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May Blessings
May 1: Child, You Are Fully Known“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD…12NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” I would like to share with you today how a memory is formed, specifically during childhood. You see, your mind works like a tape recorder, recording every experience since the time of birth very accurately. During childhood, when something happened to you, your mind recorded the facts of that event. Well, that is not all that happened during that memory. While that memory was being made, you made certain interpretations…assumptions…conclusions that go along with the facts. These conclusions were recorded permanently into your mind as well. There is more. With the facts and the interpretations, certain emotions cropped up as well. These emotions were also recorded permanently in your mind during the creation of the memory. When your mind recorded the facts, interpretations and emotions that made the memory, the father-of-lies was present. His goal during the creation of memories is to help you make false conclusions of your situations. Remember, his weapon against us is deception…making us believe something that is not true. He knows that if he can get you to believe false things about yourself and others during childhood, you will be impaired for the rest of your life, because these false interpretations carry over into your adult life. And because of these wrong interpretations, you see but a poor reflection of yourself…..you only see in part. What false assumptions did you make during childhood when your memories were formed? Are you aware that these assumptions and emotions are still in effect in your life today? Did you know that God’s Truth could set you free? I bless you to be excited that you are fully known by God….and He longs to reveal to you who you really are after you shed the wrong assumptions of yourself. He yearns to shed His Light of Truth on your false interpretations and the corresponding emotions that you had made as a child, so you too can see yourself the way God sees you. I bless you
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May 2: Put Childish Ways behind You“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). I would like to remind you that when your mind recorded the facts, interpretations and emotions that made up your childhood memories, the father-of-lies was present. Remember that his goal during this life is to help you make false conclusions of your situations, because he knows that if he can get you to believe false things about yourself and others during childhood, you will be impaired for the rest of your life, since these false childhood interpretations carry over into your adult life. Understand that these false beliefs are triggered all the time during adulthood, causing you to think like that little child again that day the false assumption was made…causing you to reason like that little child again who felt so condemned…and therefore causing you to talk like that little child again who felt that he is a failure. But God wants you to know that He longs for you to think like an adult…reason like an adult…and talk like an adult and put childish ways behind you. This is not something you can do by yourself. You need God’s help! “WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN BUT WILL TELL YOU WHAT HE HAS HEARD” I bless you to authorize the Spirit of Truth to exchange your childhood interpretations for the Truth. Do this every time a childhood interpretation is triggered. It is only then that you will stop reasoning irrationally like a child and stop feeling powerless and helpless like a child. It is only then that you will be able to become an adult and put childish ways behind you. “AND YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE” I bless you |
May 3: Child, May You Know Fully“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. 12NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12). For a long time in my life, I carried the belief around in my mind that I do not matter. When things would go wrong, hopelessness and sadness would overcome me, and I would always say, “It does not matter, because I do not matter.” Well, this was a childhood belief that was planted in my mind by the father-of-lies. “Renee, you do not matter.” “HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES” (John 8:44). One day, I followed the emotion of sadness that accompanied the belief that I do not matter and traced it back to a childhood memory. I was six years old and awakened one night by loud laughter, coming from the kitchen. I got out of bed to see what was going on and found my sister talking and laughing loudly with the rest of the family. I asked her to be quieter so I could sleep, but she ignored me. Right at that moment I made the false assumption, “I do not matter.” And that interpretation carried over into adulthood. “WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” Tired of feeling that I do not matter, I confronted the belief and surrendered it to the Spirit of Truth that lives in my heart. And God’s Spirit showed me the Truth…how much my sister loved me…that I was her best friend…that I still am loved by her and am very special to her, even though she is now in Heaven. From then on, the belief that I do not matter did not keep me captive anymore. I bless you to bring childhood beliefs to God, so that you can fully know the Truth. I bless you |
May 4: May You Know the True God“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. 12NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12). I would like to remind you to realize that as a child your brain recorded every experience since the time of birth very accurately. Not only were the facts of an experience permanently recorded, but also the interpretations that were concluded at the time of the event and the emotions that were bound to the interpretations. I bless you to realize that these false beliefs distorted your perception of God. And you would start asking questions like, “Am I good enough for God if I was not even good enough for my own mom? Would God banish me as my dad did because I made a mistake? Would God keep me at arm’s length like my friend did when I did not please him?” Does God even notice me…..or am I invisible to Him too? “NOW THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE: THAT THEY MAY KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU HAVE SENT” (John 17:3). I bless you to accept that God is not like your childhood dad. God is not like your childhood mom. God is not like your childhood friends. May you obtain Truth into your childhood beliefs so that you could get to know God for who He really is. “WE KNOW ALSO THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE. AND WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE—EVEN IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE” (1 John 5:20). I bless you to get to know God fully, even as you are fully known. I bless you |
May 5: The Misinterpretations of Childhood“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). You did not know it at the time, but as a child, you made the most deterministic decisions of your life. You established a worldview grounded on your childhood perception. You created a God grounded on your childhood beliefs. You founded an emotional position grounded on your childhood interpretations. These beliefs would influence your whole world for the rest of your life. You did not know that as a child, even though your experiences were real, many of your conclusions were false and were slowly taking you captive…leading you away from the Truth…bringing you under the control of deception of the father-of-lies. You did not know that because of your childhood interpretations, you would involuntarily be displaced into the past and relive the fear over and over again…relive the shame over and over again…relive the guilt over and over again. You did not know that as an adult you would feel as if you have two very different personalities…one child-like…the other, adult-like, and that you would seesaw between these two states in a matter of minutes…living in a normal logical adult mind one moment, then thrown into an irrational child mind the next moment. “I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED ME; HE DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS. I bless you to seek your everlasting Father in the conclusions that you have made as a child, because God is close to the brokenhearted. Your Father was there during your childhood experiences. He will deliver you from your childhood fears. If you look to Him, He will remove the childhood shame. Your perfect Father will save you from a crushed spirit and fill you with His Holy Spirit…the Spirit of Truth. I bless you |
May 6: A Parent Could Reason like a Child“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. (1 Corinthians 13:11). I bless you to know that sometimes a parent still thinks like a child…reasons like a child …feels like a child. Sometimes it is hard for a parent to put childish things behind him. Understand that your parents were not exempt from the father-of-lies’ deception. During a parent’s childhood, the father-of-lies loved to instill lies into their mind like “You don’t belong”… “You are a mistake”… ”You are different and defective.” Understand that the accuser’s goal was for your parents to become slaves to these lies so that these beliefs would carry over into their adulthood….and then to you. I bless you to be released from the belief that everything that went wrong during your childhood was your fault…that you were the bad one…that you were responsible. Understand that when your parent condemned you…he could have been reacting from his own wrong interpretations. Accept that when your parent abandoned you…she could have been responding from a place of deception. Acknowledge that when your parent overly controlled…she could have been retaliating from a place of fear. I bless you to forgive your parents for their own pain…and to surrender them to the perfect Father so that He could call them to obtain His Truth. Then they would start to think like an adult…..reason like and adult…..talk like an adult. And you too will receive healing. I bless you |
May 7: God Will Repay“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). I bless you to understand that the goal of the father of lies during your childhood was to produce in you a distorted mind and a disturbed heart…to promote lies like “You don’t belong”… “You are a failure”…”You are fatally flawed.” The father-of-lies knew that if you accepted these beliefs as a child, you would become a slave to them also for the rest of your life. "I WILL REPAY YOU FOR THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS HAVE EATEN” (Joel 2:25). However, God wants you to know that He would like to reimburse you for the years the father-of-lies has stolen from you. Your everlasting Father sent His son, Jesus, to make up for the times you felt abandoned, alone and isolated. Your perfect Father sent His Spirit of Truth to compensate for the times you felt condemned and rejected. He wants to make reparation for all the years you tried so hard to please and your efforts made no difference. “AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM”(Romans 8:28). I bless you to receive God’s blessings of Love, Truth and Hope He is offering you in exchange for the hopelessness, fear and deception. Meet Him face to face. Experience His Love. Taste His Hope. Feel His Power. Encounter His Truth. Discover His Comfort. Absorb His Light. I bless you to love your Father and accept the deliverance He has provided through His Son, Jesus and His Holy Spirit of Truth. I bless you |
May 8: God Has Been with You during Your Childhood“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). I bless you to understand that it is not what happened to you as a child that is causing you so much heart-ache today…but your interpretations of these events…what you came to believe about yourself and others. “AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE” I bless you to keep in mind that Jesus was present…..on duty…..alive when you were making your conclusions as a child. He promised that He would never leave you. “…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 know that Jesus saw it all. He considered the circumstances. He took heed of the deception that distorted your mind. He noticed the lies that disturbed your heart. Be encouraged that Jesus is still aware today of the false beliefs you had adopted during your childhood. He was there. Jesus wants you to know that He can read your heart like a book. He is aware of the misinterpretations that live in your mind. He understands the lies. He knows the Truth. “IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Jesus wants you to know that He has become your Wisdom from God---your Righteousness in exchange for the lies…your Holiness in exchange for the wrong interpretations…your Redemption from the deception that has been living in your heart since childhood. I bless you |
May 9: Recognize the Cause for Immaturity“THEY CLAIM TO KNOW GOD, BUT BY THEIR ACTIONS THEY DENY HIM. THEY ARE DETESTABLE, DISOBEDIENT AND UNFIT FOR DOING ANYTHING GOOD” (Titus 1:16). Do you claim to know God, but still behave in childish ways…denying God by your actions…being detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good? Understand that an adult could still display the character of a child and be disrespectful and immature if his childhood misinterpretations have not been healed and removed. “WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). Recognize that when an adult acts like a six-year-old, he feels again like the little six-year-old he used to be when the lie was formed in his mind. He becomes the little six-year-old again who is experiencing the fear, loneliness and shame. “AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COUNSELOR TO BE WITH YOU FOREVER— 17THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. THE WORLD CANNOT ACCEPT HIM, BECAUSE IT NEITHER SEES HIM NOR KNOWS HIM. BUT YOU KNOW HIM, FOR HE LIVES WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:16-17). I bless you to accept that your everlasting Father has brought you a Solution for your immature behavior. He sent you a Counselor…the Spirit of Truth. When you become that little six-year-old child again, offer this child’s emotions and beliefs to the Spirit of Truth, who is with you. Allow the little six-year-old to relive the memory that is bringing so much pain and confusion…and offer the memory, with its painful feelings and interpretations…to the Spirit of Truth. I bless you to know that you will experience immediate change in your immature character and act your age when the Truth sets you free. You will know God and honor Him with your actions. You will become fit for doing good. You will become an adult. I bless you |
May 10: To Love Jesus Is to Obey Him“WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. (John 14:21). I bless you today to love Jesus. Know that to love Jesus is to obey Him. To obey Jesus is not to surrender to your childhood pain…but to surrender your childhood pain to Jesus. "BECAUSE HE LOVES ME," SAYS THE LORD, "I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME. HE WILL CALL UPON ME, AND I WILL ANSWER HIM; I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE, I WILL DELIVER HIM AND HONOR HIM” (Psalm 91:14, 15). Do you sometimes act like a six-year-old? I bless you to obey Jesus by bringing all your six-year-old feelings of abandonment, rejection and shame to Him when you felt like you were not loved…that you were in the way…that you did not count. Obey Jesus by bringing Him all your twelve-year-old interpretations of being an outcast….and alien…..an object when you were not accepted as being part of the crowd or when you were being abused. Do not avoid the burden. Do not deny the problem. Do not simply endure the emotions. Do not get lost in the lies. Embrace the little child in you…..and bring it to Jesus. “JESUS SAID, "IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING, YOU ARE REALLY MY DISCIPLES. 32THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE" I bless you to love Jesus and obey Him. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free from childish ways. “WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). I bless you |
May 11: Do not Talk like a Child…Slander AnyoneTHEY MUST NOT SLANDER ANYONE AND MUST AVOID QUARRELING. INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD BE GENTLE AND SHOW TRUE HUMILITY TO EVERYONE” (Titus 3:2). I bless you to not slander anyone…to speak falsely or maliciously about anyone…to scandalize anyone. Keep clear of quarreling. Avoid bickering. Resist being at loggerheads with someone. Know that if you fall into the sinful behavior pattern of always wanting to bring someone down, you might be trying to raise yourself up. This is the conduct of a child-mind…thinking like a child…reasoning like a child...talking like a child. Understand that the child-mind slanders because of its own childhood emotions of hopelessness, helplessness and powerlessness that are still in effect. Accept that the child-mind belittles because of its own childhood beliefs of “I am not loved…I am unworthy…I am just an object.” “WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME” (1 Corinthians 13:11). I bless you to surrender your childhood mind with its beliefs of hopelessness, helplessness and powerlessness to God. May you mature into an adult, void of childhood lies, so you do not have to bring someone down in order to raise yourself up. May you come to believe that you are loved by God…that you are worthy, special and unique. May you put childish beliefs behind you so you could become gentle and show true humility to everyone. “WITH THE TONGUE WE PRAISE OUR LORD AND FATHER, AND WITH IT WE CURSE MEN, WHO HAVE BEEN MADE IN GOD'S LIKENESS” (James 3:9). I bless you
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May 12: I Am Special“WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. 12NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12). I would like to give you another example from my own life of how to put childish ways behind you. I was twelve years old and learning German in school for the first time. One of the first things I learned was to count in German. I was very proud of my accomplishment and could not wait to show my daddy that I could count to one hundred in German. One day I ran excitedly to my daddy and shouted, “Daddy, guess what I can do? I can count to one hundred in German.” I opened my mouth to start counting…but suddenly my daddy took the words out of my mouth and started counting in German for me…being very proud that he could do it too. The disappointment in the little twelve-year-old was immense. However, it was not the disappointment that stayed with me for the rest of my life, but the interpretations that I made that day…that I was not special…that there was nothing I knew that someone else did not already know…that I had no purpose in this life. These beliefs unconsciously controlled my actions whenever I did not feel special or felt that I did not have a purpose. The consequence was that I failed at certain tasks in life. I surrendered that twelve-year-old with her disappointment and interpretations to God…and the Truth set me free. God spoke into my heart and renewed my mind by telling me how special I am to Him and that He created me to be unique and with a very specific purpose. I bless you
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May 13: Be Perfect, as Your Father is PerfectIs there someone in your life who hates you? Is there someone in your life who always tries to control you? Is there someone in your life who spitefully uses you…who is defensive…who is contentious? “BUT YOU ARE TO BE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT” Do you know what your Father is expecting of you? Yes, you guessed it…to be perfect! What would a perfect person say to someone who hates him? How does a perfect person react when someone tries to control him? What would a perfect person do with someone who spitefully uses him? “YE HAVE HEARD THAT IT HATH BEEN SAID, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR, AND HATE THINE ENEMY. BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU; THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN: FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST. FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS THE SAME? AND IF YE SALUTE YOUR BRETHREN ONLY, WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS SO? BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT. (Matthew 5:43-48). I bless you to know that your Perfect Father knows that you cannot be perfect by merely trying to be. Capture that your Father sent His son, Jesus, to be perfect for you, and His Spirit lives in your heart. “IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30). “GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS…..” (Galatians 4:6). I bless you to surrender your own heart of animosity to Jesus, and allow Him to love your enemy through you…to bless them who curse you…to do good to those who hate you…to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. I bless you
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May 14: Come to God First“COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST” (Matthew 11:28). I bless you to come to Jesus first when you are heavy laden, before you seek the advice and comfort of your friends and family. IF ANY MAN THIRST, LET HIM COME UNTO ME, AND DRINK (John 7:37). “FOR HE SATISFIES THE THIRSTY AND FILLS THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS” (Psalm 107:9). I bless you to capture that Jesus can satisfy your thirst and fill you with good things…things that your friends and family can oftentimes not achieve. “AND YE WILL NOT COME TO ME, THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE (John 5:40). I bless you to grasp that Jesus is the only One Who could give you Life. I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS (John 12:46). I bless you to know that Jesus is the only One Who could give you true Light. “CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION” (1 Corinthians 1:30). I bless you to agree that Jesus is the only One Who could give you true Wisdom from God---Righteousness, Holiness and Redemption. “MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, SO THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 15:13). I bless you to realize that Jesus is the only One Who could fill you with true Hope. “NOW MAY THE LORD OF PEACE HIMSELF GIVE YOU PEACE AT ALL TIMES AND IN EVERY WAY” I bless you to recognize that Jesus is the only One who could bring you true Peace. I bless you
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May 15: The Enemy Likes to Hideclick here for audio version “BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR” (1 Peter 5:8). I bless you to be reminded that the enemy…..the roaring lion…..the father of lies…..resists the truth with every tool at his disposal, his favorite gimmick being blaming others, so the focus is taken away from him. Know that he always makes sure he stays hidden. Nobody would suspect him of the misinterpretations of “I am a mistake…I don’t have what it takes…I am defenseless.” Understand that nobody suspects him to be the cause of your misinterpretations, because he always makes sure the blame falls on someone else. “It is your mother who does not love you. It is your friend who does not care about you. It is your dad who thinks you are a failure.” Thus the father of lies remains innocent and hidden…inventing untruths…concocting falsities…devouring anybody and everybody with his deceit. “YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE COBRA; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. BECAUSE HE LOVES ME," SAYS THE LORD, "I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME” I bless you to love your perfect Father…to acknowledge the name of Jesus, the Savior and to accept the Holy Spirit…the Spirit of Truth. And God will expose the fierce lion from his hiding place, so you would know the Truth…and the Truth will trample the ruthless lion. I bless you |
May 16: May You Receive Your Father’s LoveDid you know that your Perfect Father loves you even as He loves His son, Jesus? There is no other Love in existence like that of your Everlasting Father’s. There is no other Love with whom you can compare your Perfect Father’s Love. “I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: 23I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME.” I bless you to embrace that it is when you do not feel loved that you are prone to fall into sinful behavior patterns…especially if you do not feel loved by your Perfect Father. It is when you feel abandoned by your Everlasting Father…that you fall into hopelessness. It is when you feel rejected by your Perfect Father…that you fall into bitterness. It is when you feel that you do not live up to your Everlasting Father’s expectations…that you fall into shame. It is God’s Love you crave the most…His delight in you…His affectionate Presence…His revelations for your life. When my daddy died when I was fourteen, I felt betrayed. I felt orphaned. I felt forsaken. I asked my Perfect Father where He was when my daddy died. Did He even care? He showed me that He sent Jesus, His son, to be right there with me, at the funeral, holding me and comforting me, so that I could be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. “AND I PRAY THAT YOU, BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, 18MAY HAVE POWER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS, TO GRASP HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST, 19AND TO KNOW THIS LOVE THAT SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE—THAT YOU MAY BE FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD” (Ephesians 3:17-19). Do you feel forsaken by someone…betrayed…orphaned? I bless you to ask your Everlasting Father to reveal His Love to you through Jesus, His son. That is all you really need, for the cares of this world---the betrayal…the abandonment…the shame will all fade in the light of your Perfect Father’s Love for you. I bless you |
May 17: You Will Trample the Great Lion“BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR” (1 Peter 5:8). I would like to draw a picture in your mind today. Please imagine with me an imaginary line on the ground that reaches into infinity. That line separates the world of Truth from the world of deception. Now imagine yourself living in the world of deception. You would love to enter into the world of Truth, but there is no way you could cross the line into the Truth, because it is guarded by a fierce lion, which is looking for someone to devour. However, this is not the end of the story. There is Someone Else also standing on that line that separates the world of Truth from the world of deception. His name is Jesus…the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus calls to you to come closer to witness a demonstration of the fierceness of the lion. He pulls a blowtorch the size of a cannon forward and aims it at the lion. Suddenly a huge flame leaps from the cannon and the lion’s mane blows in the force of the flame…but the lion is not affected by the flame…at all. Then Jesus shows you something else that you did not notice before…a thick strong chain. He is holding the fierce lion by the chain! Tenderly, Jesus tells you, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. It is only by loving me and surrendering your own understanding to me that you will be able to trample the great lion and enter into the world of Truth, because I will rescue you. I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.” “YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE COBRA; YOU WILL TRAMPLE THE GREAT LION AND THE SERPENT. BECAUSE HE LOVES ME," SAYS THE LORD, "I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME” I bless you to not try to fight the great lion by yourself. He is a spirit and cannot even be destroyed by fire. Instead, surrender your affliction to Jesus. He will make sure you cross the line safely…through Him. I bless you
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May 18: Focus on the Route of Escape God Has Provided“NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT” (1 Corinthians 10:13). What temptation has seized you? Was your brother mean to you…and now you feel rejected? Do not take the escape route of quarreling. Did your co-worker blame her failure on you…and now you feel slighted? Do not take the escape route of defending yourself. Has a friend stopped returning your phone calls…and now you feel abandoned? Do not take the escape route of pursuing her until she is brought down. “SUCH A HIGH PRIEST MEETS OUR NEED—ONE WHO IS HOLY, BLAMELESS, PURE, SET APART FROM SINNERS, EXALTED ABOVE THE HEAVENS. UNLIKE THE OTHER HIGH PRIESTS, HE DOES NOT NEED TO OFFER SACRIFICES DAY AFTER DAY, FIRST FOR HIS OWN SINS, AND THEN FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. HE SACRIFICED FOR THEIR SINS ONCE FOR ALL WHEN HE OFFERED HIMSELF” I bless you to capture that Jesus is your High Priest who meets your needs. He sacrificed Himself for you once for all when He offered Himself. Jesus offered Himself to become your route of escape. He has become God’s way out! I bless you to accept the Love that is available to you through Jesus, instead of focusing on the temptation. Receive the Hope that your High Priest has on hand for you, instead of focusing on your own escape routes. Secure the Truth that Jesus has ready for you, instead of focusing on your own defense mechanisms. “THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU; YOU NEED ONLY TO BE STILL” (Exodus 14:14). I bless you to focus on God’s way out…Jesus, who sacrificed Himself once for all. I bless you |
May 19: Be Patient…Joyful…Faithful“BE…PATIENT IN AFFLICTION…” (Romans 12:12). I bless you to be patient in affliction…anxiety…hurt. Wait patiently for God to deliver you from your torment. Do not become impatient and turn to evil…harmful ways…destruction, for “those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction” (Job 36:15). “BE…FAITHFUL IN PRAYER” (Romans 12:12). I bless you to be faithful in prayer during your affliction. Call upon the God of all Comfort instead of wallowing in your sadness. Appeal to The God who takes care of your yesterdays, todays and tomorrows instead of drowning in anxiety. Cry to the God whose Power is sufficient, instead of being destroyed by your own weakness. “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:17). “BE JOYFUL IN HOPE…” (Romans 12:12). I bless you to be joyful in Hope…because Hope will not disappoint you. Expect God’s answer with confidence. Await God’s solution with anticipation. Look forward to God’s provision with gladness. Therefore, “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). “THEN YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU” I bless you |
May 20: Be Patient in Affliction“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER” I bless you to be patient in your affliction. Do not turn to damaging ways…trying frantically to ease your pain by hiding from it. Distraction does not bring lasting relief. Wearing a mask only makes matters worse. Instead, hunker down and hide in the shelter of your perfect Father’s embrace. “FOR IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE HE WILL KEEP ME SAFE IN HIS DWELLING; HE WILL HIDE ME IN THE SHELTER OF HIS TABERNACLE AND SET ME HIGH UPON A ROCK” (Psalm 27:5). I bless you to be patient in your suffering---when someone accuses you…when someone leaves you…when someone fails you. Do not turn to destructive ways, trying to relieve your pain instantly by running from it. Instead, run to the safety of your perfect Father’s arms. There you will be safe! “THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG TOWER; THE RIGHTEOUS RUN TO IT AND ARE SAFE” (Proverbs 18:10). I bless you to be patient during temptation...when someone sets forth his own weakness. Do not turn to unwholesome ways….trying to still your pain immediately by blaming it on the other person’s weakness. Instead, own your pain and take responsibility for it, allowing your perfect Father to be your refuge and fortress…your God, in whom you trust. AND “HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE; HIS FAITHFULNESS WILL BE YOUR SHIELD AND RAMPART” I bless you |
May 21: Be Quick to Listen“MY DEAR BROTHERS, TAKE NOTE OF THIS: EVERYONE SHOULD BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY” (James 1:19). I encourage you to think of someone you know who is hurting deeply right now. Believe that you can be of great comfort to your friend by being quick to listen… slow to speak…slow to become angry. I bless you to be quick to listen---listen carefully…listen observantly. Be attentive to your friend’s heart. Listen with patience. Allow her to feel…to be emotional. Her emotions will lead her to the false interpretations the father-of-lies has planted in her mind. Help her to access those beliefs. “BUT THE COUNSELOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS” (John 14:26). I bless you to be slow to speak. Know that it is not your advice that counts…your perception that is needed…your understanding that is important, but the advice of God, the Counselor. Help your friend to hear from God, the Counselor by being compassionate…sympathetic…tenderhearted. “BE…SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY, 20FOR MAN'S ANGER DOES NOT BRING ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE THAT GOD DESIRES” (James 1:19, 20). I bless you to be slow to become angry. Be careful that your own pain does not get in the way when you listen to someone else’s pain…and you become angry. Recognize that it is not about your pain when you are helping someone else. Surrender your own heart-ache to God, the Counselor, so you can be a better listener to your friend. Therefore, I bless you to be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. Be slow to become angry. By doing this you will help someone else hear God’s perspective. And your friend will be comforted. I bless you |
May 22: Restore with Gentleness“BROTHERS, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE HIM GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELF, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED” (Galatians 6:1). I bless you with a special anointing to restore…to restore with gentleness. I encourage you to think of someone you know who is weary and weak…someone who might be trapped by the lies of the father-of-lies. Take note that you can be of great help and comfort to your friend by being willing to restore him gently. Understand that when someone is trapped in a lie, he might behave irrationally. He might express anger. He might show jealousy. He might breathe animosity. However, regardless of the behavior he displays on the outside…deep in his heart he feels hopeless…helpless…powerless. Therefore, he hungers for Love….God’s Love. He hungers for God’s Hope…God’s Truth…God’s Peace. “HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY AND INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK” I bless you to grasp that often when someone is lying with his face in the dust, he is not able to reach God’s outstretched hand of Love, Hope and Truth. Recognize that the heavy burden of hopelessness, helplessness and powerlessness paralyzes a person…and can prevent him from looking up into God’s face. Therefore, I bless you to stoop down in gentleness and pick your friend up. Do not condemn, criticize or control. These are sinful behavior patterns to ease your own pain. Be determined to encourage, bless and understand. I bless you to believe that your gentleness will prevail. You will witness a miracle when you see your friend arise from the prostration in which circumstances have kept him. And your heart will tremble with joy. I bless you |
May 23: The Love Language of AffirmationIs your love language affirmation? Do you constantly need to be recognized as being worthy, loved or needed? Do you become insecure when your spouse or friend does not respond to your unhappiness? I bless you to understand that if a male friend is not responding to your unhappiness, it is often not that he is deliberately choosing not to affirm and comfort you, but because he is simply obliviously unaware of your needs. Know that it takes men four times longer to notice subtle social cues than it does women. Consider that if you constantly need to be affirmed and recognized, you might have a belief that was engraved in your mind by the father-of-lies…that you are insignificant…disposable…lacking in weight. “FOR HE SATISFIES THE THIRSTY AND FILLS THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS” (Psalm 107:9). I bless you to seek your affirmation from God. Turn your beliefs of insignificance over to Him, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. “HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!” (1 John 3:1). I bless you to allow your Perfect Everlasting Father to lavish His Love on you…on your insignificance. Do not attack your spouse or your male friend for your beliefs of feeling that you do not count. This could trigger his pain of feeling rejected. The result would be two people living in pain, practicing their sinful behavior habits and patterns on each other. “THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND AND WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME. YOU WILL BE LIKE A WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE WATERS NEVER FAIL” I bless you to invite God to satisfy your need to feel significant…to feel that you count…to feel that you carry weight. I bless you
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May 24: God Understands YouHave you been struggling with the thought that nobody understands you…that nobody had understood you as a child…that nobody understands the way you function? Do you feel that you are a mystery…inexplicable…baffling…insolvable? Was there a time that you had been treated unfairly as a child, because you were not understood…causing resentment, fear and confusion in your heart? I bless you with comfort if you had been mistreated and misunderstood as a child and given no chance to justify your actions. I am sorry that you were left seething with anger and disappointment…believing that you had no defense…perceiving that there was no way to be released from the charge…realizing that there was no way of setting things right. “…THE LORD DOES NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS MAN LOOKS AT. MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART” (1 Samuel 16:7). I bless you to believe that God understands you….and He understood you when you were a child. Know that your perfect Father does not look at things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance…but your perfect Father looks at the heart. May you be comforted that God knows your heart…and He knew your heart when you were a child. He knows your heart now that you are an adult. Your perfect Father never misunderstands. “KNOW YE THAT THE LORD HE IS GOD: IT IS HE THAT HATH MADE US, AND NOT WE OURSELVES; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE” (Psalm 100:3). I bless you to be comforted. The God who made you, understands you. You can let go of the charge. “I KNOW THAT THOU CANST DO EVERY THING, AND THAT NO THOUGHT CAN BE WITHHOLDEN FROM THEE” (Job 42:2). I bless you to believe with certainty that no thought can be withheld from God. Your everlasting Father understands you perfectly…because He is perfect. I bless you
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May 25: Freedom from Being a ScapegoatI bless you with consolation today if you had to be a parent to your parent when you were a child…playing the role of nurturer, while you yourself needed nurturing…playing the role of caretaker, while you yourself were in need of care. I bless you with wholeness if you had to be a scapegoat to your parent when you were a child…the recipient of someone’s wrath…the target of someone’s condemnation…the victim of someone’s irrational behavior and insecurities. “IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY” (Galatians 5:1). I bless you with freedom if you had been punished for someone else’s sins as a child. You did not deserve the harsh punishment. You deserved to be forgiven…accepted…comforted. May you know that there already is a Scapegoat…Jesus Christ. You are set free to let go of your role as a scapegoat. You do not have to carry the blame for others anymore. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free…freedom from blame…freedom from guilt…freedom from the responsibility to carry someone else’s sins. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by this yoke of slavery…the yoke of being a scapegoat. “IN MY ANGUISH I CRIED TO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED BY SETTING ME FREE” I bless you |
May 26: The Holy Spirit…The Gift from GodI have noticed there is something in this life that we all desire more than anything. Can you guess what it is? JOY! We all would love to have JOY! Wouldn’t you? I would like to tell you of something in my life that brings me tremendous JOY. It is TRUTH. Nothing brings me as much JOY as receiving the TRUTH…TRUTH through the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. “BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS, AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS YET TO COME” (John 16:13). Nothing makes me as sad…as miserable…as joyless as living in deception…believing the lies of the father-of-lies…that I am insignificant…that I do not count…that I am not special. FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF EATING AND DRINKING, BUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 14:17). I bless you to know that you are dependent on the SPIRIT OF TRUTH to produce TRUTH…and TRUTH will produce JOY. TRUTH is not an attribute of human nature. TRUTH is a gift from the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Without it, humans live in deception. Without it, humans believe every lie that comes from the father-of-lies. Without it, there is no JOY. BUT STEPHEN, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND SAW THE GLORY OF GOD, AND JESUS STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” (Acts 7:55). I bless you to accept that TRUTH is not a human quality. May you acknowledge your dependency on the SPIRIT OF TRUTH…so you might see the glory of God in your life and every circumstance…and you will have JOY! The Apostle Paul proclaimed, “I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN WALK IN TRUTH” (3 John 1:4) I bless you |
May 27: The Holy Spirit…Your Father’s GiftIF YOU THEN, THOUGH YOU ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM"(Luke 11;13)! I bless you today to be encouraged by the extraordinary Gift you have received from your Father in Heaven…the gift of the Holy Spirit. “BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU; AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH" (Acts 1:8). I bless you to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit gives birth to Power…a Power that can do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine. You have a choice: to live by the Power of the Holy Spirit, or live by your own power. AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US, BECAUSE GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM HE HAS GIVEN US” (Romans 5:5). I bless you to acknowledge that your Father has made His Love available to you through His Gift, the Holy Spirit. You have a choice: to live by the Love of the Holy Spirit, or to live by the love that resides in your own self-nature. FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF EATING AND DRINKING, BUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Romans 14:17). I bless you to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit, the perfect Father’s Gift to you, can furnish you with Righteousness, Peace and Joy. You have a choice: to live by the Righteousness, Peace and Joy of your Father’s Gift, or to live by the righteousness of your own self-nature. "YOU STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE, WITH UNCIRCUMCISED HEARTS AND EARS! YOU ARE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHERS: YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Acts 7:51). I bless you to not resist your perfect Father’s Gift to you. Do not counteract His Righteousness, Truth, Peace, Love and Joy by replacing it with your own. The righteousness, love and truth that reside in your own self-nature do not count. It is not valid. It is counterfeit. May you accept your Father’s Gift. I bless you
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May 28: The Holy Spirit is always AvailableIF YOU THEN, THOUGH YOU ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM" I bless you to celebrate the Gift you have received from your Father in Heaven…the Gift of the Holy Spirit. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN”. I bless you to celebrate that your Father’s Gift, the Holy Spirit, resides in you. Understand that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, who will teach you all things, makes His home in you. He is available all the time! Be encouraged that you do not need to summon God out of Heaven to come and help you in your state of hopelessness. You do not need to fetch the Light to come and shine on your darkness. You do not need to call God into action to bring Truth into your deceptive mind. I bless you to rejoice, because all you need to do is enter into the Truth that is in the Spirit of Truth…Who abides in you. All you need to do is expose your darkness to the Light of the Holy Spirit…Who is in you. All you need to do is embrace the Hope that is available through the Holy Spirit…in you. “AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COUNSELOR TO BE WITH YOU FOREVER” (John 14:16). I bless you to welcome your Father’s Gift. Do not discredit the Love God has poured out in your heart through the Holy Spirit. Do not denounce the Truth the Holy Spirit provides. Do not belittle the Counsel of the Counselor, Who comes from God. Do not scorn the Hope the Holy Spirit supplies. In you. I bless you |
May 29: Revelation Comes Through Obedience“SHOW ME YOUR WAYS, O LORD, TEACH ME YOUR PATHS” (Psalm 25:4). Do you seek revelation from God? Would you like to receive divine Truth from your perfect Father? Would you like Jesus to make known to you what you should do about your affliction…about the person who has been persecuting you…about your marriage that is on the rocks? “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 revelation comes through obedience…moment-by-moment conforming to God’s guidance…moment-by-moment surrendering to your perfect Father’s will. “COMMIT TO THE LORD WHATEVER YOU DO, AND YOUR PLANS WILL SUCCEED” Does the word SURRENDER baffle you? Do you wonder what it means…how it works? I would like to share with you what SURRENDER means to me: To me SURRENDER means to acknowledge to my Father that I cannot fix my problem myself…that He is my only solution…that I am utterly dependent on Him for any Truth and Revelation. To me SURRENDER means to place my affliction under the authority of Jesus Christ, because Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). To me SURRENDER means to allow the Holy Spirit access into the places in my heart that are too hard for me to give up on my own accord. “AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM". I bless you to believe that revelation comes through obedience…moment-by-moment surrendering to your perfect Father’s will. I bless you
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May 30: The Blessing!Do you need a blessing because you grew up without one? Have you always wished that your earthly father or your earthly mother had blessed you as a child? Did you grow up like Joseph’s brothers who wished they were as loved as their brother, Joseph? I bless you if you have become anxious or depressed over the loss of your earthly father’s or mother’s love and acceptance. I bless you if you have become lonely and protective after losing the blessing of an important person in your life. I bless you if you have become a perfectionist and a workaholic after missing that coveted blessing. I bless you with comfort if you were left growing up without a parent’s blessing and now you are trying to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. “FROM THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED ONE BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER” (John 1:16). I bless you to capture that through the fullness of His Grace, your perfect Father has made all the blessings available to you that you will ever need. Through His son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, you have received the blessing of Love, the blessing of Hope and the blessing of Acceptance. “HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!” (1 John 3:1). I bless you to receive your perfect Father’s blessing: 17 THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU, 18 "FORGET THE FORMER THINGS; I bless you
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May 31: The Father’s Blessing of AcceptanceDid you fail to attain an important person’s blessing when you were a child? Did you fail to attain the acceptance of a father or a mother? Did these circumstances leave you with a feeling of being overlooked…disregarded…passed over? Do you feel there is an empty spot in your heart that can never be filled? “LET THE MORNING BRING ME WORD OF YOUR UNFAILING LOVE, I bless you to acknowledge that emptiness…the void…the barrenness, and offer it to your perfect Father to fill with His Love. Do not respond to your neediness by sucking others dry, trying to fill that lack. No human or object or place can make up for the unmet need for acceptance. You will end up as you started…disappointed and empty. You will only drain others of their desire to listen and help as they try in vain to satisfy your need for acceptance. “THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, SAYS: "IN REPENTANCE AND REST IS YOUR SALVATION, IN QUIETNESS AND TRUST IS YOUR STRENGTH, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT” (Isaiah 30:15). I bless you to recognize your need for acceptance as being genuine and valid. Do not hide it. Do not run from it. Do not blame it on the person who neglected to bless you with acceptance and approval. 18 "FORGET THE FORMER THINGS; I bless you to allow your perfect Father to do a new thing…to fill the void of unacceptance with His Acceptance…to saturate the unmet need in your heart with His Father Love and Approval. He is the only One who can meet the unmet need of unacceptance. I bless you
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