants to harm you, you will not be able to love her. You need the Truth to set you free. I bless you to know that the Truth purifies…from feeling unloved…from feeling inferior…from feeling unacceptable. Once the deception has been purified by the Truth, you will have understanding and sincere love for your brothers. 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 extraordinarily peculiar people in your life…..some are rude or unkind…..some are awkward or pushy……some are intimidating. Believe that God knows the person’s heart…. the unworthiness… the abandonment… the hopelessness. Accept the Truth about that person too, so that you can love one another deeply, from the heart. I bless you |
March 5: The Spirit is Willing“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 think I am ready for it. My spirit is so willing. I mean, I even have a plan and everything ready 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” Do you know what stands in my way when temptation comes? I know everything is possible for my Father. I know I can just cry out to 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 toad…SPLASH!!...I am not willing. I am not willing to let go of the shame. I am not willing to accept the Love, My Father 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 willingness to Him. I need to submit my natural tendency to fall asleep during temptation, to Him. I need to offer Him my habitual reactions towards other people’s actions. I need to say, I want to defend myself right now and hate that person, yet not what I will, but what You will, 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: Stand Firm Against the Slavery of Deception“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 life as something bad and harmful, trying to get out of 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). I bless you to 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…to be set free from harmful habits of your mind…to become free from the belief that you are just a blob of nothingness. “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). I bless you to consider 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 their Father’s discipline. “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). I bless you to consider your life storms as opportunities to 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. “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). I bless you to 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 with 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). I bless you to understand that Love, Hope and Truth come directly from your perfect Father in Heaven. You do not bring these qualities into existence by yourself. Even if you are a Christian, to get rid of the hatred stored in your heart, you need to ask Jesus, who has been sent by the Father, to exchange your hatred for His Love. In order to get rid of the hopelessness stored up in your heart, you need to ask Jesus to exchange your hopelessness with 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 with His Truth. THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART. Allow Jesus to store up good things in your heart. I bless you not to be overcome by evil, but to 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 had 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 whisper into my ear to make me want to give up…to make me want to hate…to make me want to take 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…” I have learned that the Truth of Jesus is one of the most valuable things in my life. I have noticed that the truth that people give me is not nearly as powerful as the Truth that Jesus discloses. I have experienced that people can guess what you need to hear and believe about yourself and try to bring relief for your distress; however, it is only Jesus who knows the exact lie that was 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” May you ask 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 remain in your 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. This is your first 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 JesusDo you have issues like depression, hatred, despair and 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 making myself holy. However, my perfect Father showed me there was MORE…MUCH MORE than just forgiveness, that was available to me. Jesus was not done with His job in me. In fact, it has 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). Jesus showed me that hatred and jealousy could not be overcome by me...it had to be exchanged by Him. Only His Spirit could continually set me free from sin and death inside me. Therefore, I have been taking responsibility for my hatred and jealousy and have been bringing it before Jesus…for what it REALLY is. When I hate, I look for the problem in myself and ask, “Why do I hate this person?” I investigate my own heart very thoroughly. I have found answers like, “I do not matter…I am deformed…I am not special.” That is why I hate! That is why I am jealous! I bless you today with a special anointing of Hope. There is Hope for you! You do not have to live with hatred and jealousy all your life. Almost weekly, Jesus and I work together on some belief in my mind that has been planted there by the father-of-lies since childhood. My job…owning and surrendering the belief to Jesus. His job…exchanging the belief with His Truth. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH (John 17:17).
I bless you |
March 11: So Have I Loved YouOne 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) I bless you to be aware of the murderer’s lies. There is no truth in him. Listen to what 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 would tell me that Jesus loves me, but only under certain circumstances…like when I have been good. And, I am not allowed to experience pain, for when the pain shows, God would 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. 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). I bless you to believe that the perfect Father wants to lavish you with His Father love. It was when the enemy told me that I had been abandoned…that the Father sent Jesus to tell me that He loved me. It was when I felt ashamed and deformed… that the Father sent Jesus to tell me that He loved me. It was when I felt rejected and very alone…that the Father sent Jesus to tell me that He loved me. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE… THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE”. I bless you |
March 12: God Cares About Your Heart“But the Lord said to Samuel, "…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). I bless you to believe that your perfect Father cares about your heart. He cares about the abandonment that lives there…the betrayal that hurt so much…the rejection that was so unfair. He knows about the scar of shame…that painful emotion caused by guilt…and He cares. He understands the despair that sometimes does not want to let go…and He provided a way out. “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."” (Luke 7:13). I bless you to believe that your Father cares about the anxiety that lives in your heart…that fearful concern about the future. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me” (John 14:1) I bless you to believe that your perfect Father knows about your struggle against the father-of-lies…and He did something about it. "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). I bless you to believe that your Father cares so much about your heart, that He searches it often to find out what is wrong. Know that He provided a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to intercede for your heart. “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). I bless you to believe that your Father cares so much about your heart that He sent His Light, Jesus, to shine in your heart when the darkness threatens to take over. “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” I bless you to believe that your Father cares about your heart. I bless you |
March 13: Know Your Perfect Father“I HAVE MADE YOU KNOWN TO THEM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU KNOWN” Do you know that 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” Do you know that your Perfect Father loves you as much as He loves His son, Jesus? “YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU” Do you know that your perfect Father sees all the good things that you do in secret, and that He will reward you? “YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU ASK HIM” 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? “HE WENT ON TO SAY, "THIS IS WHY I TOLD YOU THAT NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER HAS ENABLED HIM."” (JOHN 6:65) Do you know that it is your perfect Father who enabled you to come to Jesus? “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 Father is looking for someone who will live in the Truth…someone who does not accept, believe and act out the lies of the father-of-lies? I bless you |
March 14: Why do I Still Sin?“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you (ROMANS 8:9). For a very long time, I struggled with this problem: 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 covet? According to Romans 8:9, I am being controlled by the Spirit of God, but I feel that I am being controlled by the enemy himself. “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Romans 8:10). Pay attention to what this says…Your spirit is alive because of righteousness, but your body is dead because of sin. I came to realize that the reason why I still sin after I have received Jesus as my savior is that my mind, which is part of my body, is still dead. Although my spirit has been made righteous, my mind is still filled with all the lies that the father-of-lies has been filling it since childhood. I still live under the beliefs that I am not special, that I am not good enough, that I am a failure. That causes me to sin---to hate…to be jealous…to covet. “WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD (UNRENEWED) SELF WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS WITH HIM IN ORDER THAT [OUR] BODY [WHICH IS THE INSTRUMENT] OF SIN MIGHT BE MADE INEFFECTIVE AND INACTIVE FOR EVIL, THAT WE MIGHT NO LONGER BE THE SLAVES OF SIN” (Romans 6:6). I bless you not to despair. Jesus did not just save your spirit, but your mind as well, that you might no longer be a slave to the lies of the father-of-lies. He did overcome the evil one. “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). I bless you to understand that you have a commitment…a duty…a responsibility---to bring your mind with all its wrong beliefs to Jesus, one by one, so that He can bring you Truth. Your mind will then be set free from the lies of the enemy, so that you are not being controlled by him anymore, because the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit, is life and peace (Romans 8:6). I bless you |
March 15: Keep Your Eyes on Jesus"TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED, ALL YOU ENDS OF THE EARTH; 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 came in. More water started spilling into the pool, causing the water 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 water. It was Jesus! He turned my face so I would only look at Him and said, “When the water becomes rough and scary, only look at me. Look, I am holding you. You will not drown.” Therefore, I would like to encourage you 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…...steadily fix your gaze on Jesus. The instant you look to Him, instead of to the circumstances, the hopelessness vanishes from sight. When the waters become rough and turbulent, may you give no mind to the disturbing conditions……willfully keep in view the face of Jesus. The moment you look to Him, the darkness is swallowed up. When the waters become tumultuous and violent, may you give no regard to the crisis……intentionally rivet your eyes on Jesus. The minute you look to Him, the fear evaporates. I bless you today to continually turn your face to Jesus…..and be delivered. For He is your 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. What do you do with Jesus every day? “IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Do you allow Jesus to be your Wisdom from your perfect Father when you are at wits end and there seems to be no answer…no way out? “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 and drink of His Hope, Love and Truth? “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 follow the Light that He provides? “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 and your gift of Righteousness every day…moment-by-moment? Do you allow Him to reign over your depression…your anger…your sinful habits? 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. 46ABOUT 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?" 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. May you believe that 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"” I found out that Jesus has been observing everything that has happened 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 because I had made a terrible 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 that time and place…and let Him make things right. Jesus wants you to know that He loves you and that He knows what abandonment feels like…..that is why He vowed to never leave you…..never forsake you. I challenge you to look back at the places where you thought you had been forsaken. Look for Jesus. You will find that He was at your side. 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. 20FOR THE FATHER LOVES THE SON AND SHOWS HIM ALL HE DOES” (John 5:19). Take notice of the relationship between Jesus and the perfect Father. Jesus does not do anything by Himself. He only does what the Father tells Him to. As a result, the Father reveals Himself to Jesus…He shows Jesus what 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" Take notice of the relationship that the Father and Jesus long to have with you. Just as with Jesus, your perfect Father does not want you to go off and do your own thing. He wants you to do what Jesus shows you to do. Listen again! “WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. Take notice of the result of loving Jesus and doing only what Jesus wants you to do. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM" (John 14:21). He who loves Jesus by not doing his own thing, but only what Jesus wants him to do…will see Jesus revealed to him. He will perceive the Love of Jesus during times when he feels unloved. He will experience the Hope of Jesus when he feels hopeless. He will come to know the Truth of Jesus when he feels trapped in the lies of the enemy. I bless you to believe that Jesus yearns to have the same relationship with you as He had with His Father…a relationship of obedience and revelation. 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…..His mysteries…..His ways. “HOW PRICELESS IS YOUR UNFAILING LOVE! BOTH HIGH AND LOW AMONG MEN FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS” (PSALM 36:7). Please pray with me! My perfect Father, You understand the secret of how to feel loved. Show me the sheltered places under Your wings where I can take refuge when I do not feel loved. Gather my roots to grow deep down into Your inerasable Love. Teach me how to remain in Your Love. “SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED” (JOHN 8:36). God, You grasp the secret of being set free from the lies and deceit of the enemy. I pray that You will take what is Yours and make it known to me. Lead me into the whole Truth, so that I will no longer be a slave to believing that I am fatally flawed. Sanctify me with Your Truth so that I can be free indeed. “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). My Father, You understand the secret of Righteousness. Teach me not to establish my own idea of righteousness, but to submit to Your Righteousness…the Righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus. Amen. May you love God enough to listen to His quiet voice when you are trapped in your own sinful habits….to heed His counsel when you feel unloved…..to accept His invitations when you feel fatally flawed…and He will reveal to you His undeniable secrets. I bless you |
March 20: Your Old Self Was Crucified“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). Do you know who this old self in you, is? The old self is the person the father-of-lies made out of you. The old self is the person in you who is filled with shame, abandonment and condemnation. The old self is the person in you infested with the lies of the father-of-lies. I have a million lies living in the person of my old self. The biggest lies in me are the lies of shame…that I am bad if I make a mistake…that I am bad if I feel bad emotionally…that I am fatally flawed, inside and out. The enemy deforms our character…warps our nature…disfigures our personality and then he makes us ashamed of who we have become through him. Shame is a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or improper act or remark. “YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU” Did you know that Jesus has nailed the warped person, who is filled with shame by the enemy, to the cross? Did you know that Jesus has come to destroy the work of the enemy? Did you know that you do not have to live in obedience to the father-of-lies anymore? “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 believe that Jesus has spoken you clean from shame with the words, “It is finished.” Jesus has nailed your old self, the person the enemy has made out of you, to the cross, so that you can be free of shame…so that you can make a mistake and not feel that you are bad…so that you can say something stupid and not feel you are bad…so that you can feel weak and not feel that you are bad. I bless you |
March 21: Two Opposing Purposes“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….” I bless you today to discern that your life is based on two opposite purposes: the purpose of living according to your own self-nature…or the purpose of living in accordance with the Spirit of Jesus. Know that the goal of these two purposes are opposing……..conflicting…..incompatible. The one wants to please the perfect Father…..the other the sinful nature and the father-of-lies. At any given moment in your life, you are living either to please the perfect Father…or to please the father-of-lies. There is no middle ground! “HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNETH FROM THE BEGINNING” (1 JOHN 3:8). I bless you to realize that the sinful nature is under direct government of the father-of-lies. I discovered that even though I am a Christian, I sometimes am lured into the sinful nature…to be under the management of the father-of-lies. I can feel the change happening in me when I retreat into the old self. Suddenly, I would feel worthless, unlovable and unloved. I would feel like hiding, running and blaming. At that time, I only have my mind set on what that nature desires…on what the father-of-lies desires. Have you ever felt like that? 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 Jesus to destroy the works of the father-of-lies, but you have an obligation…to stay under the management of Jesus…and to ask Jesus to bring you back under His management whenever the father-of-lies has lured you away to live in accordance with the sinful nature. “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). 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 for whom you open the door to your heart. Know that your heart is vulnerable…susceptible to attack…easily hurt. I bless you to listen carefully who is knocking at your heart’s door. Make sure it is Jesus before you unbolt the latch. First listen carefully to the voice behind the closed door. Give your full attention. Heed the words. “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” May you discern between the voice of Truth of the Holy Spirit and the empty voice of the enemy. 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 Truth. He will never suggest darkness, powerlessness and deceit. 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 Jesus…and Jesus will only speak what He hears from your 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). I bless you to imagine the fellowship when you unlock the door and let Jesus in. Imagine the togetherness when He discharges His Hope. Imagine the friendship when He trickles His Love over you. Imagine the companionship when He pours out His Power. He will come right in and sit down to dine 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). I bless you to keep the door 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. Discern that he hauls with him 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). I bless you to 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. Know that he is not 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. May you submit each thought to God for approval before you start accepting, believing, and obeying it. May you reject each thought that is not from God…and therefore keep the door to your vulnerable heart shut and padlocked. And the father-of-lies will be powerless to deposit his lies and beliefs into your heart. 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…” 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 enemy 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. Assuming another person’s motives could unlock helplessness, powerlessness and hopelessness. Know that the enemy will use this 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. Ask Jesus for the Truth. Remember, the mind of sinful man is death. “PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS” (Ephesians 4:22, 23). May you put off your mind reading, to be made new in the attitude of your minds by Jesus, who came to sanctify you by His Truth. May you do this every day…each time someone says something that is hurtful. You may find out that the hurt is not at all what you have been thinking, but a lie coming straight from the enemy. “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). I bless you |
March 25: The Old Self and the New Self“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). The old self is the person the father-of-lies made out of you. The old self is corrupted by deceitful desires that come from the father-of-lies. The old self is filled with suspicion, hatred and jealousy, because it lives in abandonment, shame and condemnation. The old self has learned to deal with its pain using sinful behavior patterns of hiding, running and blaming. The old self has become a slave to sin, obeying the father-of-lies. “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” I bless you to know that a new self is available to you. The new self is made new in its mind. The new self is what Christ is offering you to put on…to be like God in true Righteousness and Holiness. “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). Understand that Jesus came to set you free from the old self. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to set yourself free from the old self. It is a God-sized job. I bless you to identify your old self. Who is this person? Is she an abandoned person…a shamed person…a condemned person…or maybe all of the above? How does he react to his pain? Does he become angry, suspicious or jealous? What are her sinful habits and patterns? Does she hide, run or blame? I bless you to identify your old self and offer that person to Jesus…to be exchanged for the new self. Do this every day, moment-by-moment, whenever the old person shows herself…and you will be made new in true Righteousness and Holiness. I bless you |
March 26: It is Finished!click here for audio version“NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US” (Romans 8:37). I would like to share with you what happened to me the other day. My husband and I visited the Hot Sulphur Springs in Colorado and 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… I was drinking from the wrong water bottle! This might seem funny to you, but I was 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. In fact, it gets worse than that. I am not even allowed to feel emotionally down. I am also not allowed to say something stupid. If I do any of the above…I AM BAD! He has accused me of being corrupt…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…on the inside! I experienced this as extreme shame. “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). Jesus showed me that He had already nailed the shame that the father-of-lies is trying to put on me, to the cross. The shame has been condemned and overcome. I have been spoken clean by the 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). The shame has been overcome! The condemnation has been overcome! In faith, you can surrender your shame of not being perfect, to Jesus and allow Him to speak you clean with the words, “It is finished.” You simply apply the same faith that you used to accept Jesus as the forgiver of your sins. You do this each time the father-of-lies tries to cripple you with his best weapon…SHAME. 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 do not know about you, but I have many lies in my mind that has been planted there by the father-of-lies. Usually, the first thing I do when one of these lies is triggered is to flee from it. I would actually get up and walk away when I feel shamed in someone’s presence. At that moment, all that matters to me is to withdraw and hide. However, the everlasting Father has been asking me to do something different…HE HAS BEEN ASKING ME TO STAY! “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 wants me to stay when my shame is triggered…so that He can turn it into Holiness, because He is treating me like a son…a daughter. He showed me that He uses the same shame, abandonment and condemnation the enemy uses to HURT us…except God uses it to HEAL us. "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. I bless you to stay and not run, thus allowing God to turn your shame into holiness…your condemnation into acceptance…your abandonment into belongingness. “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 for you. May you allow God to have His way with you…to treat you as a son…to treat you as a daughter. I bless you
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March 28: He Opens 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” 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 and find God’s will…He will reveal it to you if 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 Jesus and then follow when He opens a door for you. Allow Jesus to go before you….showing Himself to you…..guiding you into all truth….making His will known to you. I bless you to know that the door God opens for you no one will be able to shut. Celebrate that nothing will close God’s door...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). I bless you not to speed ahead of God, searching frantically for an open door. May you instead fall in step behind Him…obeying and following Him. He will lead you along unfamiliar paths. When you cannot see, He will turn the darkness into Light before you. 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). I bless you today with a special anointing to accept that Christ Jesus has set you free from the power of condemnation. I bless you to acknowledge that if you live under the management of Christ Jesus, you are released from the power of brutal condemnation at the hands of the accuser. Acknowledge that your everlasting Father sent His own Son as an offering for condemnation…therefore depriving it of its power…..if you accept His sacrifice. “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]” I bless you to enter into the freedom that Christ provides through His law of the Spirit of Life. Know, to be governed by Christ brings Freedom. You do not have to live under the black cloud of condemnation any more. Recognize that the purpose of your old self is to live independently from God…thus surrendering itself to the power of condemnation…but if you decide to place yourself under the government of Jesus, you will find the abundant life of Christ…freed from condemnation…freed from disapproval…freed from rebuke. “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). God wants you to know that you are accepted...you are prized…you are cherished, because there is no condemnation for those who are governed by Christ Jesus, since it is for freedom that Christ has set you free…..including freedom from condemnation. May you then stand firm in this freedom, and not let yourself be burdened again by the yoke of condemnation. 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” I bless you to know that your Father in Heaven is aware of all the good works that you do. Believe that the good works (and the purpose) 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…and 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 (and following the purpose) 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 for someone else. Receive that your Father does not disregard what you have done. Know that your Father is pleased with you and He delights in you. Grasp that the good works and the purpose 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. Be determined to commit yourself only to Him. Look for payment only from Him. Receive your honor only from Him. “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 get out of it 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 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, and 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 temptation from the father-of-lies to convince me to run and hide from the God…so that I would not experience His Love, Truth and Hope in my life. The sin is my wrong reaction to pain. 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 stay and face it, my Father will have a chance to heal me. "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 |
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